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Starting Over (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Starting Over is an American
reality TV show that follows the lives of women who are experiencing difficulty in their lives and want to make changes, with the help of life coaches. It was the first reality TV show to be nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award
. Six women at a time work to overcome obstacles and meet personal goals. When it is determined that a woman has met all her goals, she "graduates" from the house and is replaced by a new roommate. On the other hand, if it's determined that she's not met her goals, she could be put on probation, or even asked to leave.
. The show featured the voice-over narration of Sylvia Villagran. It featured life coaches Rhonda Britten
and Rana Walker
. A concern arose regarding the life coaches giving psychological advice, since they were not licensed psychologists. This in turn prompted the relocation to California
and the introduction of a consulting psychologist.
The second season saw the show moved to the Hollywood Hills
of Los Angeles
, where the house was larger and more secluded. Rana Walker was replaced by Iyanla Vanzant
as the second life coach. Dr. Stan Katz
joined the cast as the psychologist
. The show was produced by Bunim/Murray Productions
(and syndicated by NBC Universal Television Distribution
), the reality TV producer responsible for many other reality shows, perhaps most popular, MTV's long-running "The Real World". Due to this, as well as a larger production budget, the style of the second season was very different from that of the first. Some fans felt that the new style was too overly dramatized.
During the second season, it was notable that in addition to the six women, for the first few months, there was also a baby in the mix. Josie, the holdover from the Chicago house, had given birth to a girl, Chloe, at season's end; and in that time in the Los Angeles house, she was included and doted on by the women, the life coaches and Dr. Katz (whom was affectionately known as Dr. Stan).
Josie was also unique, in that she was the only woman in the three year history of Starting Over to have changed life coaches. Since Rana, her original primary life coach, had been replaced by Iyanla and she already had three clients, she gained Rhonda, who had been her support life coach in the first season, as her primary life coach.
Also during the second season, a special group session dealing with anger, (which lasted the show's entire hour) was shown, as the housemates all dealt with their deep-seated anger in their lives. At first it was meant to be a session to only help Jennifer deal with her anger issues, but Iyanla thought that it would be also beneficial for the entire house to participate as well. She (Iyanla) was the moderator of the session, whilst Rhonda and Dr. Stan watched the proceedings from the group room. It was one of the more memorable episodes of the second season.
The third season was filmed in the Reseda
district of Los Angeles. For the first three weeks of the third season, which aired from 2005 until 2006, couples worked together with the life coaches. Although men have been guests of the women on the show, this was the first time that men appeared on the show specifically to work on their issues.
Starting Over did not return for a fourth season, but in the second half of the 2006-07 season NBC Universal distributed reruns of the series on some stations as a replacement show beginning January 29, 2007, due to the failure of the syndicated Megan Mullally
's talk show
Jonathan Murray (executive producer),
Mary-Ellis Bunim (executive producer),
Millee Taggart (executive producer),
Jim Johnston (co-executive producer),
Linda Midgett (co-executive producer),
Joan O'Connor (co-executive producer),
Cliff Grant (line producer),
Francesca James (producer),
Jeannine Denholm (producer),
Erin Lichtenstein (producer),
Benjamin Greenberg (producer),
Peter Steen (producer),
Tracy Whittaker (producer),
Adriane Hopper (producer),
Jeanine Cornillot (producer),
Lisa Weiss (producer),
Susan Baronoff (producer),
Joe Alonso (producer),
Peggy Murphy (producer),
James Gavin Bedford (producer),
Brandon L. Wilson (producer),
Andrea Bailey (producer),
Rubye Wilson (producer),
Kathy Wussler (producer),
Stephanie Tomasky (producer),
Pam Lewis (producer),
Sylvia Maldonado (producer),
Jonathan Reiner (producer),
Jeniene Phillips (producer),
David Wallach (producer),
Mark Niedelson (producer),
Alex Miltsch (producer),
Guido Verweyen (producer),
Sarah K. Pillsbury (producer),
Roger C. Memos (coordinating producer),
Patricia Lofthouse (coordinating producer),
Rana Walker (co-host),
Rhonda Britten (co-host),
Iyanla Vanzant (co-host),
Dr. Stan J. Katz (co-host),
The editors were also nominated by the Television Academy for an Emmy in the category Multi-Camera Editing in 2005.
instructed her to return next season but this was prior to the show's cancellation.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
reality TV show that follows the lives of women who are experiencing difficulty in their lives and want to make changes, with the help of life coaches. It was the first reality TV show to be nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
. Six women at a time work to overcome obstacles and meet personal goals. When it is determined that a woman has met all her goals, she "graduates" from the house and is replaced by a new roommate. On the other hand, if it's determined that she's not met her goals, she could be put on probation, or even asked to leave.
History
The first season of Starting Over, in 2003-2004, was set in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The show featured the voice-over narration of Sylvia Villagran. It featured life coaches Rhonda Britten
Rhonda Britten
Rhonda Britten is the founder of the Fearless Living Institute, an inspirational and life-changing speaker and bestselling author...
and Rana Walker
Rana Walker
Rana Walker has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Howard University, and a Master of Education in Counseling Psychology from Temple University. She is a mental health therapist, with more than fifteen years experience in the field.-Starting Over:...
. A concern arose regarding the life coaches giving psychological advice, since they were not licensed psychologists. This in turn prompted the relocation to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and the introduction of a consulting psychologist.
The second season saw the show moved to the Hollywood Hills
Hollywood Hills
The Hollywood Hills is an affluent and exclusive neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, in the southeastern Santa Monica Mountains. It is bound by Laurel Canyon Boulevard to the west, Vermont Avenue to the east, Mulholland Drive to the north, and Sunset Boulevard to the south.-Hollywood Hills...
of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, where the house was larger and more secluded. Rana Walker was replaced by Iyanla Vanzant
Iyanla Vanzant
Iyanla Vanzant is an inspirational speaker, New Thought spiritual teacher, author, and television personality. She is known primarily for her books, for her eponymous talk show, and for her frequent appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and on Oprah's Lifeclass webcasts.Vanzant was born in...
as the second life coach. Dr. Stan Katz
Stan Katz
Dr Stan J Katz is an American clinical and forensic psychologist. A critic of the codependency movement, Katz co-authored The Codependency Conspiracy: How to Break the Recovery Habit and Take Charge of Your Life...
joined the cast as the psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
. The show was produced by Bunim/Murray Productions
Bunim/Murray Productions
Bunim/Murray Productions is an entertainment production company based out of Van Nuys, California, and is considered a pioneer in the reality television genre. It is best known for The Real World, The Bad Girls Club, and Road Rules...
(and syndicated by NBC Universal Television Distribution
NBC Universal Television Distribution
NBCUniversal Television Distribution is the television distribution arm of the NBCUniversal Television Group in the United States, and is a subsidiary of General Electric...
), the reality TV producer responsible for many other reality shows, perhaps most popular, MTV's long-running "The Real World". Due to this, as well as a larger production budget, the style of the second season was very different from that of the first. Some fans felt that the new style was too overly dramatized.
During the second season, it was notable that in addition to the six women, for the first few months, there was also a baby in the mix. Josie, the holdover from the Chicago house, had given birth to a girl, Chloe, at season's end; and in that time in the Los Angeles house, she was included and doted on by the women, the life coaches and Dr. Katz (whom was affectionately known as Dr. Stan).
Josie was also unique, in that she was the only woman in the three year history of Starting Over to have changed life coaches. Since Rana, her original primary life coach, had been replaced by Iyanla and she already had three clients, she gained Rhonda, who had been her support life coach in the first season, as her primary life coach.
Also during the second season, a special group session dealing with anger, (which lasted the show's entire hour) was shown, as the housemates all dealt with their deep-seated anger in their lives. At first it was meant to be a session to only help Jennifer deal with her anger issues, but Iyanla thought that it would be also beneficial for the entire house to participate as well. She (Iyanla) was the moderator of the session, whilst Rhonda and Dr. Stan watched the proceedings from the group room. It was one of the more memorable episodes of the second season.
The third season was filmed in the Reseda
Reseda, Los Angeles, California
Reseda is a San Fernando Valley district in the city of Los Angeles, California.-History:The area now known as Reseda was originally inhabited by Native Americans of the Tongva tribe that lived close to the Los Angeles River....
district of Los Angeles. For the first three weeks of the third season, which aired from 2005 until 2006, couples worked together with the life coaches. Although men have been guests of the women on the show, this was the first time that men appeared on the show specifically to work on their issues.
Starting Over did not return for a fourth season, but in the second half of the 2006-07 season NBC Universal distributed reruns of the series on some stations as a replacement show beginning January 29, 2007, due to the failure of the syndicated Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally is an American actress and singer.After working in the theatre in Chicago, Mullally moved to Los Angeles in 1985 and began to appear in supporting roles in film and television productions. She made her Broadway debut in Grease in 1994 and she has since appeared in several Broadway...
's talk show
The Megan Mullally Show
The Megan Mullally Show is an American talk show hosted by Megan Mullally that debuted in syndication on September 18, 2006, and was cancelled in January 2007 due to its low ratings. Early promotions for the program featured Mullally as herself and as her Will & Grace character, Karen Walker...
2005
The show won an Emmy in 2005 for the category Outstanding Special Class Series at the [32nd Daytime Emmy Awards]. The winning Producers include:Jonathan Murray (executive producer),
Mary-Ellis Bunim (executive producer),
Millee Taggart (executive producer),
Jim Johnston (co-executive producer),
Linda Midgett (co-executive producer),
Joan O'Connor (co-executive producer),
Cliff Grant (line producer),
Francesca James (producer),
Jeannine Denholm (producer),
Erin Lichtenstein (producer),
Benjamin Greenberg (producer),
Peter Steen (producer),
Tracy Whittaker (producer),
Adriane Hopper (producer),
Jeanine Cornillot (producer),
Lisa Weiss (producer),
Susan Baronoff (producer),
Joe Alonso (producer),
Peggy Murphy (producer),
James Gavin Bedford (producer),
Brandon L. Wilson (producer),
Andrea Bailey (producer),
Rubye Wilson (producer),
Kathy Wussler (producer),
Stephanie Tomasky (producer),
Pam Lewis (producer),
Sylvia Maldonado (producer),
Jonathan Reiner (producer),
Jeniene Phillips (producer),
David Wallach (producer),
Mark Niedelson (producer),
Alex Miltsch (producer),
Guido Verweyen (producer),
Sarah K. Pillsbury (producer),
Roger C. Memos (coordinating producer),
Patricia Lofthouse (coordinating producer),
Rana Walker (co-host),
Rhonda Britten (co-host),
Iyanla Vanzant (co-host),
Dr. Stan J. Katz (co-host),
The editors were also nominated by the Television Academy for an Emmy in the category Multi-Camera Editing in 2005.
2006
The editors of the show won an Emmy in 2006 for Outstanding Single-Camera editing. Winning editors include: Marc Grossman, Arek Hope(of popcorn boy fame), Steve Mellon, Leellen Patchen, Raoul Rosenberg, Joe Shugart, Steven Urrutia, Maria Vitakis and Barry Zetlin.2007
The editors of the show won an Emmy in 2007 for Outstanding Single-Camera editing. Winning editors include: Mac Caudill, Robert Garry, Marc Grossman, Arek Hope (of popcorn boy fame), Aaron M. Lewis, Seth Thomas Levine, Steve Mellon, Leellen Patchen, Raoul Rosenberg, Joe Shugart, Steven Urrutia, Maria Vitakis and Barry Zetlin.Life coaches
- Rhonda BrittenRhonda BrittenRhonda Britten is the founder of the Fearless Living Institute, an inspirational and life-changing speaker and bestselling author...
(Seasons 1-3) - Rana WalkerRana WalkerRana Walker has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Howard University, and a Master of Education in Counseling Psychology from Temple University. She is a mental health therapist, with more than fifteen years experience in the field.-Starting Over:...
(Season 1) - Iyanla VanzantIyanla VanzantIyanla Vanzant is an inspirational speaker, New Thought spiritual teacher, author, and television personality. She is known primarily for her books, for her eponymous talk show, and for her frequent appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and on Oprah's Lifeclass webcasts.Vanzant was born in...
(Seasons 2-3)
Roommates - Season 1 (in order of graduation/departure from show)
- Maureen Goodman: 1st ever "Starting Over" graduate, and roommate during season 2
- Nyanza Davis
- Christine (#1)
- Andy Paige: Season 1 graduate, Stylist during Seasons 2-3
- Cassie Romanelli
- Lori
- Kimberlyn
- Jennifer Manaloto
- Audrey Tucker- First Black Female Country Singer to gain National Exposure on NBC's Starting Over
- Teresa Crone
- Brenda Starr Wilson
- Hannah Buchanan
- Karen Knoxcox
- Christine H.
- PJ Anbey: Season 1 and special appearances season 2; plus size model and professional stage actress
- Erika Jackson
- Rain Adams
- Amy Harkin Goodrich: daughter of Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, and wife of NBA Basketball player Steve Goodrich
- Susan Santa Cruz
- Hailey Murray: niece of "Starting Over" co-creator/executive producer Jonathan Murray, and daughter of "Starting Over" graduate Lynnell
- Lynnell Stage: mother of "Starting Over" graduate Hailey
- Josie (and baby Chloe): Seasons 1-2
- Leah: show ended before her story was completed
Roommates - Season 2
- Sinae VanHaastert...An Inspiration to do Your Best http://www.lacanadaonline.com/articles/2004/10/21/entertainment/applause06.txt(Season 2)
- Josie (Season 1-2)
- Chloe (Season 1-2)
- Deborah (Season 2)
- Vanessa AtlerVanessa AtlerVanessa Marie Atler is a retired American elite gymnast. She was the 1996 junior all-around National Champion, the 1997 senior all-around National Champion and the 1998 Goodwill Games gold medalist on the floor exercise and vault. At the 1999 American Cup, Atler became the first female American...
(Season 2)... Former Olympic Hopeful - Bethany Marshall (Season 2 and appearances on Season 3)... NC Amnesiac
- Jennifer Bernhardt (Season 2)
- Megg Berry (Season 2)
- Kim Bookout (Season 2)
- Towanda Braxton Carter (Season 2)... Sister of R&B singer-songwriter Toni Braxton
- Denise Lamberti (Season 2)
- Cassie Mizer (Seasons 2-3)... Season 2 graduate, and roommate during season 3
- Sommer White (Seasons 2-3) (In Jan 2009 she appeared on the TV Show the Doctors for plastic surgery.)
- Allison Stanley (Seasons 2-3)
Roommates - Season 3
- Jaclyn Johnsen Romero (Season 3 - Couples Bootcamp)
- Michael Romero (Season 3 - Couples Bootcamp)
- Kacie Fann (Season 3 - Couples Bootcamp)
- Simon David (Season 3 - Couples Bootcamp)
- Cheryl Kohagen (Season 3 - Couples Bootcamp)
- Troy Kohagen (Season 3 - Couples Bootcamp)
- Jenn Marini (Season 3 - Couples Bootcamp)
- Lou Marini (Season 3 - Couples Bootcamp)
- Jessica Holland (Season 3)
- Christie Duran (Season 3)
- Jill Tracy (Season 3)
- Lisa Noonen (from Miami Beach) (Season 3) currently a Flight Attendant with Jetblue Airways
Cancellation
After three seasons the show was canceled. In the show's series finale, housemate Niambi had not achieved her goal on the show. Life coach Iyanla VanzantIyanla Vanzant
Iyanla Vanzant is an inspirational speaker, New Thought spiritual teacher, author, and television personality. She is known primarily for her books, for her eponymous talk show, and for her frequent appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and on Oprah's Lifeclass webcasts.Vanzant was born in...
instructed her to return next season but this was prior to the show's cancellation.