Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners Season 5 Episode 1 Tom & Gareth and Louise & Paula
- March 15, 2016
- 47 min
Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners season 5 episode 1, titled "Tom & Gareth and Louise & Paula," follows the return of the popular documentary-style reality show that explores the lives of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and their compulsive need to keep everything clean and tidy. In this episode, the show focuses on two sets of individuals who have different levels of cleanliness.
First, we meet Tom and Gareth, who are two friends and flatmates living in London. Tom is a sales executive for a telecom company and Gareth is a professional photographer. Both of them are in their early 30s, and despite having hectic work schedules, they are obsessed with keeping their apartment spotless. The apartment is already clean when the cleaners arrive, but Tom and Gareth explain that they want everything to be perfect. They go over the cleaning routine with the cleaners, discussing how they want the floors, surfaces, and bathroom tiles to be scrubbed and washed. They even ask the cleaners to sanitize their phones and laptops.
In contrast, the next segment focuses on two older women named Louise and Paula, who live in the countryside and have a lot of pets. Louise is a retired nurse, while Paula is a retired admin clerk. Their home is surrounded by nature, and they share it with their menagerie of animals, which includes dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens, and horses. Although they love their pets, they are having a hard time cleaning up after them. Animal hair is everywhere, and the floors and walls are covered in mud and dirt. Louise and Paula are overwhelmed by the cleaning demands, and they need some help to get their home back to a livable state.
The episode showcases the different challenges and complexities of obsessive-compulsive disorder and how it manifests in different ways. Tom and Gareth's OCD is focused on cleanliness and control, while Louise and Paula's OCD is more about feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope. The show highlights how OCD can affect people in all walks of life, regardless of age, gender, and social status.
As in previous seasons, the show is also a fascinating look into the world of professional cleaners and how they handle the unique challenges presented by their clients. The cleaners in this episode are competent and efficient, but they also show empathy and understanding for their clients' struggles. They know that cleaning is not just about making things look neat but also about helping their clients to feel better and more in control.
Overall, Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners season 5 episode 1 is a poignant and insightful look into the lives of people with OCD and how they cope with their mental health struggles. The show is a reminder that OCD is a real and serious condition that affects millions of people worldwide, and that we need to be more compassionate and understanding towards those who have it. The episode is a great opener for the fifth season and promises another intriguing glimpse into the world of obsessive-compulsive cleaning.