Hoarders (Season 5)

Norman and Linda (Episode 1)

Air date: 2012-01-02

Runtime: 60 min

Overview: Paramedics rushing to save a woman's life lose precious time when they're forced to climb over the hoard they find in Norman's house. Officials on the scene immediately call the Fire Chief and the Fire Marshall because the home presents a huge fire hazard to the neighborhood. Within an hour of being told his girlfriend is dead, the property is crawling with city officials and the house is condemned. Norman is given 30 days to clean up, or he could lose his house forever. Ever since Linda's husband died ten years ago, she has been adding to a hoard that has now spiraled out of control. Her two grown sons living with her do nothing about it either and each family member blames the other for not cleaning--causing a toxic three-way in the house. If Linda doesn't get help with the hoarding so she can recuperate and rehab from her future surgery, her sister is threatening to report her to the authorities and will have her own sister "shut-down."

Barbara and Richard (Episode 2)

Air date: 2012-01-09

Runtime: 60 min

Overview: A mother with a family history of hoarding continues to hoard following the deaths of both of her sons. A former restaurant worker's life has gone downhill after he has surrounded himself with items bought while compulsively shopping at clearance sales.

Mary and Annie (Episode 3)

Air date: 2012-01-16

Runtime: 60 min

Overview: A woman who hoards cats; a cleaning woman whose own home is cluttered, resulting in problems for her husband, who has Parkinson’s disease.

Carrie and James (Episode 4)

Air date: 2012-01-23

Runtime: 60 min

Overview: Carrie lives in a house with no running water. Her floors are covered in feces and stacks of discarded urine bottles. James must clean up his property or face fines.

Joanne and Kristy (Episode 5) 7.3

Air date: 2012-01-30

Runtime: 60 min

Overview: A daughter develops post-traumatic stress disorder because of her mom’s hoarding; a shopping addict loses custody of her son.

Barbara, Fred and Mary (Episode 6) 7.3

Air date: 2012-02-06

Runtime: 60 min

Overview: A woman who lives in a million-dollar neighborhood sifts through trash bins; authorities warn a couple that they must clean their cobweb-infested, filthy home.

Kathleen and Scott (Episode 7) 7.0

Air date: 2012-02-13

Runtime: 60 min

Overview: A woman's hoarding carries over into her daughter's home; a hoarder buys back some items he sells.

Dee and Jan (Episode 8)

Air date: 2012-02-20

Runtime: 60 min

Overview: A hoarder who spent money from a large legal settlement faces an ultimatum from her daughter; a woman living in filth deals with the threat of eviction.

Verna and JoAnne (Episode 9)

Writer: Mel Eslyn

Air date: 2012-02-27

Runtime: 60 min

Overview: Verna is a hot-headed ex-cop, ex-drug trafficker, and ex-prison inmate who has cleverly evaded laws against hoarding by arguing that her hoard was her artistic expression. But now Verna, who has diabetes, is hospitalized, and the hospital refuses to let her return home unless it’s cleaned up. Joanne’s house has gone from immaculate showplace to garbage pit. Yet despite the filth, she’s been the daytime caretaker for her six-year-old grandson. Joanne’s sister-in-law is so upset about the situation that she’s threatening to call adult protective services if the house isn’t cleaned up immediately.

Anna/Claire and Vance (Episode 10)

Air date: 2012-03-05

Runtime: 60 min

Overview: A woman learns of her mother's secret life as a hoarder; a couple's home contains 500,000 books.

Constance and Jeri Jo (Episode 11)

Air date: 2012-03-12

Runtime: 60 min

Overview: Constance/Jeri Jo - A food hoarder runs a fresh-egg business, and unrefrigerated eggs and loose chickens cause problems; a woman married to a man serving a life sentence in prison hoards because she's lonely without her husband.