Starting Over

A true reality show - real women working on re-inventing themselves and their lives.

The premise is simple - a house full of six women, living together but each with their own goals. They live together and support one another, along with 2 "life coaches" who visit them daily giving them exercises to do, challenges to face, and so on.

Just the process of living in a household of women gives them lots of opportunity for growth. Many of these women have never lived with roommates, in a communal environment. Sacrifices must be made, cooperation is key, and clashing personalities must make amends.

The goals of the women vary widely. Learning to drive, starting a new career, learning to separate from family members, starting over after divorce and so much more. All, of course, women's issues -- and definitely issues which we can relate.

The life coaches, Rhonda and Rana, dream up very visual exercises to illustrate key problems in the women's lives. The coaches support, confront and challenge the women daily. Each day is a new adventure with new experiences and assignments.

Each woman in the house learns (or doesn't learn!) at her own pace, but usually spends 2-4 months in the house. They can leave the house by their own choice, by graduating, or by being asked to leave the house. One of the best things about this show is that the women aren't treated like children. They are asked to actively work towards their goals, or they will be asked to leave the house.

Seeing the women supporting one another, even if they are very different (cultures, viewpoints, political stance, economics, etc) is truly beautiful.

This show is for any woman who would like to re-invent herself and wants to see women just like herself do it!

I agree that Iyanla can be a bit opinionated, but that other one --Rhonda--

Could she possibly be more self-righteous? Meanwhile, she never really listens to what anyone is saying. Did she take a Learning Annex class in "5 Steps to Being a Good Listener"? Maybe it was a prerequisite course to "You Too Can Be an Analyst" She asks clearly scripted questions, nods with a furrowed brow during the girls responses and follows it with a "ya" and a quote directly off one of those motivational posters.

Example: In the last episode ... Rhonda starts using all the clichés and textbook inspirational quotes to this one woman who was really going through it badly. She takes her through this ridiculous word association thing to arrive at the conclusion that her father is the cause of all her woes (which had already been established anyway, by the woman herself). Rhonda gives an understanding "Ya" and sits all self-satisfied that she broke her. Then Iyanla proceeds to rip the girl apart, saying that she is lying and covering up the real issue and makes her come to terms with the fact that her mother is really at the root of it all but she never could face or admit to herself. After 10 minutes of Iyanla tearing down layer after layer, lie after lie, the girl is obviously a wreck and then Rhonda chimes in with this pearl: "Its OK for your mother to not always be right" smiling smugly as though she knew the mother was the real issue all along. Iyanla looked like 'is she kidding with this'???

Rhonda seems to feel that she and Iyanla simply have different styles of therapy --- yea qualified and not qualified is the difference. She looks like a soap actress wannabe who never quite got her break but decided to put this show together and trying to act like a therapist. A bad one.

I'm Karen Knox-Cox, of Starting Over, season one. I love to read all the comments on this show. What a wonderful life experience it was. It did not change my life, but it certainly gave me a chance to re-direct my life. I am proud to be a part of a show, that obviously touch so many lives. I always said I'm the luckiest girl in the world! I too, agree, that the show lost a certain something after the first year. Replacing Rona,was the shows first down fall. With the first season, the women in the house, had no idea what to expect. The second year, it seemed the women in the house,"knew what the show needed", so it was not as natural. That is sad, because most of the women needed, some type of help. I think Starting Over could have survived longer, had they replaced the coaches on a regular basis...keeping it fresh.

If you turn off the testosterone, STARTING OVER can be a real treat. Especially if you are unemployed.

The show centers around woman that need to make changes in their lives and have come to a special house to start over. Nonethless, in order to start over, the woman must perform a serious of exercises under the supervision of Life Coaches. And, don't giggle, these coaches mean business. At one point, I tuned in to see a woman sitting in a cage.

Either way, I was able to overcome preconceived notions and indulge in the individual quest of each participant. I also became extremely fond of a woman Christina. A single mother of one and former show girl, she finally graduated the house and established herself as a woman of honor.

I just wanted to say that the show rapidly went downhill after the move to California AND RANA was not expendable. She was much more real than Iyanla. I knew that show was in trouble from the opening screen shots where they show Iyanla with a tear ... supposedly real ... running down her cheek. The artificiality of it used to drive me insane! I am half-black, so race is not my issue here. I could not believe how warm and loving the life coaches could be on a day-to-day basis, and then just rip the poor women to shreds during the Board of Review. This show slowly but steadily began to concentrate more on what would make great television and keep the ratings up. I smelled a rat when the cause of the amnesia victim's loss of memory was never explained - hinted at - but never explained. This show should have stuck to the original formula; i.e. if you want to be on television, live for free for a minimum of six weeks, then there can be no holds barred, respecting, of course, the identify of close friends and relatives. And I'm sorry - I tried to like Dr. Stan but I could never really "get" him, or figure out what earthly purpose he actually served by being on the show. Alas, it's too late and my thoughts are all for naught because a sounding board for the viewers should have been made available from the get-go. Rest in peace, Rhonda; rest in peace. And Rana, you were gone but never forgotten.