30 Days

2005
30 Days

Seasons & Episodes

  • 3
  • 2
  • 1

EP1 Working In A Coal Mine Jun 03, 2008

To kick off the third season of 30 Days, series creator Morgan Spurlock returns to his home state of West Virginia, to work as a rookie apprentice coalminer known as a "redhat" for 30 days. Morgan goes to Bolt, West Virginia and lives with Dale and Sandy Lusk. Dale, the supervisor of the mine where Morgan works, has mined coal for 35 years and introduces Morgan to a miner's way of life. Morgan gains an understanding of the financial benefits that draw people to coal mining, but also learns, first hand, the dangerous conditions that miners must face every day. As a new miner, Morgan is assigned much of the grunt work, including plastering, building wooden roof supports, shoveling coal and hauling heavy equipment. On his days off, Morgan leaves the mine to examine some of the bigger issues surrounding the coal industry. He meets with Peggy Cohen, 36, the daughter of a miner killed in 2006 in a Sago, West Virginia mine explosion. Morgan also talks to both coal industry executives and environmentalists about surface mining and mountain-top removal to gain perspective on the pros and cons of an industry that provides the U.S. with the raw materials for 50% of our electricity. electricity.

EP2 In A Wheelchair Jun 10, 2008

Ray played football for Baylor University from 1984-88 before his NFL draft in 1989. He won two Super Bowl rings in 1998 and 1999 as a starting member of the Denver Broncos. During his fourteen years in the NFL, he also played for the Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs. Today, Ray and his wife April have three children, a 20-year old daughter named Joi and two sons, 13-year-old Ray Junior and seven year old Darryl. Ray now works as a real estate developer and coaches his older son Ray Junior. In 1991, Ray was on the field with the Detroit Lions when his teammate and friend, Mike Utley, was involved in a play that left him paralyzed from the chest down - an event that has not dissipated from Ray's memory. In fact, it is this incident that made Ray want to participate in 30 Days. For 30 Days, Ray will live in a wheelchair and will rely on his mental discipline to keep his legs immobile. His home and his car will be retrofitted to accommodate his needs. Coaching duties for his son's football team will continue and Ray will join the Texas Stampede, the wheelchair rugby team featuring players made famous in the documentary film Murderball. He will attend a weekly support group for paraplegics at the Baylor Institute of Rehabilitation and meet with a physical therapist to monitor any potential side effects. Throughout his 30 Days experience, Ray will be under the medical supervision of Dr. Robert Bruce in order to track any muscle loss, blood clots, pressure sores or other side effects that could occur while he is wheelchair-bound.

EP3 Animal Rights Jun 17, 2008

George Snedeker is an avid hunter who considers it much more than just a sport; to George, hunting is a way of life. George hunts mainly for deer meat and tries to use the entire animal in order not to be wasteful. For 30 Days, George will live in Los Angeles with vegan Melissa Karpel, 29, and her vegan family: parents Don and Madeline Karpel and her sisters Stephanie and Kimberly, who are 25-year-old twins. Melissa is a Los Angeles Campaign Coordinator for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a non-profit organization that fights for animal rights on factory farms, in laboratories, in the clothing trade and in the entertainment industry. George will participate in PETA initiatives including a demonstration at a popular fast food chain, work at a local farm animal rescue center and meet with various organizations such as Last Chance for Animals, a non-profit group dedicated to animal rights.

EP4 Same Sex Parenting Jun 24, 2008

Kati believes that children should be raised by a mother and a father and not by same-sex parents. As the mother of two adopted sons Kati believes that she has ample experience to determine what kind of environment is conducive to healthy, successful adoptions. In fact, Kati was adopted as an infant herself. For 30 Days, Kati will live in Ypsilanti, Michigan with domestic partners Dennis and Thomas Patrick and their four adopted sons: Josh, 11; Paul, 8; Joey, 8; and Raul, 6. The Patrick's have been together for 10 years, and in 2001, Thomas legally changed his last name to Patrick. Kati will attend church with the family, help the boys get ready for school each morning and talk candidly about her views on parenting and gay adoption as she observes how the Patrick's parent their boys. Kati will volunteer and travel to the state capitol with the Coalition for Adoption Rights Equality (CARE), a children's advocacy group lobbying for legislation to legalize dual-parenting rights for same-gender couples. She will socialize with women from the Lesbian Mom's Network, a group that connects lesbian mothers and their children with families like their own. She will also meet with former foster children who talk about what it's like to grow up without parents or a permanent home and the need for more foster parents.

EP5 Gun Nation Jul 01, 2008

After Pia learned that her friend had been killed by a schizophrenic man wielding a gun in 1996, she became a gun control advocate who has fought to pass stricter gun laws in the U.S. Pia believes that the world would be free from gun violence only by prohibiting the sale of guns to anyone outside of law enforcement and armed services. For 30 Days, Pia will live in the heart of gun culture in the rural town of Leesburg, Ohio with gun enthusiast Ken Ekermeyer, 39, and his 15-year-old son Zach. Ken is an avid gun collector and rarely leaves home without his gun strapped to his side. Ken believes carrying a gun is his right guaranteed to every American by the Second Amendment. As Pia struggles to understand the Ekermeyer's beliefs and somewhat isolated way of life, she will work at a local gun store and experience what it is like to carry a gun in public, learn to handle and fire weapons and will introduce Ken to other gun control activists who have lost loved ones to gun violence.

EP6 Life On An Indian Reservation Jul 08, 2008

Series creator Morgan Spurlock returns for his second installment this season to discover what life is like for America's most indigenous people: Native Americans. As he heads west to Navajo Nation near Window Rock, New Mexico, Morgan will realize just how little he knows about the issues facing this tribal culture. For 30 Days, Morgan will live with Deborah and Karl Dennison and their children: son Kyle, 25 and daughter Cassidy, 15. Deborah holds a PhD in education and is the superintendent of the Ganado School District; Karl is a physical education teacher at the tribal Dine College and is a renowned rodeo competitor. Despite living on a remote desert ranch, the Dennison family has many of the conveniences of the modern world, yet make great efforts to preserve the ancient traditions and culture of their ancestors. While on the reservation, Morgan will live in a traditional Navajo dwelling called a Hogan, work at a tire shop and spend several grueling hours in a sweat lodge as part of a "Coyote Ceremony." He will also experience the economic hardships and social crises that are common to reservation life while exploring many misconceptions about Native Americans.
7.9| 0h30m| TV-MA| en| More Info
Released: 15 June 2005 Ended
Producted By:
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/30days/
Synopsis

30 Days is a reality television show on the FX cable network in the United States, created and hosted by Morgan Spurlock. In each episode, Spurlock, or some other person or group of people, spend 30 days immersing themselves in a particular lifestyle with which they are unfamiliar, while discussing related social issues. As in Spurlock's film, Super Size Me, there are a number of rules unique to each situation which must be followed during each such experiment. At least one episode each season has featured Spurlock as the person spending the month in the particular lifestyle. Season one premiered on June 15, 2005, and its respective DVD set was released July 11, 2006. The second season premiered on July 26, 2006. Season 3 of 30 Days premiered on June 3, 2008. FX said on November 6 that it would not be renewing the series for a fourth season, effectively canceling the show. The show has recently been picked up for re-air by Planet Green, though no new episodes have been ordered. In the United Kingdom, the program is broadcast on More4 and Channel 4. In Australia, the program is broadcast on Network Ten and Lifestyle Channel. It currently airs in Canada on Independent Film Channel and Canal Vie. It also airs on FX in Latin America. In Norway it airs on TV 2. In Sweden it airs on TV4 and Kanal 9.

... View More
Stream Online

The movie is currently not available onine

Director

Producted By

Trailers & Images

Reviews

user-865-623760 **only for the episode:A THEIST VS. CHRISTIANS*** **the content may spoil some parts of this episode for readers**For my movie/TV show review, I chose to watch an episode of 30 days (atheist living with a Christian family). We had already watched an episode of 30 days (when a Christians lives with a family of Muslims), and I found it really interesting and I really enjoyed it. I was looking forward to watching this episode where an atheist lives with a Christian family.This episode tells about an Atheist woman named Brenda who moves in with a Christian family in Texas. The host family names are Michael and Tracy (mom and dad). The rules for Brenda is to stay with a Christian family for 30 days, attend weekly church services with her host family, and to participate in their bible studies. Over the 30 days, Brenda tries to emerge herself in the Christian faith, but doesn't really succeed (in my opinion). She often has to defend herself against others because she doesn't believe in a god, or gods, and the people around her find that offending. She even brings her host family to an atheist community to share her views on the world. I feel that Brenda brought up good points and questions about god, and she made people think about what they were believing in. But overall, I don't think she really knew what the Christian religion was at the end. She didn't participate in the church ceremonies of singing hymns. Though she did feel more comfortable about opening up in the bible studies. I don't think she tried as hard as she could've. Overall, I give this episode a seven out of ten. I would still recommend it (to anyone), but I think the episode where the Christian man lives with a Muslim family will be more interesting and fun to watch.
MairegChernet ***POSSIBLE SPOILERS***Before I start my comment, I have one question, why is this show not a prime time show? Why? I've seen episodes of it, and it does not have that much of unsuitable-for-children content. The reason why the show doesn't come on prime time is beyond me. This is a very enlightening and entertaining show. But what do you expect from the guy who brought us super size me? If you liked super size me you will definitely like this show. 30 days basically follows the same pattern as the 2004 documentary, where an individual is thrown into a rather strange culture, belief, religion or life style and is expected to live among that lifestyle for approximately a month . For example in this one episode a guy named Dave was thrown into the Muslim community located in Michigan and he lived among them by praying like them by dressing like them and eating acting and so forth like them. I am sure that episode taught a lot of people that the Muslim community and terrorism aren't co-related and also that terrorism is a work of a few extremists. I myself learned a lot of positive things I did not know about the Islamic religion. Point being, not only the show is entertaining, but it is also enlightening. Try to stay up late to watch this show, I am sure you will like it.
bvsc0100 When Morgan explains the differences between Judaism, Christianity and Islam, he really gets Judaism wrong. I understand that he was making a quick and, admittedly flippant, contrast for the purposes of the show. However, he describes the Jews as believing in one true God and "still waiting for His son, the messiah, to save them." "Mainstream" Judaism does not believe in the messiah being the son of God, but rather descended from King David. The Jewish messiah is to be a leader and herald in a time of return to Israel for all Jews and other specific criteria, none of which are divine powers. Another problem with Morgan's statement is that Jews are not waiting to be saved. Salvation or being saved is a Christian belief. Jews do not believe there is a need to be saved in the way Christians believe. There are many responsibilities and burdens we carry in this world, but, for a Jew, Salvation is not one of them. Please notes that when I says Jews believe or do not believe, I am referring the Jewish belief system that most practicing Jews follow. Obviously individuals have their own ideas.
S.R. Dipaling The phrase "reality show" has been stretched so far that it would snap even if it were taffy. Whether it's pseudo-documentary style trash or endurance competitions that seem like game shows on steroids,it seems like there are very few true "reality" programs. Sometimes,these reality shows can have something constructive or vaguely positive about them(I'm thinking of "Nanny 911","Super NAny","Project MAkeoever:Home Edition" as examples)or actually seem like they are following the trek of a realistic situation,or as close as they can get to having one(The Restaurant or Tommy Lee Go to College come to mind),but rarely does a reality show--in my mind--aim to AND create positive results,showing opposite sides of an issue or opposite lifestyles and portray them with some respect,instead of merely breeding conflict. "30 Days" does that,and for the most part,it's effective.Host Morgan Spurlock,whose Supersize Me from 2004 was a surprise break-out hit of a documentary, employs the same type of tactic here as he did in his film. Using a month's time to introduce someone to a different philosophy and/or culture. Whether it's the white American Christian trying to live as a Muslim,a macho Marine living in a Gay neighborhood and house,a member of the Minutemen group(a group of border citizens who try to stem illegal immigrants at the U.S./Mexico border)living with a family of illegal immigrants from Mexico,an Atheist living with Christians,an American working in India where call-centers train natives to "sound more American"(as per outsourcing) and a pro-choice woman living and working at a pro-life birth and counseling center. I know there are other shows,I haven't sen all of them,but I've sen enough of this series' episodes to say that I am quite impressed with this show and its aims. The "fish-out-of-water" concept for a television reality show is such a delicate endeavor:basically,it seems like a set-up for either showing up the participant or showcasing the group the participant has joined as being rubes,fanatics or a combination of both. But this show takes great pains to explain and document both sides of the issue,with Spurlock interviewing members of both sides and giving those involved(And in some cases,those allied with both sides)as much time as possible in front of the camera to vent misgivings,discoveries and feelings. Very similar to other reality programs,but--as alluded before--it's the outcomes and the intent of this show is what pleases me.To those who don't believe reality shows can be used to evoke interest,educate and make attempts to build bridges as opposed to burning them,I would point them to this show and hope that more people(as well as FX network)give this a chance.