| 8 Minutes | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Reality |
| Presented by |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 5 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Camera setup | Multiple |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production company |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | A&E |
| Release | April 2 (2015-04-02) – April 30, 2015 (2015-04-30) |
8 Minutes is an American reality documentary television series that premiered on April 2, 2015 on A&E. The reality show chronicles ex-police officer Pastor Kevin Brown meeting sex workers and attempting to convince them to quit the profession within eight minutes. The show is executive produced by Tom Forman, who previously worked on another controversial sex-themed reality program Sex Box.
Reception
The show has been controversial for its storytelling, tactics of approaching women with hidden cameras and myths about sex work.
Cancellation
Eight episodes of the program were ordered, however only five have been broadcast in America. In May 2015, A&E announced it was removing the program from its schedule following controversy surrounding the series, and the network isn't planning to air the remaining three episodes, effectively cancelling the series.
Lawsuit
A group of three women who appeared on the show have filed a lawsuit against A+E Television, saying that they got stiffed after agreeing to appear on the series. Some who were part of 8 Minutes also claimed that they were contacted days or weeks ahead of filming, rather than being surprised like it was depicted on the show.
Episodes
| No. | Title | Original air date | US viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Welcome to Houston" | April 2, 2015 (2015-04-02) | 1.05 |
| 2 | "Trafficker in the Lobby" | April 9, 2015 (2015-04-09) | 0.78 |
| 3 | "Gorilla Pimped" | April 16, 2015 (2015-04-16) | 0.80 |
| 4 | "Couple Calls" | April 23, 2015 (2015-04-23) | 0.58 |
| 5 | "Two for None" | April 30, 2015 (2015-04-30) | 0.49 |
Broadcast
In Australia, the series premiered on the CI Network on July 6, 2015.
References
- "8 Minutes on A&E". The Futon Critic. July 7, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- Roy, Jessica (December 11, 2014). "New A&E TV Show Gives Pastor 8 Minutes to Shame Women Out of Sex Work". Vulture. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- ^ Hibberd, James (10 December 2014). "Man has 8 minutes to convince prostitutes to quit in new reality show". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
- Massey, Alana (April 2, 2015). "A&E Completely Misunderstands the Reality of Sex Workers". The New Republic. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- Seltzer, Sarah (March 26, 2015). "Appalling New A&E Sex Worker Intervention Show '8 Minutes' Met With Protests". Flavorwire. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- ^ "8 Minutes Season 1 Episodes". TV Guide. Archived from the original on 20 July 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
- Yahr, Emily (5 May 2015). "A&E pulls heavily criticized show '8 Minutes,' which claimed to help sex workers leave the trade". The Washington Post. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
- Keneally, Tim (September 29, 2015). "Sex Workers Claim A&E Screwed Them Hard in '8 Minutes' Lawsuit". The Wrap. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- Sola, Katie (May 5, 2015). "This A&E Reality Show Promised To Help Sex Workers. It Just Made Their Lives Worse". Huffington Post. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- Metcalf, Mitch. "Showbuzz Daily's Top 25 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 4.2.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- Metcalf, Mitch. "Showbuzz Daily's Top 25 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 4.9.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on April 13, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- Metcalf, Mitch. "Showbuzz Daily's Top 25 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 4.16.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on April 18, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- Metcalf, Mitch. "Showbuzz Daily's Top 100 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 4.23.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on April 25, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- Metcalf, Mitch. "Showbuzz Daily's Top 100 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 4.30.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- "Duck Dynasty, The Brink, Finding Carter, A Place To Call Home and live sport". The Green Room. July 3, 2015. Retrieved July 9, 2015.