GRB’s Gary R. Benz Talks Secrets to Success of Intervention Series

NEW YORK: The series Intervention is returning to A&E on Tuesday, November 29, tapping into audiences’ appetite for shows that are both powerful and authentic, according to Gary R. Benz, the president and CEO of GRB Entertainment.

Benz, who serves as an executive producer on the long-running series—which is produced by GRB for A&E—acknowledges that in a crowded TV landscape, having a factual show with nearly 230 episodes aired is quite the accomplishment. “As we look back on it, there are a number of aspects that have helped it persevere in the marketplace,” he tells World Screen Newsflash. “The subject matter is powerful and authentic—those are rare commodities in the TV landscape these days. It truly deals with life-and-death issues and people on the brink. It’s also highly relatable: One in four have somebody within their family unit who are fighting an addiction.”

He says that beyond the aim of making good television, the central focus of Intervention is on the well-being of the subjects. “We had to have a dedicated crew keeping that in focus,” Benz adds. “It has served the subjects well and has also served the audience well. They know that they’re going to get something that is unfiltered and real, and you never know which way it’s going to go, just that it’s dealt with without manipulation.”

Benz reflects on the fact that when the show started, in 2005, the topic of interventions wasn’t really spoken of in the mainstream TV world. “The term was rarely used. Now, it has entered into the zeitgeist in a big way.”

He also says that a change has come about in how and when people seek out help for their addictions. “It used to be that you had to hit a rock bottom before you could recover; now people approach it differently,” Benz notes. “You don’t have to take that elevator to the basement anymore; you can get off at any point.”

Benz also points out that the show “has enjoyed a remarkably high success rate” in terms of the people who have undergone interventions during the course of the series. “The show has the benefit of utilizing television so that addicts receive treatment—a 90-day treatment that can cost around $120,000! That’s a wonderful benefit that they can get. TV is doing something very positive” when it comes to Intervention.