The idea sounded really hopeful but the implementation of this experiment was awful! Why on Earth weren't these lovely families given good financial advice from Day 1, including education in realistic budgeting, counselling on easy record-keeping, instruction on planning ahead for future bills, etc, etc??? This would not only have set them all on good, realistic pathways but it would have also educated many viewers in these crucial aspects of daily living. Lessons like these that should have been taught at school for all students! Logarithms and algebra, reading ordnance survey maps or learning about physics or chemistry are hardly crucial for ordinary daily living! These families should also have been offered advice about the type of work or business ventures that would suit their particular strengths & abilities, with straightforward education in their chosen pathways and the proper assistance given, in the real hope of them actually achieving those goals. Eg. Business planning, including possible grants that may be available for them. All that together with helpful advice on purchasing larger items, such as a car, and the pitfalls to watch out for. This would have helped them much more and your viewers too. One of the participants actually said they felt like a kid in a candy shop and that's exactly how the participants were treated! I felt this was like a spectator sport, where these vulnerable people were just put on display to be criticised and ridiculed. These innocent human "guinea-pigs" being left to their own devices to cope with a life-changing opportunity without being given the tools to make the best possible use of it and not having the experience to deal with it either. Don't know if I can even bear to watch the whole series.
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