‘My 600-lb Life’ Steven/Justin Recap And Review: Did TLC Feature A Sociopath?

TLC has upped the ante in its blockbuster TV show My 600-lb Life this week. After the infamous James K episode that caused numerous viewers to rage at the screen, the two-part season ender, featuring obese brothers Steven and Justin, was on a completely whole new level. Over the course of the first part of the My 600-lb Life season finale, viewers were aghast as the series featured what could very well be the most infuriating episode since the hit TV show debuted on air.

The patients for the two-week season finale were brothers Steven and Justin Assanti, who had a combined weight of more than 1,300 pounds. The older brother, 33-year-old Steven, weighed a staggering 730lbs and is immobile, while the younger brother, 27-year-old Justin, is a bit lighter at 604 pounds, according to a TV Ruckus report. What actually managed to infuriate viewers, however, was the dynamic between the two brothers and their father.

Steven and Justin grew up in an abusive home. Left at a young age by their temperamental father, the two boys were abused by their mother’s boyfriends. Their mom, for her part, was extremely negligent, with both brothers stating that she spent most of her time away from home, partying and getting drunk. Unsurprisingly, Steven and Justin turned to food for comfort, and they have been eating their way through life ever since.

While the background of the two brothers was no less than heart-wrenching, what became of Steven and Justin once they reached adulthood was something straight out of a fiction. The elder, brother, Steven ended up channeling his father’s anger, becoming an angry young man, while his brother, Justin, became extremely introverted, shutting down amidst his problems.

The 27-year-old Justin managed to earn much sympathy from viewers, with many stating that his actions were a classic example of a child with a background filled with abuse. The older brother, however, was found by many viewers to be downright frightening. Considering his actions during their episode of My 600-lb Life, some viewers stated that Steven’s actions almost seemed to indicate that the 33-year-old was sociopathic.

Steven has had a long history of outbursts and addiction to prescription drugs. Apart from this, he has already developed a tendency to be verbally abusive. His actions towards his father, where he badgered his dad until they made food stops every 100 miles during their journey to Texas, as well as the way he treated the nurses at the hospital, were nothing short of disturbing.

Over the course of the episode, many viewers in online forums such as Reddit stated that Steven was even worse than James K, a recently featured patient who triggered numerous fans of the show due to his self-pitying tendencies. While James K attempted to attract pity due to his condition, Steven was downright scary, intentionally giving his father and nurses a difficult time through his actions.

During his long trip to Texas, viewers were aghast at the way he treated his father, where he refused to give his dad a single slice of pizza, before giving his old man the proverbial finger. His stay in the hospital was even more disturbing, with Steven calling nurses every 10-20 minutes seemingly just to spite them. His actions in the medical facility eventually culminated in a nasty incident when, feeling that the nurses were not responding fast enough, Steven opted to dump urine on the floor.

Steven’s actions have brought numerous fans to remark that the 700-pound man might actually be better off bedridden since he could hurt fewer people if he could not move. Considering his viewpoints, and as easily shown by this disturbing video uploaded on his personal YouTube channel, it does seem very likely that Steven’s life of abuse has turned him into a man who might be, for the first time since My 600-lb Life debuted, beyond help. By the later half of the episode, Dr. Now has had enough, putting Steven in his place.

One thing that viewers did notice, however, was the fact that the episode in itself was shot in a cinematic manner. Coupled with dim camera lighting and somber music, fans of My 600-lb Life have stated that this week’s episode might be teasing a tragic ending, at least for one of the brothers. Of course, those who are optimistic believe that the brothers, especially Justin, stand a chance of being treated and losing weight. Steven, on the other hand, might be an entirely different story.

The second part of My 600-lb Life’s season finale would be airing next week on TLC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWdv6riHan8

[Featured Image by TLC]