Our own Day to Day television critic reviews the new FX network series 30 Days. The show, hosted by documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, plays with the idea of what it's really like to live in someone else's shoes for 30 days. Spurlock was the subject of the film Super Size Me, where he charted his weight gain while eating exclusively at McDonald's for 30 days.
ALEX CHADWICK, host: This is DAY TO DAY from NPR News.  I'm Alex Chadwick.</s>ALEX CHADWICK, host: For his experiential documentary "Super Size Me," Morgan Spurlock videoed      himself eating nothing but fast food from McDonald's for a month.  Now      he's trying experiential TV with a new series on the FX cable network.      The show's called "30 Days."  Here's DAY TO DAY TV critic Andrew      Wallenstein.</s>ANDREW WALLENSTEIN reporting: The premise of "30 Days" is simple:  A person spends 30 days in someone      else's shoes from an entirely different walk of life.  For example, a      Christian man lives with a Muslim household, or a straight man immerses      himself in the gay community.  In the process, the subject learns how the      other lives and the viewer gets a vicarious education, as well.  In a      country where diversity and divisiveness often go hand in hand, "30 Days"      is a blessing.</s>ANDREW WALLENSTEIN reporting: Spurlock, who serves as host of the series, makes himself the subject of      the first episode.  It focuses on what life is like living on a      minimum-wage salary.  Instead of 30 days of Big Macs, it's 30 days of      little money, as he and his fiance gave up all their worldly goods and      attempts to subsist on $5.15 an hour.  The cameras capture their every      move as they literally start from scratch.</s>Mr. MORGAN SPURLOCK (Host, "30 Days"): I'm concerned about what's going      to happen just because I am so bad with money.  It's--I mean, I'm the      worst.  I'm the worst.</s>Ms. BRIDGET BENNETT: You are the worst.  You're going to have to learn      how to budget.  When was the last time you made a budget for living?</s>Mr. MORGAN SPURLOCK (Host, "30 Days"): A budget for living?  What's that?</s>WALLENSTEIN: There's a helpful counter and ticks off how much money they      lose with every expenditure.  Needless to say, the results aren't pretty.      Here's Spurlock getting a harsh estimate of his new living conditions      from his new landlord.</s>Unidentified Man: Two days ago, there was a street person living in      here.  We just changed the locks this morning.</s>Ms. BRIDGET BENNETT: Oh, wow.</s>Unidentified Man: And downstairs there was a crack house.</s>Mr. MORGAN SPURLOCK (Host, "30 Days"): Right downstairs was just a crack house?</s>Unidentified Man: Yeah.</s>Ms. BRIDGET BENNETT: Oh, my God.</s>Unidentified Man: This is a little bit rougher area.</s>Mr. MORGAN SPURLOCK (Host, "30 Days"): OK.</s>Ms. BRIDGET BENNETT: OK.</s>WALLENSTEIN: What's so great about what Spurlock does is he becomes part      of the story rather than simply observing from the sidelines.  The format      helps illustrate the plight of millions of Americans in a way no average      report could capture.  It's not the most innovative format in the world,      but Spurlock himself brings a kind of `Awe, shucks' charisma to his      filmmaking that is really engaging.  The episodes of "30 Days" where he      serves as host instead of subject are not as interesting, but still      enlightening.</s>WALLENSTEIN: "30 Days" is no average reality show.  It blends education and      entertainment with real panache, and does it especially well when      Spurlock serves himself up as a guinea pig.</s>ALEX CHADWICK, host: The show "30 Days" starts tonight on the cable channel FX.      Andrew Wallenstein is an editor with the Hollywood Reporter and a TV      critic for DAY TO DAY.