Chuck, a star animator, finds his life in jeopardy after a scandal that makes headlines. Suddenly he loses everything he has built up. To prove his goodwill and win back the love of the public, he enters an addiction rehabilitation center. However, he’s only doing it for form, as he’s confident he has no problem.
Actor Nicolas Pinson is the creator of Good morning Chuck, a dramatic comedy loosely based on his own life. Chuck’s script consultant and interpreter, Nicolas Pinson, has wanted to witness the making of this series for some time. As a former drug addict, he wanted to bring to the screen a story similar to his own, in which humor has a special place, even if the subject matter is dramatic.
“Good Morning Chuck is the story of a star TV host. For several years he has been running a very popular morning show. What the public doesn’t know: From Friday afternoon, when the show ends, through Sunday night, Chuck goes into party mode. Three days of excess follow, in which he consumes cocaine and alcohol. “Chuck’s favorite line is, ‘Work hard, party hard,'” notes Nicolas Pinson.
A costly mistake
For years, Chuck has been sober during the week and drinks alcohol every weekend. “Sometimes he comes in drunk on Monday morning, but thanks to the make-up and the help of his staff, you don’t see it. But early in the series, Chuck hits a wall and doesn’t show up for work on Monday morning,” his interpreter explains.
It’s a skid from there! We try in vain to hide the absence of the star presenter. News of his excesses quickly caught the attention of the media, and within hours, Chuck loses everything he’s built up over the years.
The only solution
Chuck doesn’t understand why there is such hype around this story. He believes that if he goes all week without drinking or using drugs, that doesn’t constitute an addiction. However, he is aware of what he is losing: his wife even speaks of a separation. Chuck knows he has to do something. In order to keep up appearances and win back the public’s love, he agrees to attend a rehabilitation center. “He’s offered three months of therapy and then exploiting his popularity to become an establishment spokesman, which Chuck accepts,” explains the show’s creator.
Chuck is then forced to live with strangers: at the center he is surrounded by people suffering from addictions of all kinds. Lionel, a police officer, has a drinking problem. Nathalie, who works in the construction industry, became addicted to medication after receiving a prescription to heal an injury. Joël is only fine when he is in therapy. As for young Talia, it was her father who forced her to seek treatment at the center. Chuck is aware of their plight but doesn’t think he has much in common with them. “The hardest thing in a process like this is admitting that we have a problem. However, this is the starting point and an essential prerequisite for the success of the therapy,” emphasizes Nicolas Pinson.
Marie and Gilles run the center. The first is a psychiatrist and the second is a chief therapist. During their stay, their patients learn how to live together. If Chuck initially feels very different from his companions, he will find that his story and journey are not all that different from theirs.