Allowing TV cameras into his US home provided a surreal insight into the family life of Ozzy Osbourne.
Almost overnight the Birmingham-born rock legend was catapulted back into the public eye as a new international audience transformed him from over-the-hill Black Sabbath front man to king of reality TV.
His resurrection was complete after he was invited to perform at the Queen's Golden Jubilee Concert in 2002.
But three years after The Osbournes first aired on MTV, our colourful peek at life inside the dysfunctional family's huge LA mansion ended in tears on Tuesday night.
In a dramatic final episode, Ozzy's wife Sharon broke down and wept when a family therapist came into her home and questioned how she brought up her children.
In America, millions of viewers tuned in to see the finale of the show, which provided an emotional conclusion for famously foul-mouthed Ozzy, aged 56, Sharon, aged 52, and their children Kelly, 20, and Jack, 19.
One US viewer said: "At one point, both Kelly and her mum broke down in tears. The doctor was asking lots of questions about how Ozzy and his wife brought up their children.
"During this period, Ozzy had battles with drug-and-alcohol problems and the kids have not been angels either. So a lot of heavy stuff was being brought to the surface during the meeting." UK fans of the series will be able to watch the show during a special Osbournes night on MTV on April 17.
The smile had already returned to Sharon's face when she appeared on MTV's TRL show with her husband.
Speaking about the climax to the reality series, she said: "After three years, the MTV cameras became part of the family and captured what is possibly the most dramatic year we have had.
"Though it was rough sometimes, we are truly blessed to have had this amazing experience."
Life has not been plain sailing for America's favourite household during the filming of the series.
The past two years alone have taken in Sharon's battle with cancer, Ozzy's continuing drink problem and a quad-bike accident which meant doctors had to massage his heart to bring him back to life.
Their offspring have led equally troubled lives - with Kelly and Jack both sliding into drug dependency. Their house was burgled and Jack was robbed at the airport of £200,000 in jewellery.
But their difficult past is now behind them, with Sharon's reinvention as a talent show boss and the face of ASDA supermarkets and Jack and Kelly both embarking on music careers.
Ozzy, once famous for biting the head off a bat on stage during a 1982 tour, is now internationally recognised as the star of the most successful reality TV show of all time, and is releasing a new album.
