I started watching This Old House in the late 1970’s and loved the show. I watched every episode of the New Yankee Workshop and Roy Underhill’s
the Woodright’s Shop. PBS used very skilled contractors and woodworkers to host and work in their Home Improvement shows.
HGTV started with DIY. They had legit contractors like Mike Holmes making content. Bryan Baeumler hosted Disaster DIY. He owns a contracting company and has legit skills. The show focused on fixing messed up or unfinished DIY projects.
I began to lose interest as HGTV hired hosts with big smiles that rarely did any real work on camera. It’s not hard to fake installing sheetrock in a 45 second shot. But the actual off camera crews were professional.
HGTV today is a sick joke. OMG. What a shit show and they are allegedly harming homeowners. These familes don’t have 50k or more to repair the damage.
I quit watching the channel 5 years ago. I need to figure out a way to watch this Showtime special. The dark comedy sounds very interesting.
I had to pause frequently because there is so much cringe. Episode two was a lot more interesting to me once they got finished with the set up.
Nathan Fielder is doing his usual schtick but the show seems to have been written around it. Emma Stone gives a more nuanced performance. Benny Safdie looks like he will have more to chew on as the story goes on. I will keep watching to see where it goes.
Didn’t recognize Corbin Bernsen as the father until I saw his name in the credits.
I watched the first 4(?) eps this afternoon. Cringy, yes, but so quirky and interesting I couldn’t turn it off. I too did not recognize Corbin Bernsen but he is funny as heck. I’m glad to see Barkhad Abdi, who plays Abshir ( though I did almost involuntarily yell “I am the captain now”). Does Nathan Fielder (Asher) give anyone else Pete Buttigieg vibes?
I previously had Paramount+ with adds but upgraded specifically to watch this and am very glad I did. I hope more folks here watch it as there’s A LOT to discuss.
