# Showtime’s “The Curse.” reveals the dark side of HGTV **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, reality-or-game-show\ **Created:** [November 19, 2023, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showtime-s-the-curse-reveals-the-dark-side-of-hgtv/993380 "2023-11-19T17:13:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2023, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showtime-s-the-curse-reveals-the-dark-side-of-hgtv/993380/1 "2023-11-19T17:13:26Z")
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. > **[Help! HGTV ruined my house! Channel’s stars sued over botched rehabs and...](https://nypost.com/2023/11/18/lifestyle/hgtvs-stars-sued-over-botched-rehabs-and-home-failed-flips/)** > > These flips turned into flops. The Property Brothers and Tarek El-Moussa are among the stars facing a bad reno backlash. > **[Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone get weird, mock HGTV in Showtime’s ‘The Curse](https://nypost.com/2023/11/10/entertainment/nathan-fielder-and-emma-stone-mock-hgtv-in-showtimes-the-curse/)** > > To audiences who don’t mind comedy that’s abrasive and strange – as well as clever —  there’s a lot to like in “The Curse,” starring Nathan Fielder, Benny Safdie, and Emma Stone.… ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2023, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showtime-s-the-curse-reveals-the-dark-side-of-hgtv/993380/2 "2023-11-19T17:56:27Z")
I keep forgetting that Paramount+ offers Showtime content. I’m watching episode 1 now and will watch episode 2 tonight. 🥳 > **[The Curse (American TV series)](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curse_(American_TV_series))** > > The Curse is an American satirical black comedy television series created and written by Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie, and starring Emma Stone, Fielder and Safdie. The series filmed from June to October 2022 and premiered on streaming and on-demand for all Showtime and Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers on November 10, 2023, before making its on-air debut on Showtime on November 12. Its first three episodes were premiered at the New York Film Festival on October 12, 2023. > The series explo... ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2023, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showtime-s-the-curse-reveals-the-dark-side-of-hgtv/993380/3 "2023-11-19T19:17:53Z")
Ep 1 starts out pretty slow. Whitney is endearing as the daughter of a slumlord thats trying to help the Espanola community. I’ll never look at a cherry tomatoes the same way. LOL No DIY scenes yet unless you count Steven. I’ll keep watching. I’m curious where this narrative is headed. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2023, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showtime-s-the-curse-reveals-the-dark-side-of-hgtv/993380/4 "2023-11-19T19:18:53Z")
**Moderating** Please stop bumping this thread now. If no one responds, let it go. 1 bump is OK, 2 is pushing it. ---
**Author:** ![Nicest\_of\_the\_Damned](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8baadc/32.png) [@Nicest\_of\_the\_Damned](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nicest_of_the_Damned)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2023, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showtime-s-the-curse-reveals-the-dark-side-of-hgtv/993380/5 "2023-11-19T19:37:58Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2023, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showtime-s-the-curse-reveals-the-dark-side-of-hgtv/993380/6 "2023-12-04T03:20:11Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Nicest\_of\_the\_Damned](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8baadc/32.png) [@Nicest\_of\_the\_Damned](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nicest_of_the_Damned)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2023, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showtime-s-the-curse-reveals-the-dark-side-of-hgtv/993380/7 "2023-12-16T22:30:14Z")
The rough cut of the Fliplanthropy pilot has been posted. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbg8lZ5hGDk&t=1s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbg8lZ5hGDk&t=1s) This show has grown on me. Emma Stone is doing a great job slowly bringing out Whitney’s true colors but Dougie steals every scene he is in.