# The "Extreme Makeover - Home Edition" Appreciation Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 27, 2004, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255 "2004-09-27T04:23:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/1 "2004-09-27T04:23:43Z")
Tonight was the premier of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”. A family of eight lost their mother and lived in a cramped little home, so these guys came in and built them a new house, with the help of the neighborhood. What a great show. They go around making people’s lives better, helping communities, and televising it. It’s always touching, always fascinating, and very pleasant. I’m glad that there’s a show about helping people that others really like to watch. It says something good about our society. And as a libertarian, I like how the market is rewarding companies like ABC and Sears for directing their energy at good works. I know they are doing it for their own benefit, but it’s the marketplace of a decent society that drives their ventures into shows about helping people rather than shows about murder investigations and lawyers. Of course, we still want many more shows about murder investigations and lawyers… ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/2 "2004-09-27T05:07:42Z")
Sounds like the Australian show _Renovation Rescue_ (which is much like most other home/backyard makeover shows). ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/3 "2004-09-27T05:36:30Z")
Agreed, it’s a good show, and it’s nice to see the resources of a TV production going towards helping people out rather than locking them in a house or getting them to eat bugs. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/4 "2004-09-27T07:37:13Z")
I know one of the lovely ladies who works on the show. She’s a set designer. She actually had the chance to work on **Serenity** and even qualify for union status, but she really believes in what “Home Edition” is all about and really proud of her work there. I think they do a great job. ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/5 "2004-09-27T14:32:13Z")
My husband has been watching the show since it premiered (I had only seen bits and pieces of it) and convinced me to watch last night’s season premiere. Wow. I don’t cry over TV shows (although there was a lump in my throat when Chip and Kim won TAR), but when the dad saw the chalk drawing of his dead wife and started sobbing, I lost it. I cried again when he was thanking everyone for their hard work. What a great show. I had such a nice, warm fuzzy feeling while watching. It gives me a break from the usual hating of reality show contestants. ---
**Author:** ![Jammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@Jammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jammer)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/6 "2004-09-27T15:22:36Z")
I agree. Last night was a great episode of an already good show. Moving, heart-warming stuff. Jammer ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/7 "2004-09-27T16:26:26Z")
Ah yes. I love this show. My favorite episode was the one with the lady who had donated bone marrow anonymously. She saved the life of a baby, and the baby’s mother contacted the show and asked them to find the donor and track her down. At the end of the episode the donor got to meet the little girl she saved and her family. Talk about a sob-fest! ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/8 "2004-09-27T16:55:51Z")
I got hooked on last night’s show as I was going around the dial. Pretty nice, had a lump in my throat for parts of it (notably the father’s reaction to the picture of his late wife). I thought maybe they went over the top a bit in the personallized bedrooms (what are they going to do with the “stone” walls of the _Lion King_ fan when he is a little older and thinks that the Lion King is “stupid”?), but the idea of the gym for this atheletic family was great! ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/9 "2004-09-27T18:29:27Z")
It’s all so much nicer than _Trading Spaces_, where the designers seem determined to do things to people’s homes that they KNOW the owners will hate, and they do things that they were asked SPECIFICALLY _not_ to do. How refreshing it is to see these designers and carpenters, etc, strive to _please_ a family, rather than force stupid ideas off on them! ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/10 "2004-09-27T18:33:45Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > I thought maybe they went over the top a bit in the personallized bedrooms (what are they going to do with the “stone” walls of the _Lion King_ fan when he is a little older and thinks that the Lion King is “stupid”?) The “stone” walls were just polystyrene foam carvings glued on to the real walls. Easy to remove. ---
**Author:** ![Catsmeow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Catsmeow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catsmeow)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/11 "2004-09-27T19:24:02Z")
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this show. I usually tear up or cry a little at each episode but last night I was actually sobbing. It was so neat to see such a great family who truly deserved this “makeover” but also truly appreciated what had been done for them. My favorite member of the team is Paul. I love that he’s not afraid to cry when he sees the tapes and then again when the family is vewing the house. Just makes me want to give him a hug. ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/12 "2004-09-27T19:41:25Z")
I have it on my DVR- will watch it soon. This is one of the few shows that make you feel _good_ about people. As a normally crusty, uncaring grouchy cynic, I have to admit I was floored when I watched the episode with the family who lost both the mom and dad in very short order, and whose 2 older daughters (only in their 20’s) moved back home to keep their younger family out of Foster care. They were _barely_ scaping by. 15 minutes in, I was ready to write a check myself. At the end, even I was misty. When they burned the mortgage I was more then misty I have to admit. Even the designers were laying it all out for them, you could tell they were totally committed that week. After that show, they could go another 10 years and still not have the raw emotional punch of that episode. * * * Still most of the other episodes have been quite good as well. Looks like Ty made the right move to escape the dying Trading Spaces franchise. ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/13 "2004-09-27T20:06:11Z")
I haven’t made it through one single episode of this show with dry eyes yet. It’s such a good show, in every sense of the word “good”. The episode that really got to me was the one with the boy who was asthmatic and had to live in a mold-invested home. They completely redid the entire house and got rid of all the mold. That poor kid was beyond happy and grateful. There aren’t many TV shows that truly focus on the good in people these days and it’s a real pleasure to watch one that does. ---
**Author:** ![robgruver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@robgruver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robgruver)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/14 "2004-09-27T21:10:33Z")
The wife and I watch it pretty often. I rank this as one of my top five shows of all time, and the best ‘Reality’ Television show. Unlike all the other reality based programming, this actually deals with real people having real hardships. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/15 "2004-09-27T21:17:09Z")
> [@elf6c](#): > > After that show, they could go another 10 years and still not have the raw emotional punch of that episode. I thought they nailed it when they showed the stained glass sconce in the atrium of the two doves, but then they walked outside and showed the two redwoods they planted in the backyard. Damn. Personally, I’m a Preston fan. He grated on me for several episodes, and I thought he was mostly full of shit when he opened his mouth, but I’ve yet to hear him say something that didn’t have the family at the forefront, or who didn’t immediately grasp the importance of the situation. He seems to come up with the perfect touch at the perfect moment. Paul’s great too, and wears his heart on his sleeve - he’s a very close second. ---
**Author:** ![Dob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/16 "2004-09-27T21:38:54Z")
My wife finally talked me into watching this a few episodes back, and well unless you are made of some hard ass stone you will cry or mist up at least twice an episode!! Great show, great idea, and kudos to Sears and ABC for putting it together! ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/17 "2004-09-27T23:56:53Z")
I’m still trying to figure out why last Sunday’s show, with the widowed father and the eight children, got a “[TV-PG](http://www.mpaa.org/tv/)” rating: “This program contains material that parents may find unsuitable for younger children.” Was it all the [cleavage](http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/bios/constance_ramos.html)? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2004, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/18 "2004-09-28T00:00:53Z")
I agree with Munch about Preston. Didn’t like him at first, back in his lone wolf days, when he was walking around dazed and confused. He’s come a long way, baby. And yep, add “me too” about the show, ABC, and Sears. Great concept. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2004, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/19 "2004-09-28T00:08:49Z")
The burning question I have about this show: what is their Vaseline budget? They must go through several drums of the stuff so they can pull that bullhorn out of Ty’s ass… I certainly enjoyed Constance’s cleavage, too… Michael drives me up the wall on general principles, and wanting to paint mahogany woodwork was an all-time low. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2004, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255/20 "2004-09-28T01:32:17Z")
I also like that the entire cast are the real deal - not just Hollywood people dressed up like carpenters or something. When I first saw the show, I saw those beautiful women on the construction site, and thought “Oh yeah, gotta get the babes on there.” Then I removed my foot from my mouth after reading their bios. Accomplished builders, craftsmen, artists, and designers. All of them. With careers away from the show doing the same kind of stuff. I like the one with the old black lady who helped her community - not only did they rebuild her house, then went way overboard and cleaned up the whole neighborhood. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-extreme-makeover-home-edition-appreciation-thread/266255.md?page=2)