I’ve watched both shows so far, and I’ll probably watch this week’s as well. From what I can tell, this is just like Trading Spaces, but with less time devoted to the actual design process, and with extra, useless people added in.
The kids are cute, sure, but if I want to see kids mugging for the camera, I’ll watch America’s Funniest Home Videos. Since they didn’t change the premise of the show, it’s still $1000 and two days, adding in two more people just makes things less dramatic. There are more people to do the work, therefore, it’s less of a challenge. Unless the kids don’t want to work, in which case it’s just the same, but with more footage of lazy kids.
It may initially seem appealing to those who watch TS for the train-wreck appeal, but it seems to me that there’s much less opportunity for the designers to go out on a limb if there are four people opposing their design decisions. Also, nobody wants to make kids cry, or see them crying, which makes disaster episodes even less likely.
I’m still not sure what to make of the host. He seems… well, he seems like a male Paige. Which seems subtly wrong, somehow.
The whole thing just seems a bit misguided. I wonder if they’re going to tweak it, to bring back the elements of tension, and to re-emphasize the role of the designers on the show. Because right now, it’s “Let’s watch normal people redecorate a room on a budget,” which is just as interesting as it sounds.
I haven’t got around to watching it yet. They have a new episode of the normal show every week, for the whole year. And now another new episode of basically the same show? I think I’m getting burned out. I’m sick of watching them up re-upholster couches, and sew up cushions, and reveal “interesting” paint colors. Sick, I tell you.
Yeah, I don’t think the show will stick around, simply because of the lack of “train-wreck appeal”, as mentioned above. I don’t want to see kids upset. Then again, I never liked the episodes where any of the HOs got upset, either. I know I’m in the minority there. Also, some of the designers really don’t seem to get along with kids too well. (Doug and Hildi may try, but they really don’t convince me.)
OTOH, I think the producers were smart in keeping the same designers and handymen (umm…handypeople…carpenters! That’s it!) If they had switched everyone out, then I probably never would have bothered watching even one episode. Now, I’ll watch it if I’m bored, but I certainly won’t seek it out. I’m feeling the same way about TS, too. All of the rooms are starting to blur together.
I think it’s fun if the designers have some kind of rapport with the kids, but the antics I saw seemed a bit staged; maybe this’ll improve as the comfort levels increase. The best part is the reactions at the end–if everyone’s happy, then there’s twice as much hugging and excitement, etc. However, Joe, the new host, is worse than worthless.
I’m disappointed. I thought by “Family Edition”, you meant, ya know, “Family” as we mean it. Think of how much fun it would be to have a femme and a bear “Trade Spaces”.
The Male Paige looks and sounds like Dana Carvey doing George Bush.
Plus, all that cutesy mugging on the show about made me throw up.
It’s bad enough to hear two hairbrains screaming “ohmygod!” at the reveal, but to have the entire Dunderhead Family chiming in in unison…boo, kaka, phoeey.
First and last time I will watch that mess.
I do, however, like homebrew’s idea of “family”. I envision drag queens versus leather daddies, or lipstick lesbians versus diesels…could be real fun, and those reveals would be a major kick in the ass!
