MovieChat Forums > Home Free (2015) Discussion > Wow - how many ways can they find to scr...

Wow - how many ways can they find to screw up a great show???

posted 8 years ago by dually-1
17 replies | jump to latest

I LOVED this show . . . last year. This year, not so much.

(1) Change the format from couples to individuals - and there go some of the best moments of the show, watching the couples work through the competition challenges (and the relationship challenges) together.

(2) Tell everyone in the first episode that there won’t be any losers - and there go the wonderful, tearful reveals that STILL bring me to tears when I think about them!

(3) Forget the house - the winner now gets $100k. Well, that’s original, isn’t it?

(4) Don’t show the actual process of renovating (or, in this season, building) the house - just jump from one disconnected task to another, so that the viewer has no reason to be interested in the design of the house, in the construction process, or in how it turns out.

(5) Eliminate any personal connection between the competitors and the house - no more basement by Competitor A, master bedroom by competitor B, and terraced garden by competitor C. Who needs individual inspiration and creativity, anyway?

(6) Give the house, at the end of each episode, to a total stranger. Yes, the “heroes” concept is lovely . . . but the reveal meant so much more when the recipients were competitors I’d already gotten to know.

And what do you have in the end? Another run-of-the-mill reality show - “Survivor” with hard hats - and everyone out to slit everyone else’s throat. Oh, goody - another hour wasted, and a really wonderful show ruined.

[–] Iaaat 8 years ago

I agree with every point you made. I would like to add this -

(7) Tim Tebow. I mean, I know he is primarily a football player and hosting isn't something he has much experience with, so I was willing to give him a pass (no pun intended) at first, but the more he was on there, the more I couldn't understand why they hired him in the first place. He has the delivery of a middle schooler in a school play. And the coach/"motivation"/yelling was uncomfortably bad. When I first heard he would be a host this year, I thought they had brought him on as the "fake host" to throw contestants off, you know, make them think this was a different show. But nope. They just brought him in for - I don't even know why.

And another thing about your #2 point, I felt this was one of the biggest missteps. If someone likes a house they're working on and feel it would be the perfect one for their "hero," instead of working hard, they'll intentionally slack off, fail any task they have just so they'll be eliminated and the house of their choice will go to their hero. I mean, I know the $100,000 will keep people motivated, but it still changes why they're motivated, and not in a good way.

This feels like a completely different show and I don't like it.

[–] mchelen 8 years ago

I'm totally mystified about #2. What possible reason is there to tell the contestants in advance about the twist? All it does is lower the stakes. Who ever heard of a reality show choosing to be *less* dramatic?

#4 and #5 seem like trying to streamline the format, but it ends up removing everything distinctive about the show. Now it's the same as every other game show where contestants go through an obstacle course.

Agree about #7, nothing against Tim Tebow but why is he here? He's not enough of a skilled announcer to be an effective host, and it's not like this is even a show about sports.

[–] maya-912-366050 8 years ago

Streamlining is okay but when you remove what is the heart of the show??? The house is the show. How is anyone supposed to get interested if we just see construction. I mean unless a construction worker is watching and gets excited. It would be like Chopped, and just showing the baskets and the taste testing, but leaving out the cooking part.

[–] FilmCricket07 8 years ago

Just watched the premiere and immediately asked, "Why?"

What did they do to this show? They ruined the surprise of the two people who thought their dream home was lost only to find that they won when they lost. Such a weird thing to announce the twist to all the contestants in the first episode.

[–] lunarose 8 years ago

Tebow's physique is on, that's all I care about.

"Qui conduisait la voiture?"

[–] Hoffman31 8 years ago

I am glad someone said it....Because they just did renovations to their kitchen, my parents became very consumed with home improvement and real estate themed shows.

So, after watching season #1 last year, I recommended they check out "Home Free".....30 minutes into the show, they told me they turned it off because it was nothing like I described.

[–] maya-912-366050 8 years ago

All good points but number 4 is my reason. I loved seeing the houses last season. The challenges, where they had to do a project as a group, were what you watched for. You got to see the house and get a feeling of what was being done there. I couldn't even picture a single room in last week's house. not one.

[–] dually-1 8 years ago

A half-hour into episode 2, and we have mistrust, resentment, and - oh joy of joys! - ALLIANCES!!! Along with the following:

(8) The “busy work” work orders - last season’s work orders all involved work that was necessary to the renovation. This season’s work orders serve no purpose whatsoever . . . other than to provide an excuse for: RED TAGS!

(9) Red Tags - nothing like another opportunity for Holmes & Tebow to yell at, threaten, and berate the competitors! ‘Nuff said.

(10) Gold Tags - Aha! Is this how they’re going to make up for the missing drama? Maybe, but I won’t be hanging around to watch.

[–] Blondehime 8 years ago

This is like a completely different show. I couldn't even finish episode 2.

[–] UnePensee 8 years ago

We couldn't either.

[–] UnePensee 8 years ago

I agree with all (10) points and will add:

(11) Mike is a BULLY.

On his other shows, Mike has always demanded good, clean work BUT he's just mean this season. No coaching, no encouragement, no teaching; the things we loved about Mike. There's nothing positive about this season. Even the reveals are a let-down.

Such a disappointment!!