When did Trading Spaces "jump the shark"?

Ubiquitous · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

I happened upon TS's latest gimmick episode, Through the Roof, which
featured not just one room and one designer but featured them remaking
an entire house with the entire cast. Needless to say, between the
selecting of the designers like a gradeschool kickball game lineup
and the subsequent "drama" of all the egos fighting it out, I could not
be bothered to watch the rest, which reminded me that I haven't watched
TS for quite some time and prompted me to ask myself "When exactly did
this show get so bad?".

The number one reason, as far as I'm concerned, was the expansion to
a 50-60 show season. That necessitated bringing in more "designers"
which brought about a rapid downward spiral in quality. Like any
typical network, TLC figured the solution was to add in more special
shows and add in more manufactured drama. BIG mistake.

What was your moment?

--
======================================================================
ISLAM: Winning the hearts and minds of the world, one bomb at a time.

Archived from group: rec>arts>tv

FDR · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 1

I don't know if it ever jumped the shark. I think it was just too many
episodes. After all, how many times can you see a wall being painted?
Maybe if there was a contest type of aspect to it there would be more
interest.

"Ubiquitous" wrote in message @comcast.com...
>I happened upon TS's latest gimmick episode, Through the Roof, which
> featured not just one room and one designer but featured them remaking
> an entire house with the entire cast. Needless to say, between the
> selecting of the designers like a gradeschool kickball game lineup
> and the subsequent "drama" of all the egos fighting it out, I could not
> be bothered to watch the rest, which reminded me that I haven't watched
> TS for quite some time and prompted me to ask myself "When exactly did
> this show get so bad?".
>
> The number one reason, as far as I'm concerned, was the expansion to
> a 50-60 show season. That necessitated bringing in more "designers"
> which brought about a rapid downward spiral in quality. Like any
> typical network, TLC figured the solution was to add in more special
> shows and add in more manufactured drama. BIG mistake.
>
> What was your moment?
>
>
> --
> ======================================================================
> ISLAM: Winning the hearts and minds of the world, one bomb at a time.
>

Altoid · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 12

"FDR" wrote in message $vK5.41830@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
>I don't know if it ever jumped the shark. I think it was just too many
>episodes. After all, how many times can you see a wall being painted?
>Maybe if there was a contest type of aspect to it there would be more
>interest.

I think I know what you mean... the main problem with the show was not so
much that it jumped the shark as its overexposure. But then once it was
overexposed, it seemed like they then had to kick it up a notch to keep
viewers interested. So they focused not so much on one more wall being
painted as the personalities and outrageous designs of a few. But even now
there are occassional episodes that are nice and quiet and give genuinely
good makeovers without the fuss. That's why I still watch.

As for a contest, I think that was one of the things that added to the
shark-jumping last year... that whole contest thing (see, I can't even
remember what it was called!). Though we did get Jon out of that, so maybe
it wasn't so bad.

Chris

bklyntv · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

Altoid wrote:
> "FDR" wrote in message
> $vK5.41830@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
> >I don't know if it ever jumped the shark. I think it was just too
many
> >episodes. After all, how many times can you see a wall being
painted?
> >Maybe if there was a contest type of aspect to it there would be
more
> >interest.
>
> I think I know what you mean... the main problem with the show was
not so
> much that it jumped the shark as its overexposure. But then once it
was
> overexposed, it seemed like they then had to kick it up a notch to
keep
> viewers interested. So they focused not so much on one more wall
being
> painted as the personalities and outrageous designs of a few. But
even now
> there are occassional episodes that are nice and quiet and give
genuinely
> good makeovers without the fuss. That's why I still watch.
>
> As for a contest, I think that was one of the things that added to
the
> shark-jumping last year... that whole contest thing (see, I can't
even
> remember what it was called!). Though we did get Jon out of that, so
maybe
> it wasn't so bad.
>
> Chris

Well said. It was overexposure that killed the show for me. Once I
realized it was ALWAYS on, I felt no desire to "catch" an episode ("Eh!
I'll catch it later, it will be on again in another hour..."). I feel
that way about most shows.

Sara C. · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 3

I agree. Way to many episodes. When TS Family came on the scene, it was
overkill. The producers decided to cast poor designers that usually
resulted in butt-ugly rooms (Kia, Barry, Rick) which often made the show
unwatchable for me.

I started watching the show because I liked the designers and (usually)
liked the designs. Even when I didn't like a particualr design it didn't
seem like the designer was purposely trying to do a bad design. Hildi and
Doug's rooms from hell turned me off too. I don't take pleasure in people's
rooms being ruined (Hildi's cardboard room anyone?).

Paige is lucky she's getting out now.

wrote in message@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Altoid wrote:
> > "FDR" wrote in message
> > $vK5.41830@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
> > >I don't know if it ever jumped the shark. I think it was just too
> many
> > >episodes. After all, how many times can you see a wall being
> painted?
> > >Maybe if there was a contest type of aspect to it there would be
> more
> > >interest.
> >
> > I think I know what you mean... the main problem with the show was
> not so
> > much that it jumped the shark as its overexposure. But then once it
> was
> > overexposed, it seemed like they then had to kick it up a notch to
> keep
> > viewers interested. So they focused not so much on one more wall
> being
> > painted as the personalities and outrageous designs of a few. But
> even now
> > there are occassional episodes that are nice and quiet and give
> genuinely
> > good makeovers without the fuss. That's why I still watch.
> >
> > As for a contest, I think that was one of the things that added to
> the
> > shark-jumping last year... that whole contest thing (see, I can't
> even
> > remember what it was called!). Though we did get Jon out of that, so
> maybe
> > it wasn't so bad.
> >
> > Chris
>
>
> Well said. It was overexposure that killed the show for me. Once I
> realized it was ALWAYS on, I felt no desire to "catch" an episode ("Eh!
> I'll catch it later, it will be on again in another hour..."). I feel
> that way about most shows.
>

ANIM8Rfsk · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 13

in article DvJWd.4046$ZO2.2372@edtnps84, Sara C. at smalan@telus.net wrote
on 3/6/05 1:13 PM:

> Hildi and
> Doug's rooms from hell turned me off too. I don't take pleasure in people's
> rooms being ruined (Hildi's cardboard room anyone?).

I think Doug was at least TRYING -- Hildi was clearly just intentionally
vandalizing people's homes. Cardboard, and that bathroom covered in flowers
.. .

Barbara Sherrill · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 6

"ANIM8Rfsk" wrote in message%ANIM8Rfsk@cox.net...
> in article DvJWd.4046$ZO2.2372@edtnps84, Sara C. at smalan@telus.net wrote
> on 3/6/05 1:13 PM:
>
> > Hildi and
> > Doug's rooms from hell turned me off too. I don't take pleasure in
people's
> > rooms being ruined (Hildi's cardboard room anyone?).
>
> I think Doug was at least TRYING -- Hildi was clearly just intentionally
> vandalizing people's homes. Cardboard, and that bathroom covered in
flowers
> . .
>

Did you see the recap of the flower show? The people are going have to hire
pro's to come out and redo their walls. She ruined them. I think TS should
be liable for somethings.. It's going to cost that family three times the
amount to fix it. That is not right.

ANIM8Rfsk · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 13

in article 422b8033$0$179$16895aa@news.airnews.net, Barbara Sherrill at
bsherrill@ia-pdq wrote on 3/6/05 3:11 PM:

>>> Hildi and
>>> Doug's rooms from hell turned me off too. I don't take pleasure in
> people's
>>> rooms being ruined (Hildi's cardboard room anyone?).
>>
>> I think Doug was at least TRYING -- Hildi was clearly just intentionally
>> vandalizing people's homes. Cardboard, and that bathroom covered in
> flowers
>> . .
>>
>
> Did you see the recap of the flower show? The people are going have to hire
> pro's to come out and redo their walls. She ruined them. I think TS should
> be liable for somethings.. It's going to cost that family three times the
> amount to fix it. That is not right.

You must have to sign a scary waiver (that I wouldn't be willing to sign) to
be on the show, along the lines of: they can intentionally damage or deface
your home in any way they want, and you have no recourse.

The cardboard people are gonna have a much worse time that the flower
people. The flower people have a zillion staples in their walls, but that's
not THAT bad. The cardboard people have that stuff glued to the walls; it's
probably gonna take huge chunks of the wallboard with it when it comes.

The thing that scared me about the cardboard room is, it must be FLAMMABLE.
Touch something hot to any part of it and the whole place will go up. And I
shudder to think about somebody using a heat gun to try to get the cardboard
off without destroying the underlying wallboard, which would be an obvious
thing to try.

bklyntv · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

ANIM8Rfsk wrote:
> in article DvJWd.4046$ZO2.2372@edtnps84, Sara C. at smalan@telus.net
wrote
> on 3/6/05 1:13 PM:
>
> > Hildi and
> > Doug's rooms from hell turned me off too. I don't take pleasure in
people's
> > rooms being ruined (Hildi's cardboard room anyone?).
>
> I think Doug was at least TRYING -- Hildi was clearly just
intentionally
> vandalizing people's homes. Cardboard, and that bathroom covered in
flowers
> . .

I don't know there was the time Doug decided to turn a family room into
an art deco home theater. The fact that the family's only TV was 19
inches and built in 1977 didn't seem to tip him off that the family's
life didn't revolve around the boob tube.

Or the time the family only asked that the fireplace be left alone and
so Doug of course, remakes the fireplace. (the infamous crying episode).

Barbara Sherrill · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 6

wrote in message@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>
> ANIM8Rfsk wrote:
> > in article DvJWd.4046$ZO2.2372@edtnps84, Sara C. at smalan@telus.net
> wrote
> > on 3/6/05 1:13 PM:
> >
> > > Hildi and
> > > Doug's rooms from hell turned me off too. I don't take pleasure in
> people's
> > > rooms being ruined (Hildi's cardboard room anyone?).
> >
> > I think Doug was at least TRYING -- Hildi was clearly just
> intentionally
> > vandalizing people's homes. Cardboard, and that bathroom covered in
> flowers
> > . .
>
>
> I don't know there was the time Doug decided to turn a family room into
> an art deco home theater. The fact that the family's only TV was 19
> inches and built in 1977 didn't seem to tip him off that the family's
> life didn't revolve around the boob tube.
>
> Or the time the family only asked that the fireplace be left alone and
> so Doug of course, remakes the fireplace. (the infamous crying episode).
>

The all white room....

ANIM8Rfsk · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 13

in article 422bd023$0$176$16895aa@news.airnews.net, Barbara Sherrill at
bsherrill@ia-pdq wrote on 3/6/05 8:53 PM:

> wrote in message
> @z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>>
>> ANIM8Rfsk wrote:
>>> in article DvJWd.4046$ZO2.2372@edtnps84, Sara C. at smalan@telus.net
>> wrote
>>> on 3/6/05 1:13 PM:
>>>
>>>> Hildi and
>>>> Doug's rooms from hell turned me off too. I don't take pleasure in
>> people's
>>>> rooms being ruined (Hildi's cardboard room anyone?).
>>>
>>> I think Doug was at least TRYING -- Hildi was clearly just
>> intentionally
>>> vandalizing people's homes. Cardboard, and that bathroom covered in
>> flowers
>>> . .
>>
>>
>> I don't know there was the time Doug decided to turn a family room into
>> an art deco home theater. The fact that the family's only TV was 19
>> inches and built in 1977 didn't seem to tip him off that the family's
>> life didn't revolve around the boob tube.
>>
>> Or the time the family only asked that the fireplace be left alone and
>> so Doug of course, remakes the fireplace. (the infamous crying episode).

Yeah, Doug is prone to make a beeline for anything they tell him to leave
alone.

>>
>
> The all white room....

I missed that one, but I bet I can top it.

Remember the chairs that were heirlooms from the woman's grandmother or
something, and were specifically supposed to be left alone, and they told
Hildy that repeatedly, and her team caught her outside spraypainting (!) the
fabric black for no reason other than to ruin them, laughing like a drunken
goon? We were SCREAMING at the TV for the team member to hit her, or at
least take the paint can away and soak her in black paint.

That's the time that we stopped making a point of watching the show. I
guess that would be our jump the shark moment.

I-zheet M'drurz · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

Barbara Sherrill wrote:

>> > > Doug's rooms from hell turned me off too...

> The all white room....

What??! You don't want a prison scene mural on your walls?

--
The real Tom Pendergast [
aka Network Man [ If you want the races for free,
Accept no substitutes! [ somebody has to pay for them.
$1 to EARL for the .sig ---[

Barbara Sherrill · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 6

"I-zheet M'drurz" wrote in message @130.133.1.18...
> Barbara Sherrill wrote:
>
>
>>> > > Doug's rooms from hell turned me off too...
>
>> The all white room....
>
> What??! You don't want a prison scene mural on your walls?
>

Perhaps for my childrens bedrooms. Smile

Bill_Gates · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 4

Ubiquitous wrote:

> I happened upon TS's latest gimmick episode, Through the Roof, which
> featured not just one room and one designer but featured them remaking
> an entire house with the entire cast. Needless to say, between the
> selecting of the designers like a gradeschool kickball game lineup
> and the subsequent "drama" of all the egos fighting it out, I could not
> be bothered to watch the rest, which reminded me that I haven't watched
> TS for quite some time and prompted me to ask myself "When exactly did
> this show get so bad?".
>

I, too thought of schoolyard kickball when it came to picking designers.
Problem was, I wanted the couples to pick aaaaaaaaaaaall the designers
going back and forth JUST to see WHO would be the last 2 chosen! Rub
their faces in the dirt that they're last choice. Alas, it never
happened. :-p

> The number one reason, as far as I'm concerned, was the expansion to
> a 50-60 show season. That necessitated bringing in more "designers"
> which brought about a rapid downward spiral in quality. Like any
> typical network, TLC figured the solution was to add in more special
> shows and add in more manufactured drama. BIG mistake.
>
> What was your moment?
>
>

Bill_Gates · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 4

bklyntv@yahoo.com wrote:

> Altoid wrote:
>
>>"FDR" wrote in message
>>$vK5.41830@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
>>
>>>I don't know if it ever jumped the shark. I think it was just too
>
> many
>
>>>episodes. After all, how many times can you see a wall being
>
> painted?
>
>>>Maybe if there was a contest type of aspect to it there would be
>
> more
>
>>>interest.
>>
>>I think I know what you mean... the main problem with the show was
>
> not so
>
>>much that it jumped the shark as its overexposure. But then once it
>
> was
>
>>overexposed, it seemed like they then had to kick it up a notch to
>
> keep
>
>>viewers interested. So they focused not so much on one more wall
>
> being
>
>>painted as the personalities and outrageous designs of a few. But
>
> even now
>
>>there are occassional episodes that are nice and quiet and give
>
> genuinely
>
>>good makeovers without the fuss. That's why I still watch.
>>
>>As for a contest, I think that was one of the things that added to
>
> the
>
>>shark-jumping last year... that whole contest thing (see, I can't
>
> even
>
>>remember what it was called!). Though we did get Jon out of that, so
>
> maybe
>
>>it wasn't so bad.
>>
>>Chris
>
>
>
> Well said. It was overexposure that killed the show for me. Once I
> realized it was ALWAYS on, I felt no desire to "catch" an episode ("Eh!
> I'll catch it later, it will be on again in another hour..."). I feel
> that way about most shows.
>

Well, they show it at 8PM or 9PM and sometimes BOTH and then repeat
their lineup at 11PM all over again. THEN, on Sunday mornings, they
repeart it AGAIN. And if THAT wasn't enough, they syndicate the series
from begining to late-series Weekday afternoons on TLC. It's ALWAYS on!!!!

In a Fix/Trading Spaces crossover idea The In a Fix crew should come in and fix some of the disasters Hildi, Doug, Kia and the other TS wastes have created. -- /"\ || \ / ASCII RIBBON CAMPAIGN || An American Hero X AGAINST HTML MAIL || Sgt. Rafael Peralta / \ AND

I'm so disapointed! TRADING SPACES HAS GONE 2 HELL! :-( Im so disapointed that TS has really gone to hell this season! I miss the old designers also! And one last thing... It's also a shame that this group has gone to hell along with the show. This used to be a lively group about TS and WYWO and other TLC show

Trading Spaces: The Con is On I've been seeing the promos for this week's upcoming episode. Basically, it's Trading Spaces meets Punk'd, minus Ashton Kutcher. Have the ratings taken another plummet so that they are reduced to using MTV tactics? I don't know whether I would watch out o

Trading Spaces (reruns) are going home to die! I saw a promo for reruns of 'Trading Spaces' on Discovery Home Channel (was: Discovery Home & Leisure) Weeknights 7PM (ET)/4PM (PT) starting this Monday. The promo says you can now watch TS (((5 nights a week!!!)))... of course, you could have already don

Would you rather see Hometime come back or Trading Spaces be Sure, 'Hometime' became very repetitive the last few years it was on PBS (maybe but if you HAD to decide: Bring back 'Hometime' and cancel 'Trading Spaces OR 'Keep 'Trading Spaces on the air and never bring back 'Hometime', what would you c