Flashback Friday: Masterpiece (1971-Present)

Good TV is sometimes hard to find. It’s easy to turn on a reality show or a rerun that you’ve seen a dozen times over.

In 1971, Masterpiece premiered on PBS. Importing British drama from the UK to the US for fifty years, this program has been a hit with audiences for decades.

Masterpiece has been my Sunday night must see TV for quite a few years now. Most of their programming I find to be intelligent, entertaining, and perhaps a bit educational without realizing it.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Chef Boot Camp

At some point in our professional lives, it is easy to forget why we chose that job. There are two paths to take. One would be to change careers. The other is to re-discover what inspired us to join that profession in the first place.

On the new Food Network series, Chef Boot Camp, each episode focuses on three chefs who have lost their cooking mojo. The owners of the restaurants where these chefs work have reached a breaking point. Under the tutelage of Chef Cliff Brooks, they will be forced to learn new dishes and hopefully re-ignite their love of being in the kitchen. If they are not able to succeed, they may find themselves out of a job.

I find this program to be interesting. Though it is a reality show, it feels like it extends into real life because the consequences of what happens on the show extend long after the credits roll.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Chef Boot Camp airs on Food Network on Thursday at 10PM.

Bargain Block Review

Anyone in the world of real estate can tell you that having one long standing empty property on a street brings the value of the entire block down. Multiply that by many streets in a neighborhood and a city and that is much bigger issue to contend with.

On the new HGTV series, Bargain Block, the audience follows Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas as they bring Detroit back to life by buying run down homes, renovating them, and then selling at an affordable price.

Starts at :19

Though the format is standard for this channel and this genre, I like that Keith and Evan are giving back to the community instead of just running a business.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Bargain Block airs on HGTV on Wednesdays at 9PM.

No Demo Reno Review

Anyone who is fan of the home renovation show knows that a major part of the process is taking the property down to the studs before rebuilding it.

The new HGTV show, No Demo Reno, is out to prove otherwise. Hosted by Jennifer Todryk (whose is known for her trademark red hair half down and half up in a bun), renovates her client’s homes without the hassle and stress that comes with demolition.

I find the premise of fixing up one’s home without completely destroying it first is interesting. But the truth is that after a couple of episodes I was bored. As much as I enjoy this type of show, it is a little too formulaic for me.

Do I recommend it? Maybe.

No Demo Reno airs on Thursday Night at 8PM on HGTV.

Throwback Thursday: Holmes and Holmes (2016-Present)

Living with family can be hard enough sometimes. Working with them, depending on the situation, has the potential to be ten times harder

The HGTV show, Holmes and Holmes follows the Mike Holmes and his son, Mike Jr., as they rebuild their client’s homes. Sometimes joined by Mike’s daughter Sherry, the viewer follows the family as go through the sometimes arduous process of creating their customer’s ideas of housing perfection.

At the end of the day, this is just another reality home renovation program. What makes it stand out is the unique dynamic that only comes from family.

Do I recommend it? Maybe.

Flashback Friday: Love It or List It, Two (2013-2019)

Home ownership, as great as it is, has its own unique set of challenges.

Love It or List It, Two (otherwise known as Love It or List It Vancouver) aired from 2013-2019. An offshoot from Love It or List It, the premise of the show has not changed. A couple of homeowners are fed up with their current home. One wants to move, the other argues they only need to do a renovation. Interior designer and former Bachelor contestant Jillian Harris will remodel the home. Real estate agent Todd Talbot‘s job is to show them possible new home. At the end of the episode, they will decide either to stay in their current home or move.

The thing about Love It or List It is that after watching a few episodes, it become background noise. The spinoff is fine, but at some point, it is likely that I will change the channel.

Do I recommend it? Maybe.

Flashback Friday: Flipping Virgins (2006-2012)

It has been said that experience is the best teacher. It is only through doing and making mistakes that we become better at whatever we are trying to do.

From the outside, the process of flipping a house looks simple. You buy a rundown property, fix it up, and re-sell it for a profit. But just because it looks simple does not mean it is simple. Flipping Virgins aired on HGTV from 2006-2012. Hosted by Egypt Sherrod, each episode follows those who are new to business of house flipping. Guided by Sherrod, the subjects will choose the property, renovate it (with the expected complications along the way), and hope that it is sold.

I like this show. Though it is reality television, it is a nice change from the other shows in this genre in which the experts go through the same process.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Flashback Friday: Building Off the Grid (2014-Present)

The process of building a home from scratch is difficult in itself. Add in Mother Nature and the process becomes twice as hard.

Building Off the Grid has been on the Discovery Channel/DIY Network schedule since 2014. The show follows homeowners who want to build new houses. But instead of building in new or existing neighborhoods, their homes are located in the middle of nature. On top of the challenges that come with creating a new home from the ground up, the owners and builders deal with roadblocks that come with their choice of location.

I find this show to program to be interesting. What keeps me watching is the heightened question of whether or not the final product will come to fruition as promised.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Throwback Thursday: Life at Vet U (2016)

There are certain professions in which it is easy to get a foothold. On the other side of that coin, there are other professions in which many aspire to, but few succeed in.

Life at Vet U aired on Animal Planet in 2016 for one season. This reality show followed six students at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) as they prepare for their future careers as veterinarians.

The reality of television is that every show is meant to last. Life at Vet U was one of those programs. Looking back, it was ok, but not as compelling as it could have been.

Do I recommend it? Maybe.

Throwback Thursday: Hometown (2016-Present)

In my world, giving back to your community is a mitzvah (good deed)

The HGTV show, Hometown, has been on the air since 2016. The series follows Ben and Erin Napier as they renovate older homes in their hometown of Laurel, Mississippi. The narrative of the show is similar to that of every couple/duo home renovation program on the network. Erin and Ben show three possible new houses to neighbors. One is chosen and it is rebuilt to fit the needs of the new homeowners.

What I think makes this show standout is the charm and the chemistry of the stars. They are down to earth, genuine, and truly believe in the work they are doing.

Do I recommend it? Yes.