TV annoyances and 7th graders

I used to like Love it or List it. It’s a show on HGTV. There’s always a couple who are debating whether to move or not, and a designer gets a budget from them to try to fix their house while a real estate gets a budget for a new house and tries to find a place they’ll want to move to. Usually there’s a list for both on what it would take to move or stay. The houses usually have some sort of problem with the wiring or the plumbing or the basement or zoning and of course not everything can get done (raising the tension on the will they/won’t they) and the couple usually hates all the potential houses (also raising the tension) and finally the realtor finds something that’s out of their budget or out of their location.

I personally like seeing the renovations. That’s pretty much why I watch. But I think I’m going to have to stop, because increasingly, the people whose houses are being renovated are rude and flat out obnoxious. No attempt at civility and no acknowledgement of their own asshattedness at the end. What I don’t know is if the producers encourage that sort of behavior. Maybe it comes from the reality TV where there are blowups and rudeness and really boorish behavior. I don’t know. What I do know is that I don’t care to watch it anymore. What I can’t figure out is why watching people be rude and mean to each other is worth watching.

In other news, I stayed up too late reading and did not get much done today. Tomorrow I go speak to a bunch of 7th graders about writing and I’m a little bit terrified. Or a lot. Hopefully I can finalize a good talk that’s also fun and entertaining.

I’m still waiting to hear from my lovely agent on my revisions and hoping they work. Also I’m still working on the synopsis. I like what’s happening with it, even though I hate writing synopses.

My dog is back to licking his armpit raw. I wish I knew what the trouble was. He was doing so well. It had healed and hadn’t been bothering him, and now it is again. Gave him some pain meds and he’s stopped. So I do think it’s a pain thing.

Getting ready for Norwescon. It’s at the end of March. It’s my first time going and I’m looking forward to it. Anybody here going also?

6 Comments

  • Kbritain

    I watched a lot of Love It or List It, but also tired of the behavior. The rudeness is too formulaic to not be written into the script. I find DIY network shows more of the reno shows than HGTV.

  • Leslie

    I’ve never seen Love It or List It, but my husband likes to watch some of those home makeover shows, and especially the vehicle makeover ones. I mostly don’t watch reality TV, although I do enjoy Face Off on the Syfy channel. It’s more focused on the creativity and make-up than interpersonal drama – I’m fascinated by any kind of behind-the-scenes stuff for movies and theater.

    Won’t be going to Norwescon, but I’m looking forward to MisCon in May!

    • Di Francis

      I like Face Off too. Love it or List it is kind of like that. Seeing the house before, watching through the design and renovation phases (and of course discovering what’s behind the walls/under the floors and the trouble that entails), and then the final. But anymore, I just want the before and after because the middle stuff is so full of obnoxious behaviors. Except, I don’t think I’m watching anymore because it just isn’t enjoyable.

  • Tine

    Face Off is my new secret, can’t miss it show. However, I am with you on Love It or List It. The ‘customers’ are all so rude and whiney that I have gotten to the point of not caring if I see the show or not. Same way with the Property Brothers, the ‘customers’ are also very rude and whiney, especially the women. Just once, I would like to see the buyers, after starting to get caught up in a bidding war, say “We’ll take the other house” or “What else is out there?” And they are always is a bidding war. Who can afford all of these houses?

    • Di Francis

      I’ve been noticing that about The Property Brothers too. I really dislike it. What’s wrong with be reasonable, thoughtful, and generally polite?

      I’m amazed that the people can afford them, but then, I get that other people have really good jobs and can afford them. Not me, however.

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