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anniedeighnaugh

American Dream Builders, anyone?

Annie Deighnaugh
9 years ago

Anyone watching American Dream Builders?

We've started watching it and I'm really torn by the program. I like seeing the before and afters, but I hate the drama, I hate the rush rush rush where you know darn well that corners are being cut and the owners are going to have to redo all those shortcuts at some point in the future.

I have no idea how they are going to get all the work done if one team is down to only 1 or 2 people....

Can't we have something in between this rush rush stuff and the snail-paced "this old house"? Can't we have something that tries to educate people about design without turning everything into diva v. diva?

Sigh.

Comments (7)

  • joaniepoanie
    9 years ago

    I have the first episode taped but haven't watched it yet. I had a feeling it might be slap-dash just like Ty Pennington's show was. It's disappointing that cutie Nate Berkus would sign on to do such a show.

  • WendyB 5A/MA
    9 years ago

    It looks like it is going to be another HGTV-ish show with little substance and lots of advertising.

    I'm glad to see Nate get a show again.

  • corgimum
    9 years ago

    I've been watching but have been disappointed. I would love to see more of the process instead of before, drama, after. I have enjoyed following this blog where she recreates a room from the show at different price points.

    Here is a link that might be useful: blog

  • maire_cate
    9 years ago

    Oh I really wanted to like this show and hoped it would be done without the hype and drama of Pennington's show which morphed into a complete sham.

    So I taped it and started to watch it the next morning while ironing. Sad to say I erased it after only a few minutes. Maybe I was too hasty but I just didn't want to watch a decorating reality show/circus.

  • ellendi
    9 years ago

    Unfortunately, drama sells. How many average Americans would watch if everything either went smoothly or things were solved calmly and rationally?

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Well, the show seems to try to be all things for all people and that's why, IMO it's a failure. Not enough decor to be decorating...not enough time to actually learn anything. Not that I'm looking for drama, but there's not enough of it to be dramatic. Not enough time doing critiques or afters or anything else. There's not even enough time spent on "team work" if you're trying to understand how one team does it better.

    Maybe I'm just getting old and am used to actually spending some time and effort doing something to get it right...not everything has to happen in a flash or need instant gratification.

    One of the things I hated about the Nate Berkus show was he would have these DIY segments where the guest didn't have enough time to actually show you how to do something so they were just useless. If you're going to try to teach someone something, give them time to learn or don't bother.

    I'm still watching, but it's not a priority by any means.

  • lynn_r_ct
    9 years ago

    I guess I am in the minority but I like it. Yes, most of the drama is fabricated and as ellendi said, drama sells. None of these IRL shows on HGTV are in real time, nor do they go exactly as portrayed. And of course there are additional labor men behind the scenes that no one refers to.

    That being said... no, these are not true design teaching programs, but what the heck - it is fun to watch the transformations that can take place. Even if the families hate them, they are certainly way ahead of the condition of the rooms pre reno, so they are saving some bucks.