Sunday, September 26, 2004

EXTREMELY GOOD TELEVISION

Okay, I need to know if anybody else out there watches ABC's Extreme Home Make-Over weeping copious tears. Because I do. Pretty much every show slays me, and the cornier it gets, the more I sit there sobbing and sniveling.

Tonight, I actually went and got a box of Kleenex as the episode started. Looking around the sofa, here 47 minutes later, it looks like someone has had pneumonia...

Tonight's episode, they redid the home of a family with eight children. The family, clearly cery committed Christians, is being raised by a single dad, because his wife died four years ago. The older kids - all in their teens, put their own stuff aside to help raise their younger siblings.

If you've never caught the show, it's brilliant because it combines the stuff America is best at: materialism at the service of generosity to deserving families. Check it out, and try to get your teens to watch it with you. It's the kind of viewing experience that would be very good for families, I think.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Funny, as soon as Extreme Home Makeover came on tonight my allergies started acting up.
Stupid dust in the air.

Yes, JR and I were both weeping over tonight's show like little babies. (I know, all babies are little).
If I show up to work tomorrow with puffy eyes, don't you dare say a word.
Stupid dust.

Kris Rasmussen said...

I reluctantly got into it over the summer and now I am a fan! Actually several committed Christians have been featured on it, which has been so cool because then I don't have to feel shallow for also watching because Ty Pennington hosts...

Anonymous said...

What?? I thought you screenwriters were supposed to be all down on unscripted television taking away your living! And here you are praising this show and Jan over there going mad for the Amazing Race. Hmmm..

And...are you the model for the "ex-nun" bringing Helen into the Church on Joan of Arcadia??

victor said...

I'll never admit to crying during the premiere of EM:HE... not in public anyway. ;)

Anonymous said...

I admit that I've only watched a couple of episodes, but I'm curious... have they done any shows following up a year later to see how the families have handled everything? That intrigues me more. -Bill

Anonymous said...

I love the show. Compared to most things on television, it is an A+. And yes, I am man enough to admit that I weep like a baby during the show.

I have wondered about how Extreme Make-Over: Home Edition handles the tax issue. I mean, the renovations they do have got to trend in upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars. I have to assume they take the taxes into account and mitigate that in some way. I also hope that the construction on that show is very good, because it otherwise would be very unethical. I mean, they rip down people's houses and construct new ones at times!

As for the materialism, I can't say I am all that bothered by it in this show. I think it is asking a lot for the show not to have some vice, but it is clearly cast in a spirit of generosity. Still, I understand where people are coming from.

Kathy said...

Ever notice how much the designers and contractors cry, too? I love the whole "bulldozing the house down" part, myself. Note to Ty: STOP YELLING.

Before you get all worked up about "the materialism": a) don't get all Manichean now and b) millions of people in Africa and India would give anything for a little of that materialism and that doesn't make them sinners. It makes them human.

You Americans (I'm Canadian) think everyone around the world is judging you because you air shows where people get free stuff. Well, maybe Eurotrash are judging you. So? Everyone else is dying to get into your country because of the opportunities for success, and because you are so personally generous of spirit.

In Canada, our game shows (when we used to have them) gave away a year's supply of chewing gum as a prize because, well, we're a socialist loser nation. We're just embittered, petty and jealous when we visit your country and watch your shows.

Don't beat yourself up for that generosity, even if it looks a bit over the top sometimes.

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