They have to be scripted to the hilt. Formula, formula, formula. It took me a long time to recognize and accept that. Having done so, I can still stand to watch a few favorites on occasion. Yes, the pawn shop variety is always enjoyable, for the STUFF if nothing else. And the house hunting ones - again, for the places themselves, not for the silly people and their silly dramas.
My favorite show has become my most hated show, as well: "Love It or List It". The formula is simple: A couple has a house that doesn't work for them any longer. One partner wants a new place and the other thinks that with the right reno, the current place will work fine. Enter Hillary and David. Hillary is the designer who, with her team of construction experts, will help realize the dream that is required to become realty for the couple to "stay". David, the real estate guy, shows the couple homes based upon their needs until he finds one that speaks to "both". Then, there is the reveal at the current home and the couple must determine whether they will "love it" or "list it".
Sadly the formula is repeated episode after episode: An unrealistic list of wants for renovation with a budget ranging from $40,000 to $80,000. David is given a budget of between $400,000 and $1,200,000 for a new house.
What is ALWAYS the case is that the renovation turns up something devastating that cannot be ignored or covered up and which eats up a major chunk of the budget. When that happens, something off the dream list must get scratched. The couple is always upset that they can't get that second bathroom on the second floor because they have a foundation flaw that MUST be corrected now that it has been discovered. They are bitter and trash Hillary for "promising" them something she can no longer give them. More money from them is out of the question since she "mismanaged" the money they had already given her (by saving their home from some calamity further down the road).
David, on the other hand, must show house after house that satisfies neither of the couple because it's not in the same neighborhood or the yard is too small or the view isn't good enough or...etc., etc. Ultimately, and EACH and EVERY show, David finds "the perfect house" the couple falls in love with and which may be the new home unless Hillary has pulled off a miracle (despite their previous hysteria over budget-busting problems that were addressed/corrected at the expense of items on their dream list).
One never knows which way they'll go. Hillary gets the nod many times after the couple have been horrible toward her. David wins his fair share, too, even when Hillary has done her usual great job (and it's usually because they want bigger rooms/more space).
It's the irrational attitude of the homeowners that irritate the crap out of me when Hillary discovers a new roof is needed or a foundation needs to be repaired or, heaven forfend, the house requires all new electrical work of pluming. The show is bound to correct these heinous problems once they're uncovered, but the homeowners blame her anyway when their paltry budgets cannot give them everything on their lists despite the extra work that has to be done.
After watching a few shows, it became crystal clear that the circumstances had been dictated and that the irrational behavior was usually hammy overacting on the part of one or both homeowners to add drama where none is really needed.
