I’ve been a part-time viewer of The Block the last few years and have been open about my concerns over it. I did a post a few months back asking if you’ve fallen prey to The Block Effect, but today’s post isn’t about whether the show helps or hinders those undertaking renos, but moreso if the show itself is losing its way.
Read more about The Block Triple Threat
The reason for my part-time viewing of the show – rather than tuning in around the clock – is because I don’t care for the shenanigans. I’m all about the room reveals, hearing the judges thoughts and learning a few things along the way; be it about new products, new style trends or simply a new perspective on design from Neale, Shaynna or Darren. I mean, if I want to watch drama I have The Real Housewives of Melbourne to turn to (bring on season two, just quietly!).
That said, there’s certainly nothing wrong with a bit of fun. I mean, this is a reality show and there are personalities to warm to and whine over. It’s the whole reason why the show (and other shows in this genre) select ‘real’ people to compete for the prize. This isn’t about designers, this is about connecting to the everyday Australian. So I do get – and appreciate – that premise.
I’ve been seeing a lot of backlash on social media lately though – about the direction The Block is heading in – and I’d love to get your thoughts on it. I don’t watch the mid-week shows unless there’s a reveal on, so I don’t feel the frustration, but it appears many of you are becoming a bit annoyed by certain elements of the series… particularly with regard to the lack of design and the educational element of the show’s content.
Here are some comments I saw on Facebook this week
Darryl Whitecross
“Just got home and started watching tonight’s episode. 5 mins in and it’s all talk. Is there any renovating happening?”
Lesley Scott-Smith
“Stick to the reno ideas please. That’s what I watch the show for, and by the way, less personalities and more reno please. Why they choose the colors they do, the concepts behind the choices of furniture and fittings. A bit more practical and a little less soap opera”.
Lynda Marshall
“Just saw the end of the show tonight. Stopped watching it when it became more like a soap opera than a DIY show. Notice things have actually got worse with the contestants not actually doing any of the work anymore but just shopping, sitting around planning and trying to be comedians”.
Chanelle Skye
“Disappointed by the lack of building/designing. This show is full of rubbish now”.
Bridget Keating
“The tasks have become impossibly difficult, the timeframes unreasonable, the contestants tired and delirious. Please stop. Please pull it back to what is was when it was enjoyable. A tv show that was about design, construction, skill and execution by people who are there to learn and who will enjoy the experience”.
>>> Do you think The Block has lost its way?
I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Let’s open up a discussion about this. Are people expecting too much from The Block or has it become a bit silly? Do you watch for the drama and the fun as well as the reveals? Drop me a comment below and let me hear your take on it 🙂
Image of Darren and See via DailyMail. Other shots via 9jumpin.
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It’s like watching Home and Away Who needs that?
Sorry lost it as using the beautiful heritage Gatwick to ravage and destroy her heritage….i just dont get it. Oh and the reno is about pleasing the snobs..it seem be more down to earth.
I understand where you are coming from but I still really love and enjoy the show. I’ve not seen all the seasons yet. I am binge watching at the moment. I liked the Blocktagon accept for the red headed whiner. Triple Threat is well if I had watch all season up to that point, yeah I might have been turned off mainly due to the nastiness that Anastasia and Tim brought and the judges who let their personal feelings (even if they have been treated badly) to dictate their judging. Yes I’d like a bit more reno tips/design tips but I like some of the drama. If I want strictly a design show I’ll just watch the countless others on HGTV or DIY Network…..oh yeah I’m an American…LOL.
I am disappointed that they keep recycling old contestants If they are looking for fresh ideas why not bring back eliminated contestants some that were very unfortunate not to be selected in the first place instead of giving contestants that have already had opportunities and in some cases won considerable amounts of money
This series of The Block has got worse as the season has gone on. There is even less renovating and design content and more melodrama dribble. I don’t like the way the producers of the show have edited it to create heroes and villains, and the foreman has become an antagonist who goes around stirring up the exhausted contestants. It is cruel – I don’t know why anybody would sign up to appear on the show.
The little bit of design content that is shown is hardly worth the trouble. Last week, Neil took the female contestants to the home of a noted designer but most of the footage was of them sitting at a table eating. A waste of time. The weekly episode where the judges talked about design in depth seems to have disappeared from the viewing schedule – this was the only good thing about the series!
BTW, I quite like Deanne and Darren Jolly. At least Deanne has interesting ideas and presents good, coherent rooms. Some of the other rooms are, quite frankly, shocking – they look like a colour blind person has put them together. Seriously.
I agree Dea has great taste and always has a fresh approach to style and I always enjoy seeing her work. She us a fluent stylist and designer and I often find myself agreeing with her. Darren works unbelievably hard working and is devoted to his family and his work ethic and quality are exceptional. Aldo, he is professionally trained to stick to the rules of a game. I’m with them on that and think the show is really letting itself down pandering to the worst aspect of australia mediocre society where popularity is about manipulation and upholding Larkin male culture. I really feel the show needs an overhaul. Budgets should be transparent, forget challenges and winding up contestants against each other. Tim and Anastasia are a disgrace, lazy, dishonest and manipulative. Ayden is held up as a directors choice for his comic contribution, I think he is annoying not as hard a worker as the show shows and his finances need a good audit especially as he hired a professional tradies mate at $25 per hour. Very questionable. Josh us a good worker but Charlotte needs to find out all the facts before she befriends Anastasia and alienates Dea. I hate the constructed melodrama around the relationships and would love the drama be on the design, building and budgets. And a little on how people might pull together in a crisis not against each other. Keith and boy need replacing all they do is gossip and set people off. I hope Dea and Daz win gesso of money and go on to have successful careers in design and building. Also, last year the ships displayed clear racism. You need a rethink. I won’t watch this series again.
I so agree with everything that has been said. I watch for the reno work, the style tips, the ingenious storage solutions, etc. You can’t tell me that at that level of house price the potential buyer is all that concerned about the colour of the wall or the size of the rug. Those things are all replaceable, but the flow of traffic and distribution of light isn’t. The things they fuss over are so irrelevant. $500 cushions – who are they kidding – that doesn’t make you want to buy a house.
Also I like to see realistic work happening at realistic budgets. As a homeowner I would like to know if a design idea is something I could aspire to if I contacted the relevant company.
There have been reality shows that demonstrate how things can be done on a realistic budget with some great ideas. I would like to see more of that – real renovation ideas and work.
Yes we have become Sunday night watchers and if we miss that we are still not fussed and I no longer go back and watch it on catch up like I used to.
Sorry to say, I’ve stopped watching the midweek episodes because of Dee. This is a show of two parts: renovation and personalities, and if we are going to watch almost every evening we need to enjoy the dynamic of the group we are ‘spending time’ with.
I think you’re in good company Sal. A lot of people seem to be doing the same thing. I am all about the renos and the decorating (no drama for me thanks).
Yes. I agree totally. It appears to me that Dea and Darren have been bought back perhaps to avoid legal action because they failed so dismally last year.
The show now seems to be all about cushions covers and controversy. Three couples no experience against experienced one. Not fair!