"Trading Spaces" (2000) TV series 2000-2008

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | unknown

Genre:

Reality-TV

Plot:

Two teams, two days, $1000. Each with the help of a professional designer and carpenter, this show pits...

Plot Keywords:

Home Improvement | Redecorating | Interior Decorator | Interior Design | Remake

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Paige Davis	...	Herself - Host / ... (79 episodes, 2001-2008)
Frank Bielec	...	Himself - Designer / ... (40 episodes, 2000-2008)
Faber Dewar	...	Carpenter / ... (40 episodes, 2000-2008)
Hildi Santo Tomas	...	Designer / ... (40 episodes, 2000-2008)
Alex McLeod	...	Herself - Host (40 episodes, 2000-2001)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Alexandria, Virginia, USA

Company:

RIVR Media

Trivia:

The second host, Paige Davis, was let go at the end of 2004 so the show could go to an essentially "hostless" format, where the designers would present the redecorating. This was done as a cost cutting effort when ratings began to decline. This format continued for three years (2005, 2006, and 2007), but ratings suffered as a result. In 2008, Davis was brought back as host, and the use of neighbors was changed to family members, to try to recapture audiences who had abandoned the show.

Quotes:

Homeowner: How do you like the paint job?
Designer: Horrible! Wrong colors! Good times!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Chappelle's Show: (#1.12)" (2003)

A nauseating non-improvement for home improvement shows

This show is absolutely horrible for a number of valid reasons:

For starters, it shows you how interior decorators are a homeowner's worst nightmare as they seldom take a person's lifestyle and create something that fits into it --- they are always doing something that is way out of the mainstream without taking into account a homeowner's personal tastes or consulting with them about it; of course, the nature of this show is for it to be a complete ambush, but it's twice as bad when the ambush is by dimwitted designers with cheap, bad taste. The show also reminds me too much of "The Today Show" with its preening, fawning and BS humor; you would have to be a naive, shallow person to enjoy the playful nature of the show --- I'm sure women represent 99% of the viewership. It's twice as long as it needs to be, assuming it should even be on the air at all.

But the main structural problem (pun intended) is, because of the cheap budget the show is on, that's exactly what you get --- cheap designs that look like something straight from kindergarten art class in a tasteless parallel universe. The host is equally nauseating, like she was plucked straight from cheerleading class at the local junior college. All of the designers are not only morons, they are posturing jerks with childish attitudes & no talent to be proud of --- the proof is in their work. Finally, if you really want to see this kind of crap, tune to BBC's original "Changing Rooms"; though they have 90% of the same problems, they do it a little less nauseating.

I personally recommend BBC's "Ground Force" if you like light-hearted home improvement shows, mainly because the girl on that show is very sexy & she never wears a bra, plus they do good work for the most part, and I also recommend "Gardening By The Yard" (which doesn't even have an entry on the IMDB for some reason) hosted by Paul James on HGTV, which is a lot better & highly entertaining show. Paul is very enjoyable, has a great voice & personality and is very knowledgable --- you will definitely learn something from him and get a good laugh with a clever adult sense of humor. If you want a serious home improvement show that's light fare and highly accessible/tasteful, tune into Bob Vila's "Home Again" or "Before & After" with Pat Simpson. Stay away from "This Old House" as it's just plain boring now. And click fast to an adjacent channel when "Trading Spaces" comes on.

Basically, don't support these idiots by watching their show --- it's a huge step backward in terms of entertainment value, not to mention interior decorating itself.