Flip Or Flop - General Discussion

[okerry]

Really am sorry to see this. A large part of the appeal of this cute little show was watching them work together. Too bad they threw that away along with everything else. Hope it was worth it.

[hkit]

30 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Which is why, business-wise, they are probably in big trouble. Up until now they've managed to build a thriving construction and design business because of the prestige of their TV show. People want to hire them so they can say they have a Tarek and Christina house, not because her designs are so fabulous or unique. Once they're no longer famous TV people, who's going to want to hire them? Contractors and designers are a dime a dozen. "We used to be on TV" doesn't have the same clout as "we're on a highly rated, popular show."

I'm sure they can still make a pretty penny doing the sketchy seminars they've done in the past. 15 minutes will carry you a long ways. 

I think Tarek may be OK, as he seems to have more business savvy. Basically every episode has an arc where Tarek wants to do cost affordable, but Christina wants to do the super stylish tile/countertop/fixture/flooring that is 10x more expensive. There will always be a market for a turn key home, even if the design is on the lower end.

Every market is different, but I've learned the hard way when selling previous homes that the general buying public doesn't differentiate much between the $10 square foot Uba Tuba granite, or the $120 square foot exotic granite that I painfully spent 6 months searching stoneyards for the perfect slab. To most buyers, granite is granite. Stainless is stainless.  

[iMonrey]

Quote

I'm sure they can still make a pretty penny doing the sketchy seminars they've done in the past. 

That's more something they lent their names to than something they're actively involved in though, and again, with their show off the air, they're not going to have the kind of draw that the company using their names wants anymore. People sign up for those "how to" seminars because they've seen them on TV and figure they're experts. You wouldn't shell out money for a how-to seminar fronted by some nobody, or some has-been who was once on TV.

Not saying they'll wind up living on the streets or anything, just that everything they have right now is a direct result of the popularity and success of their show. Without the show their income is going to take a hit. Probably a sizable one.

[KAOS Agent]

I suspect that they get a premium on their flips because people like the idea of buying a house that was on TV. The appraisals have sometimes brought them down to earth a bit, but they've still gotten way more than they should have based on comps that Tarek himself quotes on the show. They overimprove a lot of the houses featured and yet always seem to make a profit. That extra premium they get from the show will definitely disappear, as well as the interest they generate for open houses & showings just because they are Tarek and Christina. 

[Missy Vixen]

On 12/18/2016 at 9:57 PM, tessaforever said:

What I really wish is that Tarek & Christina could sit down for a marriage counseling session with Chip & Joanna! They have a lot in common, and I think it would be helpful. HGTV, make it happen!

 

Most people who are serious about saving a broken marriage do it in a licensed therapist's office without TV cameras. IMHO, but watching "marriage therapy" on HGTV is not something I'm interested in doing.

[iMonrey]

I don't get what's going on here. This is supposed to be "Season 7" and yet clearly this episode and the one last week were filmed before a lot of the Season 5 episodes. If the network filmed both Season 5 and Season 7 at the same time, why did they just randomly split them up out of sequence when clearly the birth of Brayden was a continuity issue? These aren't one-offs where the only variable is a new home buyer. The show revolves around Tarek and Christina's life and the fifth season was structured around Christina's pregnancy. 

The tin-foil hat wearing me wonders if maybe HGTV knew what was going on with them as early as last year and deliberately set aside some episodes where they had minimal interaction in case they split publicly.

Interestingly none of the new episodes are listed yet on HGTV's website: it only goes up to Season 6, which was the "Selling Summer" season. Maybe they don't consider these latest episodes a new season? More like bonus episodes or something?

 As far as the house goes, it cracked me up when Christina said something like "buyers might like to see something a little different" then pulled out the same gray on white on gray color scheme she always uses. That was a strange house with all those doors.

Edited December 23, 2016 by iMonrey

[Mu Shu]

All I have to say today is that I find Pete De Best  to be Pete De Worst, and he IMO is creepy.  I hate when they work with him, but I think Jesse Escalera is hot stuff. 

[Broderbits]

4 hours ago, iMonrey said:

The tin-foil hat wearing me wonders if maybe HGTV knew what was going on with them as early as last year and deliberately set aside some episodes where they had minimal interaction in case they split publicly.

Trying to figure out what the execs at HGTV are doing is a futile endeavor. They seem to cut any show that promises to be interesting and give us hours and hours of reruns featuring their pet performers. I would kill to see a "Buy Me" marathon right now!

4 hours ago, Mu Shu said:

I think Jesse Escalera is hot stuff. 

Isn't he the landscape/pool guy? I love his designs!

[zoeysmom]

No reason for the show not to survive.  As long as they plan staying in business together, I think the viewers would adjust.  Maybe Christine wil taje the risk and buy the property and involve herself in the construction and Tarek will buy houses and use another designer.  Make it an hour long show nd have then go head to head.

[tessaforever]

On 12/21/2016 at 7:51 PM, Missy Vixen said:

Most people who are serious about saving a broken marriage do it in a licensed therapist's office without TV cameras. IMHO, but watching "marriage therapy" on HGTV is not something I'm interested in doing.

Oh yeah, I definitely wouldn't want it done on camera. Sorry if I implied that in my comment. I don't think Chip & Jo would "preach religion" either. Just reading excerpts from their book, they've had their issues and found a way to get along, in a real world way, not some pie-in-the-sky way. I was thinking they could share advice about balancing their show with their marriage & family, facing public criticism, dealing with the pressure of being HGTV stars, etc. 

5 hours ago, iMonrey said:

As far as the house goes, it cracked me up when Christina said something like "buyers might like to see something a little different" then pulled out the same gray on white on gray color scheme she always uses. That was a strange house with all those doors.

In an episode I saw last night, she told Tarek they should paint the walls gray, then do an accent wall - in another shade of gray! Lol! Was that the same ep? There were a LOT of doors. 

4 hours ago, Mu Shu said:

All I have to say today is that I find Pete De Best  to be Pete De Worst, and he IMO is creepy.  I hate when they work with him, but I think Jesse Escalera is hot stuff. 

I think I have to agree with you on Pete, but he looks SO much like one of my husband's friends who is a nice guy that it balances out in a meh feeling towards Pete. But who is Jesse? 

[Honey]

1 hour ago, tessaforever said:

Oh yeah, I definitely wouldn't want it done on camera. Sorry if I implied that in my comment. I don't think Chip & Jo would "preach religion" either. Just reading excerpts from their book, they've had their issues and found a way to get along, in a real world way, not some pie-in-the-sky way. I was thinking they could share advice about balancing their show with their marriage & family, facing public criticism, dealing with the pressure of being HGTV stars, etc. 

In an episode I saw last night, she told Tarek they should paint the walls gray, then do an accent wall - in another shade of gray! Lol! Was that the same ep? There were a LOT of doors. 

I think I have to agree with you on Pete, but he looks SO much like one of my husband's friends who is a nice guy that it balances out in a meh feeling towards Pete. But who is Jesse? 

Jesse is their pool/lanscaping guy (beard, tattoos).  The one who made that dinosaur at the edge of the pool in one episode, and the columns of fire on that deck, in the Selling Summer show.  He also used the flamethrower to char the wood on the fence in one backyard.

[tessaforever]

Got it. He's not my type but he does do amazing backyards although I feared for the safety aspect of the one with the fire wall in between the pool and the patio. The backyards seem a little busy and crowded though, but that's probably because T & C/HGTV was trying to cram as much as possible into the Selling Summer episodes. 

[txvoodoo]

On 12/21/2016 at 1:10 PM, hkit said:

I'm sure they can still make a pretty penny doing the sketchy seminars they've done in the past. 15 minutes will carry you a long ways. 

I think Tarek may be OK, as he seems to have more business savvy. Basically every episode has an arc where Tarek wants to do cost affordable, but Christina wants to do the super stylish tile/countertop/fixture/flooring that is 10x more expensive. There will always be a market for a turn key home, even if the design is on the lower end.

Every market is different, but I've learned the hard way when selling previous homes that the general buying public doesn't differentiate much between the $10 square foot Uba Tuba granite, or the $120 square foot exotic granite that I painfully spent 6 months searching stoneyards for the perfect slab. To most buyers, granite is granite. Stainless is stainless.  

Maybe so on the granite, but if I paid a half-million or more for a house, and the floors were laminate, "high-end" or not, I'd be pissed. For that money, I want wood. Not engineered, hardwood. 

 

On a different subject (and didn't we used to have a Small Talk thread here, or am I imagining it?), here's something that's been driving me crazy. I keep hearing this commercial in the background, and the voice & face of the second person in it - isn't this Tarek? I mean, these things are always actors, and it could've been done when he was much younger:

[WayneK]

23 hours ago, txvoodoo said:

- isn't this Tarek?

I don't think so.

[spankydoll]

On ‎12‎/‎14‎/‎2016 at 1:54 AM, Maharincess said:

Are we sure the friend in the bedroom and the friend who called Christina the same friend?  I read a "friend" was in the bedroom but a "friend of Christina" is who called her. 

Maybe it's two different people? 

Don't you think that the "friend" is the nanny he was dating? Who he fired from her job so that he could date her?

What a sloppy, phony mess their lives are. People magazine has this weird photoshoot with all of them playing happy family. And to think that their show would continue when he is unstable enough to have 11 police officers talk him into surrendering his weapons is beyond bizarre. I wouldn't even think that Andy Cohen would do that and he is as low as you can go.

[Maharincess]

6 hours ago, spankydoll said:

Don't you think that the "friend" is the nanny he was dating? Who he fired from her job so that he could date her?

What a sloppy, phony mess their lives are. People magazine has this weird photoshoot with all of them playing happy family. And to think that their show would continue when he is unstable enough to have 11 police officers talk him into surrendering his weapons is beyond bizarre. I wouldn't even think that Andy Cohen would do that and he is as low as you can go.

I never read that in any of the stories I've seen about them, I read numerous times that as soon as Tarek was told to surrender the gun, he did.   I haven't read anywhere that 11 police officers had to convince him to give it up. 

How do these rumors get started and become facts? 

[spankydoll]

1 minute ago, Maharincess said:

I never read that in any of the stories I've seen about them, I read numerous times that as soon as Tarek was told to surrender the gun, he did.   I haven't read anywhere that 11 police officers had to convince him to give it up. 

How do these rumors get started and become facts? 

I guess that I took a leap thinking that the need to deploy eleven officers to corral him meant that it was an incident of some gravity. And you can't believe anything that this couple says. They have been lying through their teeth and posing as happily marrieds to keep their show on the air and avoid selling their Bentley.

[mojito]

Quote

 I keep hearing this commercial in the background, and the voice & face of the second person in it - isn't this Tarek?

I went through this whole clip looking for Tarek, but didn't see anyone who resembled him.

This last flip, like the one before, must've come from the "worst of" heap because it was yet another crappy flip. Can't believe they merely painted the cracked up concrete patio and painted the house gray despite that yellowish stonework. 

[azshadowwalker]

15 hours ago, spankydoll said:

I guess that I took a leap thinking that the need to deploy eleven officers to corral him meant that it was an incident of some gravity. And you can't believe anything that this couple says. They have been lying through their teeth and posing as happily marrieds to keep their show on the air and avoid selling their Bentley.

Cops overreact to shit all the time. I would never take their spin or reaction as gospel any more than I would believe "reality TV" is real and married people have perfect lives. 

[Honey]

On 12/24/2016 at 0:34 AM, txvoodoo said:

Maybe so on the granite, but if I paid a half-million or more for a house, and the floors were laminate, "high-end" or not, I'd be pissed. For that money, I want wood. Not engineered, hardwood. 

 

On a different subject (and didn't we used to have a Small Talk thread here, or am I imagining it?), here's something that's been driving me crazy. I keep hearing this commercial in the background, and the voice & face of the second person in it - isn't this Tarek? I mean, these things are always actors, and it could've been done when he was much younger:

I don't think that guy looks or sounds anything like Tarek.

Edited December 27, 2016 by Honey

[txvoodoo]

Just to clarify, I don't think any of those people in the video were actually addicts. Those ads always use actors to read out lines.  I was just wondering if Tarek did some commercial acting when he was young.

[Honey]

Where is everyone this morning?

[Honey]

Amy O'Selkin is sooo dorky.  I love that about her.  Her laugh cracks me up.

[zoeysmom]

On ‎12‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 7:36 PM, spankydoll said:

I guess that I took a leap thinking that the need to deploy eleven officers to corral him meant that it was an incident of some gravity. And you can't believe anything that this couple says. They have been lying through their teeth and posing as happily marrieds to keep their show on the air and avoid selling their Bentley.

Tarek had absolutely no control over how many deputies the sheriff's office deployed.  The area he was in was a large area and maybe the SO thought the more eyes the better.  I don't really watch the show for a great love story, so married, separated, divorce doesn't really change things for me.  They seem to be together at Christmas for the kids, couple's who have common business interests often continue to work together.  For me, it may improve the show as there may not be the Christina gets her way all the time. 

[iMonrey]

I'm really tired of the washed-out, gray looking hard wood floors they keep installing everywhere. I know it's probably trendy right now but it seems like a fad that's going to look dated in about 10 years. I think traditional dark colors like oak and walnut are timeless. I also imagine that lighter "beachy" look shows the dirt like crazy.

[topanga]

On 12/23/2016 at 7:18 PM, zoeysmom said:

No reason for the show not to survive.  As long as they plan staying in business together, I think the viewers would adjust.  Maybe Christine wil taje the risk and buy the property and involve herself in the construction and Tarek will buy houses and use another designer.  Make it an hour long show nd have then go head to head.

But it would be hard to watch. Knowing the two hosts hate each other and don't want to be in the same room together. I'd feel like any home they'd renovate would have some serious negative juju energy floating around.

[Honey]

Wrong thread. No wonder.  Haha

21 minutes ago, topanga said:

But it would be hard to watch. Knowing the two hosts hate each other and don't want to be in the same room together. I'd feel like any home they'd renovate would have some serious negative juju energy floating around.

Who says they hate each other?  I am divorced, and my ex is one of my best friends.

[topanga]

11 minutes ago, Honey said:

Wrong thread. No wonder.  Haha

Who says they hate each other?  I am divorced, and my ex is one of my best friends.

What about Tarek's incident with the gun and the police, which occurred when her new boyfriend was at the house? And even though they've been separated for 7 months, they haven't filed for a divorce but are already dating other people. Maybe they don't hate each other, but their marriage definitely seems over. Overall, it doesn't sound like a friendly, conscious uncoupling, based on what I've read.

[iMonrey]

It doesn't sound like HGTV plans to renew the show beyond their current contractual obligation, so whether it could still succeed with them divorced is probably a moot point. I'd be more interested to know how their various business ventures will fare once they are no longer on TV. It really depends on how much their success owes to their fame and their show as opposed to their business skills and talent. 

And if I were them I'd get the hell out of whatever obligation they have to those how-to seminars. Major lawsuit just waiting to happen.  

[doodlebug]

20 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

It doesn't sound like HGTV plans to renew the show beyond their current contractual obligation, so whether it could still succeed with them divorced is probably a moot point. I'd be more interested to know how their various business ventures will fare once they are no longer on TV. It really depends on how much their success owes to their fame and their show as opposed to their business skills and talent. 

And if I were them I'd get the hell out of whatever obligation they have to those how-to seminars. Major lawsuit just waiting to happen.  

I believe they are already embroiled in a lawsuit over those seminars, so too late for that.  It's pretty obviously a scam.

The People article was also interesting in that they interviewed Tarek and Christina at their home way back in August, 3-4 months after they'd separated, and the two of them played happy families posing for photos with the kids and plugging the upcoming season; all the while hiding the fact that they not only were no longer living together, but had moved on to other partners. Obviously, the TV show was more important than the truth.

 The reporter, in retrospect, did note that Christina complained a bit about how Tarek had literally NEVER changed a diaper with Taylor and had only done it once with Brayden, who was, by then, a year old.  That's Donald Trump level lack of paternal involvement, IMO.  Tarek said it was because he had a bad gag reflex, but come on.  He must've never spent any time alone with his kids, ever.  She also pointed out that he never, ever helped with night feedings and he protested that he didn't have the 'equipment'.  Apparently lacking breasts meant he wasn't able to get out of bed to fetch the kid or change a diaper either.

I don't know that it is the show that caused the split.  Sounds like they were very different people from the start.  Also, they faced a lot of challenges over a short period of time including the collapse of the real estate market and having to live with in-laws, Tarek's cancer, his back surgery and then Christina's fertility struggles and miscarriage.  It seems like it happens a lot: a couple weathers a lot of storms together and remains united; but once the storm passes and better times arrive, the whole thing falls apart.

[Maharincess]

8 hours ago, Honey said:

Amy O'Selkin is sooo dorky.  I love that about her.  Her laugh cracks me up.

Who is that?  I don't remember an Amy on the show. 

[mojito]

Am I the only one who merely watches a flipping show and doesn't give a shit about the private lives of people who appear on my TV screen?

[Rylee]

41 minutes ago, Pegasaurus said:

One thing I noticed a few months ago, before anything publicly hit the fan was the attitude of Taylor toward her father.  It was subtle but I noticed it. Or maybe I just have a different set of rules for how kids should talk to parents/adults and I'm more sensitive.   

In a few scenes, "Tay-Tay" made comments to dear old dad that were a little bit snarky. And after said comments, Christina laughed like it was funny for the kid to speak to her father like he's a fool (well, I know...).   It was the kind of talk my parents wouldn't have been OK with.  Nothing really bad but kind of smarty/sassy; like "that's just the way we talk to Daddy".  Not blaming the child, as I'm sure she has learned by example. 

I wish I could provide an actual example but the only thing I can remember was thinking at the time, "wow, that's kind of smart-alecky ".  Maybe she had just picked up on the real tone of family dynamics?  This was before stories of seminar-gate, gun-totin'-Tarek, spouse cheating, & marriage separation, hit the news.

Haha, not sure why I care!

"Time to find another subject to snark about....."

I noticed these comments from Taylor, too. While they weren't horrible, I didn't find it cute, either. I agree, she had to be picking up on this attitude towards her father from somewhere.  

This wasn't a big deal but one comment I remember was along the lines of... "You didn't nail it but it's okay," while checking out a newly finished flip.

[chessiegal]

53 minutes ago, mojito said:

Am I the only one who merely watches a flipping show and doesn't give a shit about the private lives of people who appear on my TV screen?

Sitting on the couch next to you. But HGTV/producers were pushing the family angle just like they do on Fixer Upper. I'm sorry for their situation, but I like watching their flips.

[iMonrey]

Quote

I believe they are already embroiled in a lawsuit over those seminars, so too late for that.  It's pretty obviously a scam.

As far as I can tell, Tarek and Christina are not personally involved in any lawsuits. Various people who paid money for the seminars have filed complaints and/or lawsuits which were brought against the company at the state level and have been reimbursed in many cases so there have definitely been ongoing problems. But it's not something T&C own outright, it's more like something they get paid to lend their names and images to. 

Quote

Am I the only one who merely watches a flipping show and doesn't give a shit about the private lives of people who appear on my TV screen?

In another format, yeah - I wouldn't care. I don't care about the personal lives of Hilary and David on Love It or List It, for example. But Flip or Flop and Fixer Upper are both structured around the personal family lives of the hosts. So when you find out the life the show is presenting you is actually a sham it definitely affects the perception of the show itself.

Plus, after awhile all the houses T&C flip start to look alike, and the format is so stagnant all the shows seem like the same story over and over. So the only real variable is the interaction of the hosts, and how they respond to the minutia. You know they're always going to wind up with subway tile and quartz counter tops and white cabinets and gray hardwoods, etc. The designs don't change, only their conversations do.

[topanga]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

Plus, after awhile all the houses T&C flip start to look alike, and the format is so stagnant all the shows seem like the same story over and over. So the only real variable is the interaction of the hosts, and how they respond to the minutia. You know they're always going to wind up with subway tile and quartz counter tops and white cabinets and gray hardwoods, etc. The designs don't change, only their conversations do.

And that friggin gray and white exterior. Who told Tarek and Christina this was a good look? And even if it were, why do they keep using it over and over. I didn't like it when Tarek distressed the brick on a house that he and Pete did together, but at least it was something different than the boring gray exterior paint. 

[Honey]

23 hours ago, Maharincess said:

Who is that?  I don't remember an Amy on the show. 

Wrong show. Wrong thread, like I said upthread.

[mojito]

Quote

But Flip or Flop and Fixer Upper are both structured around the personal family lives of the hosts. 

Can't believe that grown people fall for that crap and then seem broken-hearted and/or seem to feel betrayed when they learn that all is not what it seemed. You don't know these people after watching a few minutes of their lives on the screen. You already know the filming is fake, why would anyone think any different about the portrayal of the hosts? 

Edited December 29, 2016 by mojito

[Maharincess]

10 hours ago, Honey said:

Wrong show. Wrong thread, like I said upthread.

Lol. I do that all the time. I hadn't seen your post before I said that, I was just going to edit. 

[hkit]

On 12/27/2016 at 7:41 PM, mojito said:

Am I the only one who merely watches a flipping show and doesn't give a shit about the private lives of people who appear on my TV screen?

Usually, yeah, I'd agree with you. I watch for house porn. The scripted family time and "oh my we have a set back that wasn't caught in inspection" drama was always just that to me: scripted. I wouldn't call it hate watching, but I certainly enjoyed making fun of the forced dynamics. It was filler around what I wanted to see: before and after shots  

However, now that the myth has been perpetrated for months that they are happy, I think if becomes relevant. If a statement came out in April they were separating, but continuing as business partners, I'm sure the show could have been just fine. Skip the opening sequence in their house discussing if they should purchase the flip to be featured in that episode and the show could have gone on with most people not giving a crap. I would have kept watching. But, as little as I tend to care about the personal lives of D list celebrities, I care greatly about being manipulated and lied to. I only speak for myself, but they've created a situation where I care where I ordinarily wouldn't. 

[iMonrey]

Quote

Can't believe that grown people fall for that crap and then seem broken-hearted and/or seem to feel betrayed when they learn that all is not what it seemed. You don't know these people after watching a few minutes of their lives on the screen. You already know the filming is fake, why would anyone think any different about the portrayal of the hosts? 

I don't feel broken hearted - the personal relationship between T&C does not affect me or my life one way or another. And I don't think "betrayed" is quite the word either. But if they thought they could just go on pretending to be a happily married couple when they were living apart then that's a step too far, even in a reality show where so much of it is actually scripted. I mean, it's like hiring two strangers and then pretending they're a married couple. Or a reality show contestant that the show has fabricated an alias and fake bio for. People who watch reality TV know a lot of it is faked and scripted but they accept at face value that the participants are who they say they are, not actors playing a part.

A big part of the appeal of Flip or Flop - for me anyway - is that it was one of the most realistic among HGTV's various home renovation shows. Compared to House Hunters, or Property Brothers, or Love It or List It - T&C were actually doing what they claimed they were doing - buying and flipping houses. The people on House Hunters have already bought a house when they get on that show, the whole concept is fake. And the Property Brothers neither negotiate real estate purchases nor design remodels. They are essentially actors playing a role. That made T&C somewhat unique in the HGTV crowd.

I think the idea that they thought they could get away with bamboozling the audience into thinking their relationship was unchanged is going to sour a lot of their fans on the show. 

[doodlebug]

21 hours ago, mojito said:

Can't believe that grown people fall for that crap and then seem broken-hearted and/or seem to feel betrayed when they learn that all is not what it seemed. You don't know these people after watching a few minutes of their lives on the screen. You already know the filming is fake, why would anyone think any different about the portrayal of the hosts? 

I haven't seen anyone here who is brokenhearted about T&C's marital problems.  And we all certainly know the show is scripted.  However, when a major premise of the show is that this is a married couple, in business together, trying to handle a growing family and run a business; we expect the basic premise to be true.  Just as we griped when they 'pretended' that the doctor called Christina, on camera, to tell her she was pregnant; there's a limit to the amount of fiction that most viewers are willing to tolerate.  A simple announcement last spring that they'd separated but were not filing for divorce yet (though I expect that will be happening shortly now that the cat is out of the bag) and that the upcoming episodes were filmed last year before the separation would have sufficed.  Instead, they maintained the façade, including multiple extensive interviews in People, etc, where they not only plugged the new season of the show; but continued to pretend their marriage was intact.  And making family centered Christmas promos for the network was just stupid, especially when they knew there was a police report out there somewhere that would reveal the cracks in their marriage. That's a bridge too far, IMO.

[zoeysmom]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

I don't feel broken hearted - the personal relationship between T&C does not affect me or my life one way or another. And I don't think "betrayed" is quite the word either. But if they thought they could just go on pretending to be a happily married couple when they were living apart then that's a step too far, even in a reality show where so much of it is actually scripted. I mean, it's like hiring two strangers and then pretending they're a married couple. Or a reality show contestant that the show has fabricated an alias and fake bio for. People who watch reality TV know a lot of it is faked and scripted but they accept at face value that the participants are who they say they are, not actors playing a part.

A big part of the appeal of Flip or Flop - for me anyway - is that it was one of the most realistic among HGTV's various home renovation shows. Compared to House Hunters, or Property Brothers, or Love It or List It - T&C were actually doing what they claimed they were doing - buying and flipping houses. The people on House Hunters have already bought a house when they get on that show, the whole concept is fake. And the Property Brothers neither negotiate real estate purchases nor design remodels. They are essentially actors playing a role. That made T&C somewhat unique in the HGTV crowd.

I think the idea that they thought they could get away with bamboozling the audience into thinking their relationship was unchanged is going to sour a lot of their fans on the show. 

I don't think people who watch the show care all that much.  If there is a huge shift in the premise as in buying, demoing and putting in a lackluster but workable design choices, I think it will effect the show.  I did like when they started doing higher end homes, and the shopping for front doors and various other luxury touches.  The outdoor stuff this year has been interesting.

I will be anxious to see what they will be doing with all the Tuscan style homes from the '90s.  After watching today's older episodes, tackling homes with the dark earth coloured granite countertops.

[Gam2]

I also noticed over time that Taylor was being disrespectful to her dad and knew she must have heard that from her mom. Maybe Tarik got tired of that and Christina's false teeth, false eyelashes, false personality, false everything else. I'm not saying he's a big prize but she's always seemed so fake and entitled to me. Hope they can share the children and take good care of them.

[Honey]

Since reading that Christina told People (in a joint interview in August)that Tarek didn't ever change a single diaper (strong gag reflex),  and never got up once during the middle of the night feedings (didn't have the equipment), I can't look at Tarek, without seeing him as an asshole.

[MrPissyPuppy]

I recall at least one episode where Christina was nursing the baby using a bottle.   So if she was pumping, then there's no reason Tarek couldn't have gotten up to feed the kids. 

[doodlebug]

1 hour ago, MrPissyPuppy said:

I recall at least one episode where Christina was nursing the baby using a bottle.   So if she was pumping, then there's no reason Tarek couldn't have gotten up to feed the kids. 

 And, even if she was breastfeeding,  no reason he couldn't fetch the kid from his crib (if that's where he was), change a diaper, change his outfit if needed, rock the baby afterwards, fix Christina a snack.  Her comments made it very clear that she did everything at night  while Tarek slept.  And, if his gag reflex prevented him from diaper changes, I suspect he hasn't been the one to handle sick kid issues.  I don't think there's any parent of a preschooler who hasn't been puked on, who hasn't had to get up in the middle of the night to bathe and change the bed after the kiddo vomited/had diarrhea everywhere.   I used to kind of wonder how Tarek felt about Christina's frequent put-downs on the show.  Even if scripted, they could take a toll.  Now, I think her somewhat veiled hostility might've been deserved.

[spankydoll]

19 hours ago, doodlebug said:

 And, even if she was breastfeeding,  no reason he couldn't fetch the kid from his crib (if that's where he was), change a diaper, change his outfit if needed, rock the baby afterwards, fix Christina a snack.  Her comments made it very clear that she did everything at night  while Tarek slept.  And, if his gag reflex prevented him from diaper changes, I suspect he hasn't been the one to handle sick kid issues.  I don't think there's any parent of a preschooler who hasn't been puked on, who hasn't had to get up in the middle of the night to bathe and change the bed after the kiddo vomited/had diarrhea everywhere.   I used to kind of wonder how Tarek felt about Christina's frequent put-downs on the show.  Even if scripted, they could take a toll.  Now, I think her somewhat veiled hostility might've been deserved.

Hopefully she conjured up a gag reflex of her own to inconvenience him. What a jerk.

[eskimo]

Does anyone else have an issue with how small the soap boxes (I forget the actual term) in the showers are.  They need to be twice as big or there should be more than one.  I'm the only female in my house and alone I have way more stuff than what would fit in one of those small cubbies they add.

[spankydoll]

7 hours ago, eskimo said:

Does anyone else have an issue with how small the soap boxes (I forget the actual term) in the showers are.  They need to be twice as big or there should be more than one.  I'm the only female in my house and alone I have way more stuff than what would fit in one of those small cubbies they add.

Cubbies are silly. I have a three tiered metal shek in my shower. A cubby wouldn't even hold my hair products.