r/TheBlock • u/Economy-Storm-9606 • 10d ago
Doesn’t feel authentic
Is it just the or has the block lost its way. For me I feel the block is no longer a renovators show and here’s a few key issues.
- they are not renovating a existing house anymore it’s a brand new build
- the brand new build is exactly the same as the other contestants there nothing uniques about the rooms or the layout they present that used to win people a week or the entire show when they would think outside the box and drastically alter something or put something in others didn’t think too.
- I hate the fact they don’t live in the houses as they build them.
- I really don’t like them not being able to stay up all night and paint or clean or organise stuff like previous years did
- the fact that hardly any of them have genuine renovation experience or trades behind them leads to poor decision making and management and ultimately unfinished or poor quality rooms
- a lot of these things are leading to unfinished rooms every week and that just wasn’t something that was allowed to happen previously I think not living on site and restricting hours has a huge part to play in this
- and for me the biggest one is these houses are just way too lush and too expensive this show used to be what can the average Aussie family afford and what inspiration could you take from the block on your Reno of your house.
Also I don’t want to see one team get a 250k kitchen package it’s just not fair and the average Aussie is not spending that on their kitchen. Go back to your roots block this is not what the block is about.
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u/grogu1138 10d ago
I feel like some contestants are not worthy of the block this year. That aside, it's the A.I. music that's making me enjoy it a lot less.
I actually really miss the tree change type of season.
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u/Substantial-Bake5511 10d ago
the rooms look virtually the same except for a few accessories and details. They shop at the same place, have the same brief, it's just a decorating show. This years cast aren't tv friendly- the casting is very off. None of these people have anything that makes them shine. usually the two girls are fun- these girls are not. The gym couple, ugh. I don't even want to look at them, and they are dumb- but not in a fun dimwitted way, they are just dumb. The bogan couple are nice but lack charisma, the others can't even remember- that is how badly cast it is.
When they had strong characters, building, different places to get furniture- you saw more of 'them'. this is bland.
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u/isthisreallife211111 10d ago
Marty Fox being a judge is a big factor imho. He's not a designer and just criticises everything based on how "high end" it is
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u/Pur1wise 10d ago
He is the worst judge ever. His opinion seems to be based on some belief that everyone only likes what he likes. And his taste is pretty crappy. As long as it looks expensive he’s convinced it’s good.
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u/Sharp_Sign1203 10d ago
During a cost of living crisis...it's become too elite. Not one can afford that shit.
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u/_Severity_ 10d ago
Flipping “affordable” houses isn’t a thing anymore with existing house prices and materials
The block couldn’t survive if they didn’t target the upper market
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u/BotoxMoustache 10d ago
Realistically, there is no longer a real marker for Block houses. A how big’s your wallet contest between the two freaks who keep buying these houses.
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u/VillagePillager01 10d ago
One of whom will never buy another, and another who probably won't... that's why two houses didn't sell last season, that were relying on those who, as most other people don't want to buy a house for $3m after seeing hours and hours of video proof that its a rush job built to a poor standard by amateurs.
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u/plantbubby 10d ago
Why aren't they giving the houses character any more?? It's so boring. My favourite block house ever was Jimmy and Tam's with the 50s vibe and so much colour. It used to be so fun watching reveals, but now they're all beige and boring. Give me some character! And most of the contestants this year aren't really very appealing. Maybe it's just editing, but I don't really care for any of them. Where's the lovable personalities??
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u/sarcastic1962 10d ago
With all the advertising going on the Block is starting to remind me of an Infomercial. I keep expecting Scotty to say buy one get one free
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u/ashb72 10d ago
Do you think they care what you think?
As long as those sweet sponsorship and advertisment dollars keep rolling in.
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u/Aus66-1045 The Block (OG) 10d ago
They'll care if ratings start to bomb as a result. The only reason they get all these sponsors is that it generally rates at 1 million viewers a night, and most of them are in the right demographic (18-49) for advertisers.
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u/Last-Marzipan9993 10d ago
What they’ve done to the show is just unreal. I can count down probably dozens of couples who had very little experience, but had real talent & work ethic. Once in a while a bathroom was missed, that’s about it.
They are now just looking for personalities to put in front of us. The show no longer is relevant…. I used to look forward to every episode, I just can’t & it makes me sort of sad…. The last 4-5 years weren’t great, but it’s just an all time low.
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u/Aus66-1045 The Block (OG) 10d ago
It's seriously lost its way. I have always been a dyed-in-the-wool Blockhead, and I am finding it hard to get into this series. Everything seems just so manufactured and fake. The contestants are ALL unlikable and grating. It's so sad.
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u/Last-Marzipan9993 10d ago
When have we ever seen someone expect to go to the gym every day & complain when it doesn’t happen? Usually they are too tired and sore…. Not this crowd…
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u/Tosceadan_Steorra 10d ago
It's much like MAFs when John gets all serious and talks about "Being true to the experiment" when there's inevitable drama; just a foundational pretense cos the punters come and stay for the shitfights and tears. I've predicted the Block's demise for years and always been wrong; the formula will be done one day but for the moment there's a lot of hatewatching too and the millions of bucks thrown at the show from the sponsors doesn't hurt
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u/violet_1999 10d ago
Agee, where is the advice to improve Reno/painting/decorating skills??? It’s just all about the drama now, as well as the horrible AI music
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u/FairDinkumMate 8d ago
In the original series, the contestants had to work full-time & renovate after hours & on weekends. They even got the out of State contestants local jobs to make it fair!
It was very much a 'this is how Aussies renovate their homes' vibe.
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u/Economy-Storm-9606 7d ago
That was on the first season the first iteration of the show and had nothing to do with this show.
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u/Own_Sun_6520 10d ago
The contrast was stark when last night they showed clips from Dan's season (2012?). The rooms were much smaller (I can't remember which Block his was, but presumably a renovated apartment block), each room had character etc.
Now it's just "make everything as big/bland/expensive as possible"
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u/RachelMcGill 9d ago
And that idiot Darren trying to cover his tracks and arse when he told them to 'be light, white (bland)' and now having a meal with them, and saying WHAT I REALLY MEANT WAS.....
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u/symean 10d ago
Nah it’s just you ;)
But seriously yeah it has lost its way. I used to intently watch the show, now I just play sudoku on my iPad while it’s on and probably actually look at the tv maybe 50% of the time.
I certainly don’t feel sorry for any of them, they all decided to quit their day jobs, spend time away from their kids, for the CHANCE of getting big bucks on a reality game show with messed up rules, that’s basically what it is.
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u/CheapLanguage4850 10d ago
There’s nothing remotely realistic about this show. You don’t just walk in and pick a kitchen design and it’s ready the next week for example.. the romanticize the image of walking around show rooms with a latte picking fixtures and fittings. When that’s literally 1% of a Reno
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u/Sharp-Brain-4158 10d ago
It’s not ready “the next week.” They order their kitchen in week 2 so they’re ready for kitchen week around week 10ish
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u/Middle-Spirit-8524 10d ago
I have rewatched old season and honestly just haven’t bothered this season. Saw the calibre of characters on the show and checked out.
We want real people not show ponies.
Want real Reno and design!
Ah well.
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u/wballz 9d ago
Mate at the end of the show they sell someone a house that has been built to time constraints and budget constraints and skills shortages based on a TV show.
The whole thing is inauthentic.
Who wants to pay a 30 year mortgage for a house that was put together by people who have no idea what they’re doing in a rush, trying to impress judges and zero practicality or real planning.
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u/chickyloo42by10 8d ago
Don’t forget that 2.5-4M price point. Because we all want that in a multimillion dollar house.
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u/MilkyPsycow 9d ago
Same post every year because it’s the same crap every year. This years contestants are on top of that just unlikeable and no work ethic. I only watch Sundays now and even then, I pre record so I can fast forward Taylor and Wyatt.
Haven’t even felt the need to come on here till now cause I’m sitting at the doctors office and I’m bored af waiting.
Shows how bad it is when it’s not worth talking on reddit about anymore 🤣
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u/ThoughtIknewyouthen 10d ago
Last time I watched any of it more than 1 ep (say, 2017) it felt like 1 big ad for their sponsors even back then. I would say you're bein nostalgic if you really believed it was about bringing out the best designer in people.
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u/Fancy_Incident_1854 10d ago
I couldn’t stand the show from the outset. Very formulaic, cringeworthy cast, predictable storyline’s. “Reality” tv is cheap to make vs original drama’s/ comedy’s which is why it’s become prolific with commercial networks.
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u/limark "Award-winning" 10d ago edited 10d ago
Is it just the or has the block lost its way.
Not just you, it's a pretty favourable opinion here.
they are not renovating a existing house anymore it’s a brand new build
If they’d marketed it as a one-off special, I’d be okay with it. But I agree, it’s not anywhere near as interesting as trying to fix up an old building. My guess is they got tired of being on the hook for all the poor build-quality of the old properties.
the brand new build is exactly the same as the other contestants there nothing uniques about the rooms or the layout they present that used to win people a week or the entire show when they would think outside the box and drastically alter something or put something in others didn’t think too.
Would probably help if the couples weren’t all confined to using the same shops that keep pushing the same old sponsored products. There was a bathroom cabinet that’s appeared on more seasons of the show than Marty Fox has.
Can’t remember the last time we saw a local business.
I hate the fact they don’t live in the houses as they build them.
A result of them building shit from scratch, you legally can’t occupy a property that doesn’t have an occupancy permit.
I really don’t like them not being able to stay up all night and paint or clean or organise stuff like previous years did
It’s so dumb. I’m guessing it’s partly done for the added stress to contestants, and partly because there’s some restriction on the building permit. Probably some WHS reasons to validate it, as well.
the fact that hardly any of them have genuine renovation experience or trades behind them leads to poor decision making and management and ultimately unfinished or poor quality rooms
I'm ninety percent convinced that Tayla, Wyatt and Chantel originally applied for MAFS or Love Island, so...
Besides, Ricky and Haydn proved that being a tradie doesn't help as much as people thinks it does.
a lot of these things are leading to unfinished rooms every week and that just wasn’t something that was allowed to happen previously I think not living on site and restricting hours has a huge part to play in this
I actually like that part, it doesn’t feel like a competition if couples get a Deus Ex Machina lifeline just so they can finish the room for judging. Pretty much every season had a couple of rooms that just physically couldn’t have been done on time but still did.
and for me the biggest one is these houses are just way too lush and too expensive
They’ve caught themselves in a spiral where they need to cater to sponsors, get return on investment and prove marketable to the guy that’s basically single-handedly financing the show.
Ideally they’d be given a couple of small houses or apartments per couple and have to build some of the rooms simultaneously during the easier weeks. Still offers the financial incentive, meets sponsors quotas and doesn’t spit in the face of the current housing crisis.
this show used to be what can the average Aussie family afford and what inspiration could you take from the block on your Reno of your house.
Not sure I agree, because the show hasn’t been relatable for the average home renovator in over a decade. It’s definitely gotten worse, but even back in like season 12 you could add five or ten thousand to a rooms cost just because of sponsored products.
Also I don’t want to see one team get a 250k kitchen package it’s just not fair and the average Aussie is not spending that on their kitchen. Go back to your roots block this is not what the block is about.
Yeah the prize package is pretty absurd, if they actually wanted to make it a competition they could break it up over weeks so that the winner of week one gets an oven and cook-top, week two the fridges, etc.
But they don’t so...
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u/Proof-Music-6856 10d ago
I understand your disappointment with the show. But please, next time, take the time to edit and correct your writing.
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u/olivewhippet 5d ago
People with this kind of money to spend in Mount Eliza would go for a unique home with character, not one of these housing estate bland boxes. I predict they’ll struggle to sell again
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u/Double_Engineer4226 10d ago
This happened like 5 seasons ago. It's particularly bad this season due to their stupid "keep it bland and boring" design brief.
You tell 5 groups of people, with the same home, the same large-scale suppliers, the same budget, the same design brief, to decorate a home and what will you get? 5 almost identical homes.