Thursday, 21 August 2003

Check your local listings! Australian television, home of the inspiration factory that brought you Big Brother, is exporting its latest creation to America: A reality TV series called The Block. Four young couples are dropped into a four-unit apartment block in dire need of renovation, they each get a budget and tools, and they compete to see who can build a better kitchen, or bathroom, or whatever room is up for grabs that week. The rooms are judged and the winner gets cash and prizes; at the end of the season they auction off the apartments, and the renovators whose property sells for the most money get an extra $100,000.

I know it sounds crazy, but it's been the highest-rated show on television for months down here. Big Brother is still a hit Down Under, and Oz must have half a dozen TV shows about home improvement, including two or three where a TV crew will swoop down on your home and renovate it (not always to your liking), so The Block just takes two popular genres and combines them. It also takes keeping up with the neighbors to a whole new level, as the teams duke it out to see who can landscape the best lawn or build the better balcony.

The Australian version of The Block features three straight couples and one gay couple, the latter of whom spent most of the season renovating in their underwear; it'll be interesting to see if or how that gets adapted for American television, but the Aussies took it in stride. Anyhow, when you see this show on CBS or Fox in 2004, remember where you read about it first.

- Posted by Scott Forbes at 10:44 am. comments.