Mon, May 24, 2004
Live TV (It so rarely happens)—1:59 PM
Not only did I watch some ESPN Classic live over the weekend, I also ended up on TLC live for a few hours, and caught a show of theirs that I never thought would interest me, Overhaulin'. Basically, they steal someone's car (in cahoots with a friend or relative of the victim) and – over seven days – completely overhaul it into a custom design. Very impressive, how much these metal workers can do by hand and have it look perfect. Anyway, they were advertising this week's Trading Spaces theme week, which is flashbacks to the first episodes of some of the series's stars.
So, I tuned in today during my lunch hour, and it's surprising how much the series has changed. Before perky Paige Davis, there was – of course – the more elegant and understated Alex McLeod. But, aside from McLeod's lower voice and softer approach, the whole show had a much more relaxed level of energy. I would never have remembered the music: soft piano solos instead of the current horn section bursts. The whole thing plays like a golf tournament. And, in the early days, the designers had yet to lose their minds entirely. The makeovers of the rooms evoke a feeling of "sprucing up" rather that the current "gutting and overhauling" approach. I guess this reflects the change in the show's focus as the reality boom went supernova. What started out as a venue for do-it-yourself tips that viewers could incorporate into their own redecorations (hence the $1,000 budget) is now just another shock-value surprise show amidst a stable of imitators like While You Were Out and Surprise By Design. I still like Trading Spaces, but I'd never do anything myself that I see on the show; in the old days, I did pick up a few ideas.
