If you've ever spent a Sunday morning on HGTV watching interior decorators work their magic on a dilapidated cabin, you're not alone. The home and garden network is like the Pinterest board on your TV screen, filled with shows that offer DIY design inspiration, dream home aspirations, and cozy vibes.
But what really makes HGTV feel warm and comforting is the opportunity to critique every little choice these people make.
Whether it's a young North Dakota couple looking for a ranch-style dream home or a top designer insisting there's not much shiplap, someone on HGTV is always making the wrong decision—at least to the onlookers. This is how it comes.
When people are in the mood to watch something just to throw it away, they usually turn to the much-maligned This Is It or Emily in Paris . But HGTV is an underrated resource when it comes to hate-watching, because these six shows provide the perfect home for your petty judgments and unnecessary criticism.
house hunter
The HGTV classic In House Hunters , aspiring homebuyers work with local real estate agents to consider three potential home options as viewers wait to see which one they will choose.
Over 248 seasons (yes, really), the show has become too formulaic, with buyers so focused on their home must-haves (is natural light that important?), or inconsistent with what their partners want . Sometimes the demands and conflicts are downright comic. A couple's disagreement over living near a "gym" went viral recently.
But House Hunters' static format also felt scripted, and the show faced accusations of being staged because many of the participants claimed to have chosen their homes before filming.
Scripted or not, you can blame the buyer for their final choice because they always choose the worst house. (To be clear, one of its spin-offs, House Hunters International , is an HGTV gem and a delightfully ironic one.)
tiny house hunter
As you might have guessed, Tiny House Hunters is the same concept as the original show, only the houses are smaller.
These tiny homes average less than 100 square feet and have no more than one room, just big enough for your pet to live comfortably. At first, they look charming. But shows can quickly become so repetitive that you start imagining the layout of a place before a potential buyer walks through the (tiny) door.
However, the funniest things on TV are people who want to buy a tiny house but complain that the place is too small.
flip or flip
"Flip or Flop" began as a series about a married couple who spent their life savings renovating their home in Southern California. After ten seasons, the show ended with a story about a divorced duo who tolerate each other while renovating their home together. This is a fascinating journey in itself.
But Tarek El Moussa (aka Heather's husband from Selling Sunset ) and Christina, both together and apart, have single- handedly made me never want to use Huck in my future home again. Dark kitchen cabinets or orange tiles (think Hannah Montana kitchen, but less fun). Most HGTV shows are handy guides to future home building and renovation decisions, but Flip or Flop is great for what not to do during the process.
My lottery dream home
My Lottery Dream Home is structured similarly to House Hunters, but with two key differences. The show's host, David Bromstad, is basically HGTV's RuPaul, and everyone on the show wins lottery prizes and uses their winnings, ranging from $200,000 to (ranging from $180 million) to buy your dream home.
At times, this actually makes "My Lottery Dream House" a fun and heartwarming watch. But it’s also frustrating to see people waste so much money on mediocre homes with the most boring design styles.
Windy City Rehabilitation Center
If you want to watch some good old-fashioned legal drama in your HGTV marathon, start with Windy City Rehab . The show is arguably as famous for its behind-the-scenes scandals as Allison Victoria's house-flipping scandal in Chicago.
Victoria's questionable taste sparked debate on Reddit, while contractor Donovan Eckhardt was sued by two different pairs of homebuyers from Season 1, alleging fraud and shoddy workmanship in flipping houses. (Both lawsuits were settled.) Eckhart subsequently filed a defamation lawsuit against the studio, claiming he was wrongly portrayed as a "villain." (His lawsuit was dismissed.) Some of the homes featured on the show were also sold at a loss after being renovated.
Victoria's on-camera reaction to the lawsuit and the deterioration of her and Eckhardt's working relationship made for a dramatic and shocking second season. Plus the ability to be picky about furniture and design choices? Get the popcorn out.
next factory
Down Home Fab is the newest HGTV show on the list, premiering only in January. But married hosts Chelsea and Cole DeBoer have divided tastes, to say the least. As one Reddit user eloquently asked: "What is a farm-industrial-rustic-glam-factory?"
The show follows a couple in their 30s who run a home improvement company in South Dakota. There, they made different style choices...like installing a hot pink fireplace or covering the walls with velvet upholstery. In every episode you'll discover something awe-inspiring and terrifying.
That said, with Season 2 set to premiere in 2024, the show has time to grow from its shaky start — if they choose a design aesthetic and stick with it.
