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We’ve seen some “out-there” ideas when it comes toreality TV. For all the flack the genre gets for its perceived lack of realism, it’s definitely the most daring when it comes to the unconventional. We’ve seenendless dating shows, each with its own unique twist, competition shows for just about every kind of talent, and a surprising number of “Naked XYZ” programs.
Of the numerous reality channels and platforms, HGTV seems like it should have the most straightforward content. A house is purchased, remodeled, or flipped and shown off to the curious viewer and homebuyer. Copy and paste over every show. Everyone knows that concept; it’s even been parodied inshows likeThe CurseandFlipped. But they’re also not afraid to indulge the wilder side of the reality spectrum. Case in point: HGTV’s new seriesZillow Gone Wild.
This concept began as a social media trend showing some of the most insane, tacky, and over-the-top homes for sale on the housing market. This show openly embraces the crazy, taking full advantage of how “different” it is from the rest.Zillow Gone Wildis also part of a growing trend of reality seriesadapted from viral internet memes and challenges. So what makes it stand out, and why should fans of crazy reality shows and home remodeling put this one on the list?
The Concept Behind Zillow Gone Wild
For as wacky as it is,the concept ofZillow Gone Wildis pretty simple. It’s based on the same-namedsocial media accountthat shows some of the craziest homes in the United States. Each episode of the show sees host Jack McBrayer visit a select few of these homes to crown one of them as the most “wackadoo” of the episode. Literally, an onscreen rating system measures each residence by its creativity, commitment, and “wackadoo-ness.” The winners of each episode face off until just one remains by the season’s end. It’s not totally clear what the prize for the winner is, but it seems like having a star of30 Rockcome to your underground bomb shelter home and say “wow” at everything is prize enough.
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Jack visits a home built in an abandoned missile silo, a fairytale castle that allegedly inspiredSnow Whiteand a solid-pink-painted Hollywood mansion that hosted the likes of Elvis Presley back in the day. There’s a home built around and within boulders and another with hundreds of cars, motorcycles, and memorabilia items scattered everywhere. Compared to those, the house with over 1,000 cupboards and a storage room the size of another house seems tame. As does the church that was renovated into a combined home and office space.This is just a small sampling of the wild builds; there are hundreds more to gawk at on the official@ZillowGoneWildhandle online. Some of them also seem relatively affordable, given how lavish they are.
Besides the homes' “wackadoo-ness,“Zillow Gone Wildrepresents a major shift from most of HGTV’s contentin that there isno actual sellingor remodeling of the houses. Some have recently been sold, while others are still on the market. At the end of the episode, we’re updated on whether the homes on the market have been sold, but that process is not a part of the show itself. Instead of remodeling, we admire the homes just as they are. Fans of HGTV are likely familiar with just how wild some of their home remodels can get. They evenrenovatedThe Brady Bunchhouse! But nothing approaches the level seen here.
Zillow Gone Wildseems like the natural end result of HGTV programming. That is, after years of trying bigger and more expansive remodels, you’re bound to end up here. There’s nowhere more “out there” to go. So, whileZillow Gone Wildwas clearly commissioned to appeal to fans of the social media profiles, it should also find an audience with those who watch HGTV just to see how far the home builds have gone.
Zillow Gone Wild Represents a Growing Trend of ‘Meme TV’
Zillow Gone Wildis part ofa growing number of television shows based on online memesand trends. Most notably,Netflix hasIs It Cake?where participants attempt to guess whether something is cake. It’s really all there in the title. There was alsoThe Red Ape Familyin 2021, an animated offering based on thatBored Ape NFTcharacter that seemed everywhere a few years ago.
Going even further back, one of the first real social media trend-inspired shows was CBS'$h*! My Dad Says!in 2010, starring William Shatner. That took inspiration from a Twitter thread shared by the show’s creator of quotes and opinions from his father. At just one season with that title on network TV, they clearly didn’t know how to best adapt social media in the early 2010s. Creator Justin Halpern has since improved his resume as an EP forAbbott Elementary.
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Reality TV creatives are always looking for that “next big thing” to captivate the viewing public. Turning to social media is becoming more popular, as it can bring in an existing fanbase who follow the online content.Zillow Gone Wildis refreshing because it doesn’t pretend to be your grandmother’s traditional HGTV series. It fully embraces just how insane it is, and it’s worth a watch if you’re a fan of wild and wackadoo home designs.Zillow Gone Wildairs on HGTV and is available to stream onMax.
