Moving Up (TLC)

Best known for his edgy creativity as a designer on Trading Spaces, the charismatic Wilson is the lone bright spot in this otherwise dull series. While the premise is intriguing -- and unexpectedly fresh in the heavily trodden path of home/decorating-related reality TV -- the show devotes too much time to interviews with the subjects and their petty comments about how their design sense differs from that of the other homeowners. It even tries to play up what little drama there is by honing in on tension (where it exists) between contractors and the owners, all the while giving little air time to the actual design transformation.

There's a fair amount of raw emotion when participants are confronted with the fact that treasured parts of their homes have been refinished, resurfaced, or just plain removed. Since the families never come face-to-face (the new owners watch their predecessors' reactions via video), there's noconfrontation to worry about, but there are often tears and lamentations over the changes. Bottom line? This series might interest adults, but kids and tweens are sure to be bored.