The Repair Shop

[barry1010]

Love this programme but found last night’s episode very disappointing. Not enough time showing the restoration of the painting, the sewing machine nor the stained glass.
Had I been asked to repair the yellow submarine I would have bought one of many original that are on eBay for less than £50. I know that isn’t in the spirit of the show :D
Have I just become jaded with the series or do they really show much less of the actual work than they used to?

[roopower]

I dont watch it very often, and may be wrong, but I think they are taking on more complicated work and trying to fit more in.

[barry1010]

You could be right, too. I'll have to watch one of the earlier episodes

[vulcan42]

barry, this used to be on another channel and about two thirds of the programme was devoted to the renovations and the remaining time to the people. The BBC bought it, changed the concept and concentrated on the sob stories, devoting about three quarters of the programme to it, leaving about 15 minutes for the renovations. It used to be one of my favourite programmes but they have completely ruined it.

[barry1010]

Vulcan, it has always been on the BBC. It started out as a half hour programme on BBC2 in the afternoons. It has always been produced by Ricochet who sell the episodes to the Beeb.
I think you are right that the content has changed, though, and not for the better.

[vulcan42]

barry, sorry about that, I thought it started elsewhere. I think then that the format must have changed when it went from 2 to 1.

[barry1010]

Yes, trying to popularise it, I suppose. Can't say I'm too fussed about most of the life stories although a few have been interesting.
I really don't want to see people crying though. The cameras linger far too long on close ups of emotional faces - I think it intrusive.

[davebro]

I watched it quite often when it was a novelty - now hardly at all. Some of the stuff they do is just tat except maybe for it's sentimental value to the owner.

Salvage Hunters - The Restorers is better IMV

[highbury57]

The great shame is that we see far too little of some very talented repairers and restorers. I agree about the intrusive nature of watching people cry but that is sadly part of modern life. A good series going downhill.

[barry1010]

davebro, I like the fact that a lot of the items they repair have no monetary value whatsoever. That's what makes it different from many of the other repair/restore/upcycle shows.

[Ellipsis]

It's great that money is never mentioned ...

[davebro]

I wonder how many of the owners dash off and flog their renovated item on Dickinson's Real Deal! LOL

[10ClarionSt]

I don't usually watch this programme because of the sentimental mush. However, I saw the restoration of the stained glass window and was very impressed with the work. The window looked really nice. The disappointing thing about it was that they never held it up to the light, where all the artwork would have been visible in all it's glory. That's the value of a stained glass window - the sunlight gives the full effect that it's meant to show. They didn't do that, so in my opinion, it was a really disappointing end.

[barry1010]

It was a fabulous restoration and we should have seen the window in all its glory. In a previous episode they put a stained glass repair on a lightbox and it looked magical.

[barry1010]

dave, I often check out eBay after a show. I have definitely seen one item for sale on there.

[brainiac]

Like many things - especially on TV - it's been spoiled by overexposure.

[Theblip]

I’m not sure it can fairly be deemed intrusive if people willingly participate well aware of the format. But I do find the sentimentality severely overegged, and the apparent concern of Jay Blades and his team as unconvincing as London mayor Sadiq Khan’s knitted eyebrows. It’s all about squeezing every last drop of emotion out of what often aren’t particularly moving stories. The infinitely more interesting process of repairing things has been sacrificed for the cheapest trick to win viewers

[brainiac]

Don't get me started on Jay Blades....

[davebro]

"Don't get me started on Jay Blades...."

Token black guy (choc teapot). How come none of the restorers are effnic?