This was published 3 months ago
Dr Chris Brown’s move from Ten to Seven is not the misstep many predicted
By Ben Pobjie
Dream Home ★★★
It’s unlikely that many people who enrol in veterinary school have the thought in their head that, if all goes well and they provide top-notch care for the animals in their charge, they might one day be paid a huge amount of money to host a home renovation show. But Dr Chris Brown has yet again shown us all that dreams do come true, and in the good doctor’s case, the stranger the dream, the better.
At first glance, Dr Chris Brown seems an odd choice as host of Dream Home.Credit: Seven
Dr Chris seems an odd choice at first glance for the frontman role on Dream Home, but then he seemed an odd choice to host I’m A Celebrity... with Julia Morris, and he hit that one out of the park to such an extent that Seven came a-poaching and lured him away. The fact is, as this latest take on the seemingly inexhaustible reno genre proves, he’s kind of a good choice for any job.
Part of that is the handsomeness, of course. Dr Chris is almost frighteningly good-looking, with the kind of perfectly sculpted features and godlike smile that could make you kneecap a budgie just for an excuse to visit his clinic. And if there’s one eternal verity about showbusiness, it’s that people like looking at beautiful things. But it’s not only his appearance: Chris Brown possesses an earthy, natural sincerity that is rare in celebrities, especially ones as handsome as him. Early on in Dream Home, the host announces, “it’s not about renovation”, and you can’t help but believe him.
The show itself leans heavily into the aspirational, “make the dreams of these little Aussie battlers come true” ethos that has been so successful for MasterChef. As a reno show, Dream Home’s most obvious reference point is that 21st-century juggernaut of house flipping, The Block. But Dream Home is a kinder and gentler enterprise than that show, emphasising dreams over property values at every turn. Here the two-person teams are actually renovating each other’s houses, giving lots of opportunity for tearful “we just want to give them the home of their dreams” speeches.
Although, as is standard for TV, one rather large segment of Australian society – renters – is considered for the program’s purposes to be non-existent, the home owners looking to better their lot have been well selected and are a relatable and likeable lot – with, naturally, the one obligatory exception to act as series villain.
The cast of Dream Home. The show leans heavily into the aspirational, “make the dreams of these little Aussie battlers come true” ethos.
In this case, that’s professional house-flipper Taelar, who constantly brags about her own credentials, browbeats her own sister, lies to the other contestants, and generally seems to have been created in a lab specifically to be hated by reality TV viewers. At the other end of the spectrum are Brad and Mel, parents to four teenagers who live in a house with one bathroom and a bedroom with only three walls, who are simply adorably grateful for everything that has come their way. Also, Brad used to be in boy band CDB, which is weird, but adds some fragrant nostalgia to the exercise.
Like most reality shows, Dream Home gets play out of conflict, emotion and the tension of not knowing whether things are about to go all to hell. It wears its drama lightly, and has a sense of fun tempered with compassion that other shows could benefit from. There is no doubt, however, that it would be a lesser show without Dr Chris at the helm. Although he has no architectural qualifications whatsoever, and his duties are mostly restricted to voice-overs and occasionally popping by the house to give the contestants a pep talk and make them swoon with that heavenly smile, just having him around is enough to reassure you that, for all the artifice and manipulation inherent in the genre, this is, at heart, real.
The strapping vet is so devoid of showbizzy faux-sincerity or stock presenter delivery that it’s hard to think of him as anything but a friend to all. Whether Seven’s recruitment coup pays off in ratings remains to be seen, but it’s certainly already managed to elevate what could’ve been just another reno show.
Dream Home is on Seven, Sunday at 7pm, Monday-Tuesday at 7.30pm.
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