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HGTV's “The Flipping El Moussas” is set to air a second season with more episodes despite mixed reviews, but the air date has been pushed back. Some viewers have not been pleased with the show because of Heather's design skills and its emphasis on the couple's personal life rather than home renovations. Tarek and Heather have other projects in the works, including a new reality show in which they compete against Tarek's ex-wife, Christina Hall.
When HGTV star and home renovator Tarek El Moussa and his wife, Selling Sunset alum and luxury real estate agent Heather Rae Young, teamed up for their latest venture on the network, “The Flipping El Moussa,” it seemed like a match made in heaven. Premiering in March 2023, the show will not only let viewers watch the real estate mogul couple renovate homes, but it will also follow them “as they work, learn and grow together, along with Tarek's two children and a soon-to-be baby,” according to HGTV.
Unfortunately, season one of The Flipping El Moussas was not a success, with premiere viewership numbers far lower than the millions who tuned in to watch Flip or Flop, the wildly popular 2013 show starring Tarek's ex-wife, Christina Hall.
Viewers seemed to have mixed feelings about the show's first season, and the brunt of the blame was pointed at Heather. From liking her character on Selling Sunset to her lack of experience in home design, the reality TV star certainly wasn't well-liked. Season 2 also seems in jeopardy, as it has yet to be renewed. Is Heather to blame for the failure of “The Flipping El Moussas”?
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Fans have mixed feelings about Heather Rae Young's “job” on the show
Viewers don't believe Heather has any design sense
Via Instar
When Heather and Tarek spoke to E! News about the new show, Tarek, a renovator, explained that his wife plays a big role in the design side of their many renovations. “You're going to see Heather really dive in and design some really cool homes,” he said.
On Reddit, viewers of Season 1 of The Flipping El Moussas have commented that they weren't too pleased with Heather's designs, or lack thereof. They say that Heather didn't incorporate her own personal style into the home's design, which is unsurprising considering she's a real estate agent. Take, for example, the episode in which the reality star renovated a stunning 1930s Tudor-style home in Long Beach, California, where most of the inspiration seemed to come from the designers she brought in.
“What really pisses me off about this show is they just bring in designers and throw money around, and they don't seem to have their own style,” said one Reddit user. “Having Heather in charge of the scripts is a perfect addition. She was and still is in real estate, so she should know what her customers like and what they buy, but I don't think Heather actually pays attention to what her customers want or what makes a property sell,” said another Reddit user. Related articleHeather Rae Young's Lifestyle Change After Hashimoto's Diagnosis
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Flipping El Moussas puts too much emphasis on couple life
Fans agree that the couple is more focused on their personal lives than the show's focus.
Unlike “Flip or Flop,” “Flipping El Moussas” also focuses on Tarek and Heather's personal lives. In an interview with E! News, Heather said, “We've had so much fun doing this. We've renovated 10 houses together. The love in our relationship shines through. You see us with our kids, us being pregnant, our families and us working together, which is so much fun.”
While some viewers may enjoy the show's additions that showcase the couple's life when they're not renovating homes, such as Heather's pregnancy journey, others wish the show had just focused on its primary purpose: design and resale.
All of this may have contributed to the show's lackluster first-time ratings. According to US TVDB, an estimated 796,000 people watched the first episode of “The Flipping El Moussas,” but that's nothing compared to the 1.1 million who tuned in to watch “Flip or Flop” premiere in 2013. Tarek's ex-wife Christina's new reality show, “Christina In The Country,” also garnered viewers in the 700,000 range when it premiered in January 2023.
“I've watched it a few times and just can't get into it. Too real and not enough home inspiration,” one Redditor wrote. “This show isn't about real estate, it's about their relationship,” one user wrote. “I wish they'd focus on the behind the scenes business stuff and less personal nonsense,” another said.
To be fair, HGTV made it clear that the show would be about more than Tarek and Heather flipping houses.
HGTV Premiere Episode
audience
El Moussas flips over
763,000 viewers
Flip or Flop?
Viewers: 1.1 million
Christina in the Countryside
Viewers: 744,000
Will there be a season 2 of The Flipping El Moussas?
Heather and Tarek seem to be focusing on other aspects of life
Source: Instagram/therealtarekelmoussa
Despite the poor ratings and some viewers unhappy with Heather (or her voice), production on a second season is underway. In fact, in July 2023, HGTV announced that the second season would be renewed with even more episodes than the first season, but it remains delayed. The announcement also stated that the second season was scheduled to air in “early 2024,” but viewers are still wondering what's causing the delay.
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Heather also appeared on Instagram in the same month to promote the new season, sharing photos of her and Tarek renovating, revealing that viewers will get to see the pair renovate more challenging homes and take a bigger role in the design. Viewers will also get to see Heather balance her work and home life as a new mom.
The couple also seems to be focusing on other ventures. In early 2024, Tarek will release a tell-all memoir titled “Flip Your Life,” while Heather is busy raising their son, Tristan. But reality TV is not a second priority for the couple. The couple will also star in an upcoming reality show on HGTV called “The Flip Off,” where they will compete against Christina Hall and her husband Josh Hall to see who can flip homes for a profit. The show is scheduled to air in 2025.
Hopefully, the show will focus more on searching, buying and reselling homes, rather than on the couple's personal lives.
El Moussas flips over
Release date: March 2, 2023
Main genre: Reality
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