Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Friday, January 9th, 2026:
THE YEAR OF THE CONFERENCES
One of my goals for 2026 is to make it to more conferences, particularly since the twice-a-year TCA press gatherings are no more.
I plan to focus more on the streaming and TV industry conferences than the more TV critic-friendly events such as the Penske media-owned SXSW and the Austin TV Festival. I really want to dive into the world of streaming advertising, FAST channels, streaming platforms and other similar topics.
Assuming the press credentials are approved, one event I'll be attending is the StreamTV Show, which takes place mid-June in Denver. I did some really interesting interviews with industry leaders who attended last year (even though I didn't), so I think being there in person this year is a must.
I mention all of this because I'm looking for more events to cover and there is just a dizzying list of conferences, and it's not always clear how useful they might be for a reporter. So if you have any thoughts/experiences along these lines, please pass them along to
OKAY, 'SUCKS' IS A HARSH DESCRIPTION OF HGTV IN 2026. 'DISAPPOINTING?'
I have been watching HGTV since its earliest days and it has undergone a number of programming changes over the decades. The earliest days of the network focused on designer-centric shows that were a bit crafty: The Carol Duvall Show, Curb Appeal, and Room By Room. There was a phase where the network launched a number of home buying shows that ended up defining the network for years: House Hunters, International House Hunters, Island Hunters, Hawaii Life, Beachfront Bargain Hunt. And while some of the those shows never went away, they were mostly replaced by those duo designer/carpenter teams looking to emulate the success of the Property Brothers. There was Good Bones, The Flipping El Moussas, Property Virgins, Home Town, and many more.
But like its sister channel The Food Network, HGTV struggled with two core problems. The programming budgets have been cut substantially. And given that these type of shows aren't hard to produce, how do the two networks compete with rival streamers? The Food Network decided to focus on tying down a core group of chefs to exclusive contracts. Which is why you see the same bunch of chefs popping up on numerous different shows.
HGTV seems to have decided mostly to focus on bringing back the familiar House Hunters, and adding some goofball shows in which the format is the star: Zillow Gone Wild, Ugliest House In America.
And I find much of the programming just exhausting. It's not comforting, it's not entertaining and I don't feel as if I've learned anything. So what do you do if you miss the old school HGTV vibe?
I've leaned into shows from the UK, Ireland, Europe and occasionally Australia. The formats are new, or at least done in a way I haven't seen a hundred times before. The personalities are quirky and welcoming. I enjoy watching these shows. And mostly importantly right now, they allow me to lose myself in their world for at least a little while.
Here are some of my current favorites, in no particular order:
Cheap Irish Homes (The Roku Channel)
On the face of it, this show is just an Irish variation of House Hunters. A couple is looking for a home and a realtor helps them find it, offering up 3-4 possibilities based on their budget and wish list. But it is so much more than that. Host/realtor Maggie Molloy couldn't be more charmingly Irish and the show's title is not an exaggeration. She shows her clients homes that need some work. Sometimes a lot of work. You'll see a lot of abandoned Irish farmhouses, old flats last renovated just after WWII and some places which defy description. Malloy is accompanied on her walkthrough by a contractor, who is then able to help guide the couple on the positives and negatives of the home, as well as provide an estimate on what repairs might cost.
DIY SOS: The Big Build (Pluto)
The show began in 1999 as a typical home makeover series, in which host Nick Knowles and his team would makeover a room or two in a home. But in 2010, the format radically changed and those are the seasons you want to watch. In each episode, Knowles and a massive team of volunteer craftsman rework the home of someone in need. A family with a handicapped child who needs his own special facilities. A husband and father who has had a stroke and can no longer navigate the home's entryway and stairs.
On the face of it, the show might sound a bit like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. But this take on the format corrects all the things that make that ABC so difficult to watch. Unlike the American version, The Big Build isn't constructing some massive new home. They are working within the framework of the current home, which is sometimes a smallish flat. There isn't a lot of hype or over-the-top bloviating. It's a gentle, fun show that is inspirational to watch.
But it can also be gutting. Knowles does interviews with various family members and friends along the way and he is kind and open in a way that allows them to talk about the difficulties they are encountering. I don't think there has been an episode I've seen where I haven't found myself tearing up hearing their stories. And I appreciate the optimistic way Knowles ends up episode. Standing in the crowd in front of the completed project, he says something along the lines of "It's amazing what can be accomplished when strangers come together to help someone in need. Maybe you should look around and see if there is someone near you who could use a helping hand."
The Repair Shop (The Roku Channel)
There is nothing more comforting than watching a gentle show that follows craftsmen working to restore treasured heirlooms and family keepsakes. There is something just transformative about watching people working with their hands in this way. And you'll learn a bit about history along the way. There are also 12 seasons of the show, which will keep you busy for a day or two.
Designing The Hebrides (Prime Video)
Banjo Beale was the winner of the TV series Interior Design Masters (which is also on Prime Video) and after he won the show, he decided to return to the Isle of Mull and set up his own design business. The result is a bit as if Green Acres had been about a designer and his friends. The jobs are small-town quirky: updating a 100-year-old fish shop or building a rustic gin tasting bar for a local cheese farm. But the real attraction is Beale, who is charming and just a bit disorganized. In each episode, he enlists unwitting friends and family into helping him and the result is a show so consistently entertaining it could be scripted. Sadly, there are only six episodes of the show, but you'll be glad you watched them.
Secret Dealers (Pluto)
Kate Bliss hosts a show in which three antiques dealers search through an ordinary family's home hoping to buy some of their most treasured possessions. The dealers have an opportunity to examine a home top-to-bottom for an hour, and put an offer on anything they find of interest. They secretly write their bid on a colored card, which means there are times when an item might receive multiple offers. The highest bid wins, but the offer still has to be approved by the homeowner. The gameplay of the premise is fun and it's also fascinating to see which items are of interest to the dealers and why.
The Art Detectives (Prime Video)
I appreciate art, but I am certainly not an expert on painters and their lives. But this show is absolutely fascinating and each episode attempts to track down or identify previously unknown works by well-known painters. The challenges of the effort are entertaining enough, but as the attempts to positively identify a work progress, you learn more about the artist and their inspirations. There are five seasons of the show, although most seasons are only three episodes. Which makes sense, given the amount of work that had to have gone into making each episode possible. This show might be slightly off-topic for this piece, but I have never seen anything like this.
Money For Nothing (Prime Video, The Roku Channel)
This is one of those shows that has a premise which is profoundly weird. And yet somehow, it works. The host travels to a nearby city recycling center, where she is allowed to ask people to give her their unwanted pieces instead of throwing them away. She picks three items, and then enlists various local designers and craftsmen to turn the items into something new and unexpected. She then tries to sell them, and any money she makes above the costs of reworking the items goes to the person who donated it.
60 Minute Makeover (Prime Video)
You have no doubt seen shows where a team of designers makes over a home in one or two days. This show spent 12 seasons remaking homes and apartments in just an hour. Which sounds like an insane idea and to be honest, it is definitely that. But it's also amazing to see what can be done in such a short amount of time by an army of volunteers. I'm not sure I would want my place made over in an hour, but it's fun to watch.
ODDS AND SODS:
* Following the unrest in Minneapolis, John Mulaney has postponed this weekend’s shows in the Twin City. “To everyone in Minneapolis: My shows at the Armory this weekend will be postponed,” he announced on Instagram. “What’s happening in your city is heartbreaking." The shows have been rescheduled for April 10th-12th.
* The Golden Globes has teamed up with prediction market Polymarket, so that people can bet on the results of the various categories. Because, of course they have.
* Season three of Love Island: All Stars will premiere Wednesday, January 14th on Peacock.
* Netflix has renewed Black Mirror for an eighth season.
* On Tik Tok, two guys have decided to sample every cuisine in the world, without ever leaving New York City. This take on the food of Bhutan is off-the-chart charming and this is the type of show the Food Network should be greenlighting.
* Anna Marie Cox syncs Andor's iconic speech by Nemik with news coverage images from yesterday to eulogize Renee Nicole Good.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Here is the YouTube link to the piece.
WHAT'S COMING TODAY AND TOMORROW
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9TH:
Alpha Males (Netflix)
A Thousand Blows Season Two Premiere (Hulu)
Celebrity Wheel Of Fortune (ABC)
Coldwater Series Premiere (Paramount+)
Dark Moon: The Blood Altar Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
Death Name (Tubi)
Fire Force (Crunchyroll)
People We Meet On Vacation (Netflix) - (first look video) - (photo gallery)
Tehran Season Three Premiere (Apple TV)
The Unbelievable With Dan Aykroyd Season Three Finale (History)
20/20 Spring Premiere (ABC)
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10TH:
Accused: The Karen Read Story (Lifetime)
Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case For The Watchmaker (Great American Family)
A Misanthrope Teaches A Class For Demi-Humans Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
Dead Account Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
Love & Marriage: Huntsville Season Finale (OWN)
Maxxed Out Series Premiere (OWN)
Trigun Stargaze Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 11TH:
All Creatures Great & Small (PBS)
Bookish Series Premiere (PBS)
83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards (CBS)
Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal (Adult Swim)
Hell's Paradise (Crunchyroll)
Industry Season Four Premiere (HBO)
In The Clear Moonlit Dusk Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
Kaya-chan Isn't Scary Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
Miss Scarlet (PBS)
The Night Manager Season Two (Prime Video)
The Villainess Is Adored By The Prince Of The Neighbor Kingdom Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
You and I Are Polar Opposites Series Premiere (Crunchyroll)
SEE YOU MONDAY MORNING!