Why ‘Renovation Island’ Hosts Bryan and Sarah Baeumler Will Never Become the Next Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV
Ever since Fixer Upper ended in 2013, fans have eagerly looked for a renovating duo who could live up to Chip and Joanna Gaines’s legacy. The talented pair made a reputation transforming “the worst house in the best neighborhood” into dream homes for their clients. Fixer Upper became a cultural phenomenon and remains extremely popular today.
A new series on HGTV, Renovation Island, has been generating a lot of buzz lately. Bryan and Sarah Baeumler are the married stars of the series and have been drawing comparisons to Chip and Joanna. But there are a few reasons why this couple likely won’t ever reach Fixer Upper levels of fame.
‘Renovation Island’ has a different focus than ‘Fixer Upper’
Part of Fixer Upper’s appeal was telling the heartwarming stories of families restoring homes to start new chapters in their lives. The Gaineses were intent on helping these homeowners create beautiful spaces. Viewers could envision themselves calling up Chip and Joanna to infuse that signature farmhouse chic style in their own houses.
Meanwhile, Renovation Island has a different aim. The series follows Canadians Bryan and Sarah as they uproot their family and move to the Bahamas to renovate a dilapidated resort and turn it into a luxury vacation destination.
The audience for Fixer Upper is likely different than the viewers who enjoy Renovation Island. And that’s not the only reason why the two shows are truly incomparable.
The Baeumlers bicker way more than the Gaineses
Many HGTV shows feature hosts who openly disagree with each other, like Hilary Farr and David Visentin from the long-running series Love It or List It. The frequent fighting between hosts is one reason viewers embraced Chip and Joanna so eagerly — they were so clearly in love with each other, and it was refreshing. They were much more likely to laugh and smile than bicker and roll their eyes.
Meanwhile, Bryan and Sarah on Renovation Island tend to get into disagreements during the renovation process. Fans point out that Sarah is more concerned with how upscale the final design appears while Bryan is more focused on finishing the project quickly so the couple can start earning revenue.
Viewers have also expressed their distaste for Sarah’s frequent last-minute changes to the design plan and even called her a “spoiled brat” because of it.
‘Fixer Upper’ is coming back to TV
The biggest reason why the Baeumlers will never become the Gaineses is because they don’t have to. Chip and Joanna just announced their intentions to reboot Fixer Upper on Magnolia Network, which is scheduled to launch in 2021.
The couple hadn’t planned on reviving the series that made them famous. However, after a three-year hiatus they decided it was time to start helping clients create their dream homes once again.
“The day we wrapped our final episode of Fixer Upper, we really believed it was a chapter closed. We knew we needed a break and a moment to catch our breath. But we also knew we weren’t done dreaming about ways to make old things new again,” Chip and Joanna said in a statement.
They continued: “These past few years, we’ve continued tackling renovations and projects, doing the work we’re passionate about, but I don’t think either of us anticipated how the show would become such a permanent fixture in our hearts. We’ve missed sharing the stories of these families and their homes with you, and we’re excited to do that again very soon!”
Just like that, there’s no need for the Baeumlers or anyone else to become the next Chip and Joanna Gaines. These two aren’t going anywhere.
