Escape to the Chateau DIY

I'll give it an 8 just for having Dick and Angel in it, but wish the production company hadn't put so many recaps in the show and all those "Coming up" previews. Some popularized American thing we're very very sadly adopting. Recaps interrupt the flow of the show, as do these previews, the first 2m 10s of the show is best avoided as it spoils the 'surprise' of the show. And all the subsequent, "Coming up" numerous previews throughout, it is dumbing down the audience, spoon feeding the show for those who have a need to know what the show is going to be in 10 mins time before they've even seen it. Viewers will either watch the show all the way through, or not bother at all, do we really need to know what happened 10 mins ago or what will happen in 10 mins time.

All these Americanization program gimmicks are ruining our programs in the UK. Such a shame it has blighted this one. Maybe the show was made to be sold off to that market as well, hence the dumbing down of the show to suit those conditioned to such a format.

Location great, people in it great, presenters great, the show is great, a lot of hard work went into making the show no doubt, well worth a watch!, but there are just too many recaps & coming ups. Any further shows produced by this production company about anything, just cut down on the recaps & coming ups.

I LOVE this show! The recaps are unnecessary but they don't really bother me. Some of the homeowners are more appealing than others. I do question the serial procrastination and suspect that it is done to create television drama. Once I got past Dick's moustache (please trim) I am very impressed by his skill and find him very amusing. Angel is incredibly clever and artistic. I have stopped questioning her plans because I know I will like it in the end. The wallpaper museum is an example. What is the story with the turbans? Not especially flattering. In season 2, episode 28, the couple doing up the bedroom suites did a lovely job. The curtains made for the ciel de lit were gorgeous but did they really not press the sheers? It ruined the entire look of the room.

I am not a chateau owner but I followed the original series with Dick and Angel and enjoyed it immensely. Even more interesting to see other British people buying up these beautiful houses and returning them to life after many years of being abandoned. A lot of hard work goes into restoring these places and requires a lot of dedication.

In each episode there are several homes being featured on each episode and the owners are seen tackling various restoration work, some of which causes a lot of stress due to timescales for events booked. Yes, there is a fair bit of recapping, but to be honest I do not mind this, seeing the houses become lovely family homes after years of neglect. A thoroughly enjoyable series, there is a lot of humour and quite often Dick and Angel Strawbridge appear to give advice. Ten out of ten.

As previous review contributors mention, this program of 45 minutes could easily be compressed to 25 minutes if it were not for constant recapping of scenes and narration. The scripted events, are amateurish and highly unrealistic - 14 guests are to arrive within two hours and one of the chateau owners is off in the forest searching for potting soil - do the producers believe we are of marginal intelligence?

The scenery is beautiful but the production is weak - but still better than the garbage produced for US television.

We love seeing Dick and Angel with Dick's narration including seeing the Chateau's with the local flavor. If only the producer would cut out the recap on every come back from commercial it would be a much better show as others have mentioned. We look forward to it coming back very soon. Hope it will come back again in 2018.