Chip and Joanna Gaines are about to bring more than just farmhouse chic to the small screen next year; they’re bringing roller rinks and rodent races.
The DIY duo’s Magnolia Network will produce four unscripted series with a family-friendly focus for HBO’s Max. The shows are being described as “ambitious large-scale competitions” and “out-of-the-box social experiments,” and after reading each series’ synopsis, we can confirm they are, in fact, out-of-the-box.
First up is Second Chance Stage, a series that will give contestants who’ve set their aspirations on the back burner the opportunity to turn their dreams into a reality. Seems straightforward enough.
Next up is Roller Jam, where “the top roller-skating crews in the country compete to see who will be crowned America’s best roller dancing team.” Because surely the one thing America needs right now is a roller dancing competition.
Back to the Frontier, which features families who leave modern life behind to live as 1800s pioneers, is like if The Office spin-off of Dwight Schrute’s beet farm was a real thing.
And finally, the crème de la crème: Human vs Hamster. That’s right, real-life human beings will compete against hamsters in “scaled games of strength, smarts and agility.” The goal? To find out the superior species, of course (our money is on the hamsters).
As the actor’s strike continues, we knew we were in for some out-there unscripted programming. But we never imagined Chip and Jo would be leading the charge.
“Our hope for this network has always been to give families the opportunity to watch authentic, thoughtful storytelling together, so we are thrilled to offer a new expansion of this vision to Max,” said the Gaineses. “These shows will celebrate second chances, risk taking, imagination, perseverance and family connection, with so many more ideas to come.”
