Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge
By Ashley Moulton,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Playful pink renovations with intense promotion.
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Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge
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What's the Story?
In BARBIE DREAMHOUSE CHALLENGE, eight teams of TV-host home designers compete to turn a real house into the iconic children's toy. Each team is assigned a different room of the house and has a week to transform it into Barbie style from a specific decade. The show details important moments in Barbie history as well as design styles from various decades. The design teams are matched with a Barbie superfan, and the winning team's fan will get to stay in the house. The designers are also playing for a charitable donation to be made in their name. Judges choose the team that wins each week's face-off, and the winning teams advance to the "pink carpet finale."
Is It Any Good?
Kids who love typical home renovation shows will find this one especially dreamy. The Barbie-themed room designs are perfection: whimsical, painstakingly detailed, and very, very pink. The Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge designers also do a great job explaining their inspiration and process, so design-minded kids will enjoy learning some tips. There's a smidge of reno-show drama, but it's not mean or over the top. While the show comes on strong with the Barbie promotion, it also emphasizes the modern brand's inclusive and girl-power messages.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
What are all of the things this show is trying to advertise to you? What is the show obviously trying to get you to buy? What is the show trying to promote a little more sneakily? Do you think this marketing has worked on you?
Do you know how the Barbie brand has been criticized (promoting unattainable body ideals, wearing revealing clothing)? How do you think this show is trying to positively influence Barbie's public image?
What era of design do you like the most? Do you think you can draw a room or an outfit inspired by that time period?
TV Details
- Premiere date: July 16, 2023
- Cast: Jonathan Adler , Christian Siriano , Ashley Graham
- Network: HGTV
- Genre: Game Shows
- TV rating: TV-G
- Last updated: May 4, 2024
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