Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Setting the American Dream's Homeownerships Standard of Living and its Costs

Abstract

This article discusses how the Extreme Makeover: HomeEditionUStelevision reality program, which focuses on rebuilding houses for those in need,sets unrealistic boundaries for the American Dream’s standard of living oflow-income homeowners in the United States. Passing through economic hardshipin the past several years, it is important to study how this program can meet thereal expectations of the deserved families and viewers in a way that it doesnotlead to more economic pressure for the selected family who is having theirhouse reconstructed. Based on Gerbner’s Cultivation theory, the media shapesthe peoples’ reality and view on the world around them and in this case,it shapes the expectations of an American dream home. This article analyzeshow homeownership has become an American Dream and how the low-incomefamilies participating in Extreme Makeover: HomeEdition had struggled to becomehomeowners. It will do so by looking at five examples of families who have faceddifficulty in maintaining the lavish homes that have been rebuilt for them byExtreme Makeover reality program team, with the use of a multidisciplinary frameand discourse analysis methodology. Hencit will describe how this program has setboundaries and raised expectations for the target families and viewers accordingto the Cultivation theory.