Episodes Of HGTV's Home Town That Didn't Land With Fans

"We made the pilot and assumed it probably won't be on TV; it was just for fun," Erin Napier told CBS News about the show that launched her and her husband, Ben Napier, to fame. Of course, "Home Town" did make it to TV, posting the highest viewing figures for a premiere in the history of its home network, HGTV. And there have been no fewer than 147 further episodes since (at the time of writing), while spinoffs such as "Ben's Workshop" and "Takeover," along with a Canadian version, have turned the weekly fixer-upper into a money-spinning franchise.

The series, which helps clients seek out and renovate their dream homes, typically in Laurel, Mississippi, doesn't always strike TV gold. Throughout its ten-season run, viewers have made their feelings on the duds crystal clear via various forums, message boards, and social media platforms. So which episode was said to have ruined the whole illusion of the show? Which were described as a crime against house restoration? And which led to calls that the married pair were spreading "breeder propaganda"? Here's a look at a dozen that fans believe should enter the "Home Town" Hall of Shame.

In "Unfinished Business," the 19th episode of its eighth season, Erin and Ben Napier made "Home Town" history by revisiting a property they'd already worked their magic on. First shown in season seven's "New-Stalgic Restoration," the house in question belonged to siblings Jennifer, Pam, and Tommy, who were forced to press pause due to financial constraints and the death of their father. But by returning, certain viewers believed the hosts spoiled the show's illusion.

"We learned in this recent episode how much of an absolute s*** hole state it was left in after they completed the first episode," one disappointed fan remarked on Reddit before criticizing everything from exposed walls to completely untouched rooms. "Simply not a livable home," they added. Another commenter, though, was angrier at how the siblings spent their funds, including $56,000 on exterior painting and $15,000 on power washing their ranch house. "These people are criminally way overcharging for the dumbest, most useless non-talent, hack job crap."

Several viewers, however, leapt to the Napiers' defense, arguing that it had always been made crystal clear that the homeowners were going to try and finish what was started. "I think it's safe to say their plan got derailed," one commented. "I don't think it's a matter of Ben and Erin trying to deceive people."

In "Labor of Love," the ninth episode of the tenth "Home Town" season, Ben and Erin return to the very same maternity ward where the married couple welcomed their two daughters into the world. And having been saddled with the same tired decor for nearly a quarter of a century, the Napiers are determined to give it a new lease of life.

But it's fair to say that this full-circle moment didn't tug at the heartstrings of every viewer. "It went from old sad hospital rooms to new sad hospital rooms," one underwhelmed Reddit user commented about the hosts' handiwork. Another was so disappointed by the choice of refurbishment that they switched off altogether, writing, "I didn't even make it to the sketch ... If it's not a house, I'm not interested."

Concerns were also expressed that Ben and Erin were more interested in helping to populate the maternity ward than freshening it up, with one user describing the episode as "breeder propaganda." Another remarked, "Babies, babies everywhere. Obviously, this is a design show, but the tone seemed almost scary to me. Once you know what's really going on in a state like Mississippi, to glorify this process seems wrong to me."

As its title suggests, Ben and Erin Napier also went baby crazy in "Making the Nest," the eighth episode of the ninth "Home Town" season. Here, the pair try to create the perfect abode for a couple new to Laurel expecting their second child. But some viewers wondered whether the hosts ended up forgetting the brief.

Indeed, while Erin undoubtedly impressed with her resourcefulness by fashioning a piece of super-sized art from some unwanted flooring, the end product — a dancing lady which spanned from the ground right up to the ceiling — appeared wildly out of character with the rest of the house. "Yeah it was a cool painting but it was huge and didn't fit the vibe of the room at all," was the general consensus on Reddit, with another viewer remarking, "I admire Erin's work and creative thinking, but not sure I'd want that 'art piece' in my house."

Erin herself, however, didn't appear to have any regrets. Taking to Instagram shortly after her handiwork was shown to the nation, she wrote, "Alright this one is one of my very favorite houses and episodes ever."

According to a Reddit thread that posed the question, "What are the worst home makeovers you've seen on HGTV?" Ben and Erin Napier made one of their biggest ever faux pas just two episodes into the very first season of "Home Town." In "A Town to Call Home," the hosts try their best to spruce up a house for a military couple who now want to enjoy the more relaxing side of life. But apparently, their design choices didn't exactly scream comfort.

Much of the criticism was directed toward Erin's work in the kitchen, particularly the "horrible wallpaper that made the walls look like they had mud on them," as one unimpressed viewer described. "Like they legit looked dirty. And she 'decorated' with rolling pins. It was awful."

As it happens, the "wallpaper" was actually tiles which came with their own set of problems, too. "Ewwww it looks like mold is growing in the grout! Jeez Louise," another disbelieving user commented after seeing the evidence for themselves. A slightly less exasperated Redditor wondered aloud whether Erin herself had realized that her first season choices hadn't been up to scratch, having brought in some professional designers to assist in the second.

The tenth episode of the eighth "Home Town" season, "Old World, New Build," also delivered another first when instead of fixing up a rundown house, Erin and Ben simply set the bulldozers on it and constructed a wholly new property instead. Although the two newlyweds, who'd requested an "eclectic, English apothecary style" of house, loved the end result, not all viewers did.

The white and green-striped awning chosen by Erin came under particular scrutiny, with one slightly picky X user remarking (via TV Insider), "Cute home but bummed that the choice was to change the drawing from the arch at the front entry to the awning. It looked so cottagey with it." Another concurred, tweeting, "The doorway and awning is just so bad!"

To her credit, Erin appeared to acknowledge on Instagram that her work on the awning wasn't her best, but that she was restricted in what she could do. "I know y'all were upset I asked for the striped awning vs. the arched porch," she wrote. "It was edited such that you didn't hear the part where we learned the cost to do that (about $3,500) would have made it too expensive to have any woodwork and larger trim inside." Here's a look at what else the cameras don't show you on "Home Town."

As indicated by its title, and the fact that it had to be split up into two parts, the first project on the tenth "Home Town" season was arguably the most demanding project in the show's history. In "The Biggest Yet," Erin and Ben must pull out all the stops to rescue a historic home which looks like it could collapse any moment.

Unfortunately, it seems as though the pair bit off more than they could chew, with several viewers pointing out that they were ill-equipped to deal with the problems the property faced. "Everything about this episode is so irresponsible," wrote one disgruntled Reddit user before suggesting that another show, "This Old House," would have been far more suited to the challenge than "Home Town," which "simply doesn't have the historical, architectural, or technical knowledge and experience to handle a project this complex."

Even the aspects of the task that the Napiers should have been able to do in their sleep were ridiculed, including the choice of bathroom tile. "Not only was it expensive but it is brittle, unattractive, and out of sync with the rest of the bathroom," came one criticism. "Maybe the single least appealing thing Erin has ever designed."

In the tenth episode of the tenth "Home Town" season, "Steel Magnolia," Erin and Ben change tack slightly by focusing on the backyard rather than the property itself. The participants had already spent ten months renovating their dream home and wanted help with the outside space, including adding a swimming pool for their young son. You may have, therefore, expected a less stressful watch, but one half of the couple's behavior appeared to rub some viewers the wrong way.

"It felt very much like she was trying to audition for her own show," one Redditor remarked about the woman's apparent attention-seeking conduct. "As if she hoped the HGTV producers would watch the episode and say, 'Bring her in!'" "Watching her try to conjure tears on the reveal was brutal. So awkward and performative," commented another, while one particularly observant viewer noted, "This episode was the closest Erin has ever gotten to rolling her eyes at the client!"

But the show's hosts, and indeed the entire concept of the show, didn't escape criticism, either. "The whole 'come buy a cheap house in our little town' thing is totally gone," wrote one disillusioned longtime viewer. "Houses don't seem to be cheap there anymore. I wonder how much of that is due to their televised gentrification project and how the locals feel about it."

In the 15th episode of the tenth "Home Town" season, Erin and Ben are tasked with helping an engaged Black couple renovate a house whose attic is populated by bats. But according to some viewers, they seemed more interested in patronizing the pair than getting rid of any unwanted house dwellers.

After learning that the couple wanted to settle into their home before walking down the aisle, Ben handed them 13 dollars to obtain a marriage license, an act which might have been intended as kind but was interpreted as tone-deaf. "So inappropriate, and a total microaggression coming from this out-of-touch white dude," one Redditor remarked. "It was clear throughout the episode that Ben did not know the homeowners well, certainly not well enough to be up in their personal business like that."

Some viewers also took umbrage with how Black people were represented on the episode, with one viewer noting, "This episode was really upsetting. When she talked about that one guy's accent and then they captioned what he was saying I was shocked. So rude. He sounds same as Erin and Ben." Others complained about how, typically, Black people are rarely represented at all: "To have so few Black clients, contractors, employees, and featured artists feels ... like a deliberate and extremely intentional choice."

In the 16th episode of the ninth "Home Town" season, "Everything's Coming Up Roses," Ben and Erin help out Rose, a poor Laurel woman who was left unable to renovate her dream home after being scammed by her contractor. A heartwarming story for sure. But some viewers still couldn't help themselves from nitpicking about one of the Napiers' design choices.

"Erin, Erin, Erin ... I have always loved everything you do, but shelving books spine-in is a crime against humanity ... or at least against bookanity," one avid bibliophile castigated the HGTV regular on Instagram. Another concurred, "Could we normalize placing books with their bindings forward? I don't know when it became cool to put them in 'backwards,' but it bugs me."

In her defense, Erin decided to answer her critics head-on, pointing out that this particular arrangement wasn't born from taste but the fear of being sued for copyright infringement. "It's not cool, it's a legal requirement for TV," she wrote about an issue that had also previously arisen in other episodes. "I hate it, but we have to do it this way."

"Don't go chasing waterfalls," TLC famously sang on their mid-'90s No. 1, advice that civil engineer Josh should perhaps have listened to in the second episode of the eighth "Home Town" season. The participant wanted the majority of his kitchen space adorned with a waterfall-themed design to accompany a lakeside view. But the verdict on Reddit was that it simply looked like a toddler had been allowed to run wild with a Sharpie.

That wasn't the only thing that offended audiences in "Chasing Waterfalls." One Reddit user described the main bedroom's paint color as "gross baby poo mustard." Several wondered why the same room was fitted with a coded deadbolt. "Literally my jaw dropped when I saw that," one viewer revealed. "Instantly, I was thinking, 'What the heck happens in the bedroom?'"

Others felt bad for the client after Ben and his friend helped themselves to the brand-new hot tub that he'd previously specified was for his use only. "I don't understand why Ben and Josh got into the hot tub after it was apparent that the guy got creeped out at the thought of a used hot tub," one viewer commented. "That is now a used hot tub that he paid full price for," another user added.

In "Built Like a Bunker," the 11th episode of the tenth "Home Town" season, Erin and Ben are enlisted by a somewhat nomadic couple, who after moving on numerous occasions with their two kids, want somewhere to lay down their roots permanently. For many viewers, though, the house chosen was turned into a shell of its former self.

"Watching them destroy the solid, beautiful mid-century kitchen and bathrooms made my heart hurt," one Redditor remarked. "So much of that could have been kept and made work." Another concurred, "They went with a house with less acreage that was beautiful and well-built with lots of character and absolutely destroyed it in pursuit of a completely different aesthetic they could've put into a different house that didn't already have great bones."

Others took umbrage with the fact that Erin slathered its walls with enough green paint to make even Kermit the Frog balk. "I love 'Home Town,' but the green is getting out of hand," one frustrated viewer wrote. "It's just a constant WAY too much green."

Ben and Erin worked on a house belonging to a familiar face in the fourth episode of the sixth "Home Town" season, "One Space at a Time." Their client was the city inspector they'd regularly had dealings with over the years. And she gave them a cool $60,000 to work with.

Unfortunately, not every viewer believed that this money was put to good use. "I'm so sorry to say this, but I am not a fan of this house or how she decorated it," one Redditor commented before adding insult to injury by comparing it to an "old grandma's house." Others were more specific, singling out the choice of wood backsplash and colors of paint.

Several fans also expressed concerns that the HGTV show as a whole had lost its spark. "The design choices this season are not my style," remarked one such naysayer. "Kinda not really feeling this season at all," another chimed in. Of course, the fact that "Home Town" has just aired its tenth season and the Napiers are currently busy filming the 11th proves that there's still very much an appetite for their fixer-upper style.