HGTV Fans Are Calling This Week's Episode of 'Rock the Block' a "Cop Out"
For season 5 of Rock the Block, it's all about redemption. All four teams have competed on the series before, and came home empty-handed, so it should come as no surprise that the stakes are at an all-time high for the popular HGTV show.
Bryan and Sarah Baeumler (Renovation Island), Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas (Bargain Block), Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis (Unsellable Houses), and Page Turner and Mitch Glew (Fix My Flip) are all renovating identical homes in Treasure Island, Florida. The first episode found Paige and Mitch coming out with a win, thanks to their coastal chic kitchen design. They received $1,000 to add to their budget for the next challenge. For episode two, the teams put their own spin on the living rooms, with 100 Day Dream Home's Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt judging their work and deciding who should win the $2,000 prize. This time, the teams would not be present when the judges toured their spaces.
They were presented with an open floor plan, so host Ty Pennington told the teams that the living room could be placed anywhere the kitchen is not, plus they had the added challenge of finishing the rest of the space on the first floor in the best way they saw fit. All of the teams chose to convert the additional square footage into bedrooms and bathrooms to maximize added value.
Lyndsay and Leslie went for a Golden Girls-inspired theme with oversize tropical wallpaper in the guest bedroom. Mika and Brian praised them for dreaming big, plus deciding to add a washer and dryer, but Mika found the bathroom "too pink." Brian called the space "functional with the emphasis on the f-u-n."
Keith and Evan opted for an organic modern design that the judges called "warm and comfortable." Mika and Brian called them experts at space planning, thanks to their addition of two bedrooms. Mika was left "speechless," and Brian suggested that they could've mixed up their tile.
Sarah and Bryan brought in an unexpected floating ceiling, and the judges gave them high marks for their use of floor-to-ceiling windows to make the most of the panoramic view, but they found the bedroom kind of bland.
Page and Mitch brought in the wow factor and maximized their space with a bed that descends from the ceiling in what Page calls the "flex of all flex spaces." Plus the team added two bathrooms and a laundry room. The judges were impressed by their pops of color, high-tech use of space, and secret door.
When it came time to judge their work, Mika and Brian had a tough decision to make. Ty explained that for the first-time ever, there was a tie: Keith and Evan and Bryan and Sarah shared the honors. The reaction from the winning teams was mixed. Evan said, "It feels great. It would be nice to fully win, but I'll take it." Keith chimed in with, "I'm glad to share it with Bryan and Sarah, but it's still a little disappointing."
HGTV shared a look at the episode on Instagram. Fans took to the comments section to share their thoughts on the episode and called out their favorite designers, but most of them agreed: No one wants a tie!
"You chose the same ones I would have chosen! I want to see Bryan and Sarah's ceiling lighting dimmed at night. I am obsessed with that. It was stunning."
"Two bedrooms and bathrooms, Keith and Evan should have won, no tie. You can see the disappointment on their face."
"No ties on a competition…🙄 the boys all the way on this"
"A tie!? Such a cop out. Pick a winner…"
"Now they know it should not have been a tie. Clearly it was Keith and Evan for me and they should have won!! Maybe they will get it next time cause their designs never disappoint!!🔥🔥 "
Mika jumped in the comments section to say, "So hard we loved them both👏❤."
Next up, the main suite, judged by Kristina Crestin of Farmhouse Fixer. We'll see if she's able to narrow it down to one winner! If you missed this week's episode, catch up on Max.
'House Hunters' Is Returning with a Major Twist
'Home Town Takeover' Is Heading to Florida
Who Pays for the Renovations on 'Fixer to Fabulous'?
Exclusive Interview with 'Rock the Block' Teams
What Happened to Jeff on 'Unsellable Houses'?
Is 'Renovation Island' Coming Back?
You Might Also Like