Even in areality televisiongenre filled with home renovation shows, no series stands out likeErin and Ben Napier’sHome Town. It follows our central couple as they renovate historic houses in their home state of Mississippi.A heartwarming program, the showhas featured more than nine seasons of hopeful homeowners getting the house of their dreams — and with its spin-off,Home Town Takeover. The Napiers do this on a larger scale than anyone could ever imagine! It sees them leave Mississippi for small towns across the United States, with their young daughters and a whole team of renovators in tow to renovate an entire town and give their residents a community they can truly feel at home within.
While endearing, this spin-off has left viewers worried, with many questioning why these parents always take their very young children to intense renovation sites hundreds of miles away from their home? Well, as Ben and Erin themselves say, they do it all in a safe, healthy way that not only helps their girls thrive but accomplishesthe #1 goal they have beyond any renovation project: keeping their family together.
This ‘Home Town Takeover’ Is a Family Affair!
While HGTV is saturated with wild renovation shows filled with huge projects, few are as ambitious asHome Town Takeover. It’s a thrilling twist on the concept that madeHome Townsuch a comfort; recognizing that, for many people, their local communities are as important as their own house, the Napiers drafts huge teams of builders to make entire small towns as accessible as possible for locals. It’s led them from Alabama to Florida with the pair always being greeted by hopeful residentswho know how badly their town needs a makeover. And through all of this, along with the banter that filledHome Town, viewers get to watch as their little girls Helen (6) and Mae (3) help out in any way they can — but is that actually a good thing? Audiences have been concerned that the long hours and drastic moves aren’t good for the young girls, but Erin and Ben are here to make it clear: nothing is as important to them as family. And not only do their daughters want to come along with them,but the parents are always doing everything they can to put these future renovators first.
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The Napier parents assure viewers that while they understand their concerns, every moment of pre-season planning has the comfort and safety of their kids in mind. “They’re on vacation,“said Ben in an interview with People magazine, discussing how they fill the girls' days with trips to local attractions and educational excursions. Erin continues, “They swim and fish and take field trips to the orange grove. This is a dream for them.” But the designer reiterates that it isn’t easy to make a TV schedule work for their parenting style —they have a whole team focused just on helping them with their children!“There’s no way you do this without an army of support at home and here.” They describe how a combination of traveling grandmothers, kid-friendly projects, and complex scheduling (to make sure the toddlers don’t miss school) make every season a beautiful one for not only the towns they visit, but the loving family they bring along.
‘Home Town Takeover’ Always Puts Families First
While reality television is sadly filled with stories of families neglecting one another for the sake of the fame, the parents ofHome Town Takeoverare a necessary, much-appreciated outlier. That’s not to say worried watchers aren’t valid; especially with a premise as intense as this one, it’s understandable to question if this is a good space for two young kids. But through interviews and their every moment onscreen,Ben and Erin make it clear: family is their priority.Yes, they love helping others achieve their dream homes —or, in this case, dream towns— but none of that matters if their family isn’t together and safe. It’s a heartening precedent that shows a new way of having a family on reality TV, and it makes the series so much more endearing knowing that the hard work onscreen isn’t even half of the effort these parents put into making their children happy.
A heartwarming renovation series featuring Ben and Erin Napier, who work together to restore old homes in Laurel, Mississippi. Erin, an artist and designer, and Ben, a skilled carpenter, combine their talents to breathe new life into neglected properties. The series showcases their journey from initial consultation with homeowners to the final reveal, emphasizing the importance of preserving architectural heritage and enhancing the beauty of their community.
