NBC has found a clever way to jump into pop culture’s deep do-it-yourself pool with “Making It.”
The six-week summer series, hosted by former “Parks and Recreation” co-stars Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman (they’re also executive producers), plays like a “Great British Baking Show” for crafting enthusiasts (or crafting wannabes) as eight contestants, each with his/her own crafting table (akin to what you might see in a science lab), use everyday materials to compete in the show’s two challenges: the “Faster Craft Challenge” and the “Master Craft Challenge.” They’re judged on their work by Simon Doonan and Etsy trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson at the end of each challenge (the judges’ criticism, if you can call it that, is gentle — what you’d expect from a crafting show). Every week one contestant is sent home; the last crafter standing wins $100,000 in the series finale.
What’s nice about “Making It” is the chemistry between Poehler and Offerman, who not only comment on the action — and banter with the contestants — but offer some comic relief in short standalone segments (a “crafting pun-off” and a segment in the “Wood Shop” in which Offerman, wearing a blindfold, tries to identify wood by its scent). The action takes place inside a well-lit, spacious barn and there’s also an outdoor work area (for woodworking, etc.). Poehler admits that she knows nothing about crafting, but believes that “making things connects people.” That’s contrasted to Offerman, who identifies himself as an “actor, woodworker, craft enthusiast” and really knows what he’s talking about. His knowledge comes in handy, particularly for one of the contestants, Khiem, who’s also a woodworker.
The likable contestants (four women, four men) range in age and in specialties, including a craft blogger (Amber), a felt artist (Billy), a hodgepodge crafter (Jemma) and a designer (Robert). Unlike, say, “Big Brother” or “The Amazing Race,” their back stories aren’t as important as their ability to craft on a deadline, and they’re all focused on their own projects rather than on each other — a refreshing change of pace from the usual backstabbing, gossipy (and highly staged) reality shows. At least for now.
The pacing is brisk (there’s tension-building soundtrack music that sounds a lot like a Muzak version of Elvis Costello’s “Pump It Up”) and the cutaway segments with Poehler and Offerman are used to full advantage.
With TV networks such as HGTV and its sister network, DIY, devoted to all things home improvement (including crafting), “Making It” should strike a chord for viewers who love to work with their hands — or wish they possessed that talent.