Now on its 17th year, HGTV reality show "House Hunters" has defied all television gravity and remains on the top of its category. The TV show has aired an amazing total of 538 episodes to date, more than any typical sitcom or TV series. The show easily propelled the network to become one of the most-watched cable networks in America. According to the Daily Herald, the show gets as much as 25 million viewers each month.
"It's happy television. It's so safe. It's like an old sweater," executive Terri Murray said. "You can walk away from it because the storyline is so simple, the structure is so repetitive, that you can come back and already knows what's missing."
Additionally, "House Hunters" has also greatly contributed to the country's housing market, inspiring individuals to dive into buying their dream house. The reality show follows homebuyers -- first-time homeowners or families alike--in search of the perfect house with the help of a licensed real estate agent. This gives viewers an informative behind-the-scenes look into the whole process.
House Hunters an unlikely television juggernaut — who else is addicted? https://t.co/Qew1Qu0lBz pic.twitter.com/Ue6xxc6aMX
— Ottawa Citizen (@OttawaCitizen) January 31, 2016
Surprisingly, "House Hunters" even thrived amidst America's housing economy bubble in the mid-2000s. Now, with the nation's residential real estate on the rise again, "House Hunters" remains stronger than ever. Each week, no fewer than 15 camera crews are out shooting for an episode across the country.
"It boils down what is a stressful and dramatic experience in real life," Page said, "to a satisfying, entertaining half-hour of television with a guaranteed resolution, every night." Allison Page, general manager of HGTV explained.
The show's success resulted to a total of 14 spin-offs worldwide, including "House Hunters International," "House Hunters Renovation," "Island Hunters" and "Tiny House Hunters."
