Have you been annoyed by this Block detail too?

The Block fans have pointed out one detail that has left many feeling 'frustrated' with the new season. Photo: Nine

The Block fans have pointed out one detail that has left many feeling ‘frustrated’ with the new season. Photo: Nine

Many fans of The Block have been vocal in recent seasons that contestants should be able to purchase items from stores other than the main sponsors of the show. It has become common knowledge that the houses on the show tend to end up all looking quite similar because contestants are quite limited to the stores they can purchase through.

This wasn’t always the case, with contestants being shown thrifting and sourcing furniture from other places in previous seasons. But now, the contestants likely feel forced to work with the sponsors of the show as a way to save money in their budgets from week to week.

One fan has called out the show for this detail, writing on Reddit, “Wish contestants could source materials and furnishings from other places, not just from sponsors.”

They added, “It’s just frustrating to watch contestants not really being able to follow their design and style choices because they are limited to what the sponsors can offer and if the items not available though. I miss the days when contestants could be a bit more creative with their style choices and also source furniture from other areas.”

The Block's Britt and Taz

The Block viewers think the contestants are much too limited in what they can choose from this year. Photo: Nine
“You’re watching a giant ad interspersed with smaller ads at regular intervals,” another joked.

A third quipped: “THE BLOCK: ‘We’re giving you identical houses that you need to differentiate through styling choices alone.’

“CONTESTANTS: ‘Cool. Can we buy items from anywhere to help us differentiate more than the limited offering of sponsor inventory?’

“THE BLOCK: ‘No no no. We need the sponsorship $$$ and for you to participate in painful staged consults to showcase our sponsors, so you’ll have to all shop at the same places.’

“CONTESTANTS (and viewers): ‘Sigh’.”

“It was so much better when they were using the trading post and 2nd hand stores, now everything is the same cookie cutter rubbish that cheapens the look,” another said.

Someone else added, “The show is now just about real estate and the contestants picking decorations from what also looks like a very tight range. It really has become a shadow of the show that was admired for innovation in style.

 

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“It is now completely dictated by sponsorship deals, so don’t expect any real individuality. Contestants have a palette from which to choose, [and] are kept well away from building.”

They continued, “It’s now all about the money and the show manufacturing nonsense personal scenarios hoping the charge towards reality TV instead of renovation program goes unnoticed.”

“As each year goes by it is more like that dystopian scene from Fight Club where they pan through the guys apartment and he comments how it’s straight out of an IKEA catalogue,” another joked.

Others said the show wasn’t “realistic”, adding, “Bathroom week – made to order vanity [in] 3-4 weeks. Made to order tile that would never be in stock? 2 weeks.”

Some also said that it was sad that the houses looked like “cheaply furnished Airbnb’s”.

One person pointed out why the contestants stick to the sponsors, explaining, “The biggest drawback for them in [shopping elsewhere] is that they don’t get the discounts that the sponsors offer and The Block bucks. So it can really have a big impact on their weekly budget.”

What do you think?