When it comes to home improvement shows, HBO isn’t in the conversation much.
But not anymore.
Chip and Joanna Gaines‘ Magnolia Network is making another move. In an exclusive, Variety broke the news Thursday morning that the Gaines’ network will move under Home Box Office’s purview upon the completion of Discovery’s acquisition of WarnerMedia.
All the shuffling created Warner Bros. Discovery, which launches Monday.
Variety has all the details, and there are plenty.
The move is a major renovation to the Chip and Joanna brand that was cultivated in Waco. HGTV made the Gaines’ flagship show, Fixer Upper, one of the network’s highest-rated franchises ever.
HGTV’s sister channel, DIY Network, transformed into the Magnolia Network. Discovery, which owns HGTV, moved the Magnolia Network from its streaming brand, Discovery+, moved it to regular cable in January. The Magnolia Network has had its ups and downs, and Texas Monthly details them in this piece.
Now, that it’s on HBO, the audience has widened. At the close of 2021, HBO and HBO Max have a reach of 46.8 million domestic subscribers and 73 million worldwide.
We’re left to wonder whether the Gaines’ renovation-reveal-comedy will continue on HBO. More than likely, we’ll see more of the same.
“The general rationale behind the decision seems to be a mix of Chip and Joanna’s star power and the elevated nature of Magnolia’s original content,” a source with knowledge of the decision told Variety.
