Escape to the Country (2002)

I watch this program because it’s a relaxing way to end the day. It’s filmed from the perspective of buyers who want to escape traffic, noise, and high-density living for a place in the country. It shows beautiful properties, towns, and villages in the England, Scotland, and Wales countryside. People are looking for gardens, large kitchens, and space for outdoor recreation, and (maybe a bit too often) some kind of holiday let business. The quality of the episodes somewhat depends on the presenter — they have varied styles. My favorites are Nicki, Jules, Denise, and Steve, but I skip any episodes with Sonali, as she grates on my nerves. The mix of showing the properties and vignettes with a local business or charity group is a good one, allowing the viewer to get a more rounded impression of the area. Sometimes, it’s a bit annoying when the producers pick several properties that don’t come close to the stated requirements of the buyer. They want old-world charm and are shown modern open-plan homes. Or they want open-plan and are shown cottages with small kitchens. Obviously, they are limited to what properties are on the market with sellers who are willing to have their homes filmed, but still, sometimes the properties shown are wildly off the mark. Something to note is that two-thirds of the time, we are not told what happened next and if the buyer even ended up moving to that part of the country. That seems to really frustrate American viewers who are used to American property shows. But I know for a fact that the American house-hunting shows are staged, and the couples have already bought the final property and only pretend to look at other ones. I prefer not to be lied to.