In Restoration Man, an entertaining spin on the Grand Designs oeuvre, architect George Clarke spends time with different home owners as they embark on, usually hugely ambitious projects to restore decrepit and often listed buildings to their former glories.
An almost exact copy of the Grand Designs format (in much the same way as Build A New Life in the Country is too) George Clarke does an excellent job filling Kevin McCloud’s shoes, quite an emotional fellow George invests a lot of himself into each project, providing plans and drawings and more often than not getting his hands dirty.
Clarke also tracks the history of the building of each building he visits and presents the owners with a nice keepsake book of all the information he has tracked down.
Special mention too must be given to the fabulous titles and interstitials too, very reminiscent of Terry Gilliam’s classic work on Monty Python’s Flying Circus and very amusing to boot.
production details
UK / Channel 4 – Tiger Aspect / ×60 minute episodes / Broadcast from 21 March 2010
Executive Producer: Joe McGrath
THE EPISODES
SEASON ONE
6. THORINGTON GATE LODGE
7. EAST SUSSEX COACH HOUSE
