Fans can be just as toxic as they can be supportive, as the HGTV star found out.
The Big Picture
- When
Good Bones
star Mina Starsiak Hawk announced the end of the show, passionate fans were disappointed. - The dynamic mother-daughter duo, Karen E. Laine and Mina Starsiak Hawk, brought a unique perspective to HGTV with
Good Bones
. - Fans were vocal, letting the star know their disappointment; However a
Good Bones
spin-off is in the works for the network.
HGTV fans are passionate. They love their programs, and when you cross them, they get quite vocal. Such is the case with Good Bones star Mina Starsiak Hawk. After revealing that the eighth season would mark the end of her hit HGTV show, she was hit with legions of fans expressing their displeasure at the decision. But to Mina, it made sense. Between the strained relationship with her mother and her ability to juggle the responsibilities of running a show dwindling due to her family expanding, the decision was logical for Mina — but it just didn’t sink in for the fans.
Debuting in 2016, Good Bones came into the HGTV universe as a similar show format through a different perspective. Rather than a husband and wife pair, Good Bones followed a daughter and mother duo, Mina Starsiak Hawk and Karen E. Laine. The pair began flipping houses in the late 2000s, which prompted them to open up their business, Two Chicks and a Hammer. Focusing on the communities in and surrounding Indianapolis, Indiana, the show had a bit of a rough and tumble vibe through the persona of Mina, while her mother Karen provided the softer side. Fans were taken by their odd chemistry and the show’s similar format, which was led by a pair of powerful women. Like many other HGTV programs, the image portrayed on screen seemed all peachy-keen, but the real-life family drama ultimately affected the business and the program as a whole.
Good Bones
- Release Date
- March 22, 2016
- Cast
- Mina Starsiak , Karen E. Laine
- Main Genre
- Reality
- Seasons
- 8
Family Drama Overtook ‘Good Bones’
To set up the scene, it’s important to establish the relationship between the two stars of Good Bones. Mina Starsiak Hawk is the daughter of Karen E. Laine from her first marriage. But they are not the only relatives that appear on Good Bones — and it’s quite a complicated family tree. Karen’s son and Mina’s half-brother, Tad Starsiak, was the lead of the demolition crew. They may not have been as evident in the squeaky-clean edit of the show, but there were often bigger disagreements behind the scenes regarding the priorities of their projects, including budget. Karen retired from the company in 2019, but still maintained a presence on the show, likely due to contractual obligations and to not disrupt the chemistry the passionate fans adored. Mina has been public about the rift that occurred within her family, revealing that she, her mother, and her brother are not in a good place.
The majority of the team that joined Mina and Karen on Good Bones were outsourced contractors and not employees of Two Chicks and a Hammer. Those relationships came with their own riffs. One of the familiar faces on the show was Cory Miller, their contractor. Having known him since she was 11, she has had a soft spot for him, but when fans noticed the two were no longer following one another on social media, Mina was forced to reveal that they too, were not on speaking terms.
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‘Good Bones’ Fans Are Vocal About the Show Ending
Watching television is an outlet for viewers. It’s their escape from reality. But for the people who make the TV they watch, it’s their reality. And if their reality is affecting their real lives, it’s inevitable that a change has to occur. So it made complete sense for Mina Starsiak Hawk to end Good Bones when she did. When Mina announced on her podcast, Mina AF, that Good Bones would be ending, fans were instantly let down. This caused a long six-month span of trauma for Mina. Speaking on her podcast, Mina believed that due to the various characters fans saw on Good Bones, they were able to relate to someone on the team. Their characters sparked connections, and thus fans had a deep connection to the show, making it one of the top programs on the network.
Because the show truly displayed the positivity, Mina believes that pulling back the curtain with regard to her relationship with her mother let some fans down, whose reality was shattered in the process. Though, some fans were clued into the tattered relationship through the sass Mina would give to her mother. The ending of the show was certainly not the first time Mina has heard from her fans. Years ago, the mother and daughter duo were inspired by Jimmy Kimmel‘s “Mean Tweets” in order to address and make light of the comments that came in for them. When some fans accused the show of being fake, they might have been onto something about not showcasing the complete truths of the relationships — even though the show was very much real.
Mina knows that ending Good Bones was not just a let-down for the people on the show and the production team, she let down the “HGTV women” who watch the show, which took a toll on her psyche. It forced her into a negative headspace. It’s all quite unfortunate, because as much as these fans champion their shows, their disapproval truly does alter the people they claim to champion. Good Bones has caused a plethora of challenging relationships to be tested. Not all of them last. Maybe it wasn’t the show that broke up a family, but it certainly was a major factor. Good Bones showcased the positive attributes of all their characters, but in the background, it exposed the weaknesses and struggles that didn’t make the show. Like other HGTV shows, there is the right time to pull the plug. Because HGTV strives on making major personalities, there’s always a place for their leads to go. When one chapter ends, a new one begins. And that will be the case for Mina Starsiak Hawk.
Good Bones helped make Mina a star, but Two Chicks and a Hammer was a passion project. It was hers. She has revealed that, now, as the sole employee, she noticed the other contractors that worked on the program didn’t care as much as she did. So, as an employer, it was likely best for Mina to save her business and remove it from the television aspect. Whether they were fans of Good Bones as a whole or Mina Starsiak Hawk individually, Mina’s presence on HGTV is not over as she is featured on House Hunters: All Stars. Additionally, there is a Good Bones spin-off in the works, so Mina’s presence will not be in short supply. Hopefully, fans have learned their lesson and will treat Mina with a tad more kindness; her real life takes priority over their television interests.
Good Bones is available to stream on Max in the U.S.
This article was originally published on collider.com