The Value from Making It and Why You Should Watch
A Look into the Lessons and Wisdom from NBC’s New Show
I’ve never been a huge fan of competition series, but when I saw that there was now one with 2 actors (Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman) from Parks and Recreation (one of my favorite shows, which I plan to write about soon enough), I knew it was worth a shot, especially since Parks and Rec has such a great message. I assumed Making It too would have a great message; I was incredibly satisfied, and here’s why.
*No spoilers, so read on ahead no matter what
“Life is stressful enough. Let’s make a show that makes you feel good,” Amy Poehler explains to her co-host, Nick Offerman, in the introduction of the show’s first episode. This is exactly what Making It sets out to do by having the audience think more about creativity and inspiring them to follow their dreams. Poehler also describes more of the show’s purpose to “celebrate people who can make something original from scratch and share their talents with the world.”
So, we’re introduced to our 8 unique and motivated contestants, or “Makers”. Quickly, we discover how a lot of them have changed their jobs/lives to fulfill their passion/dream of creating stuff, a theme consistent in Parks and Rec interestingly enough. Some Makers have left jobs like a psychologist or other desks jobs to “make” full-time; others though “craft as a release.” No matter what, it’s evident that they all love this. Poehler and Offerman in the introduction also have more to add regarding this passion: “Creativity lives inside all of us, and there’s no better way to express yourself than making something by hand. It’s not just a hobby; it’s a phenomenon.”
We all have creativity, and this show helps us to think more about creativity in general and our own creative moments/ideas. As we watch the Makers dream big during each episode for 2 craft challenges (and hearing them talk about life aspirations), we’re encouraged too to dream big. We see that there isn’t a limit for creativity, something we all can be reminded more often.
Why You Should Watch
- It’s shorter than most competition shows. With only 6 episodes, Making It is definitely worth a Hulu binge. It won’t take up as much of your time but still drive home competition, laughter, and some lessons.
- Great “feel good” show. As part of its purpose, the show makes you want to feel good. Even though people lose, it’s still nice to watch them enjoy their time crafting and working harder to make their dreams come to fruition. Additionally, all of the Makers have fun together and truly want one another to get better. If someone was struggling, another contestant would help them even if it meant sacrificing some of their own time. Those were heartwarming moments to watch. The Makers displayed real community. Poehler might offer why the show’s community was exceptional: “Making things connects people. It’s like music or dance; there’s a universality to it.”
- Not about the money. While the grand prize for the show is $100,000, Offerman and Poehler quickly tell us that they aren’t “making a big deal about the cash, because the real prize is a job well done.” This means that what we see on the show are authentically passionate people working for the sake of love, not money. NF, the rapper, sums it up nicely in “Remember This”: “If money’s where you find happiness, you’ll always be poor. If you don’t like the job you have, then what do you do it for?” It’s refreshing to watch people neither work for nor talk about money in a show.
- Inspiring and insightful lessons. Analyzing creativity, especially in terms of the projects from the show, is very interesting. It helps delve into some of the most important things, like conveying and reflecting on yourself and relationships. A great lyric from the band Twenty One Pilots comes to mind from the song “Kitchen Sink”:
“Nobody thinks what I think. Nobody dreams when they blink . . . Are you searching for purpose? Then write something, yeah it might be worthless. Then paint something, it might be wordless. Pointless curses, nonsense verses, you’ll see purpose start to surface.”
We watch the Makers on the show shape more of a purpose for themselves by their own creations, inspiring us to do the same thing. We at the very least think a little more about purpose and how significant individuality is. The best shows are the ones that make you think; Making It certainly does so. In the category of lessons, there are some excellent quotes too from the show:
My Top 3 (Season 1) Quotes
- “No one ever forgets when somebody takes the time to make something for them by hand, whether it’s writing a letter, or drawing a picture, or building a taco truck.” — Nick Offerman (Episode 6, “Happily Ever Crafter”).
- “Crafting sometimes isn’t perfect. Don’t dwell on it. Put it behind you, and do the next thing.” — Jeffery Rudell, one of the Makers (Episode 2, “Home Sweet Home”).
- “But like anything that you learn to master, you have to make sure it stays fun, or else what’s the point?” — Nick Offerman (Episode 3, “Party Time!”).
The first season of Making It has been exciting to watch. I’m glad I stepped outside of my comfort zone a little to try a new show; it’s incredibly fulfilling when it pays off, especially since there are so many TV shows out there. I’m now looking forward to the next season for more laughs and lessons. Again, I encourage you to try the show, a new conceptual competition series that’s enjoyable for all.
Thank you for reading! Here are some other articles about more value in TV, particularly How I Met Your Mother:
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