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When it comes to flipping houses (and the script), Tarek El Moussa and Christina Haack have made their mark on the home renovation game. The formerly married couple, once synonymous with HGTV’s Flip or Flop, turned real estate drama into must-watch television across 10 seasons. But their personal life, including a very public and ugly divorce, began to overshadow those professional wins, with the pair soon splitting off individually through their respective shows. Now that the two have finally worked through their issues, El Moussa and Haack are back with the highly anticipated series The Flip Off, a no-holds-barred competition to see who truly reigns supreme in the flipping world.

The sharp and bold six-episode venture is undoubtedly entertaining and surprisingly grounded, proving these pros can still steal the show and keep their heads in the game. First announced last spring and finally getting its premiere tonight on HGTV (and streaming the next day on Max), The Flip Off brought along with it more than six months of real-time problems that fed the gossip rags. But even with the receipts of drama tagging along in the form of Haack’s very public divorce from Josh Hall, the show is a lot more than that. Finally getting context for what Haack endured behind the scenes, which, in layman’s terms, is emotional abuse at the hands of Hall’s controlling and rather derogatory language, the show doesn’t make it about the drama and eventual divorce.

Instead, the two-hour premiere is rooted in the genuine relationship between Haack, her ex El Moussa and his wife Heather as they work to bring their flipped homes up. It’s not at all flashy or tacky, or missing the point. From a very leveled baseline of respect, The Flip Off is refreshingly focused and addresses the drama maturely while giving fans what they love most — striking home renovations built from strategy and budget.

What Is ‘The Flip Off’ About?

When it comes to HGTV expanding its legacy franchises with beloved personalities like the Property Brothers or the Good Bones stars, there is no doubt the network nails it with competition shows. From Brother Vs. Brother to Rock the Block, HGTV has a real knack for combining star power with high-stakes drama. The Flip Off follows suit, pitting El Moussa and Haack against one another in a flipping showdown that taps into their storied past, but also puts their skills and budget to the test as they renovate the kitchen, main suite, living room, guest suite, extra bedroom and exterior of their chosen properties. To raise the stakes across six episodes, the teams will take turns handpicking special guest judges to evaluate the transformed rooms based on design, use of space, quality of work, overall transformation, and added value. In the opener, Heather Dubrow from The Real Housewives of Orange County delivers some particularly standout feedback as she evaluates the transformed rooms and picks a winner.

It’s a pretty basic premise, but it’s also a lot of fun as the former couple lays it out all for a high-stakes game. In the premiere, El Moussa teams up with his equally talented wife, Heather Rae El Moussa (Selling Sunset), whereas Haack initially works alongside now-estranged husband Josh Hall. While we see who can score the highest profits on their flips, the show genuinely allows the audience to appreciate their skills without unnecessary theatrics. Instead, all that drama is sprinkled in very delicately to balance nail-biting renovation with the deeply personal issues simultaneously being detangled in the corner.

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“Pretty sure no one at HGTV told you to be rude to me….That was all natural.”

As the competition intensifies, the stakes begin to rise with each new challenge. While The Flip Off effectively captures moments of vulnerability between Haack and El Moussa, it also shows viewers what they love most — the pressure of tight deadlines and unexpected setbacks, like bad plumbing, which is almost every old home’s arch nemesis. But one of the most interesting features is the added incentive of a $2,000 weekly cash prize, which the winning team can use to boost the renovation of their next space. It’s another smart element of healthy competition that not only increases the tension between the groups but adds a thrilling layer of gameplay for the audience.

‘The Flip Off’s Drama Isn’t What You Expect

Between the show’s seamless and sharp production, we also get exactly what we expect, courtesy of the issues that, unfortunately, played out so heavily last year. There’s the argument to be made that editing creates a narrative that weaves itself between heroes and villains. But it doesn’t force people to say very specific, awful, and problematic things. For instance, Hall’s extremely toxic behavior and grossly undermining comments toward Haack and even El Moussa stand out despite HGTV’s editing efforts. Framing him as cocky and the walking definition of toxic masculinity is one thing, but him saying to Haack how he wished she’d “shut up already” or how she’s “pissing him off” is something wholly different, especially with the knowledge that they’re on camera. It also raises red flags when Hall tells El Moussa at the start of the competition (while the two are at El Moussa and Haack’s son’s soccer tournament, no less) to “act like a man,” reinforcing archaically rigid and sexist stereotypes.

Reactions can certainly be edited and stitched in specific ways to make it look like someone’s feeling upset or on the verge of tears, but there’s no denying Hall’s behavior was aligned with emotional abuse and a large factor in the pain Haack suffered during their breakup. At one point in the episode, Haack breaks down with El Moussa while revealing her split from Hall and admits their children even told her to leave him. It’s shocking and hard to hear, but El Moussa is, in every part, the definition of a supportive ex who respects the mother of his children and owns up to his issues, including his rather troubling part in their very tumultuous divorce. Even Heather is incredibly supportive and manages to make sure El Moussa is sensitive around his ex-wife as she navigates yet another split.

Despite El Moussa even playfully teasing Haack at times (though she can take it), Heather is kind and genuinely concerned about her welfare and wants to make sure that they stay focused on the competition. As someone who is immediately the caregiver of the show, we also see how helpful she is to her husband, who suffers from anxiety in the series and has ADHD. Meanwhile, Hall leaves the competition rather abruptly and there is no love lost when watching the rest of the premiere as he doesn’t offer much direction or assistance on the project. Whereas El Moussa used to be the “cheapskate” during his renovations with then-wife Haack in the decade of their series Flip or Flop, the tables have turned, and we now see Haack bringing her knowledge of prior experiences to their new project. Yet Hall doesn’t see it that way and condescends her decisions, proving the two clash more than they can collaborate.

‘The Flip Off’ Ultimately Keeps the Focus on the HGTV of It All

However, The Flip Off is by no means a Bravo show or something like The Bachelor. HGTV maintains its signature flair for home and garden charm by smoothing out the drama in an effective way that never takes away from the renovations. As a show that has been highly anticipated for months, The Flip Off is fun and insightful, worlds sharper than when El Moussa and Haack first started on HGTV in 2013. With the two having grown on the network, the glimpse of their family life is a welcome sprinkle that adds a layer of relatability to the high-stakes flipping world. As the two navigate their complex relationship while striving to outdo each other in a competitive environment, it’s clear that their past together, while full of tension, also lays the foundation for the way they approach renovation projects today. With their emotional growth effectively channeled into the work itself, The Flip Off is not only entertaining but a poignant reflection of overcoming hardship and the resilience that is required for both aspects of their life.

Though only one episode was made available for review, viewers will likely see more of these nuanced moments between El Moussa, his wife, and Haack, where personal and competitiveness collide. If the first episode sets the tone for what audiences can expect in the next five, it’s clear it will be all fun and games with a healthy dose of drama. In its two-hour premiere, The Flip Off doesn’t shy away from the emotional undercurrents that make the renovations feel more meaningful, as the stakes are higher than just dollars and design at this point. But it’s playful thanks to the animated banter between El Moussa and Haack, as well as El Moussa and Heather. As a show that celebrates second chances through reflection, in the end, it’s not just about who can flip the best house — it’s about how, despite their messy and painful past, these two know how to keep building.

The Flip Off airs Wednesdays at 8 PM EST on HGTV and streams the next day on Max.