TBI Formats: Legacy List

Legacy List

Legacy List
Distributor: DRG
Producer: MY Entertainment
Broadcaster: PBS (US)

Moving out of a family home can be an incredibly emotional experience; as each room is decluttered and every box filled up with a lifetime of belongings, decades of personal history can be unearthed.

Legacy List seeks to learn the stories behind these memories. In each episode, a host – Hoarders’ Matt Paxton in the PBS version – and their team visit the home of a person aged over 50 as they prepare to move and scour the home for family memorabilia.

“The process [of moving] may be time-consuming, sometimes even sad, but the upside is that the downsizer and their family are forced to go through their memory bank – and that can be fascinating,” Elin Thomas, EVP of sales at DRG, tells TBI.

“Every belonging holds a cherished memory, borne of a lifetime of experiences – and perhaps the lifetimes of generations before. Some items are sentimental, some have historical value, some tell an incredible story.”

What sets this series apart from others is that these downsizers are not looking to sell their possessions – even if a few unexpectedly valuable trinkets are unearthed during the move. Instead, the show focuses on the memories that the items bring back and the uniquely personal stories that these homeowners and their children can share.

Thomas adds that the series should hold global appeal as “downsizing is universal” once the children have flown the nest.

“This show would appeal to wide-range of broadcasters, especially for daytime and early primetime slots looking for warm-hearted content,” says Thomas. “With its unique mix of relatable personal stories, set against a backdrop of social history, Legacy List ticks many boxes, especially at the present time. We would expect most immediate interest to come from Europe and Australia/New Zealand in particular.”