The Big Picture

Good Bones: New Beginnings
showcases Mina Starsiak Hawk and Karen E. Laine’s individual journeys.
The series offers emotional depth as Hawk deals with business decisions and Laine embraces retirement.
Fans may miss the combined energy of Hawk and Laine, but the show sets the stage for new possibilities.

When it was announced that Good Bones was ending its run on HGTV last year, fans of the home renovation series were devastated. After all, the mega-ratings winner was the complete opposite of every home rehabilitation program thanks to the daughter-mother duo, Mina Starsiak Hawk and Karen E. Laine. But as behind-the-scenes conflicts seemingly got in the way of their collaborations and forced the show’s end, the network has finally remodelled its beloved series for a fresh chapter that finds the dynamo pair returning for Good Bones: New Beginnings. Though the series manages to delve into some more nuanced layers that heighten its usual vibe, it’s not without some apparent cracks across its three-episode run.

Since first breaking out onto the scene in 2016, Good Bones has always kept it real and gritty, exhibiting the unglamorous side of home renovation. Unlike their house-flipping counterparts that showcase a before-and-after with ease, Hawk and Laine were refreshingly candid about their work. Throughout the show’s eight seasons, the two had a strong, zestful dynamic that kept audiences engaged. But as reports surfaced of the duo not getting along and Hawk divulging details of her childhood on her podcast, Mina AF, the show came to a close last year. As a ratings juggernaut, however, HGTV brought the beloved pair back in a different form — separated but together in a series that maintains its signature spunk but also feels disconnected.

Good Bones A reality TV series featuring the dynamic mother-daughter team of Karen E. Laine and Mina Starsiak Hawk, who specialize in revitalizing old homes in Indianapolis. The show documents their journey as they purchase dilapidated properties and meticulously renovate them into beautiful, functional living spaces. With a focus on craftsmanship and design, each episode presents the obstacles they overcome and the creative strategies they employ to breathe new life into neglected homes. The series combines elements of renovation expertise, family collaboration, and the revitalization of local communities.Release Date March 22, 2016 Cast Mina Starsiak , Karen E. Laine Main Genre Reality Seasons 8

‘Good Bones: New Beginnings’ Offers Another Layer of Its Leads
In the newest season of HGTV’s series, Good Bones: New Beginnings, Hawk and Laine embark on transformative journeys outside their usual home renovations in Indianapolis. In a limited three-week run series that leans into the pair’s individual growth while apart, Hawk takes on a rather personal project for her family with a dated, charming 5,000-square-foot lakehouse in Martinsville, Indiana. Meanwhile, Laine risks her retirement savings on a less than 600-square-foot, 120-year-old beach bungalow in Wilmington, North Carolina, where she faces unexpected challenges, including severe weather that puts her vibrant coastal oasis in a storm’s path.

As the two take significant steps back from their business, New Beginnings is not without its fair share of nuances, which elevate the series to another level. While things in the past were more straightforward, with renovations and finding potential buyers, there’s a strong, cohesive narrative this time around that takes viewers behind the scenes into their lives. Hawk is much more vulnerable and breaks down some of those layers to allow us to understand where her heart is after almost 10 years in this business. With a focus on family and enlisting the help of her friends, MJ and Austin, an emotional layer is peeled back as Hawk grapples with the decision to close her store, District Co. in Broad Ripple. This isn’t easy for the mother-of-two, as the location is more than just a business for her. District Co. is tied deeply to Hawk’s family, especially after the loss of her sister-in-law, Stef. The special 90-minute episode offers viewers a sharp, intimate look, revealing an openness through tough choices.

Related The Real Reason ‘Good Bones’ Ended Fans were disappointed to see ‘Good Bones’ end, but there was a lot that they did not get to see.

On the other side of things, the free-spirited matriarch is looking for a fresh start with her toy poodle, Adelle. Tired of harsh winters, the “mamma chick” is no longer working for a paycheck and embraces her “second era,” proving retirement is just the start. Laine, on her own, becomes a rather fortified and independent figure, charting her own path. As she pours her energy into transforming the bungalow into a colorful, artistic retreat, she continues to be artistic and draws inspiration from local murals and the USS Battleship’s compact spaces. But through the adjustments that find her traveling between Indy and Wilmington, Laine shows a hint of vulnerability but manages to keep it away from the cameras. That’s not to say we don’t see that heart when she’s interacting with her family, including her grandchildren, daughter Kelsy, and former Good Bones co-stars MJ, Austin, and Hawk’s former childhood friend Corey.

‘Good Bones: New Beginnings’ Lacks Connectivity Between Its Leads
Image via HGTV/Warner Bros. Discovery

Two of Good Bones: New Beginnings’ three episodes made available for review continue to emphasize what viewers love most about the show — the importance of family and community. But it’s not without some strain between its mother-daughter duo. While the show is not an official spinoff and is more of an extension of Good Bones acting as a Season 9, there is no connective tissue between the episodes through its leads, let alone its location. The two don’t interact at all and there is not a single mention of the other in their respective episodes. Instead, Hawk is all in with her Hoosier heart, staying in the greater Indy area with her family, while Laine works to balance time between her home base and Wilmington. While it would be a little unfair to criticize a mother and daughter’s complicated dynamic for the sake of a series, the lack of their not working together takes away from what viewers originally loved. That said, it does posit the possibility of a new show outside Good Bones. After all, spinoffs are nothing new on HGTV.

Fans expecting to see a reconciliation between the two should know this isn’t heading in that direction at all. With the show setting up “New Beginnings,” it’s clear the contrasting personalities have divergent paths ahead of them. Sure, their chemistry was a big appeal, but, with this series, Hawk and Laine prove that they are capable of venturing out on their own. There’s still a fun, modern charisma and warmth conveyed in the episodes, alongside the humor fans have come to expect, but the two have always been incredible opposites. Recognizing their design elements and approaches in both episodes leads to an understanding of very distinct, individual tastes and styles.

‘Good Bones’ Needs to Branch Out – for Good

In Hawk’s interactions with her family, she earns strong familial support from her husband Steve, who is there for her every step of the way. Through the lens of these two, Good Bones: New Beginnings offers a loving couple and doting parents who make their unit of four a top priority. It’s evident in their conversations around District Co. but also through Hawk’s need to create a space for people in her community who appreciate modern, minimal design. With the episode being so fun and packed with a lot of emotion in 90 minutes, it does leave the viewer hopeful for more. Hawk’s focus on family and a newly thriving business in Noblesville makes this exactly the type of new show HGTV needs.

Laine, meanwhile, dives headfirst into Wilmington culture and gets a good taste of the artistic developments around her community and what makes it so striking to locals and visitors. New to the city, she manages to make friends quickly thanks to her congenial nature, which makes the renovation of her small space so exciting. No doubt she has a fieriness about her that warrants a show all her own, but especially for a demographic that is rarely given such importance. Good Bones has always been a strong example of female leadership in a male-dominated industry. Being at the age of retirement and still showing you can do it is a powerful message not just to the audience but from the network.

Good Bones: New Beginnings may not fully capture the original magic of Mina Starsiak Hawk and Karen E. Laine working side by side, but it offers a refreshing take on their potential journeys. While the lack of interaction might disappoint longtime fans, it sets the stage for their distinct personalities and passions to blossom into new directions on HGTV. It’s clear both women still have plenty to offer — whether together or apart. This limited series might not be the seamless continuation fans hoped for after all these months, but it lays the foundation for exciting new possibilities that could keep viewers hooked for seasons to come.

REVIEW Good Bones Good Bones: New Beginnings highlights the stars’ personal journeys but falls short of the original show’s charm.ProsThe series introduces a new dynamic by focusing on each star’s separate projects, which brings fresh content and perspectives to the familiar formula of home renovation shows.The show delves into the emotional aspects of Hawk’s business decisions and Laine’s retirement, offering a more nuanced and heartfelt look at their experiences and challenges. ConsFans who enjoyed the original series for its combined energy and charm might find Good Bones: New Beginnings less engaging due to the separation of the two stars and the focus on individual endeavors.

Good Bones: New Beginnings airs Wednesdays on HGTV and streams the same day on Max.

Stream on Max