His show’s successful second season just concluded, but Sidney Torres is already looking to expand his brand with The Deed Season 3. We spoke with Sidney immediately after the Season 2 finale, and he shared some big thoughts on what he’d like to change about the show going forward.
The Deed Season 3 would be at least as long as Seasons 1 and 2 combined
Sidney, whose estimated $250 million fortune makes him probably the wealthiest real estate developer on reality TV, acknowledged that “It was a long season,” but laid out some of his plans for a third season of The Deed with his typical high energy. Though the six episodes of Season 2 took eight months to produce, Sidney told us he “definitely wants a longer season” next year, ideally between ten and fifteen episodes, “to build traction” with an audience.
As for what those extra episodes might contain? Sidney wouldn’t mind using The Deed Season 3 to go beyond a house flip and showcase one of his major projects around New Orleans. He mentioned a “lifestyle center” in the Bayou St. John neighborhood as one such possibility. (It sounds like the specifics of that project are yet to be filled in, but it involves a large mixed-use development, combined with some sort of green space.)
Sidney also told us he “would prefer to keep [The Deed] in New Orleans,” but is open to filming episodes outside the city — specifically at properties he owns in New York City, Florida, and the Bahamas — if it looks like doing so would be “good for the show.”
And fans of Sidney himself will be happy to hear that he’d like to include more of his own business associates, along with more family members, “to give [the audience] a little more insight into my life.” Given that Sidney is essentially to The Deed what Chip and Joanna were to Fixer Upper, incorporating more of his personal life into future episodes of his show makes perfect sense.
However, the backbone of the show will likely remain the same. Sidney said that “Being able to train and work with others” remains the most important thing for him, as is continuing to make New Orleans a character on a national show. Individually, Sidney wants The Deed to be “something that teaches people, something that’s educational,” and mentioned better educating his audience about the financial specifics of home ownership — “Rent versus equity,” in his own words — as a big goal.
The show might not stay on CNBC, though Sidney wants it to stay there
The Deed remains something of an experiment for CNBC, whose reality TV projects are almost entirely investor- and entrepreneur-driven. In fact, other than the neighborhood revitalization project featured on Cleveland Hustles, LeBron James’ show for the network, there are no other house flipping shows on CNBC at all.
Sidney remains undaunted by the lonely landscape, telling us “My first priority would be to work with CNBC again.” If they don’t order The Deed Season 3, though, Sidney did tell us he’s “open to talking with other networks.” But for now it sounds like the ball is in CNBC’s court, and the show’s star is comfortable waiting.
“Last time it took sixty days to find out [about renewal],” Sidney explained. “So we’ll see.”
The Deed Season 2 ratings make a renewal more likely
Regardless of genre, TV ratings almost always dip between the first and second seasons of a show. And The Deed was no exception. It averaged 267,000 viewers per episode for Season 1, and, per Showbuzz Daily, held steady at an average of 199,833 for Season 2. (Plus, not to go all number-y on you, but the show held a higher-than-expected share of key demographics, making it more attractive for advertisers.)
Just as important was The Deed‘s social media presence, which underwent a complete overhaul for Season 2. James McDaniel — better-known as @PeppermintFatty, of HGTV #LiveTweetCrew fame — took over fan outreach and marshaled the forces of Twitter for weekly watch parties, where no joots were in evidence. Thanks to those efforts, The Deed trended at #5 nationally for one episode, at #3 nationally twice, and at #1 nationally another two times.
(I should also point out that Episode 4, the one episode of Season 2 that didn’t trend at all, had the misfortune of airing in the wake of the World Cup final, which claimed approximately half of the spots in the top 10 for most of that week. #TheBeautifulGame)
Also worth pointing out: CNBC is likely waiting until The Deed: Chicago Season 2 finishes airing before making a decision about either property. The spinoff has already announced its return for later in 2018, though neither the show nor the network have yet to reveal a premiere date.
For now, you can stream the entirety of Season 2 here, via CNBC.
(Photo credits: The Deed Season 3 via CNBC, Sidney Torres on Instagram)
John Sharp is a Starcasm’s chief editorial correspondent-at-large. Tips: E-mail at john@starcasm.net or send on Twitter at @john_starcasm.
