That first, 13-episode season from 1979 initially appeared to be a Boston-area curiosity, accessible solely to native residents through WGBH. But it struck a chord with viewers, almost 250,000 of whom tuned in each week to watch the titular house—a Victorian in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood—undergo its gradual metamorphosis. The surge of interest allowed This Old House to vault into the primary PBS lineup a year later, where House & Home Improvement it has remained ever since. What could’ve been framed as a melodramatic battle of the wills is instead presented as a teachable second between the tradesman and the home-owner. …