competition-related stories
Posted Jul 1st 2009 12:28AM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, Episode Reviews, America's Got Talent
(S04E03) "America's Got Magic." - Read on the magic box used by a contestantAmerica definitely got some magic tonight, as this was the first episode of the season where there were more good acts and not-so-bad ones than there were bad acts.
Before I give my two cents about the performances and let you comment on them, as well, I need to raise the issue of sponsoring. It looks like
Orville Redenbacher is now sponsoring
America's Got Talent. So far, it was done with some taste -- just a sort of "pop corn" ad telling us to watch the show -- but I'm afraid it may become as intrusive as
the "Gone Completely Crakers" were last season. Let's hope we won't get a "Poppin' It" segment similar to the "Crakers" one, as they were boring and used good air time that could have been given to good performances.
Continue reading America's Got Talent: Audition show 3
Posted Jun 25th 2009 12:17AM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, TV Squad Polls, Episode Reviews, America's Got Talent
(S04E02) "I think you should both get in the suitcase and mail yourself home." - The Hoff to two "dancers" who used a suitcase to hide one of them as part of the actAfter last night's season premiere of
America's Got Talent, some of the
TV Squad readers chimed in with comments to let us know that they didn't like Nick Cannon much as host. At first, I thought he wasn't that bad, yet not that good.
After reading your comments and paying closer attention to him tonight, I must agree that he is not that good and that the camera focuses way too much on his off-stage, not-that-interesting reactions when it should focus on the performance. Let's hope he improves in time and that the writers give him better lines than those we heard Jerry say over and over again in the past seasons.
Continue reading America's Got Talent: Audition show 2
Posted Apr 23rd 2009 12:50PM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, The Apprentice, Vs., TV Squad Polls, Watercooler Talk, Celebrities
This season of
The Celebrity Apprentice may not have
Piers and Omarosa to spice things up. However, poker player Annie Duke and comedienne Joan Rivers are a close second.
In the first episodes of the season, we didn't see much of the rivalry between the two ladies but the past two or three episodes have shown them as enemies. The two of them have done and said pretty harsh things about the other. The war between the two is still ongoing so before one of them is fired, it's time we take a few minutes and make our predictions as to who will win the war: Annie or Joan?
Continue reading Celebrity Apprentice: Annie Vs. Joan
Posted Mar 24th 2009 10:00AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: The Amazing Race, Survivor, Vs.
It might seem crazy to suggest that either one of CBS's two long-running reality series doesn't work, but I'm sticking to my convictions.
Survivor has lost the edge it had when it started, and it's no longer a show that works for me.
On the other hand,
The Amazing Race continues to set the industry bar high for quality reality (assuming you don't think that's an oxymoron). So, stacking them up, one versus the other, here's how
The Amazing Race tops
Survivor.
Continue reading Amazing Race vs. Survivor: Why one works and the other doesn't
Posted Sep 10th 2008 12:43PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews, Super Skank Wednesday, Celebreality
Welcome to
Super Skank Wednesday. This is where I celebrate the awesomely skanky people on the following shows:
I Love Money,
Charm School,
New York Goes to Hollywood, and
The Surreal Life. Basically, I'll discuss the skankalicious shows that make
VH1 the network it is today.
So no
I Love Money on Sunday night? Wha-what? Pshaw! How can I do my awesome picture books without a new episode?
Okay enough complaining. After the jump, I'm going to discuss a show that doesn't exist (yet) in the VH1 skanktastic line-up:
Charm School: The Men of I Love New York. I've got a list of my fantasy cast.
Continue reading Super Skank Wednesday: Charm School for the men of I Love New York
Posted Sep 7th 2008 10:02PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: OpEd, Big Brother (US), Episode Reviews, Episode Recaps
(
S10E24)
Aftermath of Renny's EvictionKeesha was obviously the most effected by the Renny's absence. She cried in the Diary Room saying, "It's just really hard to watch her walk out the door." Later she lamented that Renny's picture turned black and white. Renny, a woman who lights up the room when she walks in, should always be in color according to Keesha.
Other reactions to Renny's departure varied. Jerry had mixed feelings. He thinks his HOH reign was a success because it kept him in the house another week, but a failure because Dan was his target. Memphis feels that this past week was extremely successful. Renny never really trusted him so he's taken out another threat. And I'd have to agree. Renny called him a snake in the past and didn't really want him in the alliance of four. Dan was also happy with Renny's eviction. If she had made it to the final two, she would have won. Hands down.
Continue reading Big Brother 10: Nominations #10
Posted Sep 1st 2008 9:22AM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: OpEd, Big Brother (US), Episode Reviews, Episode Recaps
(
S10E22) "We don't even get a week to campaign do we?" -- Ollie to Jerry
"Yeah well, life is short." -- Jerry to Ollie
Once again,
Big Brother began its show with an insanely long recap of the previous show. I think this one was almost fifteen minutes. We went over how Michelle was evicted, how Keesha won HOH, how she put up Ollie and Jerry, blah, blah, blah. Too long.
We did get a few nuggets of information to add to our mental portraits of this summer's houseguests. We got the exchange above which happened as Jerry and Ollie sat in the living room awaiting the results of
Big Brother 10 "Fast Forward." But all that really shows is Ollie's bitterness and Jerry's nonsensical reply.
All was not lost though, I liked seeing how the alliance of four scrambled to pick an evictee after Dan won the Veto. Dan grabbed Keesha and whispered, "Who do you want to go home?" Keesha replied Ollie and Dan made sure that Memphis and Renny knew how to vote. I guess it was an obvious choice for them though.
Continue reading Big Brother: HOH #9 & Nominations #9
Posted Aug 22nd 2008 7:41AM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: OpEd, Big Brother (US), Episode Reviews, Episode Recaps
(
S10E18) "Anything else I could do for you, I would do for you." -April to Dan
Once again,
Dan the Man with the Master Plan is the swing vote at eviction time. Renny nominated April and Jerry on Sunday, her target being April from Arizona. However, Dan has no personal reason to evict her. In fact, if Dan was playing the game strictly listening to his personal feelings, he should evict Jerry who called him a "Judas" last week and said that he "hides behind his cross." Furthermore, April offered Dan, the PoV holder, money on Tuesday before the ceremony.
Okay, what am I missing? Oh yeah, it's that April is a kick-butt player in the
Big Brother 10 house who will pick them off one-by-one with her showmance Ollie at her side.
Find out what went down and who went home after the jump...
Continue reading Big Brother: Eviction #6 and HOH #7
Posted Aug 18th 2008 12:01PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Food/Home/DIY, Game Show, Reality-Free
Perhaps it's unfair to prejudge, but I am really, really disappointed in the Food Network. The announcement that they are planning
a new series that involves competitive eating called Eat the Clock sounds like a sell-out.
It sounds like Food Network is following in the footsteps of classy shows like
Hurl and
Fear Factor. I expect better from the network that espouses to be about the best in food and cooking, not how fast you can jam it down your throat.
The same company that's behind
Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels, Pie Town Productions, has cooked up
Eat the Clock. They're comparing it to
The Amazing Race, but with eating contests thrown up -- I mean, in. There will be travel involved, which relates to Rachael's travel show. Maybe they'll have Rachael try her gullet at consuming mass quantities. (Oh wait, that's the Coneheads.)
Continue reading Food Network cooks up competitive eating show
Posted Aug 7th 2008 9:02AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Food/Home/DIY, Casting
Food Network is either creating a new reality food competition program that sounds remarkably like a miniature version of
Top Chef or this is the biggest coincidence in the world of cable television.
Food Network has put out a
casting notice that calls for professional chefs who are interested in testing their skills in the kitchen against other chefs by having their food judged on taste, creativity and presentation by experts.
They're looking for four contestants; each week one will be eliminated till a winner remains. The winner will then be -- wait for it -- top food maker. No, that part I made up. They're not saying what the winner will be called or even what the best chef will win. The details aren't spelled out in the casting notice.
Continue reading Food Network plotting a Top Chef rip-off
Posted Jul 20th 2008 4:04PM by Jane Boursaw
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Programming, OpEd, Project Runway, Pickups and Renewals, TCA Press Tour
Somehow, I never imagined that
Sarah Jessica Parker's next TV gig after
Sex and the City would be a reality show about art. In fact, it makes me a little sad thinking she'll be doing that instead of some fabulous new series with big stars and groovy music.
But, here you have it:
Bravo has picked up an art competition reality show from Parker's Pretty Matches production company and producers Magical Elves. They're expected to announce the deal today at the
Television Critics Association press tour, so Joel might have more info on this later.
The hour-long show is described by Elves' Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz as a
Project Runway-style competition, only with art instead of fashion. Aspiring artists compete to produce various styles of artwork, including painting, sculpting, etc., which is then judged by a panel of experts.
Continue reading SJP's art reality show on Bravo...I'm just not sure
Posted Jul 18th 2008 9:31AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Food/Home/DIY, Programming
The Food Network is one of my favorite channels, I admit it. I can tune in just about anytime and enjoy
Ace of Cakes or
Good Eats or
Boy Meets Grill or Paula Deen, whatever. Generally speaking, they seem to have a good, consistent and enjoyable programming package.
Okay, that's what's good about FN. Now for the sour to go with the sweet. Last night I was catching up with
The Next Food Network Star, watching the second showing of the reality competition show because I wasn't able to watch the original broadcast. No big deal, right? Wrong!
Continue reading The Next Food Network flub
Posted Jul 16th 2008 9:16AM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, OpEd, Video, Super Skank Wednesday, Celebreality
Welcome to
Super Skank Wednesday. This is where I celebrate the awesomely skanky people on the following shows:
I Love Money,
Charm School,
New York Goes to Hollywood, and
The Surreal Life. Basically, I'll discuss the skankalicious shows that make
VH1 the network it is today.
After the jump, I've got some of my favorite
I Love Money moments from this weekend and my first impressions of
Brooke Knows Best. And I have a special video.
Continue reading Super Skank Wednesday: Brooke Knows Best & I Love Money - VIDEOS
Posted Jul 2nd 2008 12:44AM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, Episode Reviews, America's Got Talent
(S03E03) "A complete and utter waste of time." - Piers to 41-year-old country western line dancer Corky
This week on America's Got Talent we saw acts from Dallas, Chicago and Atlanta. As usual, some acts were bad, some were good, and some were touching. However, this time around we were treated to some really weird acts such as the one displayed in the picture above. How do people come up with these ideas is beyond me. But one thing is for sure, they help make the show entertaining and unpredictable.
Continue reading America's Got Talent: Episode 303
Posted Jun 4th 2008 6:02PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Programming, Celebrities
If you thought
The Singing Bee was bad, wait till you get a load of this. TLC is premiering it's new show
The Singing Office at the end of June. The show will be hosted by ex-*NSYNCer Joey Fatone and ex-Spice Girl Mel B. Each week, Joey and Mel B. will surprise a different office and hold an impromptu audition. From each location, they will recruit a team of five for the next round of competiton. Once formed, the teams will go to "boot camp" as the hosts coach the teams on both their performance quality and their singing. Finally, the teams will compete on stage for a shot at $50,000.
Continue reading The Singing Office comes to TLC
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