reality television-related stories
Posted Nov 4th 2009 7:29PM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Animation, South Park
Even though the show has been on forever, I still enjoy my weekly dose of the new
South Parks. But lately, they seem to be running out of targets or have narrowed their focus too much on one particular evil: reality television.
The season opener featured a rather nasty swipe at Disney's Jonas Brothers. The recent "Dead Celebrities" chortle-fest took a much needed pot shot at
Ghost Hunters, aka, "the gayest f#*$ing show on television." And last week launched an all out attack on Discovery's
Whale Wars and
Deadliest Catch, particularly against
Whale Wars star Paul Watson.
The show has always been a bitch to write and making every episode a satirical masterpiece is impossible without suffering a full-on breakdown. But should the show lay off reality TV and take some bolder shots at reality, which as we all know are two completely different things?
Posted Sep 28th 2009 12:38AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S15E01) In this single two-hour season premiere, we were reminded why
The Amazing Race keeps snapping up those Emmy Awards for the best reality show on television. We're talking quality teams -- no Jerry Springer fans here! We're talking the adrenalin rush that viewers get just sitting on couches watching the show. We're talking a glimpse into other lands, cultures, and people we might never get the chance to experience in our own lives. We're talking simply amazing.
Continue reading The Amazing Race: They Thought Godzilla Was Walking Down the Street (season premiere)
Posted Apr 27th 2009 1:05AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S14E10) Oh, boo-hoo. I don't understand why anyone with such a fear of water would even consider going on a show like
The Amazing Race. Almost every season there's some sort of swimming which has to be done. Perhaps I'm biased because I learned to swim at a young age. My own personal theory of dealing with life is that everyone should learn how to swim, drive a stick shift, and change a flat tire. Hey ... those talents could win the race!
Continue reading The Amazing Race: Having a Baby's Gotta Be Easier Than This
Posted Apr 20th 2009 1:04AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S14E09) Promos for tonight's
The Amazing Race made it look like there might be a knock-down drag-out fight between Jen (of Kisha and Jen) and Luke (Margie and Luke, naturally). Now, there's nothing that can make an interesting show even more interesting than an old-fashioned brouhaha. At least, not in my book, there isn't.
So, I'm thinking ... Luke versus Jen. Which one would I put my money on for the win? I'd have to go with Jen. While Luke throws a good hissy-fit, I think she's not one he should take on. Maybe if it were a hissy-fit brouhaha, Luke would have the edge.
Continue reading The Amazing Race: Our Parents Will Cry Themselves to Death
Posted Apr 9th 2009 4:32PM by Michael Pascua
Filed under: Survivor, Big Brother (US), Casting
CBS is looking for contestants for two of their biggest reality shows. Season 19 of
Survivor had an original application deadline of January 14, but it seems as though there aren't enough quality people applying. They are hoping to fill both casts of Season 19 and Season 20.
If roughing it isn't your style, consider being in a house without entertainment.
Big Brother 11 is casting for the summer season. Sure the prize is only $500,000, but you won't come home with any stomach viruses.
Casting on both shows have been hit or miss. In
Survivor: Tocantins, 12 of the 16 contestants were recruited. This includes the latest castoff,
Sydney who was recruited from a bar.
Continue reading Survivor and Big Brother are casting
Posted Feb 2nd 2009 9:01AM by Eliot Glazer
Filed under: The Amazing Race, Video, Casting
Just when you thought everyone you knew, ever, had endured their 15 minutes on some reality show, you've been hoodwinked. It's no longer just the lady in accounts payable who you spotted on
Cheaters or your brother's friend whose family appeared on
Wife Swap. These days, it's low-profile celebs, too, who are seeking a 16th minute, and no longer exclusively via humiliation on VH1.
Continue reading Why does that reality show contestant look so familiar? - VIDEO
Posted Jan 5th 2009 1:05PM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, TV Squad Lists, Casting
Yep, it's almost here. Well, actually the newest season of
The Amazing Race won't premiere until February 15, but we can peruse the spoilers that are out and about on the web. Even though the racing teams themselves are under contract not to reveal anything, it's hard to hide the camera crews and teams as they gallop around the globe.
Since I can't really go globe-trotting physically, I roam the internet for the best and most likely to be true spoilers. Then I come back and report them to you. No, I don't have winning team kind of spoilers here. But if you want some information on possible teams and the route taken, read on.
Continue reading Seven Amazing Race 14 pre-season spoilers
Posted Dec 23rd 2008 12:06PM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, The Apprentice, Survivor, Web
Have you ever wanted to audition for a reality television show, but didn't have enough sick leave to fake an illness for your boss or the patience to wait in lines that would rival the bread lines in Cold War Russia?
Mark Burnett has struck a deal that will let people produce their own audition tapes.
Burnett signed a deal with Studio One Media to supply high traffic areas with self-serve kiosks that let people put together their own tapes for a measly twenty bucks. They can also provide a web-based service that lets contestants upload their own videos.
Continue reading Reality show audition lines will be a thing of the past
Posted Jul 9th 2008 6:00PM by Annie Wu
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, OpEd, Celebrities
In the early days of reality TV as we know it, when the
Real World was less of an alcoholic sex romp and more of a genuine social experiment, the "usual" way for talentless people become famous was to either be born into obscene wealth or fall down a well. Or both. Then, some time around the appearance of
Survivor Season One, normal folks realized that they could capitalize on exaggerating their personalities on television. "Richard Hatch walks around naked? And he's gay? And painfully manipulative? Yes, I will sacrifice my time and attention to watch your crappy show."
Continue reading Reality celebrities and their unfortunate existence
Posted Jul 9th 2008 6:00PM by Richard Keller
Filed under: Other Reality Shows
From the 1950s through the 1980s, reality television programming was a rarity on the schedules of the Big Three networks. It was more of a novelty that piqued the interest of the viewers for a few months or a few seasons, then was relegated back into the shadows while scripted shows dominated the airwaves. It wasn't until the very end of the 1980s, when FOX premiered COPS, that reality-based programming became a prime-time staple.
It stayed that way for several years. Then, just like that, it all changed, thanks to one show that premiered in 1992. With a simple program on a fairly new cable channel, reality programming went from television rarity to huge success. So much so that, in a few short years, it spawned various direct copies and variations of its concept on both the over-the-air and cable networks. By the early 21st century the airwaves were filled with more reality programming than scripted works, garnering the ire and the joy of many a long-time television viewer.
And, it all began on a network primarily known for its music videos and Pauly Shore.
Continue reading A history of reality television (part two): MTV gets real
Posted Jul 9th 2008 1:01PM by Keith McDuffee
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Food/Home/DIY, Industry, American Idol, Site Announcements, Watercooler Talk, Celebreality
Since the early days of TV Squad, we've covered realty programming in some capacity; we published news, episode reviews and commentary on whatever had viewers talking. I think back then we were covering
Survivor, American Idol and perhaps
The Amazing Race. We had a decent balance of reality and non-reality posts, and everyone seemed happy.
As the years went on, that balance shifted. The reality shows we were covering were only increasing in popularity, and more shows came in to ride the wave. As we sat back and watched some of the newer shows break onto the scene with little posting from us, the readers demanded our take. The monstrosity of Reality TV was something we couldn't ignore, so we provided.
Then we reached the breaking point.
Continue reading Reality TV: What it is, who watches it and why it exists
Posted May 30th 2008 10:02AM by Jay Black
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, OpEd, Awards, TV Squad Awards
There's a bit by Patton Oswalt on his brain-meltingly good comedy album
Feeling Kind of Patton regarding reality television. The short version: if we keep making reality shows, we will eventually run out of reality to film. (Believe me, the short version isn't even in the ballpark of how funny the bit is; go
buy this album immediately).
Like Arthur C. Clarke's predictions of geostationary satellites and floating man-god fetuses, Oswalt's vision of a reality-free future is eerily accurate. While our physical space hasn't quite been eaten by a giant white wave yet, the signs of reality's destruction are as obvious as the motivations behind Tila Tequila's bisexuality. Most glaring? The very words "reality television" connote an unreal experience.
After careful consideration, we at TV Squad, along with your input, have winnowed down the hundreds of possible candidates for "most unreal reality show" to these five...
Continue reading The Reality Shows Have Writers!? Award Nominees
Posted Mar 30th 2008 8:51PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: OpEd, Celebrities
The Donald is producing a new "My Fair Lady" style reality show involving party girls attending a private boarding school, and he wants Dupré to be one of the participants. Her
history must make her an ideal candidate for this show.
The show is based on a British show called
Ladette to Lady, which sounds a lot like
Charm School from VH1. I guess Donald wants his hard-partying girls to have class.
The show has not heard back from Dupré. Perhaps she's holding off for more cash. Maybe she's putting this in the same category as her offers from Larry Flynt and Joe Francis.
Continue reading Ashley Dupré to get some class?
Posted Feb 21st 2008 11:01PM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Survivor, Episode Reviews
(S16E03) We're three episodes into
Survivor Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites and I still have trouble remembering who the one timid-looking fan is in this image. Oh, yeah. I know Krazy Kathy. And who could forget Joel?
I'm up to snuff on my faves tribe, though. But as I watched tonight's show, I happened to walk away from the set for a minute and it all came back to me. Jonathan Penner has totally stolen Alan Alda's voice. I remember it now from his season, but it's still evident. How did he do that? And, what does Alan Alda think about Jonathan Penner stealing his voice?
Continue reading Survivor Micronesia: I Should Be Carried on the Chariot-Type Thing!
Posted Feb 6th 2008 7:10AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Big Brother (US), Casting
Thanks to the
TV Guide website, the cast photos of the new hamsters in the
Big Brother 9 house were revealed before the big reveal on today's
Early Show.
According to several sources, the theme this season isn't really "dirty little secrets" -- it's "soulmates." It will be interesting who the possible soulmate would be for the one 45-year-old woman amongst all the 20-somethings.
Continue reading Big Brother 9 cast revealed
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