reality tv-related stories
Posted Feb 5th 2010 1:15AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Survivor, Episode Reviews
Whetting our appetites for next week's
'Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains' season premiere, this evening's 'Surviving Survivor' was definitely an hour worth watching for any true fan of the show. So often clips shows tend to tread the trodden path, but not so much with this one. The focus wasn't merely on the castaways we'll see in the upcoming season, but a look back at the show's history and a peek at what's happening in the lives of some of our favorite 'Survivors' over the years.
I've watched since the first season, and it brought back memories of the phenomenon that was 'Survivor: Borneo.' Fifty-two million viewers, extreme watercooler chat, and the start of the reality competition genre.
Continue reading Review: 'Surviving Survivor'
Posted Feb 1st 2010 9:02PM by John Scott Lewinski
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Programming, Early Looks
The time slot right after the Super Bowl is usually a good place to air. And CBS is hoping that holds for its new reality show, '
Undercover Boss.'
With more than 100 million viewers set to tune in, some are too lazy, too stuffed with party food or (let's face it) too drunk to change the channel. So, they'll stick around for whatever comes on after the final whistle. This year, it's
The new pilot is a stealth reality show -- looking to combine the cheap, easy ingredients of interoffice drama, humor and shock reveals. The title is self-explanatory, but the premise takes a large company and sends its CEO in as an average employee. As that CEO mixes and mingles with his fellow employees, he gets to see what their days are like, whether they enjoy their jobs, etc.
Continue reading Is 'Undercover Boss' the Next Great Reality Show?
Posted Jan 21st 2010 8:30AM by John Scott Lewinski
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Other Reality Shows, Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows
I saw a stand-up comic a few years back that noticed the weakness in the whole "pet psychic" premise. Whenever the animal clairvoyant -- someone who is supposedly able to read pets' minds -- enters a home to "sense the thoughts" of a house pet, they always ask the same question first:
"What's your pet's name?"
What? Couldn't Fido or Mr. Fluffy-Kins give you a psychic business card?
With the prime time arrival of
Pet Psychic Encounters on Saturday nights over at Animal Planet, we have yet another show that exists comfortably in the realm of the unprovable. You can't disprove that series host
Sonya Fitzpatrick is a pet psychic because an Alsatian is very unlikely to hop up and scream, "No, I did
not say I prefer dry food to leftover meatloaf! I object, sir!" You can't prove a negative. The same rule holds up for the endless march of ghost shows on "reality" TV.
Continue reading Pet Psychic Encounters goes to the dogs
Posted Jan 18th 2010 9:03AM by John Scott Lewinski
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Music and Variety, TCA Press Tour, British TV
The star of the upcoming BBC America reality series,
The Choir pulled a fast one on the assembled reporters gathered for the network's press conference during the TCA proceedings this weekend.
The reality show features choirmaster Gareth Malone (right) as he attempts to forge a top-notch choir in England's cash-strapped schools and underprivileged neighborhoods. The 13-episode series will run this coming spring on BBC America.
So, Malone showed up in Pasadena this weekend to promote the show to the assembled TCA throng. After the standard clips and Q&A were winding down, Malone ducked out of the quick and easy farewell and invited the reporters to come up on stage and form their own flash choir.
Continue reading BBC's The Choir turns reporters into singers
Posted Jan 4th 2010 9:00AM by Jane Boursaw
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, OpEd, Watercooler Talk, Celebrities
I admit it. I'm hooked on
Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and I have no idea why. Clearly, I need to get a life.
Anyway, last night's episode revolved around the fact that Kris has control of all the money, to the point where Bruce doesn't have his own bank account or even his own credit card, for that matter. Well, that might not be true. When the girls were razzing Kris and rifling through her wallet, they pulled out a card with Bruce's name on it (among the 53 other credit cards of Kris's).
But it sounds like all Bruce gets is an ATM card, and even then, he has to run purchases by Kris first. He wanted to buy a new remote-controlled helicopter which, at this stage of the game, he should be able to do. But Kris wasn't too keen on the idea. Meanwhile, she goes out and buys a $4,000 dress that the girls deemed not that special.
It's no secret that Kris is a bit of a control freak, but doesn't it seem weird that Bruce doesn't have his own account or credit card?
Posted Dec 29th 2009 7:02PM by Annie Wu
Filed under: OpEd, Celebrities
More of our best of the decade coverage, which started earlier today. You can read the other posts at the link above. Here, we talk about our favorite reality contestants and participants. Whether we like it or not, the '00s introduced us to a new form of celebrity: the reality star. In previous decades, the closest we got to this were especially entrancing personalities from MTV's
Real World. These people gained fame for acting like well-crafted exaggerations of their real selves.
Faster than you can say, "I didn't come here to make friends," networks picked up on the public's fascination with reality TV like
Survivor and they pushed it to the popularity that it has reached today. Now, reality shows barely reflect what happens in normal people's lives but are generally more like high-concept game shows or extremely scripted improvs. But people keep watching, because the personalities are big and captivating.
Yup. Strategic footage editing does wonders. Here are some of our personal favorites from the genre, but feel free to comment with your own worthy additions!
Continue reading Best TV of the '00s: Reality Participant / Contestant
Posted Dec 29th 2009 4:02PM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Other Reality Shows
Is your life a crazy amalgamation of multiple girlfriends and wild infidelity? Do you often find yourself in strange situations that involve a pair of handcuffed strippers, a goat and a poorly guarded public swimming pool? Do you have a felony arrest record? Then put that talent to work!
New York residents can learn the ins and outs of the national reality TV spotlight by enrolling in the
New York Reality TV School.
The school, founded by acting coach and TV director/producer Robert Galinsky, teaches students in both class workshops and private lessons how to develop a personality that TV producers look for in a reality star and how to package yourself for that big audition. I wonder if the curriculum includes
a boxing workout?
[via
EOnline]
Posted Dec 21st 2009 2:02AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Survivor, Episode Reviews
(S19E14) I suppose it's only fitting and par for Sunday evening programming that the big three-hour
Survivor season finale and live reunion show was delayed by football here in the NYC viewing area. No, I won't dwell on it. But, really. CBS, can't you get this scheduling thing down?
What I should dwell on are these skinny legs in the image above. It's a wonder the three guys were able to walk out of there at all. Tonight we went down from five to four to three and then onto the sole survivor in the live voting reveal. Am I pleased about it all? Read on.
Continue reading Review: Survivor Samoa - The Game Ain't Over (season finale)
Posted Dec 18th 2009 1:38AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Survivor, Episode Reviews
(S19E13) Mark your calendars now, folks. The big three-hour finale night for
Survivor is this Sunday, December 20, starting at 8 PM ET. The night will start off with the two-hour finale followed by the reunion hour. But we still have a few bodies to cast off the island before they face the jury. Will the original Foa Foa Four make it intact to the final four? Will Russell manage to sell his snake oil all the way to the jury and win the million?
Continue reading Review: Survivor Samoa - Two Brains Are Better Than One
Posted Dec 7th 2009 1:12AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S15E12) And, so it ends. Yep, the season finale of
The Amazing Race tends to sneak up pretty quickly on us, doesn't it? Each season, the adrenalin rush builds up, builds up, then comes crashing down in one fell swoop back in the United States after a warp speed cruise through foreign cultures and faraway lands. I like to think of this show as a thinking man's (or woman's) reality show. Not only do I get to mock or enjoy the contestants, I learn about people and places. Oh, and I learned not to blow the finale results on the main page before the jump. Read on.
Continue reading Review: The Amazing Race - Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound!
Posted Nov 25th 2009 6:06PM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Pickups and Renewals, Reality-Free
Yes, it's that time of year once again. It's Thanksgiving -- yay, food! With the times such as they are, I'll admit to being more thankful on a regular basis during this year than many years gone by. I have a job (a few jobs actually), a roof over my head, money for food and bills, good friends, family, a bionic knee so I can be a bit like
The Six Million Dollar Man, and so much more.
But, since this is about television, I'm going to focus on what I'm thankful for in television and TV-related kind of things. We might share some items on the list, we might not. While the times might not be great for financial dealings, it's a wondrous time for television geeks like you and me. Or, maybe it's just me. So, exactly what am I thankful for? Read on.
Continue reading What Jackie is thankful for
Posted Nov 23rd 2009 1:25AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S15E10) I mentioned last week that the remaining teams on
The Amazing Race are really feeling the pressure as they're getting closer to the win. Well, there were no fisticuffs, no elbowing, but there was an underhanded incident ... or two or three.
Unlike
Survivor, this show doesn't depend on sneakiness or scheming. In the end, it's how well they run the race around the world, how well they read the clues, and how well they complete the tasks. While getting along with the other teams is always a good thing, there's no popularity vote at the finish line. But they are competing. Sometimes some sneakiness just sneaks on in.
Continue reading Review: The Amazing Race - We're Not Working With Anybody, Ever, Anymore!
Posted Nov 16th 2009 12:50AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S15E09) Things got a bit down and dirty tonight on
The Amazing Race. I'm talking more ways than one. As the promos for the episode showed, we had muddy bogs and a quasi-skirmish between two teams tonight. There are five teams left in the race at this time. Two of the teams are definitely vying for the alpha male rating on the show. And I'm not talking Brian and Ericka! Any previous alliances are gone in the wind as the teams try to get to the precious final three. Take no prisoners.
Continue reading Review: The Amazing Race - We're Not Meant for the Swamp
Posted Nov 13th 2009 1:02AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Survivor, Episode Reviews
(S19E09) If you haven't watched this episode of
Survivor, stop right now. Watch it. Oh, don't go by the expression on John's face. That's the face I had when the show started. Yet now I'm downright perky and alert. For me, this started off being a real iffy season. But, as folks really play the game, I'm all excited about it all over again. Some play it poorly, but there are a few movers and shakers this season.
Continue reading Review: Survivor Samoa - Tastes Like Chicken
Posted Nov 9th 2009 1:47AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S15E08) This week we revisited one of the toughest roadblocks ever on
The Amazing Race. Back in season six, the same farm with the same roadblock did in one team. Kristy and Lena spent eight hours searching for a clue they never did find. Phil Keoghan came out to them after dark in the field and called an end to their search. If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time the show has repeated a roadblock. And what a doozy to choose! While looking for a clue in a haystack is easier than looking for a needle, there are so many haystacks -- how would our five remaining teams fare? Read on.
Continue reading Review: The Amazing Race - This Is the Worst Thing I've Ever Done in My Life
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