road rules-related stories
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 Jun 27th 2008 6:07PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Industry, OpEd, Reality-Free
I'm one of the many people who laments the
"channel drift" that has affected MTV. A network that started out as, well, "music television" has clearly become "anything but music television." There's even a graph now on GraphJam the depicts how
The Real World caused the downfall of MTV. The graph shows how the airtime for music videos has decreased as
The Real World grew in popularity. Perhaps it should also measure how the cast of
The Real World became more attractive and subsequently less intelligent.
The graph posits that by 2010 music videos will be nonexistent on the channel. Also, interesting is the rise of what the graph calls simply "other crap" that coincides with the rise of shows like
The Real World and
Road Rules. I assume "other crap" refers to shows like
The Hills,
My Super Sweet Sixteen, and
Made -- shows that have replaced music videos in primetime (and replaced music videos with their incessant reruns in daytime).
Continue reading Proof that The Real World caused the downfall of MTV
Posted Feb 20th 2007 11:59AM by Brett Love
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Spike
Because there just aren't enough versions of
CSI, Spike is adding a reality show to the crime solving mix. The channel has
ordered ten episodes of a new show called
Murder from Bunim-Murray Productions. They are best known for
The Real World, Road Rules, and
The Simple Life.
The new show will find two teams of contestants investigating a replica of an actual crime scene under the watchful eye of Detective Tommy Le Noir, a 20 year veteran of law enforcement. The teams have 48 hours to complete their investigation before making their final presentation to Le Noir. The team that makes the best case will have a donation made in their names to charity.
The idea makes sense for Spike, given that they already run
CSI and
CSI: NY. Scheduling
Murder in alongside those is a good fit. On the other hand, I can't help thinking that this show was already done with
Murder In Small Town X. And just going on what we have here, it sounds like it was done better then.
Posted Feb 10th 2007 1:14PM by Brett Love
Filed under: FOX, American Idol, Music and Variety
We've already seen
Survivor and
Big Brother go the all-star route. And The
Amazing Race is getting set to kick off their own version. Heck, it seems like every time I click by MTV there is another show filled with past
Road Rules and
Real World cast members. So why not American Idol?
According to
TV Guide, Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe is trying to sell Fox on the concept. It's part of the planned songwriting competition. Lythgoe's idea is to narrow those entries down to ten songs and then bring in ten former
Idol contestants to sing the songs on the show.
I'm not an
Idol fan, but I have to say, that's a solid idea. I'm guessing they won't be able to get Kelly Clarkson, and chances are
Jennifer Hudson won't be involved. But assuming that they can manage to get ten of the more popular contestants, this should make for another huge week of ratings. And an
American Idol All-Stars CD... And an
American Idol All-Stars Special Edition DVD... And... good grief,
Idol is just a machine. At this point it's rivaled only by the power of
Harry Potter.
Posted Jan 29th 2007 11:02AM by Kelly Woo
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight
Don't you just love looking at the week's TV schedule and seeing "New" splashed everywhere? That's my Christmas morning. So, there's plenty of new stuff choose from, but here are AOL Television's picks for what to watch this week.
Heroes (Mon., 9PM, NBC)
Casting directors can be so genius sometimes. George Takei as Hiro's father? Never would've thought of it myself, but it totally works. Hiro's dad could never be some random Japanese guy. He's gotta have the gravity to complement Masi Oka's off-the-walls energy. Mr. Nakamura turns out to be a severe, harsh guy who doesn't approve of his son's quest to be a hero. Here's an idea to fix that: Give dear old Dad some powers, too.
Road Rules: Viewer's Choice (Tue., 9PM, MTV) 14th season premiere
'Road Rules' is still alive? Yep, MTV has resuscitated the reality series returns after a three-year hiatus. Thank goodness, we need new blood in the 'Real World/Road Rules Challenge' (very important). This new edition of 'Road Rules' features six "infamous" former contestants, who can be voted out and replaced with another alum by YOU the almighty viewer. After all, YOU were also Time magazine's Person of the Year. Don't let all the power and glory go to your head.
Continue reading What to Watch Jan. 29 - Feb. 4
Posted Oct 23rd 2006 11:34AM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, OpEd, Web, MTV, Pickups and Renewals
Boy, MTV never lets a reality show die, do they? They've
decided to bring
Road Rules, which ran from 1995 to 2004, back to their lineup, but not without a few changes first.
First of all, this version will stick an all-star cast from previous installments in the RV and send them on a cross-country trip. But the
big change is going to be that the show will shoot in real-time, instead of months in advance, and viewers will be able to vote out a cast member every week via online vote. The two "weakest" cast members will be voted on by the cast each week and they will face off on MTV's Overload broadband channel. Then viewers will vote for the one that gets eliminated, along with who will be their replacement in the RV (that's the confusing element to the story... I guess they need to replace the eliminated person or else the show would end pretty quickly).
The "real-time" element should be interesting. To be honest, I'm about 10 years too old for this show, which I stopped watching almost that long ago. But it'll be fun for the young'uns and the reality nuts out there.
[via
Pop Candy]
Posted Jul 17th 2006 4:42PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming
At 8, NBC is showing the latest episode of Bravo's Project Runway, followed by a new Treasure Hunters.- Disney repeats High School Musical at 8.
- Also at 8: ABC Family has a new episode of Kyle XY.
- At 9, FOX has a new Hell's Kitchen.
- TNT has a new episode of The Closer at 9, followed by a new Saved.
- USA has a new Monday Night RAW at 9.
- A&E has a two episodes of a new reality show about drag racing, Driving Force. It's on at 9 too.
- At 10, MTV has a new Real World/Road Rules Challenge.
Posted May 22nd 2006 4:31PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming
At 7, ESPN has the Red Sox vs. The Yankees.- At 8, ABC has Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball, followed by the two hour series finale of Alias.
- CBS has all new eps (most of them season finales) of King of Queens, Old Christine, Two and a Half Men, another Old Christine, and CSI: Miami.
- NBC has a new Deal Or No Deal at 8, followed by a new Apprentice and the season finale of Medium.
- Over on FOX at 8, the two hour season finale of 24.
- The WB has a repeat 7th Heaven, then the series finale of Everwood.
- UPN has repeats of One On One, All Of Us, Girlfriends, and Half & Half.
- Also at 8: ABC Family has The Goonies.
- At 9, Lifetime has the suspense thriller, The Perfect Marriage.
- TLC has a new Honey We're Killing The KIds at 9, followed by a new Shalom in the House.
- USA has a new Monday Night RAW, also at 9.
- At 10, MTV has a new Real World/Road Rules Challenge.
- The Travel Channel has a new Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations at 10. Bourdain has a new book out that's great too.
Six Mad Men characters who are in limbo after the finale
Fact or Fiction: Big Bang, Brothers & Sisters and CSI
The TV Squad Podcast: Linda Purl talks about The Office, we talk spoilers, and more
