TVSquad

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.

It's no secret: I'm the only non-U.S. blogger here at TV Squad. I live in Quebec City, the capital of Canada's French province. Living here means that I have access to American, Canadian, and French-Canadian TV channels on basic cable. Canadian and American TV lineups are pretty much alike, especially since a lot of the U.S. shows also air on the Canadian airwaves. But French-Canadian TV is somewhat different than the two other ones because of the language, the culture, etc. However, the influence of American TV can be felt throughout the French-Canadian lineup. One of the main areas influenced by U.S. TV is reality programming.

Reality TV, like it or not, is definitely a major part of TV today all around the world. A lot of the U.S. reality shows originated in other countries, while some U.S. shows made their way around the world. In Canada, we have our own version of American Idol and America's Next Top Model, for example. In Quebec, there is a singing competition, Star Académie, not unlike Idol and a Big Brother-like show too and some U.S. reality shows are dubbed. That got me thinking, what are the reality shows that are watched elsewhere around the globe?

(S11E03) Sorry this review is a few days late, Becky, but I've been sick.

Overall, I thought this was a good episode, though it didn't floor me with hilarity the way some episodes do. Perhaps that was in large part to not quite understanding what the point of the episode was. Was it meant to mock those who see the Earth as a conscience entity that can actually choose to get rid of us the way the students of South Park get rid of lice? Or was the whole episode just a philosophical experiment and we're left to make up our own minds? Or maybe it was all just a really elaborate set up so they could do a gag about Angelina Jolie having crabs at the end of the episode.

Bob Geldof, musician, social activist, Live Aid founder and the brains behind the Live 8 concert, is planning to launch a new broadband and television channel in 2008 dedicated to promoting world peace. The new venture will be financed by Point of Peace, a Norwegian human rights organization, and Geldof will launch the channel through his production company, Ten Alps. There's not much information on the channel or what sort of programming it will have, though some sources say the new channel will encourage Western nations to help poorer countries.

My initial thought is that Geldof is going to face an uphill struggle trying to get people to watch a channel dedicated to spreading peace throughout the world. That's not to say most of us wouldn't love to see such a thing happen in our lifetime, but no matter how much we advocate peace in our day to day lives, television still remains a medium mostly dedicated to indulging that part of our brain that loves violence and bloodshed. Getting people to watch a channel about peace is going to involve more than just creating entertaining programming, it's going to mean getting people to approach TV in an entirely new manner.

I've written for newspapers and magazines, but I've always been apprehensive about calling myself a journalist because it was never my major in college. In fact, my college didn't even have that as a major. I've always been fascinated by the career itself, however, and learning about all the obstacles that go along with getting a story.

If you share my interest in anything having to do with the media, and independent media especially, you'll probably enjoy Democracy on Deadline, which appears as part of the PBS series Independent Lens on November 21 at 10 pm. The documentary looks at independent journalists in several parts of the world, from right here in the United States to places like Russia and the Middle East. In the US, the problem for journalists is breaking through the wall of secrecy put up by the Bush White House during the days leading up to the Iraq war, and during the war itself. The documentary does not, however, place all blame on the government, it also points out how shoddy journalistic standards and a disinterested public have played a significant role in slowing down the flow of information.

(S01E01) This is an early review.

Adam Reed and Matt Thompson, the brains behind the sorely missed Sealab 2021, just might have another praise worthy series on their hands with Frisky Dingo. The series will focus on a struggle between good and evil as the murderous Killface faces off against super hero Awesome-X. In the premiere episode, we're introduced to Killface, but not Awesome-X, though we do get a glimpse of the mailbox of his alter ego, Xander Crews in the last scene.