• reality shows
  • reality TV reviews
  • about
  • contact
  • reality TV schedule
  • best reality TV
  • send tips or feedback
  • support
  • subscribe
On the Lot

On the Lot used audition videos this week

by Andy Dehnart 8 Jun. 2007 | 7:52 am

Tuesday’s episode of On the Lot kept the show on its path to cancellation with its low ratings and modifications to the already-baffling format, but it also showed that someone inside the production or the network has, alas, lost faith in the show’s future. That’s because producers didn’t let the contestants produce new films; instead, they just recycled their audition videos.

As Entertainment Weekly noticed, a FOX press release announced that the contestants “premiere[d] their personal submission films and receive[d] the judges’ critiques.”

In other words, the films we saw were their audition films–not something new. EW notes that “[t]he show kept stressing that the shorts were written, shot, and edited in five days, as if to suggest that they were written, shot, and edited in the last five days.” That “saves production costs at the same time that it gives Fox time to figure out what it’s gonna do about the show’s Dumpster-diving ratings.”

On next Tuesday’s episode, if it makes it that long, watch for them to save even more money by replacing the set with a green screen, and Adrianna Costa with a cardboard cutout of her symmetrical self.

Be Unkind, Rewind [Entertainment Weekly]
“Transformers” Star Shia Labeouf and Director Michael Bay to Serve as Guest Judges “On the Lot” Tuesday, June 5, on FOX [FOX press release]

discuss this story

more great reality blurred stories

  • Recommended reality TV: Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and America to Me
  • The best reality TV shows of 2018
  • The Survivor rule book and Survivor cast contract
  • Go behind-the-scenes at the Big Brother house
  • Behind the scenes of The Last Alaskans
  • Interviews with reality TV producers and cast members

most-popular stories on reality blurred

Life Below Zero season 11, Sue Aikens

When Life Below Zero will return for season 11, and who it will follow

Exclusive: Life Below Zero is returning to National Geographic for season 11 this fall, with a cast that includes one new person.

RuPaul, RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 4 finale

Drag Race’s queens deserve better than these inept twists

"Lord, please let there not be another twist. I can’t. I can’t. I’m broken," said Monet X Change, perhaps speaking for many RuPaul's Drag Race fans.

Hunted, Emiley Cox, David Windecher

A few of Hunted’s absurd rules have been revealed

Hunted team David and Emiley revealed several of the show's rules on a radio show this morning—including one ridiculous rule that benefits the production.

Salim, Gurki, Dating Around

Netflix’s Dating Around has romance, clever editing, and more than just straight white guys

One person has five first dates on Dating Around, which gives us multiple episodes with queer people of color dating other queer people of color. That shouldn't be remarkable, but it is.

Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition

The cast of Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition, and a preview of the season

Marriage Boot Camp season 14 is changing things up: instead of casting reality TV stars, the show has cast hip hop stars who've appeared on reality TV shows.

Small Fortune host Dermot O'Leary

Small Fortune, a game show with tiny challenges, appears to be coming to the U.S.

Exclusive: A new ITV game show on which contestants compete in super-tiny little challenges appears headed to NBC.

Jeff Probst, Survivor David vs. Goliath episode 10

Survivor Edge of Extinction: What we know so far about Survivor season 38

Survivor season 38 will feature returning players and a huge twist that could effect how the game is played and who wins.

The Lewis family, Last Alaskans

Why the Lewis family is no longer on The Last Alaskans, and where they are now

A definitive answer about why the Lewis Family—Ray and Cindy, and their daughters Sarah, Molly, and Emma—have been missing from The Last Alaskans.

Are You The One season 5 cast

MTV’s Are You the One season 8 casting sexually fluid, non-binary people

AYTO's producers want the "usual hot singles" but also "sexually fluid individuals," and twins.

Johnathan Hillstrand, Deadliest Catch

Why Deadliest Catch’s Johnathan Hillstrand didn’t actually retire

Johnathan Hillstrand has been actively crab fishing this season, but the Time Bandit isn't on Deadliest Catch season 14.

behind the scenes of reality TV

The Glass House, ABC

Behind the scenes of The Glass House

Go inside and behind the scenes of The Glass House, ABC’s Big Brother-like competition series.

Mythbusters, Jon Lung, Brian Louden

Behind the scenes with the new Mythbusters

I went behind the scenes with new Mythbusters Jon Lung and Brian Louden during filming of part of their “Rock ‘n’ Roll Road Rage” episode.

Hunted, Sentra Tran, Thu Tran

Behind the scenes of CBS’ Hunted

A person who appeared on CBS’ Hunted reveals key details about how the show works—and Channel 4’s version of Hunted also offers insight.

older

On the Lot’s ratings improve slightly, but the show does not

newer >

Host Adrianna says On the Lot “can’t go wrong”

more stories about On the Lot

reality TV news and reviews, in your inbox

One hand-crafted message sent every Friday. Free. Subscribe now:

about Andy Dehnart

Andy Dehnart’s writing and criticism about television, culture, and media has appeared on NPR and in Vulture, Pacific Standard, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications. He has covered reality television for more than 18 years, and created reality blurred in 2000.

A member of the Television Critics Association who serves on its board of directors, Andy, 41, also directs the journalism program at Stetson University in Florida, where he teaches creative nonfiction and journalism. He has an M.F.A. in nonfiction writing and literature from Bennington College. Learn more about reality blurred and Andy.

stay connected with reality TV

Get advice about what to watch and keep up with the latest in reality television with reality blurred's e-mail newsletter. Just enter your e-mail address:

about reality blurred

reality blurred is your guide to the world of reality TV and unscripted entertainment, with reality show reviews, news, and analysis. It was created in 2000 by Andy Dehnart. He's still writing and publishing it today.

reality blurred is regularly updated with highlights from the world of reality TV: news and analysis; behind-the-scenes reports; interviews with reality TV show cast members and producers; and recaps and reviews of these reality TV shows, including Survivor, Big Brother, The Great British Baking Show, Shark Tank, The Amazing Race, The Bachelor, Project Runway, Dancing with the Stars, Top Chef, and many more.

explore

  • recent news
  • reviews of reality TV shows
  • behind the scenes reports
  • interviews with producers and reality stars
  • archives
  • send tips
  • search
  • advertise on reality blurred
  • about reality blurred
  • newsletter
  • RSS and social media
  • contact reality blurred
  • send tips & contribute
  • privacy policy
  • terms of service
Copyright © 2000 to 2019 Andy Dehnart and individual contributors.