Sex Box, a UK series on which couples have sex in a private, on-stage box and then talk about it with experts, is coming to the United States. WE tv has ordered the show, which will be produced by Relativity Television, the producers of Catfish and The Great Food Truck Race, among other series. WE tv’s press release is careful… continue reading
Archives for October 2014
How The Chair is trying to prevent a popularity contest for its $250,000 prize
Besides being an exceptional documentary reality series (and if you are not watching, fix that immediately), Starz’ The Chair also a contest. The two directors, Shane Dawson and Anna Martemucci, are competing for $250,000, and voting is open until 12:59 p.m. Sunday. So how do you have a fair competition between a director with 6,515 YouTube fans and one with 6,223,453? Or… continue reading
Best Shark Tank strategy: “We’re going to pass on that question”
Last week’s Shark Tank ended with the start of a pitch from Jimmy Kimmel and his sidekick Guillermo for their horse pants business/concept. The conclusion aired on Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier this week, and it ended up being a funny stunt rather than just annoying cross-promotion because their pitch mocked other bad pitches. Actually, their… continue reading
For a bag of rice, Jeff Probst bleeds a tribe, and Survivor, dry
This Survivor San Juan Del Sur episode was full of frustrating behavior, from Coyopa bungling the immunity challenge to Hunapu trading nearly every single thing in their camp to Jeff Probst for a bag of rice so they wouldn’t go hungry. On Survivor. Where people usually lose a lot of weight and forage for food. And have… continue reading
Time for a Face Off facelift, but please keep Lois Burwell
Face Off ended its seventh season last night, and the finale had hints of next season’s twist: three past winners returned to work with the finalists. Alas, that didn’t work, at least not as television; there was no real reason for them to be there, and their contributions mostly faded away. I hope the coach twist… continue reading
Juan Pablo and Nikki split; Big Brother to China; TAR’s routes; MasterChef turtle beheading
News about reality TV show cast members The Bachelor couple Juan Pablo Galavis and Nikki Ferrell have broken up, which was first noticed as a result of social media unfollows. Someone “close to the couple” (read: close to Nikki) told People that Juan Pablo had a “disregard” for her feelings. Kyle Chrisley said his dad,… continue reading
Two Survivors competing in The Price is Right’s male model search
Two of the 30 finalists on The Price is Right’s Male Model Search are former Survivor contestants. Survivor Philippines‘ Pete Yurkowski and Survivor One World‘s Jay Byars are competing, though Pete only appeared for about a half second in the first episode, as part of a montage of contestants. Jay, who won the Price is… continue reading
Solved: the mystery of Survivor’s four cutest guest stars
Besides the exceptional narrative arc of Drew’s blindside, the fourth episode of Survivor San Juan Del Sur is most notable for the brief but remarkable appearance of four animals, three of whom were riding on the fourth’s back. But what are they? Alert reality blurred reader Michael Corbett identified it in an e-mail to me… continue reading
New photos, revelations related to Honey Boo Boo’s cancellation
Last week, TLC canceled Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and decided to not air an already filmed season after news broke that June Shannon was dating a convicted child molester who was recently released from prison. June denied that the report was true. Now, June’s older daughter, known as “Chickadee” on the show, has revealed… continue reading
The many surprises in The Comeback’s first four episodes
Revisiting The Comeback‘s first season was like settling into familiar sheets on an unfamiliar bed. Lisa Kudrow’s phenomenal Valerie Cherish character is immediate believable and likable, despite her incredible self-consciousness. But I’d forgotten how, underneath that familiar exterior, there was so much pain and sadness in the character and in her world. Both little details and major themes were lost… continue reading
TLC cancels Honey Boo Boo over a tabloid report the family says is false
TLC’s once-hit series Here Comes Honey Boo Boo has been cancelled after a tabloid report said that star June Shannon, aka Mama June, is dating a man convicted of molesting a child, but she said she hasn’t dated him for 10 years, prior to his incarceration. The network said in a statement: “TLC has canceled the… continue reading
Project Runway ends with a deserving winner, not much drama
Project Runway ended a thoroughly satisfying season last night, one that had both drama and talent. The talent was so strong that Tim Gunn suggested the finalists were the best designers on the show ever, and any of the four would have been a satisfying winner, though the winner’s seemed to be the most cohesive… continue reading
After tribe shake-up, Survivor tribes shake poles
Despite a tribe shake-up and a somewhat surprising vote, I’m not sure I have all that much to say about Survivor San Juan Del Sur, or Survivor Blood vs. Water, as Jeff Probst called it last night, and perhaps before, perhaps to confuse us into thinking we were watching a season with actual strategy or better editing. I understand why tribes were… continue reading
Face Off’s new twist: borrowing coach twist from other shows
Syfy’s Face Off will get a new format for its next season, one that borrows heavily from shows such as The Voice and Big Brother by having returnees coach teams of contestants. Ve Neill is also returning. The “Return of the Champions” season will have three former winners who each will be in charge of a a five-contestant team. The… continue reading
The fantasy of reality star life destroyed by Survivor cast, others
Going on a reality show may change a person’s life. But it may also leave a person wondering why their life hasn’t changed, why they’re not insanely famous and rich. What actually happens to most reality stars after their show ends and life resumes–often, a desperate search for fame, fortune, and/or meaning–is the subject of a… continue reading