In this edition of The Confessional, Cary O’Dell argues that disposable characters on reality shows makes reality TV more watchable yet more forgettable. Oh, not so long ago, in my misspent TV-watching youth, whenever I was in need of something to watch (because actually turning off the TV was, of course, completely out of the… continue reading
Archives for July 2015
Knock Knock Live. Who’s there? No one, so you’re cancelled
Fox has cancelled its quasi-live, Ryan Seacrest-hosted series Knock Knock Live. This is unsurprising: the first episode was an offensive mess, and in terms of viewers, the answer to “who’s there” on Fox’s Knock Knock Live was “pretty much no one.” Despite the presence of Justin Bieber on Tuesday’s episode, or maybe because of it, ratings… continue reading
Where Ghost Hunters will go during season 10
Syfy’s Ghost Hunters has, incredibly, been on the air for almost 11 years now, and is about to debut its 10th season. When it debuts Aug. 26, the TAPS team–Samantha Hawes, KJ McCormick, Steve Gonsalves, Jason Hawes, Dave Tango, and Dustin Pari–will search for paranormal activity in 18 locations over 13 episodes. Since 2004, the… continue reading
Fired Mythbusters who don’t work for McDonalds now have a new job
Former Mythbusters Kari Byron and Tory Belleci are teaming up for a new Travel Channel show that will explore the science of theme park rides. Fellow fired Mythbuster build team member Grant Imahara, who recently had a cameo in Sharknado 3 and previously went to work for McDonalds, is not involved. Their new series is… continue reading
Life on the Reef is another wonderfully gripping nature series
Tonight, PBS airs the second episode of Life on the Reef, a three-episode series that explores the Great Barrier Reef with the same kind of care and sensibility the BBC brought to Planet Earth and Frozen Planet. I never get tired of television shows that teaches me about complex things using beautiful imagery, and from… continue reading
These 96 seconds made me believe in SYTYCD again
This clip, from last night’s So You Think You Can Dance, is just one minute and 36 seconds long, but you may wish it was one hour and 36 minutes long. Hailee Payne and Virgil Gadson’s routine, choreographed by Pharside and Phoenix and set to “Runnin’” by Noahplause, is a reminder of the one thing… continue reading
Naked and Afraid XL is like a more juvenile version of Real World
After just three episodes, Naked and Afraid XL has become more like current The Real World seasons than its amazing sibling show. While the survival elements are familiar–tough conditions, extreme challenges–the personal drama is an unwelcome addition to the spin-off of the usually fantastic series. Dividing up the group into threes has mostly served to… continue reading
I Am Cait was perfect, and everything reality TV should be
“I just hope I get it right,” Caitlyn Jenner said at the start of E!’s I Am Cait. “I hope I get it right.” She did, and so did E! and producers Bunim-Murray. For a first episode, it was extraordinary–quietly honest and surprisingly unassuming for such a high-profile series and star whose repeatedly admitted goal is… continue reading
Survivor moments + Onion headlines = genius
The combination of headlines from the satirical news organization The Onion and images from Survivor has resulted in some comedic gold. From an image of two-time winner Sandra Diaz-Twine being labeled with “Christ Returns to NBA” to an image of Stephen Fishbach and JT Thomas with the headline “Best Friends Each Secretly Think of The… continue reading
Marriage Boot Camp suffers as a tabloid story comes to life
Reality has, ironically enough, made a reality show worse. Marriage Boot Camp Reality Stars‘ third season has been all-consumed by Kendra Wilkinson and Hank Baskett’s confrontation over Hank’s cheating, and that has made me lose interest. During last Friday’s episode, after a lot of build-up and avoidance, Hank finally confessed that the encounter started with… continue reading
RuPaul’s Drag Race brings back all-stars, plus a regular season
More than three years after the first all-star season, RuPaul’s Drag Race will air its all-star competition. The show is also filming its eighth season, which means there will be two seasons of the Logo show in 2016. There’s no word if RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars 2 will be a shortened, six-episode season like last… continue reading
Home Free, a competition that does feel-good TV right
The newest home renovation competition show debuted on Fox tonight, and Home Free was everything I want out of that kind of show—and everything that Knock Knock Live should have delivered but did not. At their core, the shows are similar. Each one surprises people with a major, life-changing prize. But Home Free managed to… continue reading
On the failure of Knock Knock Live and reality TV’s faux altruism
When CBS first announced The Briefcase, I wondered why they show didn’t just give money away to families in need instead of using it to manipulate them. A few months later, Fox has debuted a show that answers that question and proves I was wrong. Such a show would be terrible—or at least, Knock Knock… continue reading
Sharknado 3’s surprises, on screen and behind the scenes
Oh hell yes: Sharknado is back on Syfy tonight, and the third installment brings with it more ridiculous mayhem and another slew of reality TV cameos. Shark Tank‘s Mark Cuban as the actual president, and, of course, the ever-serious Ian “EYE-an” Ziering from Celebrity Apprentice is the franchise’s star, Fin Shepard. The third installment brings… continue reading
Knock Knock Live. Who’s there? Fox’s brilliant embodiment of TV’s desperation
Fox tonight debuts Knock Knock Live, a hybrid reality/game show that is a single, brilliant embodiment of broadcast television’s desperation for viewers. The series, which airs at 9 p.m. ET, is a game show on which a camera crew and famous people show up at contestants’ doors for “an unforgettable moment.” That hints at one… continue reading