The Amazing Race 28 is getting an early air date, relative to its typical spring schedule, while the Survivor 32 premiere will be at the usual time. And CBS’ other non-summer reality series, Undercover Boss, will air over the holidays and swap time periods.
Archives for November 2015
The surprises of ABC’s Great Holiday Baking Show
When I learned that ABC was planning a baking competition with Mary Berry as a judge, I did not expect that what would end up on television is The Great British Bake-Off. But The Great Holiday Baking Show really is that. As some kind of holiday miracle, the show and format have not been Americanized; The Great Holiday Baking Show is almost exactly the original… continue reading
Thanks, Survivor, for two perfect Thanksgiving episodes
“Like Selling Your Soul to the Devil” and “My Wheels Are Spinning,” episodes 10 and 11 of Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance, were two of the best complete episodes in the show’s history. The effects of playing a physical and strategic game in the elements; a variety of challenges; raw comedy; game play that was complicated but followable; big,… continue reading
On Thanksgiving, a reality TV sensation arrives in the U.S.
An international reality TV sensation arrives in the United States on Thanksgiving day. For five hours—five! 10 if you count the immediate repeat—tomorrow, you can experience slow TV, watching a train travel 500 miles through Alaska on Railroad Alaska: Real Time Train Ride. Real Time Train Ride airs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET, and then again… continue reading
Survivor’s Ethan Zohn turns 42 in a very Ethan Zohn way
Survivor Africa winner Ethan Zohn turned 42 on Nov. 12, and to celebrate, he’s running two marathons this month and using that to call attention to a fundraiser for his charity, Grassroot Soccer. He’s close to his $42,000 goal, having raised just over $34,000 as of Monday afternoon. This is quite possibly the most Ethan Zohn… continue reading
Why Bindi Irwin will win Dancing with the Stars
There have been moments all season that illustrate why Bindi Irwin should win Dancing with the Stars 21. But she really won the competition with her freestyle dance toward the end of Monday night’s performance episode. If she doesn’t win, it’ll be a surprise. And Bindi Irwin has still walked away with this season, and locked… continue reading
Is mysterious Badlands, Texas, the next great reality series?
Terlingua, Texas, is 200 miles from “a major anything,” one person says during the first episode of National Geographic’s Badlands, Texas. Like so many other remote locations, it is now, ironically enough, the subject of a reality TV series. I’ve only seen episode one of the show, which has received practically no promotion, but what… continue reading
Andy Cohen’s surprisingly astute Real Housewives-candidate analogies
Bravo’s Andy Cohen used his appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday night to discuss politics, and ended up comparing the candidates to stars of The Real Housewives. This was, surprisingly, a pretty good way of explaining what’s happening. Also of note: During the aftershow conversation, and said that The Real Housewives of Potomac wasn’t… continue reading
A few quick ways to stay connected with the latest in reality TV
To start this short week of gratitude and shopping, a few quick reminders about how to stay in the know about the latest in reality TV with reality blurred. Stay informed Subscribe to Reality in Focus before this week’s special Thanksgiving-themed issue arrives in inboxes. Each issue starts with a note from me you can’t read anywhere else, and includes… continue reading
Why Tyra Banks is quitting her own daytime talk show, FABLife
Tyra Banks is quitting FABLife, the daytime talk show on which she served as an executive producer and “lifestylist,” and which had a logo that said “Tyra presents.” She said it was “necessary” to make this “very difficult decision” because another project demands her attention. That project isn’t, of course, America’s Next Top Model; last month, Tyra… continue reading
The wonderful surprise of Project Runway Junior
Project Runway Junior is, surprisingly, not another MasterChef Junior, a charming show with talented kids. Nor is it like one of the many clones that popped up after MasterChef Junior’s success, most of which failed to see what made the original so great (talent + charm + seriousness). It is also not, thankfully, Project Runway: Threads, the 2014 well-intentioned but flop of a… continue reading
Ask Andy: Do you fear change in reality TV shows?
You don’t like change much, do you, Andy? —Brent, via Twitter I love change. Now get off my astroturf lawn so it will look exactly like it always does. Seriously: To start, I realize this was less of a question and more of a point, but it was a point that I appreciated because it… continue reading
Before a freezing blindside, Survivor adds a vote-vetoing twist
It says something about Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance‘s cast that the vast majority of the votes this season have been both exciting—holy crap exciting—and a little unfortunate. The blindside during episode nine was thrilling—this season is earning that on-screen hashtag for sure—as was Jeremy, Spencer, and Stephen’s decision to team up with the three women responsible for… continue reading
Andrew Savage embarrassed by, regrets his Survivor comments
Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance antagonist Andrew Savage has backed away from the comments he made in interviews on the show about his fellow players. This is an impressive display of honest ownership of bad behavior that inspired an aggressive hashtag, #FUAS. Before he was voted out last week, Savage said, among other things, that Stephen Fishbach is “lacking” in “morals, values,… continue reading
Discover the forgotten world beneath us in just three episodes
As the director of the National Museum of Natural History rappels down vertical rock in the Grand Canyon, in 100-degree heat, he pauses, dangling by a rope. As he talks about the “ancient landscape frozen in time,” a crack rapidly moves up the face of the canyon, the canyon rumbles, and a large slice of it slides out…. continue reading
Audrey Middleton on her Big Brother experience, four months later
Audrey Middleton was on Big Brother 17 for only 14 episodes before being eliminated during the fourth week of game play, but she left a significant mark. From her candid discussion of gender identity and her transition to her odd behavior—culminating in a meme-worthy blanket and sunglasses outfit—she was a stand-out character. So what is it like now, about four months… continue reading
Panic after substitute teacher shows Naked and Afraid to second graders
As WINK TV anchor Chris Cifatte explained to viewers who’d tuned in to watch the news last week, they were about to watch “a troubling WINK News exclusive.” Anchor Amanda Hall called it “stunning.” Other media outlets have picked up the story and reprinted versions of it. What was so stunning, troubling, and newsworthy? Cifatte explained… continue reading
How ego can screw up a reality show’s casting
In reality television, casting is everything. Yes, there must be a solid format, and the edit must tell a good story. But in a genre that has real people as its characters and derives its drama from their honest reactions, finding a cast is critically important—and challenging. Casting directors/producers take on the bulk of that work, and among their many, many… continue reading
Amazing Race’s social media start stumbles with shout-outs
The Amazing Race 28’s “starting line live stream event” began more than an hour late, and wasn’t actually filmed at the start line. Instead, it was a stop along the first leg, in Mexico City, where host Phil Keoghan stood next to a clue box containing instructions about their first detour—and where teams interrupted their race to… continue reading
Jeff Probst’s balls commentary is, yes, on purpose
From “like those balls are glued to his disc” to “Joe’s balls start to move,” Jeff Probst’s Survivor challenge color commentary double entendre is often very entertaining. What comes out of his mouth is also completely intentional. Balls! Probst told EW’s Dalton Ross: “Not only am I aware, I am consciously trying to say things that sound normal but have enough innuendo… continue reading