The Masked Singer season 4’s premiere had strong performances and fun costumes. And it also had a fake audience that acted as if it’s okay to be unmasked and physically close to other people right now.
recaps
Recaps and analysis of reality TV show episodes, including nearly every episode of CBS' Survivor.
Survivor Borneo’s finale changed Survivor, TV, and the world forever
Richard Hatch, Kelly Wiglesworth, Sue Hawk, and Rudy Boesch have survived to the end of Survivor: Borneo, and their incredible final moves in this new game would become the second-most-watched TV show of the 2000s.
Love Island is back, as empty and dumb as it was in the Before Times
Love Island season 2 is in Las Vegas instead of Fiji, but it’s the same show that it was last season, from the hot dumb cast to the narrator’s commentary. I’m not sure that’s what I want from TV right now, though.
Survivor’s cast mutinied, and Bud Light saved the show
The reward challenge for Survivor Borneo episode 12 turned out to be pivotal for the show’s crew and host Jeff Probst, who told the story of what happened behind the scenes when the cast threatened to not compete in the reward challenge.
Survivor Borneo’s Pagonging is complete, but only after immunity saves Kelly
Kelly Wiglesworth was almost voted out of Survivor Borneo, but immunity saved her. But the show spent much more time on its first visit from a family member: Sean’s dad joins him for a night on a yacht.
BB22 premiere: What a pleasant start for a summer season of Big Brother!
With an older cast and an upgraded set, the premiere of Big Brother 22: All-Stars seemed more like Celebrity Big Brother, and I am all for that. Of course, there were the usual technical glitches and dumb twists that we love so much.
A Survivor becomes a father, and the subject of gross gossip and scrutiny
Gervase’s new kid gets a lot of attention Survivor: Borneo episode. So does strategizing: Jeff Probst’s recap of Tribal Council to discussions of whether to break up an alliance, strategy has moved to the forefront of Survivor: Borneo.
Survivor Borneo’s players actually strategize, and almost oust Rich and his ego
In an incredibly strong episode of Survivor season 1, Kelly bails on the Tagi four, but doesn’t join with Pagong members to vote out Rich, whose lack of clothing becomes a real problem that Jeff Probst even brings up at Tribal Council.
Canada’s Drag Race stays with a familiar format, but has been modernized and Canada-ized
Canada’s Drag Race premiered on cable TV in the United States on Monday, and revealed itself to be an updated version of the drag race competition.
Survivor’s first loved ones visit comes via videotape, but not for one player
Survivor Borneo’s eighth episode focuses a lot on Greg and Jenna, who end up receiving all of the votes at Tribal Council.
Survivor’s first merge results in a stunning Tribal Council
The merge brings two different kinds of strategies—and perhaps the first time in competition reality TV history that someone says “I didn’t come here to make friends.”
Survivor Borneo’s merger looms, and so does some sketchy editing
Survivor’s first merge is approaching, which both tribes know about, and Pagong is within seconds of its tribe name not becoming a familiar Survivor term, “Pagonging.”
God stops the fun on Survivor Borneo’s fifth episode
Dirk said he was on Survivor “to have a great time,” but then God voted him off the island. Meanwhile, both challenges on Survivor Borneo episode 5 were left up to individuals—and one continued to perpetuate a stereotype.
The birth of Survivor’s first alliance, and the roots of an epic betrayal
In Survivor: Borneo episode four, Richard Hatch suggests creating alliances, but The Tagi Four alliance is born first between Kelly and Sue.
The Survivor episode that led to a lawsuit claiming the show was rigged
“Quest for Food,” episode 3 of Survivor Borneo, focuses mostly on the tribes’ attempts to find things to eat, but it’s what happened off-camera that led Stacey Stillman to sue.