Capture: reality TV’s Hunger Games finds drama in a game of tag
On The CW’s Capture, teams of two try to avoid being tagged during a four-hour hunt by a designated team.
Reality TV show reviews
Why CNBC’s The Profit is so great: reality
A few weeks ago, CNBC debuted a new series into a crowded space: The Profit. Like other makeover shows, it features an experienced person going in to challenged or failing businesses and making it over. The difference here is reminiscent of Shark Tank: Marcus Lemonis invests his own money in the businesses that he’s taking …
Whodunnit’s intense finale focuses on its greatest crime
ABC’s Whodunnit concluded with an intense, rapid-fire finale that had a challenge and pace reminiscent of an outstanding The Amazing Race finale. But it was guilty of emphasizing the wrong thing, insisting that the “who” mattered in everything from its title to its finale’s focus. The episode began with a Giles-narrated intro that should have …
Food Network’s tragically fallen Star
Food Network Star had an incredible season last summer, reinventing and reinvigorating the show with a new format that was reality TV’s best makeover ever. And then Food Network threw it all away and gave us a season that excised nearly everything good about last season. Genius. The previews hinted at the problems, but the …
The Hero: moments and moments of frustration that need more of The Rock
TNT’s competition series The Hero has reached the point at which viewers get to select Patty O’Neil as the hero, giving her $610,000 and the title. Because honestly, is there any way that she will not win? Last night’s penultimate episode was blatantly edited and structured to set her up as an actual hero, saving …
Top Shot, Big Brain Theory both take reality TV competitions to fascinating new places
Two competition series have evolved the very, very standard, formulaic, talent-driven competition format in interesting ways: History’s Top Shot has become 100 percent about talent, while Discovery’s The Big Brain Theory has kept its eliminated contestants around to continue to participate and compete for a wild card spot. Both shows are produced by Pilgrim Studios, …
Queen of Versailles: this is must-see reality TV
The Queen of Versailles is an exceptional, must-watch film that’s better reality TV than most reality television. We need more documentaries–and more reality television–like this. Bravo’s broadcast of the film tonight and again on Friday makes surprising sense, since the network almost exclusively now traffics in dramatizing and mocking the lives of the rich, making …