ABC’s new survival series is familiar and promising, and flashes between the cast’s attempt to survive and their home lives, but it also drags.
ABC
ABC’s Castaways looks like Alone (and Lost), but with resources and a twist
A new reality series that’ll be paired with Bachelor in Paradise will strand people and flash back to their regular lives.
Family Food Fight: a new cooking competition on ABC, imported from Australia
ABC has ordered a U.S. version of an Australian cooking competition, Family Food Fight, which will have families cooking and competing against each other. Ayesha Curry will host and judge.
An outstanding reality podcast, Startup, becomes an ABC sitcom
ABC’s Alex Inc., starring Zach Braff, is an adaptation of Gimlet Media’s first podcast, and I asked its producer about how much of the real-life podcast will make it to TV.
Encore, Kristen Bell’s reunion of high school theater classmates, needs to be a full series immediately
High school classmates reuniting after 20 years to once again put on a production of Into the Woods in their high school auditorium, mentored by Kristen Bell and a team of Broadway talent: Why isn’t this already a full series? It was a special that aired last night on ABC called Encore, and turned out to… continue reading
The Toy Box has improved in its second season
A review of season two of ABC’s The Toy Box, which has a new format, new judges, and less Noah.
Battle of the Network Stars’ cast of 100 classic and current TV stars
A full list of the full cast of ABC’s revival of Battle of the Network Stars, which will have 100 former and current TV stars competing with each other.
The Toy Box: kids have finally ruined a reality show
A review of ABC and Mattel’s new reality competition series The Toy Box, on which toymakers pitch their toys to kid judges, who ruin everything.
“Hey Jimmy Kimmel, I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy” is not funny, it’s sick
For the sixth year, Jimmy Kimmel Live has featured a segment during which parents lie to their kids and cause them emotional pain for our entertainment.
All four of ABC’s game shows will return next year
ABC has renewed Match Game, The $100,000 Pyramid, Celebrity Family Feud, and To Tell the Truth, all of which are doing well in the ratings.
What ABC’s game shows can teach reality TV—and Hollywood
The simple genius of ABC’s rebooted game shows—Celebrity Family Feud, The $100,000 Pyramid, and Match Game—have lessons for reality TV and Hollywood.
Steve Harvey is broadcast reality TV’s savior
NBC and ABC have found unscripted success thanks Steve Harvey, whose charisma and humor led to ratings hits Little Big Shots and Celebrity Family Feud.
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
Details about ABC’s The Great Holiday Baking Show
ABC’s The Great Holiday Baking Show, judged by The Great British Bake-Off‘s Mary Berry, now has a debut date (Nov. 30), hosting team (Nia Vardalos and Ian Gomez), and second judge (Johnny Iuzzini). A week after I first reported that Mary Berry would judge an ABC holiday baking competition, ABC released details about the show, which debuts Nov. 30, airing… continue reading
Mary Berry will judge an ABC holiday baking competition
The Great British Bake-Off judge Mary Berry has signed with ABC to judge a holiday baking competition, I’ve learned. Last month, British press reported that Berry would be filming an American version of GBBO. That’s not the case. Several years ago, CBS aired a version of the show that Berry’s fellow judge, Paul Hollywood, judged; it didn’t do well enough… continue reading