Below Deck secrets, Bachelorette's return, Karma and Cannonball reviews, and Big Brother's 20th
Dear newsletter friends,
The United States of America is celebrating its birthday tomorrow, and reality blurred will celebrate its 20th next Wednesday. The photo above is of fireworks over Chicago, the city where reality blurred was born.
I’ll be commemorating the 20th anniversary next week, though I’m still not quite sure how, besides writing a thing. If you have any suggestions, comment below or reply to this message!
I’d also love to know how you found reality blurred, if you recall, or what it means to you.
I did talk about that anniversary on two different podcasts—and we also talked about a lot more than just me!
I was on:
Reality of Reality with Aliza Rosen, talking about what’s changed over the past 20 years, plus some recent news
Reality Steve’s podcast, talking Bachelorette, filming during a pandemic, and much more.
Speaking of anniversaries, Big Brother premiered 20 years ago this Sunday.
There have been rumors that some kind of announcement about season 22 is imminent, though there was also a report in Deadline yesterday that the show is only in pre-production, with work taking place on the house.
If you want to know what constructing the Big Brother house involves, read my interview with set designer Scott Storey.
This week, I reviewed two new shows:
Karma, which is HBO Max’s version of Endurance. I loved the cast and hated its thoughtless game structure so much.
Cannonball, which comes to USA Network next week but which was previewed last Monday on NBC. I love shows like Wipeout and Holey Moley, but yikes.
I also continued my recaps of Survivor: Borneo, this time with episode five, which has two fascinating challenges and also a narrative arc that felt like the first fully-formed Survivor episode.
Speaking of Survivor, Black Survivor alum have been promised a meeting with CBS and production, which you may recall just last year was denying there was a problem with racism.
But just read and listen to what those alum have to say about what they experienced, which started for one Black woman during casting.
And speaking of a failure to enact any kind of meaningful changes: The Bachelorette plans to start filming soon.
So has it kept its promise to “make significant changes” behind the scenes? I asked ABC and Warner Bros.
Before I go, here are two recommendations:
The New York Times’ Caity Weaver went behind the scenes of Bravo’s Below Deck, from filming on location to post-production. It’s a fascinating read. (New York Times)
NPR TV critic Eric Deggans’ story about Survivor on Morning Edition includes conversations with several Black Survivor alum who are pushing for change. (NPR)
Thanks for reading my stuff this week—and for almost 20 years now! Hope you have a great and safe and masked Fourth of July weekend!
best,
Andy
🌄 This is Reality in Focus issue 201, first sent 3 July 2020, and it cannot believe how fast two decades have gone by.
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📷 Photo of fireworks over Chicago by Antonio Gabola