Does the Great British Baking Show have to end? Plus: Amazing Race's MEGA LEG, weekend recommendations, and more
Dear newsletter friends,
I hope you had a safe and happy Thanksgiving, whether it was with the people you’ve spent the last eight months with, or via Zoom. And I hope you’re shopping safely today and not crowded into stores with those people who can’t put their masks on their noses for some reason.
If you’re shopping online, the awesome Bookshop.org is offering free shipping all weekend. I’ve created a few lists there:
Thanks to those of you who e-mailed me back last week to say that you liked the bulleted list format of the newsletter, so I’ll keep trying that and see how it goes! Speaking of feedback…
Here’s my annual survey asking for your thoughts about my writing and reality blurred. It’s anonymous, and will help me plan for—and improve—in 2021. Thanks for responding if you already did!
Recaps and reviews
The Great British Baking Show ended this week, and is on Netflix for us in the US today. No finale spoilers in my review: Bake-Off is no longer perfect, but I never want this season to end.
The Amazing Race aired two more episodes: the show’s first “mega leg” (which is kind of just like what the show used to do). In India, the annoying alliance turned on itself, and I came to appreciate Kaylynn and Haley even more.
A milestone season and a reality TV death
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making The Team premiered its 15th season on Tuesday, and a story editor who’s worked on the show recently wrote for reality blurred about discovering the show himself, and why DCC has lasted 15 seasons.
In other news:
A Wipeout contestant died, but filming will continue after Thanksgiving.
All of the reality show premieres this week
📺 Recommendations for your weekend
And a few other shows I’ve recommended recently that would make good weekend watches:
The Pack, if your love dogs overrides your need for coherent reality TV
Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, and other early Travel Channel shows you can stream for free
📖 Recommended reads
A few pieces that I’ve enjoyed reading and learned from this past week or two:
Emily Yahr’s “history of how Alex Trebek became America’s most beloved game-show host”
Last week was the 42nd anniversary of the Jonestown massacre, and Best Evidence covered the best documentaries about it.
A story you should read and/or send to family and friends to read
I did not know Donald Trump pitched a show based on Monopoly
A list of “Sixty-two Films That Shaped the Art of Documentary Filmmaking”
Okay, that’s everything I have for this holiday week.
Enjoy whatever reality TV you watch, and thanks again for taking the survey!
best,
Andy
🌄 This is Reality in Focus issue 221, first sent 27 November 2020, and it actually didn’t eat much but is still stuffed.
💻 This newsletter is hand-crafted in Florida by me, Andy Dehnart, and is supported by reality blurred patrons and paid subscribers to this newsletter. Please consider becoming a patron or upgrading your newsletter subscription!
💌 If you like this newsletter, forward it to a friend! If you're that friend, you can subscribe here!
✅ Bookmark realityblurred.com and visit daily for the latest of my reality TV news analysis, reviews, and commentary.
📷 Photo of leaves falling by Autumn Mott Rodeheaver