LeVar Burton's new show • Summit • Survivor's Rome empire • Forged in Fire
Dear newsletter friends,
My thoughts this Friday morning are with all those affected by Hurricane Helene. As a Floridian, I’m used to hurricane damage, and yet what happened throughout the southeast, especially North Carolina, is horrifying.
FEMA has four ways to help, if you’re in a position to do that.
And my favorite charity, José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen, is doing what it does and showing up to feed people—there, and around the world, including right now in Gaza, Israel, and Lebanon.
It’s weird to talk about entertainment when there’s catastrophe and bombing and other awfulness going on. But that’s what I’m here to do, so let’s get to it!
🏔️ The Summit
It’s rare we get a new reality competition format on broadcast TV, but CBS delivered just that this week, importing a format from Australia.
Here’s:
- My review of The Summit
- My interview with its showrunner, with lots of behind-the-scenes details
And my episode 1 recap:
🧩 Two reviews, two answers, one recap
My review of The CW’s two new game shows:
Survivor 47:
I answered two questions:
🔪 True crime
🎧 Listen to The Docket:
- A discussion of ITV’s Joan, about the legendary heister/and crime boss Joan Hannington
True-crime news from Sarah D. Bunting:
- I went back on the Crime Seen podcast to talk about Killer Lies: Chasing A True-Crime Con Man. I thought better of it than Sarah C. and Mari, and we had a good discussion as always.
- On the eve of the sport's postseason, MLB "hit king" Pete Rose has died. One suspects the arguments about him and his legacy will live forever.
🗓️ Reality TV premieres
Highlights of reality TV shows and seasons premiering this week: The return of Bravo’s new The Real Housewives of New York City, Love is Blind, and Scare Tactics, plus new seasons of Forged in Fire, Outrageous Pumpkins, Chef’s Table, Life After Lockup, and America’s Funniest Home Videos. Also: John Leguizamo’s travels through the U.S. and Mexico to explore Latino stories
Select documentaries coming to TV include election specials Black Women in America: The Road to 2024 and One Person, One Vote?, plus PBS’s doc on The American Vice President and Nova’s The Solar System: Storm Worlds.
🥳 Join me for a workshop
I’ve been writing on the Internet since 1997—so long I still capitalize Internet.
On Oct. 19, I’ll be sharing some of what I’ve learned in a virtual workshop for The Loft:
This is for you, whether you want to start your own blog or newsletter, or just make sure people read your e-mail messages or pitches and don’t scroll past them.
💬 Comments of the week
On this story, Melissa wrote,
Eyewitness account! After going to a taping of ToC a few weeks ago, I can confirm the judges get the first dish within about 5-7 minutes of it being plated. I didn’t see what happened to the second dish in the in-between time.
On this recap, Kerri wrote,
OBVIOUSLY ITS NEW ERA ANDY! (said in all caps to emulate Screamy McScreamdon).😉
🗞️ Reality TV news
- Shirley Chung shared an update on her treatment for tongue cancer
- The Real World San Diego house is going to be demolished
- Original American Pickers cast member Frank Fritz—who History dropped from the show in 2021—died Sept. 30, co-star Mike Wolfe shared on Instagram.
- Love is Blind dropped Leo and Brittany because the hit Netflix show only “[has] the budget to follow five couples and sometimes we stretch to six,” its creator explained.
- The Golden Bachelorette star Gil Ramirez keeps getting screen time on the show (in episode two and episode three) despite the revelation that an ex got a temporary restraining order for harassment.
- A new Real Housewives dating show, Love Hotel, was filmed with host Joel Kim Booster, who took to social media after production to complain about one of its stars: RHOC's Shannon Beador.
- The Emmys awarded Emmys in documentary film and TV last week. Here are all the winners [PDF], including NatGeo's Science Fair: The Series, Independent Lens' Free Chol Soo Lee, and Netflix's American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing.
- It’s been 20 years since Laguna Beach premiered
🤩 I recommend
- This new CBS competition, which is fantastic
- These new game shows, only for the hosts and game play
- Sarah’s review of the Pete Rose documentary
- This episode of classic Family Feud—discussed on Extra Hot Great last week—which features a hilarious fast money round (starting at 17:45), and, from Richard Dawson, both gross behavior and great hosting
I hope you have a terrific weekend. Coming next week: Below Deck Sailing Yacht recaps, and much more!
best,
Andy
🌄 This is issue 393 of reality blurred’s weekly newsletter, first sent on 4 October 2024, and it welcomes all the new subscribers from this past week!