Runway's awful judging • Rylie's fishy 'writing' • SurvivorAU's brilliance
I'm completely in on Australian Survivor, but I need more time for these summer shows!
Dear newsletter friends,
I've been absolutely delighted by Australian Survivor—the best season I've watched in years, maybe more—but it's also taking up more time than I expected: almost five hours a week to watch, plus more time to recap.
So as the symbolic end of summer arrives, I find myself having not written pieces about summer shows that I've wanted to watch and/or write about.
Those include:
Max's Back to the Frontier, which seems like one of those classic PBS historical shows, like my beloved Manor House
The Great British Sewing Bee, which is finally streaming (free!) in the US!
Maybe the three new music series we’ve gotten on streaming this summer: Kpopped (today on Apple TV+), and Netflix’s Hitmakers and Building the Band
So, I'll try to write at least one of those this weekend, and another next week—in addition to more Australian Survivor! 😍
🏝️ Australian Survivor
This week:
Episode 4: A mysterious double Tribal Council
Episode 5: At the merge, immunity is left to chance
Episode 6: The godmother plays the queen
Previous recaps:
Episode 2: A stunningly great Survivor episode—and just Australia v The World’s second!
Episode 3: Trust, lies, and a hilarious Winners at War callback
If you aren’t watching, look for cheap flights to Australia on YouTube, and then join me so we can talk about this amazing season!
🧯 True crime
Reviews:
Reads:
☎️ Did you know?
You can call or text Best Evidence! Questions, comments, coverage requests, crackpot theories -- let us hear from you*: 919-75-CRIME (or 919-752-7463). 🤳
*not while you're driving; that too is a crime
📧 Recaps
Below Deck
Episode 13: This episode was even more of a mess than Kyle
Big Brother:
BB27’s Rylie has ‘written’ some ‘answers,’ and I have questions
Live feed spoilers: Vince lies, houseguests agonize, Rachel survives
Project Runway
🗓️ Reality TV premieres
✨ Coming Monday: My shiny new fall premiere guide! ✨
P.S. If you want to receive weekly previews most Sundays, become a supporter! Also bonus warm feelings for supporting an independent writer!
This week’s reality premieres include: The start of a Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives tournament on Guy’s Grocery Games; Kpopped, which sounds like Lip Sync Battle as it features non-Kpop and Kpop stars creating performances together, and then facing off against other teams; a new season of Meghan Markle acting like an alien in her fake house; and a new season of Ancient Aliens
This week’s docs and specials include the Love Island USA season 7 reunion! 🎉 With Andy Cohen 🤢;- A documentary about Drag Race winner The Vivienne; A&E’s look at Fame and Fentanyl; and Paramount+’s look at Eminem’s fame, Stans; and a Hulu documentary about the theft of the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz
💬 Comments of the week
On my latest Project Runway recap, Steve wrote:
I guess I’m alone on this ledge, but I love the snark coming from the judges as long as it’s about the designs and not the designer. These designers will hear far worse throughout their careers. Overall though, this version of the show just feels wonky. It’s hard to believe it’s being produced by the original “Project Runway” producers.
On Survivor’s anniversary, Tricia remembered:
I fell in love with Survivor right away. I believed I could compete and win on the show and I wanted to apply. However, the firm I was working for at the time made it clear that if I applied, I would be fired immediately. Unfortunately, I needed the income, so I never submitted an application. Now I feel I’m too old and too weak to participate. I guess I made the right decision because I was with the same firm for the next 20 years.
I cried when Sonja was voted out first during season one. It felt so real and so sad. I am glad that all of these years late I still occasionally cry, although I do sometimes cheer and laugh, depending on who gets voted off–looking at you, Jonny Fairplay!
🗞️ Reality TV news
Show news:
Does CBS still have its mandate to ensure diversity in its casts? Doesn't seem like it, at least not based on this answer from Survivor and Amazing Race casting director Jesse Tannenbaum, who you'll notice says is "still shooting for having a really diverse cast," i.e. that's what he'd like but it's ultimately not his call:
Well, from my perspective, nothing’s changed. I’ve always, in the back of my mind, felt we needed more diversity on these shows. It became a mandate for season 41. It’s really beautiful to see the amount of people who apply in our database when they see someone that looks like them on television. So fast forward to now, seasons 51 and 52, which we’re currently casting. The pool of people is insane. I’m still shooting for having a really diverse cast because I think everybody needs to be represented.
CBS News and 48 Hours dropped a new podcast this week. Fifteen: Inside the Daniel Marsh Murders is hosted by Erin Moriarty, and "explores one of California's most chilling and notorious crimes." More information is here.
People news:
Kristen Kish said she wasn't interested in being on The Traitors but did it to promote Top Chef: "To be 100% frank, I didn’t want to do it on my personal time. Is that what I want to do? No, I’m on reality television, but not that kind of reality television. I did it because I love our show. I love Top Chef, and if I have any opportunity to represent a part of our show, I’m going to do it. It was a business decision. I left having had a phenomenal time, and I met wonderful friends. I went in, [thinking] I need to do this. This is a job. And then I came out being like, 'I’m really glad I did that.'"
The host of Food Network's Carnival Eats and Best Bite in Town, and Canada's version of The Bachelorette, Noah Cappe, said that his Food Network shows have been cancelled and now, "I'm struggling" and "it's been 14 months" since he's had work.
On Instagram, Aarti Sequeira replied, "Noah… I know how you feel. It simultaneously feels like the wild Wild West… and tumbleweeds."
🤩 I recommend
Catching up with Australian Survivor, if you’re not already, and if you are, catching up with my recaps!
This behind the scenes look at the Love Island USA reunion
This essay, which asks how TV should reflect our currently reality
That’s everything!
I hope you have a terrific Labor Day weekend, and that cool, fall weather is on its way to you soon!
best,
Andy
🌄 This is issue 433 of reality blurred’s weekly newsletter, first sent on 29 August 2025, and it celebrates what organized labor gave us all.