An interview with TOC's winner, Love is Blind's mess, and a Survivor alumnus' death
Dear newsletter friends,
What a start to the reality TV week Sunday night was, thanks to the Netflix fiasco, which I wrote about with my trademark subtlety:
Also this week, I peeled back the curtain and wrote about the behind-the-scenes of running an independent website:
I hope you find that interesting/useful. Feel free to send any questions, as I'm planning for more of this kind of transparency to come.
Thanks for being part of the reality blurred community! On with the reviews, recaps, and more.
🎙️ Interview and a review
My interview with Tournament of Champions’ winner—including the final scorecard
My review of Food Network's newest Alex Guarnaschelli show, Ciao House
😃 Recaps
Survivor 44:
Episode 8: Did Survivor deliver a classic blindside or a fart in the wind?
Jeff Probst's podcast, which I listen to so you don't have to:
Episode 8: “Editing Survivor,” in which Probst:
compares Carson to "injured prey that you should go suffocate and let die" 😳
insists "we don't manufacture moments" 🤣
and says "I am ... making Survivor for me ... through the eyes of kids" 😭
So yes, this one is a must-read!
Top Chef:
episodes 6: Top Chef’s great Downtown Abbey picnic defers its climax to Last Chance Kitchen
episode 7: coming soon!
Big Brother Canada:
Hamsterwatch continues her recaps of everything BBCAN:
episode 18: The Traitors wants its table back from the Fatal Feast and its instant eviction
episode 19: HOH selected with ‘poison’ shots as part of a ‘cataclysmic combo’
episode 20: A choreographed dance eviction, plus a new HOH
And the Digital Dailies:
🗓️ This week's reality TV
The reality shows premiering included the return of several shows, including of Alex vs. America, Deadliest Catch, Indian Matchmaking, 100 Foot Wave, and Drag Race España.
The reality TV specials and feature docs premiering this week included Jet Tila hosting a special food truck competition, and some Earth Day-focused documentaries.
🗞️ Reality TV news
Survivor: Blood vs. Water and Survivor: Second Chance player Keith Nale died at age 62.
Love is Blind cast members have some horrific accusations, such as producers encouraging contestants who were having panic attacks and suicidal thoughts to stay—and threatening cast with $50,000 penalties for leaving the production.
Love is Blind cancelled Jackie's flight to the reunion out of alleged concern for her mental health
Lisa Vanderpump called Scandoval "a producer's dream, but talent's nightmare."
David Spade will host Snake Oil, a game show that's a twist on Shark Tank, with contestants trying to figure out which business pitches are fake.
Peacock is spinning off Love Island into the all-star Love Island Games.
Josh Duhamel will star in CBS's Buddy Games, which the network said was "inspired by" his "real-life annual tradition with his lifelong friends" who "compete in a variety of competition-style games.
💬 Comments of the week
Warner Bros. Discovery makes for such strange bedfellows. Who was clamoring for one streamer that contained Six Feet Under, Angels in America, Dr. Pimple-Popper, and MILF Manor?? But yes let’s drop the “HBO” from the name because it’s too elitist.
—Joe, on this story
I’m not with you Andy on this episode. Real waste of a great location at Highclere Castle. You might as well have painted a backdrop.
—Robert, on this Top Chef recap
🤩 I recommend
This show, which opened its new season with a great episode
This show, which is re-airing on Food Network Thursday nights
This clip, about why doing taxes in the U.S. sucks so much
best,
Andy
🌄 This is issue 333 of reality blurred’s weekly newsletter, first sent 21 April 2023, and it was thrilled to not have to watch Vanessa and Nick attempt to host live
📸 Photo of lilac-breasted roller by David Clode