Survivor succeeds & saddens • Disney+ deletions • Big Brother behindhand • much more!
Dear newsletter friends,
Are you as tired as I am of streaming services deleting shows? It's often just to save themselves some cash, though sometimes under more mysterious circumstances.
Today is the purge day at Disney+ and Hulu, alas.
If you have time and didn't see this story already, here are two terrific reality TV shows Disney+ is about to delete.
I hope you get a chance to watch them, and I do hope they'll end up elsewhere, i.e. Disney decides to make money with them and license them, as HBO Max—excuse me, Max!!!—did with Fboy Island.
🤑 Speaking of saving cash!
reality blurred t-shirts are on sale for just $13! Choose any color and multiple styles! Everything you always wanted! 😍
P.S. all shirts are on sale on Threadless this weekend, and that includes my super-clever Traitors t-shirt
🏝️ Survivor 44
My coverage of the finale:
My recap: A flabbergasting finale produces a delightful winner from a terrific cast
Why the Survivor 44 jury voted that way, which explains why X got # votes
Jeff Probst's podcast, which I listen to so you don't have to:
Episode 13: 'The Tribe Has Spoken'
🔥 My concluding Survivor thoughts, after this season and listening to 13 episode of the podcast:
😃 A recap
Top Chef:
episode 10: A double elimination after dishwasher detergent and team challenges
episode 11: coming later today!
🗓️ This week's reality TV
The reality TV shows premiering this week include the long-promised queer season of Netflix's The Ultimatum; new seasons of The Kardashians, Windy City Rehab, Beat Shazam, and Expedition: Unknown; and Netflix's renamed Barbecue Showdown, which had a great first season.
Among the specials and documentaries on TV this week are the start of the three-part Vanderpump Rules reunion; profiles of Donna Summer and Mary Tyler Moore; and PBS's deep dive into Your Brain.
🗞️ Reality TV news
Big Brother 25 delays its premiere, and admits its lack of ideas
The first Vanderpump Rules reunion episode was the most-popular show on all of TV Wednesday—beating even the #1 broadcast show, the Survivor finale.
American Idol winner Iam Tongi, a high school senior, is the first non-country singer to win in three years, and is the first person from Hawaii and the first Pacific Islander to win. USA Today also notes his "audition is the most viewed video on the American Idol YouTube page."
Padma Lakshmi had a category on Jeopardy! Masters, and she has the video on her Instagram
RuPaul gave a tour of his mansion on TikTok
💬 Comment of the week
It is unfortunate that the author of this article chooses such a negative perspective on the tourism industry which is one of the fastest growing sectors in the country. Especially with the positive impacts on wildlife conservation through the Zambian Carnivore Programme and African Parks Network. Nobody can change history but the people and groups who are supporting and growing industries in the present are what truly matters.
—Olivia, on this story
🤩 I recommend, competition edition
Season one of this competition, as I haven't watched season two to see if it holds up!
This baking competition, which is streaming free
This concluded competition, which is now on Hulu in its entirety
That's everything from me! Hope you have a wonderful rest of your week.
best,
Andy
🌄 This is issue 338 of reality blurred’s weekly newsletter, first sent 26 May 2023, and it was Team Carolyn
📸 Photo of a yawning cat by Jacob Norrie