The Challenge USA has improved! • new Mole host? • Top Chef alum help Maui • Ninja Warrior's disaster • and more!
Dear newsletter friends,
I'm used to throwing out an idea or an argument about a reality TV show, and having people respond with some version of What?! or No way!.
That's part of the fun of this genre: we all watch through very different lenses, and I love discussing the different ways we see what we watch.
When I wrote a critique of American Ninja Warrior’s new format earlier this season, I was actually surprised by how people not only agreed with me, but many were even more livid than I was. Some brought up arguments I hadn't thought about.
I think that annoyance and anger with this season will increase Monday, because, well, I have bad news about the Las Vegas finals—and next season.
😍 2 recaps, 2 reviews
Claim to Fame season 2:
The Challenge USA season 2:
Episodes 1 and 2: CBS’s Challenge USA has improved significantly, despite being MTV’s Challenge
Episode 3: coming later today—or maybe Monday! I haven't decided if I'll pair these twice-a-week episodes together yet
🗞️ Reality TV news
Top Chef alum Lee Anne Wong's restaurant was among the many buildings destroyed in the Maui fire. Now she and Top Chef’s Sheldon Simeon are helping to feed the thousands of people whose homes were destroyed
The former sheriff featured on the first two seasons of A&E's 60 Days In, Jamey Noel, had his home searched "related to allegations of public corruption, tax evasion, fraud and ghost employment."
The Chrisley family—minus the imprisoned ones, so Chase, Savannah, Grayson, Chloe, and “Nanny” Faye Chrisley—have signed with Scout Productions to be filmed for a new reality TV show, because attention has paid off for them so well already.
Raquel Leviss quit Vanderpump Rules.
Julie Chen Moonves revealed the title of her new memoir
🗓️ This week's reality TV
The reality shows premiering this week include Captain Lee and Kate Chastain's new series Couch Talk; Boss Moves with Rasheeda, following the Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta star's work life; Time of Essence, about the influential magazine**; and n**ew seasons of HGTV's Good Bones and ID's Disappeared.
The very short list of TV special and documentary subjects premiering on streaming or TV include Elvis Presley's 1968 comeback TV special and Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's trial.
💬 Comments of the week
I disagree!!! I watch this show as much for the vets as any other phase of it. I am not that happy with this iteration as it gives the “rookies” (how are Michele, Cory, Josh etal considered rookies?) an unfair advantage. I find Wes, Bananas, Tori, CT, Jordan, etc. very much worth watching. They are seasoned, strategic and the fact that they have histories makes them much more interesting to me.
—Joan, on this recap/review
I'm OK with Ninja vs Ninja as a way to qualify for Vegas. The city finals tend to be a slog to watch, and this does give us something exciting. With that said, it would be good if they made getting a higher seed mean something, sort of like how having more points gave you a head start on the Eliminator in American Gladiators.
—Kevin, on this story
🤩 I recommend
Catching up on this season, which will end a week from Monday
This great piece about the legacy of The Osbournes
This story, which makes me think we need a reality TV show or two set at a library
Donating to World Central Kitchen—if that's possible for you—because of the great work they do
best,
Andy
🌄 This is issue 350 of reality blurred’s weekly newsletter, first sent on 18 August 2023, and it's excited about the new Mole host
📸 Photo of a sunrise in Wooburn Green, UK, by Benjamin Davies