Streaming services are giving us more reality TV — and taking it away, too
Dear newsletter friends,
The biggest story on reality blurred this week—both in terms of readership and, I think, newsworthiness—is about a streaming service's actions.
Paramount+ has deleted its marquee reality series. All three seasons: poof, gone!
They've given the same pathetic excuse that they did back when they strangely deleted international Survivor seasons after streaming them for just days: "due to streaming rights." 🙄
This has been happening a lot recently, and certainly not just to reality shows; it's helped one company save billions.
In happier news:
Peacock is giving us more Traitors—lots more! 🎉🎉🎉
I'm so excited and thrilled for what's coming, because I love this show.
Yet the Paramount+ example reminds me of an indelible fact: ultimately, our entertainment is in the hands of corporations who care primarily about maximizing their own profit. How fun for us!
Reviews and recaps
I reviewed:
- Netflix's Great British Baking Show: The Professionals, which is like The Amazing Race of baking
I recapped Tough As Nails:
- episode 6, when I worried someone would get sliced in half. Then came the ladder. 😱
This week brought us:
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These reality TV premieres, including new seasons of Ghost Adventures and 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way, plus Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World
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These specials and documentaries, including a Schoolhouse Rock! special and a Netflix doc about a very rich dog
If you'd like advance notice of reality TV premieres, that's one perk of upgrading your newsletter subscription—and you can choose any amount, from $2 on up!
Another perk: supporting an independent writer and publication! Thanks to all of you who have upgraded.
Reality TV news
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CBS announced the cast of Survivor 44. And they still haven't updated their website since Survivor 42.
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Bravo announced the cast of Top Chef World All Stars and its March premiere date.
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The Squid Game reality show players told Rolling Stone that the game was both "rigged" and "inhumane." During Red Light/Green Light, the players were wearing blood packs that exploded if they moved, to look like they'd been shot. That's according to players who talked to The Sun, who said players had to be carried out by medics; Netflix's callous reply was that "contestants were prepared by production several weeks ago that they would be playing a game in cold conditions and participated knowing this."
Even more reality TV news
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RHONY: Legacy is reportedly on "pause" because the cast wants more money
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RHONY’s Eboni K. Williams is getting her own court show
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Paramount is renaming Showtime—home of the great Couples Therapy—as "Paramount+ With Showtime."
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CNBC cancelled both Kevin O'Leary's Money Court and Jay Leno's Garage, which is maybe the least-bad thing to happen to Jay Leno recently, as he got into a motorcycle crash months after burning himself.
🤩 I recommend
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This show on Netflix, if The Great British Bake-Off is too sedate for you
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This show on Amazon, which is heading toward its finale
Bonus recommendations:
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This site, if you're in the U.S. and do your taxes online and are ready to finally free yourself from TurboTax
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This library's offer, for any people age 13 to 21 you know who are living in places where books are being banned
Have a great rest of your week, and a fantastic weekend!
best,
Andy
🌄 This is issue 324 of reality blurred’s weekly newsletter, first sent 3 February 2023, and it can't wait to talk with y'all about The Traitors UK
📸 Photo of Lightning Lake Loop in British Columbia by James Wheeler