Survivor 😭😭 • Traitors UK 🥳 • 3 amazing interviews • 9 recaps
Dear newsletter friends,
I just got back from a two-mile walk this beautiful, cool morning. Yesterday, it snowed on me, and today, it rained.
But this was not precipitation. Instead, pollen and tiny worm-like caterpillars poured down from the trees onto me, my shirt, my hair. My lungs are thrilled.
I realize this is the second week in a row I've started with a horrifying living-in-the-Florida-swamp story. It's not all bad here, promise; there's even been excellent news this week.
To turn the pollen into a metaphor, there's a lot of great reality TV raining down upon us now, uh, and planting seeds for even more?
Read on for my recap of a thrilling start to The Traitors UK, a sad episode of Survivor, interviews, reviews, and much more!
🂡 3 interviews
I had the privilege of talking to three amazing people this week:
Wildcard Kitchen host Eric Adjepong, who shared details about the show and his hosting
Blown Away judge Katherine Gray, who talked about her judging criteria, what we don’t see, and more
Deal or No Deal Island’s Claudia Jordan, who explained why she helped Boston Rob and called out Kim
✅ 2 reviews
Investigation Discovery's Quiet on Set, which won’t stay silent about abuse at kids’ shows
Apple TV+'s Manhunt, which is righteous, ambitious, and trying much too hard
💃 Recaps
The Traitors
A stunning roundtable ends The Traitors UK 2’s first three episodes
Coming this weekend: A recap of the next three UK episodes!
How would you change The Traitors’ game or TV show? Let me know!
Survivor
So You Think You Can Dance
So far, SYTYCD is just great dance—and great judging. But Nigel's absence is weird, since this filmed before he exited!
Big Brother Canada
Hamsterwatch reports on what you need to know:
Also:
🔪 True crime
As I mentioned last week, Sarah and Eve resumed their true-crime podcast, The Docket, which you can listen to right on reality blurred, or in your own podcast app.
The latest ep:
James L. Swanson on The Deerfield Massacre: The Manhunt author on his latest book, pre-colonial research, “mourning wars,” and souvenir spoons.
Add the podcast to any podcast app with this URL:
https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/feed/podcast/docketAlso in true crime:
🗓️ Reality TV premieres
Reality TV premieres this week included the return of The Amazing Race; Fixer to Fabulous in Italy; and new seasons of Critter Fixers: Country Vets, Teen Mom: Family Reunion, and 7 Little Johnstons.
This week's specials included the Love Is Blind reunion; the next chapter in Hulu's look at Erika Girardi and Tom Girardi's mess; and Tom Hanks narrating the true story behind Masters of the Air.
💬 Comments of the week
On this Survivor recap, Kerri wrote:
And apparently “new era” rules dictate no one over 40. You’d think Jeff would want some older players because I’m telling ya, Probsty is looking long in the tooth in closeups under the harsh natural lighting, and a smattering of more mature players is just the ticket to making him appear younger.
On this interview, Anita wrote:
I still think it’s an awful underlying game, but the drama in this episode makes me want to continue watching the show.
🗞️ Reality TV and true crime news
RuPaul won't host RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under anymore. Given the chance to replace him with one of the queens from that franchise, now renamed Drag Race Down Under, the producers have decided to go with Michelle Visage
RuPaul's bookstore backtracked on its decision to sell hate-filled books, and its CEO apologized
Netflix is cancelling its tennis doc series Break Point after two seasons.
On Celebrity Big Brother, Sharon Osbourne said she's "furious" with Simon Cowell, who prevented her from being on the first Masked Singer. She also said he "cuts you off. He doesn't know how to keep friends."
···
In true-crime news from Sarah D. Bunting:
The Cecil Hotel, subject of a notorious Berlinger docuseries for Netflix, is for sale.
Yellowstone producers will take on the JonBenét Ramsey case
Teen Vogue has a round-up of responses to Emma Stone's Best Actress Oscar win—namely, that the statue should have gone to pre-ceremony favorite Lily Gladstone for her Killers Of The Flower Moon performance.
🤩 I recommend
This UK season of The Traitors, which is already outstanding
This Oscar-winning film, now streaming free
This episode of American Masters about Mae West, which I stumbled upon the other night and watched to the end, because it was so fascinating
This meme, which is still making me laugh
I hope your allergies are under control and your week is coming to a nice end, and I'll see you on reality blurred and back in your inbox next week!
best,
Andy
🌄 This is issue 374 of reality blurred’s weekly newsletter, first sent on 15 March 2024, and it learned this week that kindness is apparently about celebrating others' misfortune 🤨