The Mole, revisited; Big Brother's twist and cast, revealed; Top Chef, celebrated; Duggars, dumped; and more!
Dear newsletter friends,
We’re halfway through the year, and I thought it was finally time to take a break away from screens and the daily routine. So, this past weekend, my husband and sister and I drove to the mountains to spend time with two close friends. Hiking and eating and just staring at the mountains were all wonderful and too short, as these things tend to be.
I’ve been playing catch-up this week, so I haven’t yet watched last night’s finale of Top Chef, so no spoilers here:
I wrote about why the all-star panel should stay. Love love love them!
As part of that story, I looked at other COVID-era changes that reality TV shows made that should stick around—a story that includes many of your thoughts. Thanks for sharing!
The Mole
First, the biggest news:
As I reported to you in early May, The Mole is coming back. I’ve since updated that story with conformation that the new season is being produced for Netflix. 🎉
That explains why the first two seasons of The Mole are now on Netflix.
I’ve started rewatching and writing about each episode, and you can find my recaps of all episodes here, which will be updated as I add new recaps over the next two weeks. (Then, it’s on to season 2!)
You can also read them individually:
The Mole begins by taking elements of Survivor to a new level
The Mole kidnaps a player for its Man in the Iron Mask test while Anderson Cooper hangs out
The Mole’s players roll the dice and get bowled over in Spain
Anderson Cooper sets traps for The Mole’s players in two well-designed tests
Big Brother
Big Brother revealed its big twist, and it’s a very familiar one!
The BB23 cast was also revealed, and while it’s too judge, it is the first BB cast to 1) fall under CBS’s new casting requirements, and 2) be cast by Survivor’s casting team.
Reality show and star news
TLC finally cancelled its worst show, but leaves behind this pathetic legacy
Hoarders Matt Paxton’s great new show was nominated for a daytime Emmy. Several Netflix shows, such as this one, were also nominated, which is curious, because I didn’t realize Netflix had day parts.
Two new reality TV-focused networks launched this week, though they’re only available via antenna: Defy TV and TrueReal.
Also:
COPS creator John Langley, 78, died of a heart attack while racing in Mexico.
Allison Mack was sentenced to three years in prison for her role in the NXIVM cult, a horror show that was the subject of two great documentary series last fall.
Are the celebrities on Celebrity Dating Game actually looking for love? Here’s David Koechner’s answer
⭐️ I recommend
Pluto TV’s new Julia Child channel, and other places to watch Julia Child’s shows for free
This deep dive about how “a year of national reckonings on race and inequality has tested how real the Housewives should be”
Seeing the costumed cast of Netflix’s Sexy Beasts
This interview with the casting director of The Real Magic Mike
That’s everything I have this week. Have a great and safe Fourth of July and weekend, whether you’re traveling or just staying in with some great reality TV.
best,
Andy
🌄 This is Reality in Focus issue 249, first sent July 2, 2021, and it wishes it was the mole.
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📷 Photo of the Great Smoky Mountains by Rachel Davis