Top Chef's future; why Jeff Probst is annoyed with CBS ...
Top Chef's future; why Jeff Probst is annoyed with CBS; Phil Keoghan's new show; In a Man's World review; and more reality TV
Dear newsletter friends,
Happy Friday! For some reason this week has seemed like the longest week ever, and yesterday I was convinced it was Friday. I hope your week has been delightful, or if not, I hope it’s over soon and next week is better.
Fans of Top Chef: Top Chef season 17 is filming now, and all sightings suggest it’ll be an all-star season. Here are the returning chefs who’ve been spotted.
Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan is hosting and producing a new CBS competition reality show.
I recapped Survivor Island of the Idols episode 2, which had more great character development, plus one-fifth of the episode focused on Rob and Sandra. Read the full recap here.
Also: I wrote about why Jeff Probst is annoyed at CBS’ promos, and why contestants are choosing to lie about the Island of the Idols.
Also this week, I reviewed Bravo’s new “social experiment” reality show.
That phrase is overused in reality TV, but In a Man’s World really does have an experiment at its core, as each episode has a woman going undercover as a man to see if she’s treated differently by the exact same people.
Read my full review, and if you’ve seen it, I’m curious what you thought!
You can always reply and tell me what you think, or comment on the article itself—or, in a fun new feature, comment on these newsletters. Just click the comment icon under the headline, next to the little heart, which is also a thing you can click if you’re into clicking things.
First Dates, fat bears, and more
In case you missed it, it’s still Fat Bear Week, and even if you don’t vote in it, I’d suggest checking out this live bear feed from Alaska.
NBC’s First Dates and Ellen’s Design Challenge are both returning!
Yes, one of my favorite* reality series of the last few years, First Dates, is coming back—well, kind of. Not to NBC, but to the new streaming service HBO Max, which is also reviving an old HGTV design competition.
*I liked First Dates so much NBC made a promo just out of my praise for the show, which was a surprise and a first! Watch that promo here.
On Monday, I sent you the list of 25+ reality shows premiering this week, so you’d have it in your inbox before everyone else.
Look for the next edition Monday morning, and let me know what you think of that! I like trying new things, but I also want to make sure they’re useful.
Have a terrific weekend, and I’ll see you in your inbox next week.
best,
Andy
🌄 This is Reality in Focus issue 164, first sent 4 October 2019, and it’s already overwhelmed with how many streaming services there are.
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📷 Photo of a pumpkin by Marius Ciocirlan