Traitors finale & interview • more Survivor on Netflix • Housewives • Top Chef • actual squid + real Squid Game
Dear newsletter friends,
Hello from my heated blanket, where my cat and I are roasting because it is 34 outside. I don't love the Florida summers, but a little warmer than this would be nice!
I just looked at the weather map to see if I'd be bragging about our heat down here, and it looks like most of the U.S. is roughly the same, in the 20s and 30s too, with some teens showing up.
Friends in Canada and some parts further north, my apologies for your single-digit and/or negative temps and/or my 34-degree bragging!
Thankfully, we have reality TV and e-mail about TV to keep us company and warm when it's icy outside, so let's look at this week.
The Traitors
I recapped The Traitors:
I interviewed:
one of The Traitors' reality star cast members, who generously shared a lot of behind-the-scenes insight
I've requested interviews with The Traitors’ winner(s) and its producers, so I hope I'll be able to bring you those soon.
And just in case you're still not yet on board, definitely read:
My spoiler-free review about why it's the year's best reality show, and probably will keep that title
Reviews and recaps
I reviewed:
I recapped Tough As Nails:
episode 4: Oil and tears spill everywhere
episode 5, and I am very proud of this headline: Squid games leave squid juice squirting on Tough As Nails. Alas, Elon Musk is not, or maybe his idea of free speech just excludes squid.
Here are the other:
reality TV shows that premiered this week, including The Bachelor, Frozen Planet II, Jersey Shore Family Vacation, and Homicide Hunter with Lt. Joe Kenda
and specials and documentaries, including ones about queer comic books and Roberta Flack
Reality TV news
Netflix is adding another Survivor season!
Bravo announced the cast of Top Chef World All Stars and its March premiere date.
The Squid Game reality show is filming, and players said that during Red Light/Green Light, they wearing blood packs that exploded if they moved, to look like they'd been shot. WTF! Because it was so cold, some players needed medical attention.
This very terrible show has been cancelled—not because it is very terrible, but because it doesn't repeat well and is more expensive than Food Network's competitions
The Oscar nominees for documentary feature and short
More in my round-up of reality TV news and must-read stories, including:
a Too Hot To Handle cast member interview
Milf Manor’s reason for existing
How The Real Housewives viewers have "become a vital part of the 'Housewives' ecosystem"
🤩 I recommend
I hope you're staying warm and have a terrific weekend ahead!
best,
Andy
🌄 This is issue 323 of reality blurred’s weekly newsletter, first sent 27 January 2023, and while it has no upper-body strength, it's just cocky enough to believe it wouldn't have been first out on Physical: 100’s first challenge
📸 Photo of a fireplace and chair by Jessica Johnston