Where is Road Rules? Why did Chris Harrison get fired and $50 million? Is Tough As Nails too tough? And more...
Dear newsletter friends,
Happy Friday, and a warm welcome to all new subscribers. About 70 people have joined us over the past few weeks, and it’s great to grow our community of people who love reality TV in all its many forms. Welcome!
This week, I reviewed TBS’s The Cube, hosted by Dwayne Wade, another game show imported from the UK.
I didn’t like it as much as I liked this new NBC show. What did you think of either or both?
I also answered three questions:
And I gasped out loud at this news:
After The Bachelorette returned without Chris Harrison, we learned that it will never again have Chris Harrison, as he’s essentially been fired…
…but that comes with a reported $50 million or so to leave—and not reveal its secrets. 😱🤔
Related news: ABC “isn’t in a major rush” to replace Chris Harrison. Free idea: Don’t. Does the franchise really need a face?
Other reality TV news
Big Brother Canada is confirmed for a 10th season
Pictionary is coming back to TV, and tapes in a few weeks.
HBO Max announced a new show called FBoy Island, on which three women date 24 men, 12 of whom are the titular “Fuck Boys.” It comes from Elan Gale, former producer of The Bachelor.
Nicholas Braun, aka Cousin Greg on Succession, told GQ, “I find reality shows to be kind of horrific” so he’s writing a script for a “social horror movie” about reality TV.
⭐️ I recommend
This show, which was edited into a feature documentary that was just added to Discovery+
This essay about how The Real Housewives “Bravo’s decision to insert a lone woman of color into the all-white casts of its flagship reality franchise has led to some terribly ugly television.” This past week’s episode of RHONY, which is the one Housewives I watch, was full of some disgraceful behavior.
This piece about Jessica B. Harris, whose book High on the Hog is the basis of the Netflix show of the same name, which I just started watching and definitely also recommend
This interview with Meerkat Manor’s creator about the revival of the show
That’s everything for this week! For next week, I’m working on behind-the-scenes interviews about two shows, Holey Moley and American Ninja Warrior, plus a review of HBO Max’s Full Bloom.
Look for those stories and more on reality blurred, and enjoy whatever reality TV you watch this weekend!
best,
Andy
🌄 This is Reality in Focus issue 247, first sent June 11, 2021, and it does not have brute strength.
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📷 Photo of a pool near Guincho Beach in Portugal by Etienne Girardet