The best of 2022—and a very happy new year!
Dear newsletter friends, A quick note before the year ends to share with you my year-end pieces: My picks for the best reality TV of 2022 22 of my favorite...
Reality TV premieres for the rest of 2022 🎉
Dear newsletter subscribers, Two weeks, four holidays, and more than a dozen reality TV shows coming to streaming, broadcast, and cable—that's all still to...
Survivor shocker and more surprises • Drag Race changes • holiday reality TV recommendations • and more!
Dear newsletter friends, Somehow, we've arrived at the end of the year. If anyone knows where this entire fall went, please let me know. This will be the...
Reality TV premieres for Dec. 11 to 17, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Good evening! On Wednesday, Survivor 43 ends its season with its normal three-hour finale, which to me always signals the end of...
The Challenge: Global Championship's curious cast • Amazing Race's winners • the best Beat Bobby Flay • recommendations, news, and more
Dear newsletter friends, I've been playing with AI generators last night and this morning, and let's just say they're both amazing and hilarious. For...
Reality TV premieres for Dec. 4 to 10, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, How's December going for you? There's nice cool air here, lights are going up, and it's also rather quiet—which is probably just...
Your winter reality TV schedule is here! • Survivor's historic challenge • time to binge-watch Instant Hotel • and more
Dear newsletter friends, Happy Friday, and happy December! While I really look forward to the quiet period between mid-December and January, winter is going...
Reality TV premieres for Nov. 27 to Dec. 4, 2022
0 Dear newsletter subscribers, Happy Sunday evening! I hope you've had a great two weeks since I last sent this update. I've had a brief and wonderful...
Climb aboard the Pepsi jet • get reality TV gift ideas • see who's going to prison! • and much more
Dear newsletter friends, Happy Wednesday! This newsletter is arriving early in advance of the U.S.'s annual day of gluttony and gratitude, which is followed...
Reality TV premieres for Nov. 13 to 26, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Good evening! I hope you've had a restful and/or productive weekend. My newsletters are taking a week next week off, so this...
Classic Amazing Race • brunch reality TV • my favorite Top Chef -> Food Network star
Dear newsletter friends, Greetings from Florida, where exactly six weeks ago Wednesday and Thursday, we had another hurricane barrel through, with winds...
Holiday reality TV begins! This week's reality TV premieres: Nov. 6 to 12, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, I hope you're enjoying the end of Daylight Savings Time, and used your extra hour to watch some great reality TV. Or just sleep!...
Cheers to a great new Netflix competition, and to a great losing team!
Reality in Focus issue 313
This week's reality TV premieres: Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Happy Halloween eve, if that is a thing! With Halloween passing, we'll actually have another week until holiday reality TV...
Halloween hilarity • I talked to The Mole and its winner • Amazing Race/Survivor recaps • much more
Reality in Focus issue 312
This week's reality TV premieres: Oct. 23 to 29, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, I hope you've had a great weekend so far. Here's your look at unscripted content coming to screens near you this week. All the...
4 reality TV recaps and reviews, plus October must-reads and don't-miss stories
Dear newsletter subscribers, Pit Bulls and Parolees, a longtime Animal Planet show, starts its final season tomorrow, having been cancelled. That made me...
This week's reality TV premieres: Oct. 16 to 22, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Good evening! While it's still fall, and Halloween is weeks away, we already have premiere dates for Food Network's usual...
HGTV's decor secret • Easy-Bake lies • The Profit's fiction • Amazing Race's megaleg • The Mole's first half • reality TV news and recaps • and more
Dear newsletter subscribers, Happy Friday! Did you know most HGTV shows 1) make homeowners pay for renovations, and 2) don't include the actual decor in that...
This week's reality TV premieres: Oct. 9 to 15, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Good evening! I hope the first week of October has been bright and brisk and fall-like. While the official start of fall TV has...
The Mole 🎉 • Real Love Boat sinks and stinks • Survivor & Amazing Race recaps • Amazing Race book excerpt • much more
Dear newsletter subscribers, It's finally here! Almost a year and a half after I reported that Netflix was reviving it, The Mole is back on American TV...
The Mole bonus material—just for you!
Dear newsletter friends, As you may have seen, yesterday I published my massive behind-the-scenes look at The Mole’s early seasons—especially season one, but...
This week's reality TV premieres: Oct. 2 to 8, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Happy October! Here's your look ahead at what's coming this week, some of which is fall themed and some of which is just super-...
Big Brother history • Shark Tank's fiasco • spoiler thoughts • Survivor + Amazing Race recaps • Mary, Mel, and Sue's Bake-Off • and more!
Dear newsletter subscribers, When I wrote last Friday, Hurricane Ian was a tropical depression. And of course, it's now about to slam into yet another coast....
A juicy Challenge USA interview • Survivor, Amazing Race, and DWTS recaps • the new Mole cast and logo! • and so much more!
Dear newsletter subscribers, Happy autumn! I hope the air is a little cooler wherever you are. Let me begin with a confession: The story I previewed in last...
Fall reality TV premieres are here! What's premiering this week: Sept. 18 to 24, 2022
The Challenge's shocking mess • an Emmy upset • fall reality TV • a sneak peek • recommendations and more!
Dear newsletter subscribers, A project I first started working on in 2019 is finally coming next week! I've been teasing it on social media, but as a...
This week's reality TV premieres: Sept. 11 to 17, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Good Sunday evening. We're not quite to the official start of the fall TV season, so this week has some finales, including The...
Breaking The Mole news! • fall reality shows • Claim to Fame's winner • Emmy winners • and more!
Dear newsletter subscribers, I've been trying to learn the identity of the new Mole host for a while now, even publicly asking for tips last month. I was...
This week's reality TV premieres: Aug. 28 to Sept. 10, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Good evening! I hope you enjoy some of the following late-summer reality TV premieres—or the continuation of early summer shows...
Survivor's anniversary • Ryan Reynolds' new reality show • Claim to Fame's blindside • and much more!
Dear newsletter friends, Tuesday was the 22nd anniversary of this game-changing episode of television. I cannot believe it's been that long! I still remember...
What's premiering this week: reality TV for Aug. 21 to 27, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, I hope you’ve had an enjoyable weekend so far. Here’s your look at what’s coming to TV and streaming this week. This week’s...
The Mole is coming back!! 🥳 HBO Max is deleting shows 😫 Plus: BB banner planes • ANW DQ • and more!
Dear newsletter friends, Streaming has given us the ability to watch so many shows any time, including many old shows. I keep turning back to The Golden...
This week's reality show premieres: Aug. 14 to 20, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Happy Sunday evening—or Monday morning, or whenever you are reading this! Here’s what’s ahead on TV and streaming this week....
Password's plague • Big Bad Budget Battle bombshell • Alex's answers • Challenge conflict
Dear newsletter friends, This week, I did some of the most important investigative journalism of my 23-year career covering reality TV. I spent literally...
Reality TV premieres for Aug. 7 to 13, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Happy Sunday evening—or Monday morning, or whenever you are reading this! Here’s what’s ahead on TV and streaming this week....
Drag Race's problem • Survivor vs Survivor on The Challenge • Killer Camp • and more!
Dear newsletter friends, This morning, I saw a few tweets about My90sTV.com, which allows us to watch clips of shows and ads from the decade. It’s wonderful!...
Reality TV show premieres for July 31 to Aug. 6, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Good evening! I’m here with your weekly preview of reality TV coming to your cable channels and streaming services. This week’s...
2 recaps, 2 reviews • Love is Blind b.s. • Shark Week • Love Island • much more!
Dear newsletter friends, It’s the 300th edition of this newsletter, or at least the hand-crafted version. (Its previous life was just an automated list of...
Reality show premieres for July 24 to 30, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, We’re rapidly approaching the end of July (somehow), and this is the one time of year I’m okay with time passing fast because it...
Love is Blind lawsuit's stunning claims • The Challenge strategy • Live PD's return • Jersey Shore house
Dear newsletter friends, I intended to watch and review the new Love Island this week, and have a big story in the works that I was hoping to publish early...
Reality TV premieres for July 17 to 23, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Good evening. I hope your weekend has been refreshing or productive or enriching—whatever you needed it to be! When you have...
Big Brother's Paloma • Challenge USA blindside • Holey Moley's 🤯 finale • Claim to Fame • lots of news
Dear newsletter friends, I finally watched Holey Moley’s finale on Wednesday night, and it caused me to jump off my couch and scream three times. Afterwards,...
Reality TV premieres for July 10 to 16, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Good morning! Here’s a (slightly delayed!) look at what’s premiering on reality TV this week: Reality TV premieres include:The...
reality blurred is 22 today! 🥳 Challenge: USA recap • pre-BB24 drama • MDL:NY cancelled
Dear newsletter friends, Happy Friday, happy July, and happy 22nd birthday to reality blurred! It was 22 years ago today that I registered the domain and...
Three reality TV reviews, two recommendations, one fascinating answer
Dear newsletter friends, Happy Thursday and end of June! How are we already halfway through the year?! I’ve shifted my usual Friday e-mail a day early this...
The next two weeks' reality TV premieres: June 26 to July 9, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Good evening! With the upcoming Fourth of July weekend in the United States, this preview covers the next two weeks, including...
Great Food Truck Race's route • Ninja Warrior editing • Amazing Race/Survivor • Life Below Zero's spin-off
Dear newsletter friends, I’ve been in a (virtual) writing workshop this week that includes three hours of intensive class every day, but also lots of reading...
This week's reality TV premieres: June 19 to 25, 2022
Dear newsletter subscribers, Good evening! I’m sending this preview a day early as Sunday is both Father’s Day and Juneteenth, with Monday as the observed...
A Squid Game reality show?!? • Survivor mystery • Iron Chef's return • Amazing Race route • and more
Dear newsletter friends, Greetings from blisteringly hot central Florida! I have a thing for round numbers, empty inboxes, vacuumed carpet, mowed grass. I...