Last Night - Tonight
Facing Reality One Night At A Time
By RTVC Editor Ron Lemon
June 8, 2005
Last Night:
Allen Funt would be very happy. The debut of Fire Me...Please was simply the reincarnation of Candid Camera with the same set-up over and over again. The same stunned reactions from those unaware of the gag. The same canned laugh track. The host does have more hair. CBS booked four episodes. That's three too many.
Tonight:
Two really entertaining shows present their second episodes tonight. Beauty and the Geek on The WB at 8/7c is a strangely warm look at relationships that once again shows us it's what's inside that counts. Our Beauty and the Geek page is here. Gayl Killough's recap of episode 2 will be up tomorrow.
At 9/8c ABC's Dancing With The Stars continues and will gives us our first elimination of the show. Cari C. is predicting the end of Kelly and Alex. You can see her rankings here.
Tonights premiere is the second season of The Real Gilligan's Island. TBS will be running two episodes starting at 9/8c. It appears they are going to burn the show off quickly in the same manner as last season. We wish they would let it go one episode a week and build some anticipation and tension. But we don't run networks, we just complain about them. Teri Sue will again be handling the recaps. It will be posted tomorrow. Click here for more information on the show and to learn about the cast.
Tonight's Picks:
8/7c - Beauty & The Geek - The WB
9/8c - Watch Gilligan's Island 2 - TBS and TIVO Dancing With Stars - ABC
10/9c -Watch Gilligan's Island 2 - TBS ( Second Episode )
More tomorrow.
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June 7, 2005
Last Night:
Last night saw the premiere of The Scholar on ABC. It is technically a competitive/elimination Reality TV show. But it comes off more as an old style academic quiz show. Its not very exciting and its made less so by a host who appears to be on the verge of slipping into a coma. The contestants are almost all 4.0 or better students, some with SAT scores above 1500. So why don't they have scholarships already? Only one character stands out in the cast. And he is a pompous, self-important snob who wants to be President of the United States if he ever grows up. We expected better.
The second episode of Hell's Kitchen ran last night. This show is what I expected from Mark Burnett's The Restaurant. High Reality TV Drama. An interesting and dynamic cast. A very strong "star" in Gordon Ramsey. Last night's episode saw the two kitchen teams struggle to improve, and they did a little Another potential chef was eliminated, and he deserved to be. Good job Fox.
Tonight:
Two more premieres tonight! Of course they are both on at 9/8c. Thank you networks....again.
Fire Me....Please is brought to us on CBS. Think Apprentice in Bizzarro World. Here is what CBS says: This new four-episode reality series follows two people starting new jobs on the same day, with the goal of intentionally getting fired by 3PM. To most people, getting fired seems like it would be the end of the world, but what if getting fired meant you could win $25,000? The person that gets fired closest to, but does not go past, the 3PM deadline wins the cash prize. Hidden cameras capture the action as the participants drive their managers and co-workers crazy with outrageous behavior. We like the concept, hopefully it will be funny rather dumb and dumber. We'll see.
The second season of Blow Out is the second premiere of the evening. Here is what Bravo is saying about Season 2: After renowned hairstylist Jonathan Antin opened Jonathan Salon Beverly Hills last year with great success, great drama and a season finale capturing over one million viewers on Bravo, viewers can delve into Antin's new career ambitions, the lives of his talented stylists, and the new Jonathan Product team with the second-season premiere.
In addition, Antin turns his sights on the global market as he plans the worldwide launch of his multi-million dollar hair care line, Jonathan Product. It's his latest and most taxing undertaking yet -- and ripe with all the tears, trials and tension tailor-made for intriguing television this summer.
Mandy Smith will be handling recaps on the show. You can read it here tomorrow.
Tonight's Picks:
8/7c - Blow Out: Season One Finale Repeat - Bravo
9/8c - Blow Out 2 - Bravo, and Fire Me...Please - CBS....Watch one and TIVO the other.
10/9c - Watch what you TIVO'd
More tomorrow.
June 6, 2005
Last Night:
It was a good night to watch what you'd TIVO'd earlier in the week; or rent a movie. We did a little of both. If you haven't seen Liam Neeson in Kinsey it is worth the time.
Tonight:
A much better night tonight for RTV fans.
The Scholar premieres at 8 on ABC. Here is what ABC is saying:
The opportunity of a lifetime is about to come true for one of America's best and brightest high school students in an original, new, one-hour unscripted series that will give the winner a college education from a top-rated school of their choice. Filmed on location at the University of Southern California, The Scholar will be the first show ever to celebrate higher education as the ultimate American prize.
For the chance at a full ride to the college of their choice, ten qualified high school seniors from economically disadvantaged backgrounds -- who might not otherwise have an opportunity to attend one of America's top universities -- will compete for a full scholarship, a prize that could be worth as much as $240,000. They will have to demonstrate excellence in the areas of academics, leadership, creativity and community service, while facing sudden-death oral exams defending themselves to an Ivy League scholarship committee.
The show has gotten mixed reviews from critics. We'll have our review up tomorrow.
If you missed the premiere of Hell's Kitchen you can catch it at 8/7c followed by a new episode at 9/8c on Fox. I enjoy this show except: the bleeping. Either let the swearing come through in the clear or don't let the cast swear or edit out the swearing completely. Any of those options is preferable to the endless bleeping. It's annoying and a tune out factor. Not smart.
At 10/9c A & E has got Family Plots. This show has a small but very loyal following. If you have never seen it you should try it.
At 10:30/9:30c MTV will be previewing Real World Austin. For Counselor Shawn's excellent preview of the 16th Real World season click here.
For the 13 year old females there is Growing Up Gotti at 9/8c on A & E.
And for the really desperate Fox Reality is running Celebrity Boxing at 8/7c. Is this really Reality TV? Of course earlier in the day you can catch Real Stories of the Highway Patrol on FRC. Sigh.
Tonight's Picks
8/9c - The Scholar - ABC
9/8c - Hell's Kitchen - Fox
10:30/9:30c - Real World Austin Preview - MTV
More tomorrow.
June 3, 2005
Last Night:
Last night we watched Hit Me Baby, One More Time. I'm sorry. I'll try never to do that again. Tiffany, what were you thinking when you put on that skirt? You're not 15 anymore. And Mike Reno of Loverboy, the hat, you're bald guy, get over it. The one good thing about this show, no never mind, there isn't one good thing. It certainly isn't Reality TV, it's just a scary reality. Will they air it next week? Time and numbers will tell. Will we watch it next week? Not a chance. We'll be watching The Cut on CBS.
Short note - Congrats to Dancing With The Stars. 13 Million Viewers. I'm glad I was wrong. It's a very watchable show and deserves an audience.
Tonight:
The weekend is upon us and there is not much to pick from right now. So I'm going to rant.
I had hoped that the new Fox Reality Channel would fill these voids. They aren't. For tonight, Saturday and Sunday primetime FRC gives us a choice of Last Comic Standing 2 and Last Comic Standing 1. How nice. Why are they blowing off programs in this manner? Is there a purpose? Do studies show this actually builds an audience? Somebody tell me, please.
And while we are on the subject - why are we told that the channel will be available on certain systems, and it's not there? Hear that Adelphia? I'd like to watch the channel but can't.
And while I'm on this mini-rant would someone at FRC get a clue about your schedule page? There is no indication at all of what episode you are running. Perhaps this is to entice people to tune in. I think a lot of people simply won't bother. How can they tell when a series starts, when it ends, what episode is running at 8, is the episode at 9 different. A little detail would help. And it would get the FRC primetime schedule listed here at Reality TV Calendar....if we had a clue what was on when.
All that said, the channel and the site is a work in progress. Perhaps I and the people writing me should be more patient. I hope FRC's advertisers have the patience to wait while they build a channel. I hope the channel succeeds. There is an audience for Reality TV 24/7. But it can't be the same show over and over again. It needs to be Reality TV, not endless repeats of Cops and, shudder, "Paid Programming." Pony up to the bar boys and buy some programming. Get your website working right. Get the carriers lined up and delivering on their promises. Then rake the money in.
More on Monday.
June 2, 2005
Last Night:
Last night we watched the premiere of two new shows. I really enjoyed both, but I think only one will succeed.
First we caught Ashton Kutchner's Beauty and The Geek. I was hoping Ashton would show a little more respect and sympathy for both the beauties and the geeks than he normally does for his Punk'd victims. And he did...at least a little. And that made the difference for me. I suspect the show is a little more scripted than most Reality TV and I think some of the cast is doing a little to much "acting" but all in all it is funny and fun to watch. I already have my favorites. If you missed it catch a rerun on The WB this week and then tune in next Wednesday for episode two. I think this show will be a hit for The WB.
We also watched and enjoyed Dancing With The Stars. These once-were and hope-to-be celebs really worked their butts off in an effort to do well with this. They succeeded. Watching the dancing was fun. Watching the judging was strangely reminiscent of American Idol. But I don't think this show will get great numbers for ABC. The show is not going to capture the lower end of the 18-49 market. That's too bad. They could use some grace and elegance.
Tonight:
Thursday feels so empty without Survivor and The Apprentice. But there is a premiere tonight that might be worth watching. We're going to try it. Hit Me Baby, One More Time will debut on NBC tonight at 9/8c. Here's what NBC is saying about it...
You loved them "then", but will you love them now? Hitmakers from the past take the stage in a new competition in which you're the judge! Former Top Ten artists return to perform their trademark hit song along with one of today's current hits. The audience decides which "veteran hit maker" deserves a second chance in the limelight!
We'll have RTVC Staff Writer Mandy Smith doing the recap on it. Check the front page tomorrow.
Tonight's Pick
9/8c - Hit Me Baby, One More Time premieres on NBC.
More tomorrow.
June 1, 2005
I have been thinking of doing this for a long time. And now I have.
I'm shutting down the old "News, Rumors and Rants" page and replacing it with Last Night - Tonight.
On most days we will share a look at what happened on Reality TV last night and take a look at what is happening tonight. Some days I will mention things that are happening here at Reality TV Calendar. From time to time I'll point you towards other articles on RTVC. And more importantly, to me anyway, I am going to start working half days on Saturday and Sunday. That gives me one full day off a week...sort of. But that means this column will only run five days a week. Which means some days will actually cover more than one night.....sort of. Aren't you glad I shared all that with you? Ok, maybe not. Anyway welcome to the first edition of Last Night - Tonight. Bookmark the page and save it. Twenty years from now who knows what it will be worth on ebay. Ok, maybe not.
Last Night
There was nothing new and exciting on last night. Yes I know Britney and Kevin: Chaotic was on last night. Is this the trend for young celebrities? Is there such a thing as two much exposure? Are we going to have to watch every celebrity that can push the record button document their every thought? I would find this much more interesting if it was being done by people we have never heard of. Stick the camera in the hand of Joe Double-Wide and let him document his life. That would be real. And more interesting. The problem with Chaotic is that we can't vote them off the island.
Tonight
It's June 1st and there is a lot happening this month. There are at least a dozen Reality TV premieres this month with more coming in July. Tonight features the debut of three new shows.
The first is Beauty and The Geek at 8/7c on The WB. Why is it "The" WB? I'm looking forward to this one. It's brought to us by the same seriously disturbed people who do Punk'd. Here's a couple of quotes from the show:
“I'm smart. I've got a really high I.Q. I think my I.Q. is probably about 500.“
- Lauren, “Beauty”
“Because I'm so busy with the ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ fan club, I have trouble meeting women.”
- Bill, “Geek”
That pretty much says it all. I'm really happy that we will have Gayl Killough recapping the show. Gayl is a smart lady. She'll bring thoughtful comment to a show that I think will be unintentionally hilarious and a very revealing look at relationships. I'm predicting it will be another guilty pleasure.
Also opening tonight is Sports Kids Moms & Dads at 10/9c on Bravo. At the moment we aren't planning on covering this one. If someone writes in and want to cover it we'd put it on the site, but I really wonder how much interest there is in this. Basically it's a rip-off of Bravo's Show Dogs Moms & Dads which was a rip off of Bravo's show about child beauty pageants and their Moms and Dads. Basically we have parents bullying their kids to achieve what the parents never could. The difference between this and Beauty and the Geek is that it is not funny. It is sad.
The third show to debut tonight is ABC's Dancing With The Stars at 9/8c. We are going to have six barely made the D-List celebs learning to do ball room dancing with professional dancers guiding their every step. Don't try this at home. If you have never seen ball room I recommend you give it a try. It combines grace and sensuality and is fun to watch. The show will feature a panel of judges and audience voting to send one celeb home every week. That is an idea I can get behind.
Tonight's Picks
8/7c - Watch Beauty And The Geek - Record Supernanny
9/8c - Watch Dancing With The Stars
10/9c - Watch Supernanny
More tomorrow.
RTVC Editor Ron Lemon is a United State Air Force veteran who has lived in Alaska, Florida and many places in between. He has worked in the Radio, TV and Print media and spent too many years running computer operations for a state prison. Today he edits and manages Reality TV Calendar for fun and a little profit.
Your thoughts, complaints, compliments, questions and rants are welcome. Email Ron
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