Reality TV News Rumors & Rants
A Running Log Of The Latest RTV News
Compiled By RTVC Editor Ron Lemon
December 4, 2004
Scheduling News
Survivor: Vanuatu's two-hour finale will air at 8/7c on Sunday, December 12th and be followed by a one hour live reunion special. Jeff Probst will host the reunion, which will take place at the CBS's Television City Studios in Los Angeles. Despite what Donald Trump wants to believe Survivor remains the most watched Reality TV program of the 2004-2005 season to date Neilsen Ratings. It ranks 5th among all programs in the same category.
Speaking of the Egomeister - NBC will echo the Survivor finale format by running a two hour finale followed immediately by a one hour reunion show for The Apprentice 2. It's been scheduled for 8/7c on Thursday, December 16th.
The Biggest Loser finale is set for a 90 minute episode on January 11th. Although The Biggest Loser 2 is in the casting phase there is no word on when it will premiere.
The Next Great Champ was a ratings failure, but very compelling Reality TV. Now it's Mark Burnett's turn. His boxing show, The Contender will premeire on Monday, February 21st. It will then move to Tuesday nights at 8/7c time slot on Tuesday March 1st. The show will star Sylvester Stallone.
They promised us it was over. They lied. Newlyweds Nick and Jessica will get a third season. MTV announced the third season will begin in January.
Even the Gotti's make scheduling news today. You can join Victoria and the Boys for A Very Gotti Christmas, Monday, December 13th, 9/8c on A & E. The networks says "This holiday season nobody knows how to do it up like Victoria and her boys. Tag along as the Gottis deck the halls, go Christmas shopping, wrap presents, and look at home videos of Christmases past!"
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December 3, 2004 American Idols
Ruben Studdard, who was hospitalized for "exhaustion" has been released. According to his uncle he returned home and feasted on a Thanksgiving dinner. This guy needs help and I hope he gets it.
Fantasia's debut album, "Free Yourself," is out. It hit Billboard at number 8. That is the first of the American Idols not to debut at number one; a feat that both Kelly Clarkson and Ruben Studdard accomplished. (Although Ruben's second album, "I Need An Angel" debuted at number 20) At the close of American Idol 3 we predicted she would not sell as well as other Idols. She just does not have the same appeal. We hope American Idol 4 will be stronger.
American Idol 2 Runner-up Clay Aiken is doing well. His Holiday album premiered on Billboard at number 4 last week. That ties a record that has been held by Celine Dion for six years. Clay's book Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life, which he co-wrote with Allison Glock hit the New York times best-seller list at number 2. He has a Chistmas special on NBC next Wednesday and he has an interview right here on Reality TV Calendar. You can read it here.
Gilligan's Island
We were very pleased to see the ratings for the premiere of The Real Gilligan's Island. The show pulled in 7 million viewers. Very good for cable channel TBS. They beat FOX and UPN and even topped some of ABC's disappointing ratings for The Bachelor. We hope the ratings will build and that TBS will not burn it out by immediately running the whole show. In two days they aired 3 episodes. During those 3 episodes we saw a Reality TV contestant suffer a heart attack, and watched as competing contestants ignored his pain. We saw a large group on contestants who seem to be genuinely nice people. A refreshing change. The only exception to that was one of the two Millionaire Couples. The Beavens, especially Millionaire wife Donna, define the words Snob and Biggot. Fortunately they have been banished to the other side of the island. The only other problem with the show is a romance between Gilligan Chris and Mary Ann Kate. I'm sorry, but Gilligan getting the girl is just to much to believe. If you haven't seen it, watch it...it's worth it. You can learn more, see the photos and read the recaps here.
December 2, 2004 Diary of An Affair
Here's what the show's official site says:
Imagine hearing true confessions of real women and men who strayed from their partner to pursue perilous and provocative acts with another. Diary of an Affair allows you to live vicariously through the intimate details of an infidel's torrid tale.
Each steamy episode recounts real stories from real people. The excitement, the fear, the passion, the remorse, the pain and the eventual resolve of the rendezvous--all in their own words! Want more? Read the torrid transcripts, or check out our episode guide.
How far will cheaters go? Find out in the explosive reality series Diary of an Affair.
New Episodes: Saturdays at 9 p.m. on the Style Network; also catch it on E!, Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m.
When I first heard about this show I pegged it as a rip-off of Cheaters. A show so distasteful it could not even qualify as a guilty pleasure. But I made that judgement without bothering to watch it. Shame on me. I've been told that this show is not only interesting, but fascinating. That it actually has class. I'll reserve judgement on that for the time being until I've had a chance to see it. But we have made the commitment here at Reality TV Calendar to start covering the show. We'll have recaps and a show page up soon.
Simple Life 3
Those loveable scamps are coming back for more hilarious hijinks. Is "Gag me with a spoon!" still in vogue? I guess my age is showing but that sums up my feelings for Simple Life perfectly. Nicole and Paris completed filming of the third and I hope final edition of this mindless fluff. Once again we will learn "That's hot!" while they intentionally annoy and irritate the people who are generous enough to put them up. The big twist this time is they are traveling on a Bus. Our guess is the insurance for them to drive just got to be too much. Again they will stay with decent people who will get treated as doormats in return for their kindness. Once again they will deliberately sabotage any job they take for the "cool" humor of it. Once again anybody over 18 will cringe while watching it. At least I hope so.
The third season premieres on FOX January 26th.
Humorist Randall The Vandal will be recapping. I can't wait.
December 1, 2004 Gilligan's Island
The show premiered with two episodes last night on TBS. A third new episode will air tonight at 9/8c on TBS. Next week it appears the show will settle into a Tuesday and Wednesday night schedule with one new episode each night.
We'll have recaps by humorist Randall The Vandal for both of last nights episodes up shortly.
Martha Stewart and Mark Burnett are still an item. Even though Stewart is currently languishing in Camp Cupcake, Burnett wants a Reality TV show with the domestic diva.
According to the Hollywood Reporter the show, which may debut next year after Stewart gets sprung, would be a competition based elimination format similar to Survivor. Stewart's company, Living Omnimedia, is also pitching top syndicators in an effort to revive her daily TV show. We are not a domestic diva so we aren't qualified to comment on her daily show. We are 100% Reality TV fanatic so we will comment on the Burnett / Stewart connection. We just don't get it. What is the attraction of Martha Stewart? Why should I want to watch her? This looks like another Restaurant to me. While Burnett's Survivor is giving us the most boring season to date he is working new shows. Draw your own conclusions.
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