Newsletter chitchat - February 20, 2024

[Cassel]

Do you like reality shows?

Which ones do you like? 

Which ones do you watch?

Let's chat.

[Rene Marker]

Yes, I do like reality shows. Over the years I have watched Survivor, Amazing Race and all variations of the Bachelor shows.

I haven't watched Survivor for several seasons. The last full season I watched was #41. I watched the first episode of #42 and quit. Season #46 premieres next week. It just doesn't appeal to me any more.

Same with the shows from the Bachelor. The problem with it is that the producers use the same storyboard/formula every season and cast the contestants to fill a character they need. Then they create drama instead of letting it happen organically like in the original seasons. And, it seems all of them want to be "influencers" so they play to the camera. It has gotten quite boring to me.

Amazing Race is still good and I can't wait for the next season to start in a couple weeks. Production still finds ways to keep the show fresh for the viewers.

But recently a show has come out that I absolutely love! The Traitors. Season 1 in the USA came out last year and Season 2 is airing now. Evidently there are other English speaking versions from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Peacock has the 1st seasons for UK and Australia. Season 2 for UK and Australia will be on Peacock in March and New Zealand season 1 will also be added then. I watched UK Season 1 and now I want to see them all!

[Michele]

I'm not big on so-called "reality" shows, but Survivor is one of my guilty pleasures. Like Carole, I enjoy the competitions and twists that the game presents. I also like seeing people from all walks of life interact with each other. The only one I missed was the first season. 

[Cassel]

1 hour ago, Rene Marker said:

But recently a show has come out that I absolutely love! The Traitors. Season 1 in the USA came out last year and Season 2 is airing now. Evidently there are other English speaking versions from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Peacock has the 1st seasons for UK and Australia. Season 2 for UK and Australia will be on Peacock in March and New Zealand season 1 will also be added then. I watched UK Season 1 and now I want to see them all!

I have watched several of those other series. Australia, UK, New Zealand, and obviously, the English Canadian version. I am waiting for the French Canadian one, which was hosted by the SAME host as the English one, and filmed in the same location, in Montreal.

I have also watched one season from France, and honestly, that is the one I liked the most. They had a few different twists than the others.

I think that they really need to refresh the reality shows with new twists so it does not get stale or predictable. I also dislike the fact that they OBVIOUSLY cast the contestants to fit some profiles. It is like they NEED to cast a vocal gay contestant, they seem to NEED to cast an immigrant that has a big back story to share, they NEED to cast other minorities, etc. I like the diversity but then it looks like the back stories become too much part of the show, instead of the challenges and the strategies that are supposed to be the initial purpose. 

[MoniqueN.]

1 hour ago, Rene Marker said:

Yes, I do like reality shows. Over the years I have watched Survivor, Amazing Race and all variations of the Bachelor shows.

I haven't watched Survivor for several seasons. The last full season I watched was #41. I watched the first episode of #42 and quit. Season #46 premieres next week. It just doesn't appeal to me any more.

Same with the shows from the Bachelor. The problem with it is that the producers use the same storyboard/formula every season and cast the contestants to fill a character they need. Then they create drama instead of letting it happen organically like in the original seasons. And, it seems all of them want to be "influencers" so they play to the camera. It has gotten quite boring to me.

Amazing Race is still good and I can't wait for the next season to start in a couple weeks. Production still finds ways to keep the show fresh for the viewers.

But recently a show has come out that I absolutely love! The Traitors. Season 1 in the USA came out last year and Season 2 is airing now. Evidently there are other English speaking versions from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Peacock has the 1st seasons for UK and Australia. Season 2 for UK and Australia will be on Peacock in March and New Zealand season 1 will also be added then. I watched UK Season 1 and now I want to see them all!

Traitors is originally a concept from the Netherlands, it was a great succes over here. We loved watching it. Are there famous people on your version of the show? We now have, I think, the 4th season, now for the first time with "common"people.

 

Dutch version

Edited February 21 by MoniqueN.

[Rene Marker]

9 hours ago, MoniqueN. said:

Traitors is originally a concept from the Netherlands, it was a great succes over here. We loved watching it. Are there famous people on your version of the show? We now have, I think, the 4th season, now for the first time with "common"people.

 

Dutch version

Season 1 was half reality TV personalities and the other half everyday people. There happened to be one reality star that most of the everyday people knew and they were fans. They ended going along with everything she said they were so starstruck by her. The final 4 ended up being 2 of the reality stars and 2 of the everyday people. I've heard about drama post filming between the winner and the other 3 because the 3 all felt they were betrayed. Don't want to give away too much though!

Season 2 is all reality TV personalities and I'm enjoying so much. Watching people from competition reality shows (Survivor and Big Brother) go against those from other types of shows (like several "Housewives" and a couple others from other shows under the Bravo channel umbrella) and a few from other shows (including a former Bachelor and a pro dancer from Dancing With The Starts) has been interesting. Heck we even have John Bercow, former House of Commons speaker on this season (he is hilarious at the roundtables).