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Topic: An "off-year" for Survivor (Read 796 times)

Rhune
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An "off-year" for Survivor
« on: Nov 10^th, 2002, 5:56pm »

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http://www.medialifemagazine.com/news2002/nov02/nov04/5_fri/news3friday. html

'Survivor,' an off
year in Thailand

Boring cast in a pretty setting. Bet on next season.

By Ethan Alter

Now that the fifth edition of "Survivor" has reached its midpoint, its become increasingly clear that CBSs flagship reality series is suffering from the same syndrome that plagues the Star Trek movies: Namely, that the even-numbered installments are great, while the odd-numbered ones are more akin to watching grass grow.
Of course, this rule doesnt apply to the shows groundbreaking first season, which was far better than "Star Trek: The Motion Picture." The second season is also exempt, as "The Australian Outback" in no way measures up to "The Wrath of Khan."
But "Africa" easily rivals Kirk & Companys third film, "The Search for Spock," in terms of sheer boredom, while "Marquesas" is a blast of silly fun a la "The Voyage Home."
As for "Thailand," the latest entry in the "Survivor" franchise, its nowhere near as unwatchable as "The Final Frontier," better known amongst Trekkies as "William Shatners Folly"-- but it is still a somewhat dull and plodding affair.
The major problem with "Survivor": Thailand" (Thursdays, 8 p.m.), as with "Africa" before it, boils down to casting.
No matter how hard Mark Burnett and his crack team of editors try to hide it behind whip-fast cutting, the fact remains that this is a seriously boring group of castaways.
In a way, the shows fate was sealed during the first episode, when all the nubile twentysomethings wound up on one team and all the old fogies on the other.
After all, generational conflicts are what fuel much of the shows drama. But even if the tribes had been more evenly divided, this cast lacks the outsized personalities -- like last seasons Boston Rob, the "Outbacks" Jeri, or, of course, the infamous Richard Hatch -- who make "Survivor" such great fun to watch.
Burnett has tried to compensate for the dull contestants by fiddling with the shows format and designing more elaborate challenges. Some of these tweaks are successful, while others simply smack of desperation.
At least the producers chose a great location for the show, so whenever the proceedings grow too boring viewers can instead marvel at the sheer beauty of the islands jungle and beaches.
After five seasons, its no surprise that "Survivor" is struggling to stay fresh. Fortunately, if the shows track record holds true, the sixth edition should hail a return to form.
Until then, be glad that "The Amazing Race" (Wednesdays at 9 p.m.) is still around to show audiences how reality TV should be done.
Although the show faces stiff competition from The "West Wing" and the repugnant ABC series "The Bachelor," it has enough of a fan base to keep it from the chopping block. I myself wasnt too keen on it at first, but I got hooked midway through its second season and now Im proud to call myself a true-blue "TAR" junkie.
Unlike "Survivor," which has a lot of downtime in between challenges, this show rarely stops to catch its breath. From the opening moments, the contestants are constantly on the go, rushing from event to event, country to country with the cameras constantly on their heels. Watching "The Amazing Race" is like getting a weekly shot of adrenaline.
Its also a great way to see the world without leaving your living room. So far this season, the teams have visited Mexico, Scotland, Portugal and, most recently, Morocco. Aside from the gorgeous scenery, the lively challenges provide a great reason to tune in. From skydiving and rappelling to driving a tank and delivering wine, the contests here are well-designed and hugely entertaining to watch.
If there is a drawback to "The Amazing Race," its that the show, by its nature, favors the younger contestants.
It is no accident that the previous installments were won by almost identical teams of young, white males.
Fortunately the producers have recruited a more diverse cast for the third season, which has made it more difficult to predict the victors. In fact, the current leaders of the pack -- and my personal favorites -- are a pair of portly, middle-aged brothers who spend most of their time bickering.
The highest praise I can pay "The Amazing Race" is that this is the one reality show I might actually consider participating in.
How about it? Anyone care to take bets on Team TV Critic?
November 8, 2002Š 2002 Media Life

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-Ethan Alter is a New York writer and a regular columnist for Media Life.

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Tinkerbell
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Re: An "off-year" for Survivor
« Reply #1 on: Nov 28^th, 2002, 11:07pm »

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yep..i have to agree...the cast is kind of boring. and honestly i am kind of ready for it to be over already. :sleeping:

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chickmama
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Re: An "off-year" for Survivor
« Reply #2 on: Nov 29^th, 2002, 10:19am »

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While I have to agree, there isn't a lot of drama in the cast. I will never be ready for a survivor seaon to end. For me, the one hour shows fly by way too fast, and the days between episodes crawl much too slowly. I just wish they could have seasons back to back, without so much time in between. I guess I'm just hopelessly still hooked on Survivor.

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