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ABC digs up The Mole again

by Bob Sassone, posted Jan 8th 2008 4:19PM

Anderson Cooper on The MoleI think this is the first time that I've ever been excited about a reality show. Well, as excited as I can get over a reality show anyway (though I always thought of it as more of a game show than reality).

The Mole, the ABC reality show hosted by Anderson Cooper several years back, is coming back to the network. The same company (under a different name) will produce the ten episode series, which they plan to run during the summer.

If you don't remember the show, it had several contestants in foreign locales living together and doing various "assignments," not knowing which of the contestants was in fact a mole put inside by the show to screw things up. The contestants take a test at the end of each episode and the one with the lowest score goes home. The first two seasons were hosted by Anderson Cooper, in what is still the best thing on TV I've seen him in. I used to love how he'd be eating a sandwich or having a drink while contestants were hanging from the side of a cliff on a rope. After Anderson left the show came back in a horrid "celebrity" edition hosted by Ahmad Rashad. Rashad's not coming back and producers say they want someone more like Cooper to host the new version.

Wouldn't it be great if Cooper came back to host? That won't happen though.

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Horse N. Buggy

If this is the kind of stuff I get out of the strike, I say, "Strike On, brutha!"

I adored this show. I assumed that it went off the air because the games were too intelligent for the public and contestants weren't interested in "hooking up." As others have stated, Anderson Cooper MADE this show. It will be really difficult to fill his spot. He was slyly witty yet also friendly. It really looked like he was having as much fun as the contestants, only he didn't have to take the quizzes. Rashad tried to copy Cooper, but he just didn't have the same cool factor. I almost think it would be a mistake for someone to try to imitate Anderson because no one will be as good. ... Josh Bernstein? He would be awesome, but I'm sure he's not interested. And he's got a development deal with Discovery.

Even the celebrity seasons had their highlights. Who could resist watching Corbin Berson make an idiot of himself? Twice!

Favorite moments (all seasons):
- The first guy to be sent home. I don't remember his name, but he was a short Latino man. His goodbye montage was funny and heartbreaking at the same time.
- The older lady who agreed to dye her hair green.
- The awesome three who made it to the end of the first season. Best Mole ever.
- Tiny Bubbles.
- The "Dino" kid making it to the final three on the first celebrity season.
- That chick's reaction when she thought they were burning her stuffed animal.

However, I did not like how many clues were given out in the second season. ABC flat out revealed the mole half-way through the season - for those insane enough to decode all the clues and then post it on the internet.

But, YAY! The Mole is coming back.

January 09 2008 at 11:11 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Brent McKee

My second favourite reality-competition show (don't mix these shows up with crap like "The Hills") behind only "The Amazing Race." Both shows had the misfortune to debut right after 9-11 and it hurt them both. The difference was that CBS never totally lost faith in "The Amazing Race" the way ABC did with "The Mole."

January 09 2008 at 4:03 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dottie

How about the host of Survivor or Amazing Race? They both are very good at what they do.

January 09 2008 at 4:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Argus

Everyone else has already said it, but I got to agree, this is by far the best reality show on TV. (Really the only good one too, I watch BB sometimes, and while it entertains me that doesn't make it good.) I've always wondered why they didn't make more shows with these sort of objective competition based contests. And of course Anderson Cooper helped alot too. If they can't get him they should use someone else who is debonair like Peirce Brosnan or something.

Does anyone else remember the truly fantastic paintball episode where they had to get from point A to point B while dodging professionals?

January 09 2008 at 12:44 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Michael

I loved EVERY version of The Mole including the celebrity editions. There was lots of fun with each episode and it always made you pay close attention. I don't know how all the players could keep track of all the twists and turns in order to answer that tricky question and answer session at the end of each show. Even the celebrity version was a lot of fun (better than a lot of the crap reality shows that pass for entertainment now anyways!).

Besides, any show that can get Angie Everhart naked in the ocean is a winner in my book! Bring it ON!!!

January 08 2008 at 10:49 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Melissa

This is awesome! Seasons 1 and 2 were excellent. It was a very well written show and quite intellegent. I still laugh when I hear "Tiny Bubbles" thinking of the episode where the guy got stuck in the room with it playing incessently nearly driving him insane. Also when the three contestents got locked in their individual hotel rooms and each one had to do something in their room that affected one of the other rooms - the girl had to ride the stationary bike then it would turn on the lights one of the other guys room where there were messages written on the walls. They had to work together via telephone - brilliant writing. It was awesome. I am so excited that it is coming back and hope it is more like the first several seasons. I loved checking the message boards to see what other people were thinking about who the "mole" is. Awesome television. Hopefully they do get someone like Anderson Cooper - he really made the show. And hopefully they don't do another "celebrity mole" where it is dumbed down.

January 08 2008 at 10:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
nick

I loved this show. And it was easily the best reality show most people never saw. Both Season 1 and 2 were excellent. And Anderson Cooper, by far, the best reality host ever. That you didn't know who was the mole, allowed you to play at home along with the game.

The show went downhill quickly with Ahmad Rashad, who had little personality as the host for seasons 3 and 4. And the b-list celebrities didn't help matters. Only the puzzles, which were always first rate, remained intact.

I'd happy to hear it's returning. And it's perfect summer fodder. Only when they moved season 2 to fall, did the show stumble and languish in the ratings.

As long as it's not another celebrity edition, it should be way and above better than the final seasons of the show. Unknowns work much better for the type of game it is, than having actors or personalities.

I would really love to see Anderson Cooper return. He's a class act all the way. I remember hearing that CNN wouldn't let him do both, after he joined CNN, but since then he's done some work for CBS. Anyway, I know it's not 'news' but it was always nice having him introduce locations from around the world and giving us a bit of history about the culture.

January 08 2008 at 9:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John

OH MY GOD.

This is the best reality TV competition ever. Total fun to play along with, a great thinking game, and they really put the contestants through a lot. I love it.

January 08 2008 at 7:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tim

Wow, they are bringing back the only reality TV show I ever watched and enjoyed! Cool!

January 08 2008 at 7:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Tim's comment
Alicia

Yea me too! This is kinda cool!

January 08 2008 at 7:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kathryn

I have one host suggestion:

LEWIS BLACK!!!!

January 08 2008 at 6:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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