reality television

(S01E07) I'm starting to wonder if we're going to see each and every kid on Kid Nation before the end of the season. Every week, it seems the focus is on the core group we've seen all along -- the council leaders, Greg, Jared, Sophia, and some others. But then a new kid or two is thrown into the spotlight.

Whenever that spotlight shines on a new face in the crowd, it's been obvious that the new face will either be in the midst of controversy or will win the gold star. Predictable? Sure is, but with the size of the cast, I don't see any better way to do it, either. I enjoy "meeting" the kids as the season goes on.

(S01E06) No, no, no ... not Bonanza with the Ponderosa! Hop Sing could always cook up a fine feast and the Cartwrights never fussed about hard labor. The episode title refers to Bonanza City, New Mexico. You know -- 40 days, 40 kids (well, 38 kids now and almost three weeks less), and no adults. Well, they say no adults, but believe me, it's the adults putting everything in motion.

But it is indeed the kids of Kid Nation who make this show worth watching. It's the kids who, by being themselves, bring me entertainment each week.

Oh, but Bonanza City is indeed disgusting. Or, it was before the adult push of the week.

Fans of The Amazing Race are excited about the early return of the Emmy Award-winning show. Originally scheduled to air in the winter season, we're going to begin the whirlwind race around the world starting Sunday, November 4 at 8 PM ET/PT in most viewing areas.

(S15E03) Well, tonight's Survivor China certainly wasn't an exception to the rule. What rule, you might ask? I'm talking about the rule which necessitates either wet or muddy very physical challenges in direct correlation to the amount of clothing available to the female contestants. Throw in a chunky naked guy and call it a show!

Now, I'm just not being fair here. There was more to the show than that. But, for the love of all things good and decent, get Sherea (in particular) some clothes, CBS! Please, I'm begging here. I do not want to see what that woman's panties and bra will look like as time goes on. That's the stuff of nightmares!

There's nothing like a good brouhaha, is there? Kid Nation was controversial before it even hit the air and the controversy continues. TMZ is reporting that the show is seeking a new location for next season outside of the United States due to the child labor issue. The show's official website has had an application link up since the site itself was launched, but it appears the deadline for second season applications has passed.

Then there's a new controversy -- the slaughtering of two chickens shown during last week's episode. According to our friends at Buddy TV, the animal rights group Last Chance for Animals criticized the show for killing the chickens, then airing the slaughter. LCA also condemned YouTube for not removing clips of the show which were posted by several people.

Oh, I know some folks think the entire genre of reality television is odd. But I'm a reality television junkie, yet there are some shows that even I can't justify existing. I'm not talking about Being Bobby Brown or living with the Bonaduces or shows of that ilk. I'm talking outright strange, bizarre, odd, sometimes dangerous, and just plain out there shows.

Now, I've personally thought of shows with names like So You Think You Can Skydive (self-explanatory) or Piranha Pond (marooned on an island in a piranha-filled pond and must swim ashore), but no one takes my ideas seriously. But the shows on this list either existed, were canned after production or will be coming your way!

Spoilers, rumors, and foilers, oh my! With the internet at the hands of fans, secrets aren't always too secret these days. While scripted shows like Lost might possibly put out their own foilers -- red herrings to lead the audiences astray -- often the spoilers for shows such as Survivor or The Amazing Race are more spot on. In the case of the latter, too many people see the bits and pieces of the race as it goes through the countries.

This season's Survivor China actually inadvertently put out some of the first spoilers right in their own promotional videos on the official website. Maybe it wasn't so inadvertently, but you don't film in the challenge-making offices with information which can be enlarged and sharpened. Heh. There are websites like Survivor Fever and Survivor Skills who have a track record for accurate spoilers, as well as online wagering websites who have shut down betting due to odd patterns. Read on for severe show spoilers ...

(S01E01) After all of the controversy, CBS aired its premiere episode of Kid Nation tonight. Much ado about nothing, I say! Not that the show is nothing. I found it interesting and refreshing from so many of the other shows on the air these days. Well, at least the shows in the reality genre.

After all the brouhahas about child labor, child abuse, crying children ... well, to me, this didn't quite live up to all the controversy surrounding it. Instead I found it to be the kind of show both children and adults can watch together. Although it's touted as "40 children, 40 days, no adults" -- the kids themselves say there were more adults than children on site. Perhaps that doesn't speak much for the "reality" aspect, but the safety issues seem well-covered.

It looks like Amber Tomcavage, the infamous crying gal on Big Brother 8 may have some real reasons to shed tears once she leaves the house.

Anti-Semitic comments she made on the live feeds have now hit all of the major news outlets including a televised segment on CNN.

TMZ and FOX are both running stories about the incident. Actually, it was more than one incident. However, I saw the worst one the other night myself as I watched the feeds.

I don't know if this qualifies as show spoilers, but you've been warned ... read on at your own risk!

Hey, Brigitte here with TV Squad Daily. I'll be covering the TV stories I find interesting each day, Monday through Friday, in this video blog.

Today on TV Squad Daily:

• Donny Osmond will be in charge of denying people their lifelong dreams, on ABC's new reality show The Great American Dream Vote.
  
• Prince Lorenzo, from last season's The Bachelor, is done with his top choice Jennifer, and has moved on to dating the gullible runner-up, Sadie.
  
• Courtney Love thinks she was offered Paula Abdul's job on American Idol.

The video's embedded below, or you can download the file directly (Quicktime required). You can also subscribe to this vodcast via our feed.

Hot off this precious moment, Paula Abdul is now the star of her own Bravo series. The show, Hey Paula, will document Abdul's crazy adventures while filming a new season of American Idol and working on the Bratz movie (have I mentioned how disgusted I am about that?). I assume that this will be done in a similar fashion to Kathy Griffin's Life on the D-List, which I have found to be surprisingly tolerable.

I can understand how some people can like Abdul on American Idol, but can anyone handle an entire program based around her? Personally, I'd rather see a full docu-series about MC Skat Kat.

Oh, and this is somewhat off-topic, but does anyone else find it a bit weird that the second Google result for "Paula Abdul" is the official Mandy Moore fansite?

As part of February sweeps, last year's American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee is going to guest-star on Ugly Betty. McPhee will be playing herself, a celebrity guest at Mode's Fashion Week runway show, in an episode entitled "I'm Coming Out". No word yet on whether or not this hour will be Justin-centric... Oh, c'mon, don't tell me I was the only one that read the title and immediately thought of him.

McPhee's appearance will air February 1 (8:00 PM EST). Hmm... Sounds like ABC wants a little bit of FOX's American Idol glow. Also, McPhee is probably doing this to promote her self-titled debut album, which drops later this month.

(S10E08) The race has now split into two factions. An alliance and three teams who are only out for themselves. It's an interesting switch for the race which has primarily been an alliance-free zone in the past, depending more on achievement than group strategy. So far, I would say it's not exactly a sucessful idea but I am not sure if that is the idea of an alliance or the members involved in this alliance that is proving problematic.

(S13E04) Last week, we learned yet again that muscles alone will not keep you from being voted out. Here's another basic rule: lie. Too much obvious lying can get you sent home but your honest opinions can often do you just as much damage.

(S03E02) NBC, what're you trying to do to me? Another two hour episode this week?!?! You're testing my patience and the patience of the flood of fans who dropped by here at TVS last week to leave comments. Okay, there were exactly two comments last week, both from viewers who stated their intention to watch America's Next Top Model instead anyway. No doubt a double-sized Loser is just what is needed to reel viewers in. Here is my plea to reality show producers: if you're going to run two hours a night, make it two episodes -- that is, two challenges, two eliminations, don't just pad out an extra hour.

Anyway, here goes ...