Note: no you aren't missing anything - I didn't post any "news" for the last half of November - sorry!!!

11/13/03 Of course the show to watch tonight is Survivor.  Hard to say what will happen - CBS has managed to keep a pretty good lid on it though I must admit I avoid spoilers (for those not familiar - spoilers are just what they sound like - some sites give away results - sometimes they are right - other times wrong).

Coming in less than a month on Fox - The Simple Life.  Apparently this site has sneak previews:

If you have not checked the Casting Page recently you might take a look - there are a lot of shows currently casting.

Joe Millionaire had two episodes Monday - but I didn't know that so I only managed to record one.   I dunno - this show just isn't doing a whole lot for me - it seemd the entire episode is in subtitles (hard to understnad the ladies) and while he is on a date they keep flashing back to the house with the annoying note, "meanwhile back at the house."  I'll still watch but I am not holding out hope.

On the other hand I do like Average Joe - I missed the premire but it was fairly simple to pick up.  Although it seems the guys that remain (six) are the better looking of the original 16.  Kathy Griffith seems to only be makign cameos - he part is minimal at best.  I don't know if they edited her out - or if it was planned that way - but I think she made two appearances last night and said about three sentences.

On Survivor Thursday Butch and Lil were placed back on the show.  Butch quickly made amends with his team - Lil didn't.  Then the teams were merged and Savage was voted out.  Looks like things will be back to normal now as far as gameplay.

Last night I watched a couple of shows.....

I managed to see most of Joe Millionaire II (well - they call it "The Next Joe Millionaire" - whatever).  Its ummmm... weak so far from what I have seen.  It seems they need sub-titles 90% of the time because the women's accents are so thick.

I DIDN'T manage to see Average Joe and I am ticked!!!  Dang VCR!!!!  I am hoping that maybe NBC will re-run it on Bravo so i can catch the 1st episode at a later date.

I tuned into MTV while I recording Joe M.  - expecting to see a Real World/Road Rules Challenge previous episode - and instead saw what to me are JackAss spinoff shows.  Maybe I am just getting old, but these shows are getting very old.  My idea of good TV is not watching a wolf try to eat raw chicken from a guy's jock strap - call me crazy.

New Monday - Average Joe - finally this show is getting on the air - originally it was scheduled for this summer.  NBC.

Joe Millionaire II is up and running - I haven't seen a full show yet so I don't have an opinion - sorry!!!

Joe Schmo finished up last week - it was VERY good - loved the ending - Matt got the 100k and the post-show interview was very frank and honest in my opinion.  Hope they can pull off another of these!!

Survivor - what a twist last week!!!  2 tribe members (one from each tribe) were given the boot and this week 2 previously evicted ('outcast') members will come back on - one to each tribe.   I do think it was a bit unfair - I am hoping they will show us some video of the 'outcasts' while they were missing - so we can see how 'harsh' their living conditions really were.

Bachelor - already down to 3 ladies - is it me or has this show gone REALLY fast??

House Rules - Fridays are not good nights for my Reality TV viewing - so I haven't seen it yet.

All in all I have basically been watching Joe Schmo and Survivor.   I also did watch about 3 hours of Real World last week - and a couple episodes of Real World/Road Rules Challenge.  Neither did a whole lot for me.

Three more items of special note:

• I was asked several weeks ago to add a link to Tara Gerard's web site and I didn't get to it - my apologies to the site owner - Tara was on Paradise Hotel - check the site out!!
• A tv show called the "Ex Factor" is still casting - please see the Casting Page for information.
• The syndicated show Starting Over has become pretty popular as a discussion item at TvClubhouse - check it out!!

TVCH (tvclubhouse.com) is still down (now 7:45pm PST) - the latest info is that the technician at Bomis that helps us was unable to re-boot the server remotely so it will most likely not be back online until this evening (more info than most of you want I'm sure :) ) - you can usually check the status (when their are problems) HERE.

Tonight - Part II of House Rules - now the real show will begin with three couples remodeling 3 houses.  One will win their house in the end.

Last night on Survivor - Morgan won both challenges (Luxury and Immunity).  Rupert was quite a help to Morgan - especially during the luxury challenge where Morgan won bathing items.  Rupert then returned to Drake and they proceeded to lose the food challenge (an eating contest).  Michelle - the one person to vote to keep Burton last week was the person to get the heave-ho.

I got permission to post the cast picture from "Yes Dear" that was on Amy's (BB3) site - check the main Big Brother area.  And there is also a bit more info on the episode they will be on.

Joe Schmo - after the Cubs lost <sigh> last night I put in the tape I had recorded of the show last night.  The "final" show is in 2 weeks - they had 3 guys in the finals last night - Brian, Hutch and Matt (the only one NOT in on the joke).  Looked to me like there will be a three way tie and obviously they will have to do one more competition before they reveal to Matt that its all pretend (but I am sure he will still get the 100k).  They even played music from The Mole last night during a dinner scene - gotta love it!!

Paradise Hotel news: Announcement from Dave's site, "Dave Kerpen and his special guest Keith Cuda will be on the DaveBoston.com Live Chat at 4PM Eastern on Wednesday, October 15th!  They will answer fan questions and also make some interesting announcements." (thats today folks).

Here is information on another show that is casting - I must admit I got this info a while back but it was right at the end of Big Brother and I was completely burned out at that point.  The show is called "Your Reality Checked" and it will be on the Fine Living Network (honestly I have never heard of it).  Details: "What have YOU always dreamed of doing? If you could give up your job, if you had as much money as you needed to open your own business and pursue the thing that you've always REALLY wanted to pursue, what would it be?  Your Reality Checked" will give people with a dream an opportunity to
realize that dream."  LINK TO WEBSITE

I never did see the 100k Trading Spaces, but I am sure I will sooner or later.

Friday 10/10 I watched HOUSE RULES - looks interesting although hard to tell since the 1st show was basically a meet the folks show - no real competing except when they had a contest to see who got to pick the houses to work on.  From the previews of future shows it really does look like a cross between all the different reality shows out there (home improvement, survivor - without the voting off, etc).

Added another new show in the Casting area. The Swan, which sounds like a rip-off of Extreme Makeover. By the way, I saw a special report on Extreme makeover the other night on some show and your odds of getting on are MUCH higher if you are male since so few males apply.

TBS Superstation's HOUSE RULES, Presented by Lowe's,
Kicks Off Friday, Oct. 10

Home improvement gets competitive when TBS Superstation pits three teams of amateur home remodelers against each other in the new reality series HOUSE RULES, presented by Lowe's. The series, which will result in one team winning the deed to the home they've renovated, is hosted by Mark L. Walberg (Temptation Island) and is set to premiere Friday, Oct. 10, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT), exclusively on TBS Superstation.

HOUSE RULES turns home improvement into a no-holds-barred competition, as three teams remodel three homes desperately in need of a makeover.  All three teams, while savvy in home improvement and interior design, are amateurs who will have to rely on their own judgment and skills.  The 12-week competition will reveal the interpersonal drama and conflicts they face as they work feverishly to complete their renovations.

To determine which team gets the largest budget for that week's project, the couples must compete in themed games.  Examples of challenges include painting a 15-foot-high ceiling using only a trampoline and competing in a polo match on riding lawnmowers.  At the end of the series, viewers will vote to decide which couple gets to keep the house they renovated.  The winner will be announced during a live telecast on Friday, Dec. 19.

Last night - WHEW!!  Survivor: While helping moderate on TVCH I came across a 'spoiler' that said Rupert was going to be voted off last night - am I glad the spoiler was wrong.  Drake threw the immunity challenge and in a twist that I bet would not have occured if drake had won - Morgan got to take one of Drake's members away for a couple of days and they will participate in the next reward challenge with Morgan.  They took Rupert thus saving him from the possibility of being voted off (HA!!! to all you spoilers out there - lol).  So at the voting off ceremony that night Jon shows up apparently drunk and the Drake team votes of Burton who I assume was blindsided by the 5-2 vote.  Apparently his alliance with Shawn was not as close as he thought - or the editing was meant to make us think that :)

Burton

I started working on tracking down some links for Paradise Island.  So far I tracked down links to Dave's site, Keith's site a the official hotel page.  Link here.

Tonight is Survivor and I came across a spoiler that surprised me if it is true.  I don't think it is though and no I am not going to tell you - I don't spoil any show except Big Brother.

A couple of news items 1st.  Today is the last day to apply for the Amazing Race season five. Even though the renewal of the show was not announced until Sept. 30th CBS had already opened up the applications phase assuming it would happen.  So if you miss the deadline today - better hope for a season six!!

I think the Big Brother episode of "Yes Dear" was actualy taped last week  - since pictures from the BB members on the set have been showing up on various sites.  Amy (BB3) has several pictures of herself and fellow HGs up on her site.  I'd post them here but I am waiting for permisison!!!

Now on to tonights reality shows....

MTV and TLC are the two places to catch new shows.

MTV has just started running Season 3 of Sorority Life and season 2 of Fraternity Life.

TLC has a new Episode of Junyard Wars (they call it 'mega wars' now).

And last night - the one show I watched (other than the Cub's losing - arrrgghhh) was Joe Schmo.  As I guessed the food they had to eat was fake, Matt (the only one not in on the fake show) was presented with what he was told was dog excriment (no kidding) - no he didn't eat it and yes it was fake.  it did make me kinda cringe though when they went that far.  But I have to remind myself that this is a FAKE reality show that is makign fun of other reality shows.  Anyways I'll be tuning in again next Tuesday and I think this show only has a couple episodes left.

Bravo continues to replay The Restaurant and follows it up with an episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.

Spike TV - (formerly TNN) - Joe Schmo  - Last week during the show I noticed they recorded this show in just 10 days.  Thats pretty amazing!!  Should be funny tonight as it looks like they do a food challenge and I suspect the food is not what they say it is - as in the gross stuff is actually tapioca pudding or some such thing. 

MTV - Real World Paris, and Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica.

Several cast members from Big Brother should be taping an episode of "Yes Dear" this week.  More details were posted in the Big Brother area including links to news items.

You can chat with the banished cast member (Lillian) today at 2:30 pm ET over at CBS's Chat Room - LINK.

I have said before one of the reasons I like Big Brother over other reality shows is that we get to see whats going on behind the scenes.  There are very few "surprises" or dramatic moments for me as a viewer on Big Brother.  While on Survivor I always knwo I am being manipulated as a viewer - that the have edited things so that the story appears one way when it might be a completely different situation.  Was there any doubt Lilian would be voted off?  If you watched the show you would probably think so - but it seems to me that there wasn't in reality.  Chances are the decision was made very early on - they just edited things to seem like it might be close.

Don't forget Survivor is on tonight.  Sorry I didn't catch The Bachelor or was it on?  Between the Cubs game and Paradise Hotel I had a full night ;).

A few more links to info posted in the BB4 area (did you ever hear the rumore Josh from BB1 was dating Erika from BB4?  Its true!!)