What’s on Wednesday?
I am not a TV watcher and certainly not a fan of the reality TV blitz, but there are a few new shows that creeped into my Wednesday nights:
Beauty and the Geek – I think this show is on more than once a week, but I prefer not to know the schedule so I can keep my sanity. (I actually think we might have caught the reruns of a previous season and they’ve finished their run). The Ashton Kutcher produced show’s about – what else – eight geeks (chess champs, D&D Dungeon Masters, etc) and eight ditzy hot chicks competing for $250,000. They pair up and work as a team to teach the other what they know best (e.g: geeks teach politics, beauties teach dance moves). Pegged as “The Ultimate Social Experiment”, Beauty and the Geek is actually pretty endearing as you watch some of the contestants evolve.
The Next Pussycat Doll – I don’t even care about the Pussycat Dolls so why would I care who their next group member is? Besides, does anyone even pay attention to anyone other than the lead singer? And are they going to keep going and going until their numbers rival The Polyphonic Spree? Anyway, Chris and I were intrigued by an episode where a contestant belched out “Pussycat Doll” and that was the hook for us. Besides, it’s cleverly placed after America’s Next Top Model, a show I catch almost every week. Surprisingly with an all-girl cast (some even in their teens) it is extremely low on the catty-meter, sometimes it’s even downright altruistic *sniff*. This show also inadvertently answers the burning question: “whatever happened to that Sugar Ray guy?” (Mark McGrath is the host) and if you’re wondering where Lil’ Kim is, well she’s there too as a judge. Tonight* is the finale showdown. (*Note: this is how little we watch TV; I just found out TNPSD is on Tuesday nights too.)
America’s Next Top Model – ohhh, you knew this one would be on the list. Although since they nixed Jael last week I have mixed feelings. Although she was maybe too crazy for television (and 50 cent) and sounded like she was eating marbles all the time, I thought she could’ve stuck around for a few more rounds. It’s odd when the judging panel seem discriminant about who they choose to “groom” or coddle for several shows and then axe a girl who’s been consistent. Chalk it up for what’s off camera I guess.
Scarred is MTV’s homage to people who do stupid stunts, accidentally grotesquely injure themselves and live to tell about it. Hell, I’ve even twisted my ankle almost 180° playing impromptu indoor basketball with some buds and down the dorm stairs I went, and in High School I skidded down a gravelly hill on my knees (down to the bone with surprisingly very little bloodshed or pain) while trying to cheer up an ill friend during a charity walk – unfortunately that didn’t make her laugh at all. But those are nowhere near as “owchie” as you’ll see on Scarred. I was a Veterinarian Technician and pre-Med Cardiologist so I’ve seen many many bloody things, but some of these injuries make me cringe. It’s not the blood I watch, it’s the amazing recovery these average Joe’s narrate.
MTV’s Real World and Road Rules are just a little too catty for me. Being a tomboy, there’s nothing worse than listening to girls (and guys) stab each other in the back. The Hills has cutie Lauren but she’s the scapegoat at work and that’s sad. Her friend(?)/roommate/ex-roommate whatever is really annoying. I also highly doubt this show is “reality TV live”. I think I’ve tried to watch 1/2 an episode and it was cool only because there were rows of peonies in the shots. I do appreciate that these kids are actually working and living on their own, which further supports the theory that it is complete fiction. I have no idea what day of the week this show is on.
Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters and Food Network’s Good Eats satisfy my nerdilicious side although the former has really truncated their experiments to feel more like hyper-segments. Mythbusters now seems as though Adam Savage (the chaotic comedic one) and Jamie Hyneman (the stoic straight man) are training a team of interns. The Good Eats host Alton Brown is geeky, snooty and speed-speechy enough to sound official and the 50 billion cut scenes are goofy enough to make him approachable. The sometimes surreal skits make it seem like the Muppet Show.
Man, I hate cable!
