Come out, come out, my little reality-hating talkbackers.
If you thought Coaxial News was slow during the first half of the summer, just you wait. “Big Brother 4” starts tonight, and that means Herculean hibernation.
Herc never missed an episode of the first three seasons of “Big Brother” on CBS, and he inevitably and obsessively watches the Internet’s live feeds until the last contestants are finally booted back to their real lives.
The show’s audience (and critical acclaim) grows with every successive summer. Even my lanky, cranky archrival Kristin over at E! came to fully embrace the enterprise at the end of last year’s third edition. Indeed, America now understands that people really do go nuts inside that little house, throughly bereft as it is of anything resembling a relief valve. It’s a big simmering three-month cauldron of love, hate, plotting, paranoia and plain old-fashioned bad behavior. Cut off from television, music and news from the outside, contestants have as a source of entertainment only other contestants.
Why does it rank right up there among Herc’s very favorite reality shows? Because of the Internet feed - and because CBS airs live segments several times a week - less can be hidden from the viewing audience. Things aren’t edited out and edited together to service long-term storylines, because no one knows where anything is going.
Castmates also can’t sneak away for snog sessions (the way they do over at “The Real World”). Because the cameras never go away (ever), everyone either has to spend a month keeping their guards up 24/7 - or unleash their real selves.
Plus? There’s so much of it. Many balk at having to commit to three hours of primetime every single week, but I like the longform, I like lots of continuity, I like that the producers have less to edit out.
Plus plus? It was well over 100 degrees today here in beautiful Studio City, halter-top capital of the world and the site of the “Big Brother” domicile. The house is teeming with skinny, bikini-clad twentysomethings.
Meet Herc’s new neighbors here.
Tuesdays 8 p.m. (opposite “Gilmore Girls”). Wednesdays 9 p.m. (opposite “Paradise Hotel”). Fridays 8 p.m. (opposite not much of anything). CBS.
Bonus! A few words about some other reality shows:
* “Project Greenlight” is even better this year. The winning directors made some really funny shorts all by their lonesome, and now they’re battling the producers for creative control. 10:30 p.m. Sundays. HBO. Right after “The Wire.”
* Like many with hateful memories of “Make Me Laugh,” I was not looking forward to NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” But guess what? “Last Comic Standing” is actually pretty wonderful. Remember how Kathy Griffin saved “Celebrity Mole” by making fun of all the other celebs? This is a reality show with a house full of stand-up comedians making fun of each other and every conceivable thing around them. Most of the comics have been kicking around the comedy circuit for a while and have developed some pretty quick wits. Two of them – Minnesota’s Dave Mordel and Texas’ Ralphie May (who looks and sounds a great deal like a clean-shaven Harry Knowles) – are incessantly and offhandedly hilarious. The only real downside to the show is its embarrassing immunity competitions, which continue to prevent the house from voting out Tess. Tuesdays 9 p.m. Hey! That’s tonight! (Comedy Central repeats it 9 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday)
* MTV’s “The Osbournes” has never been better, thanks to the increasingly dysfunctional antics of Kelly and Jack. In addition to tonight’s usual new 10:30 p.m. episode, I believe Jack’s “Back From Rehab” special airs at 11 p.m. tonight.
* NBC’s “For Love Or Money” was the top-rated reality show last week, so don’t be surprised if Monday night’s big finale (which saw the winner actually GAMBLE EVERY CENT OF HER MILLION-DOLLAR WINNINGS on “For Love Or Money 2”) delivered monster ratings. “For Love Or Money 2,” with part one’s winner choosing a mate from among 15 men, inherits the Monday 9.p.m. timeslot starting next week.
* “American Idol” sucks. “Star Search” sucks. “Fame” sucks. “American Juniors” is useless. “Dog Eat Dog,” “Meet My Folks” and “Paradise Hotel” are not unwatchable. “America’s Next Top Model” (concluding tonight at 9) has hooked Mighty Herc, thanks to fetching med student Elyse and all the naked models modelling nakedly last week. “Amazing Race 4” continues to amaze, featuring as it does models and virgins.
Must rest up now.
Herc never missed an episode of the first three seasons of “Big Brother” on CBS, and he inevitably and obsessively watches the Internet’s live feeds until the last contestants are finally booted back to their real lives.
The show’s audience (and critical acclaim) grows with every successive summer. Even my lanky, cranky archrival Kristin over at E! came to fully embrace the enterprise at the end of last year’s third edition. Indeed, America now understands that people really do go nuts inside that little house, throughly bereft as it is of anything resembling a relief valve. It’s a big simmering three-month cauldron of love, hate, plotting, paranoia and plain old-fashioned bad behavior. Cut off from television, music and news from the outside, contestants have as a source of entertainment only other contestants.
Why does it rank right up there among Herc’s very favorite reality shows? Because of the Internet feed - and because CBS airs live segments several times a week - less can be hidden from the viewing audience. Things aren’t edited out and edited together to service long-term storylines, because no one knows where anything is going.
Castmates also can’t sneak away for snog sessions (the way they do over at “The Real World”). Because the cameras never go away (ever), everyone either has to spend a month keeping their guards up 24/7 - or unleash their real selves.
Plus? There’s so much of it. Many balk at having to commit to three hours of primetime every single week, but I like the longform, I like lots of continuity, I like that the producers have less to edit out.
Plus plus? It was well over 100 degrees today here in beautiful Studio City, halter-top capital of the world and the site of the “Big Brother” domicile. The house is teeming with skinny, bikini-clad twentysomethings.
Meet Herc’s new neighbors here.
Tuesdays 8 p.m. (opposite “Gilmore Girls”). Wednesdays 9 p.m. (opposite “Paradise Hotel”). Fridays 8 p.m. (opposite not much of anything). CBS.
Bonus! A few words about some other reality shows:
* “Project Greenlight” is even better this year. The winning directors made some really funny shorts all by their lonesome, and now they’re battling the producers for creative control. 10:30 p.m. Sundays. HBO. Right after “The Wire.”
* Like many with hateful memories of “Make Me Laugh,” I was not looking forward to NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” But guess what? “Last Comic Standing” is actually pretty wonderful. Remember how Kathy Griffin saved “Celebrity Mole” by making fun of all the other celebs? This is a reality show with a house full of stand-up comedians making fun of each other and every conceivable thing around them. Most of the comics have been kicking around the comedy circuit for a while and have developed some pretty quick wits. Two of them – Minnesota’s Dave Mordel and Texas’ Ralphie May (who looks and sounds a great deal like a clean-shaven Harry Knowles) – are incessantly and offhandedly hilarious. The only real downside to the show is its embarrassing immunity competitions, which continue to prevent the house from voting out Tess. Tuesdays 9 p.m. Hey! That’s tonight! (Comedy Central repeats it 9 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday)
* MTV’s “The Osbournes” has never been better, thanks to the increasingly dysfunctional antics of Kelly and Jack. In addition to tonight’s usual new 10:30 p.m. episode, I believe Jack’s “Back From Rehab” special airs at 11 p.m. tonight.
* NBC’s “For Love Or Money” was the top-rated reality show last week, so don’t be surprised if Monday night’s big finale (which saw the winner actually GAMBLE EVERY CENT OF HER MILLION-DOLLAR WINNINGS on “For Love Or Money 2”) delivered monster ratings. “For Love Or Money 2,” with part one’s winner choosing a mate from among 15 men, inherits the Monday 9.p.m. timeslot starting next week.
* “American Idol” sucks. “Star Search” sucks. “Fame” sucks. “American Juniors” is useless. “Dog Eat Dog,” “Meet My Folks” and “Paradise Hotel” are not unwatchable. “America’s Next Top Model” (concluding tonight at 9) has hooked Mighty Herc, thanks to fetching med student Elyse and all the naked models modelling nakedly last week. “Amazing Race 4” continues to amaze, featuring as it does models and virgins.
Must rest up now.
Why does it rank right up there among Herc’s very favorite reality shows? Because of the Internet feed - and because CBS airs live segments several times a week - less can be hidden from the viewing audience. Things aren’t edited out and edited together to service long-term storylines, because no one knows where anything is going.
Castmates also can’t sneak away for snog sessions (the way they do over at “The Real World”). Because the cameras never go away (ever), everyone either has to spend a month keeping their guards up 24/7 - or unleash their real selves.
Plus? There’s so much of it. Many balk at having to commit to three hours of primetime every single week, but I like the longform, I like lots of continuity, I like that the producers have less to edit out.
Plus plus? It was well over 100 degrees today here in beautiful Studio City, halter-top capital of the world and the site of the “Big Brother” domicile. The house is teeming with skinny, bikini-clad twentysomethings.
Meet Herc’s new neighbors here.
Tuesdays 8 p.m. (opposite “Gilmore Girls”). Wednesdays 9 p.m. (opposite “Paradise Hotel”). Fridays 8 p.m. (opposite not much of anything). CBS.
Bonus! A few words about some other reality shows:
* “Project Greenlight” is even better this year. The winning directors made some really funny shorts all by their lonesome, and now they’re battling the producers for creative control. 10:30 p.m. Sundays. HBO. Right after “The Wire.”
* Like many with hateful memories of “Make Me Laugh,” I was not looking forward to NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” But guess what? “Last Comic Standing” is actually pretty wonderful. Remember how Kathy Griffin saved “Celebrity Mole” by making fun of all the other celebs? This is a reality show with a house full of stand-up comedians making fun of each other and every conceivable thing around them. Most of the comics have been kicking around the comedy circuit for a while and have developed some pretty quick wits. Two of them – Minnesota’s Dave Mordel and Texas’ Ralphie May (who looks and sounds a great deal like a clean-shaven Harry Knowles) – are incessantly and offhandedly hilarious. The only real downside to the show is its embarrassing immunity competitions, which continue to prevent the house from voting out Tess. Tuesdays 9 p.m. Hey! That’s tonight! (Comedy Central repeats it 9 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday)
* MTV’s “The Osbournes” has never been better, thanks to the increasingly dysfunctional antics of Kelly and Jack. In addition to tonight’s usual new 10:30 p.m. episode, I believe Jack’s “Back From Rehab” special airs at 11 p.m. tonight.
* NBC’s “For Love Or Money” was the top-rated reality show last week, so don’t be surprised if Monday night’s big finale (which saw the winner actually GAMBLE EVERY CENT OF HER MILLION-DOLLAR WINNINGS on “For Love Or Money 2”) delivered monster ratings. “For Love Or Money 2,” with part one’s winner choosing a mate from among 15 men, inherits the Monday 9.p.m. timeslot starting next week.
* “American Idol” sucks. “Star Search” sucks. “Fame” sucks. “American Juniors” is useless. “Dog Eat Dog,” “Meet My Folks” and “Paradise Hotel” are not unwatchable. “America’s Next Top Model” (concluding tonight at 9) has hooked Mighty Herc, thanks to fetching med student Elyse and all the naked models modelling nakedly last week. “Amazing Race 4” continues to amaze, featuring as it does models and virgins.
Must rest up now.
Plus plus? It was well over 100 degrees today here in beautiful Studio City, halter-top capital of the world and the site of the “Big Brother” domicile. The house is teeming with skinny, bikini-clad twentysomethings.
Meet Herc’s new neighbors here.
Tuesdays 8 p.m. (opposite “Gilmore Girls”). Wednesdays 9 p.m. (opposite “Paradise Hotel”). Fridays 8 p.m. (opposite not much of anything). CBS.
Bonus! A few words about some other reality shows:
* “Project Greenlight” is even better this year. The winning directors made some really funny shorts all by their lonesome, and now they’re battling the producers for creative control. 10:30 p.m. Sundays. HBO. Right after “The Wire.”
* Like many with hateful memories of “Make Me Laugh,” I was not looking forward to NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” But guess what? “Last Comic Standing” is actually pretty wonderful. Remember how Kathy Griffin saved “Celebrity Mole” by making fun of all the other celebs? This is a reality show with a house full of stand-up comedians making fun of each other and every conceivable thing around them. Most of the comics have been kicking around the comedy circuit for a while and have developed some pretty quick wits. Two of them – Minnesota’s Dave Mordel and Texas’ Ralphie May (who looks and sounds a great deal like a clean-shaven Harry Knowles) – are incessantly and offhandedly hilarious. The only real downside to the show is its embarrassing immunity competitions, which continue to prevent the house from voting out Tess. Tuesdays 9 p.m. Hey! That’s tonight! (Comedy Central repeats it 9 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday)
* MTV’s “The Osbournes” has never been better, thanks to the increasingly dysfunctional antics of Kelly and Jack. In addition to tonight’s usual new 10:30 p.m. episode, I believe Jack’s “Back From Rehab” special airs at 11 p.m. tonight.
* NBC’s “For Love Or Money” was the top-rated reality show last week, so don’t be surprised if Monday night’s big finale (which saw the winner actually GAMBLE EVERY CENT OF HER MILLION-DOLLAR WINNINGS on “For Love Or Money 2”) delivered monster ratings. “For Love Or Money 2,” with part one’s winner choosing a mate from among 15 men, inherits the Monday 9.p.m. timeslot starting next week.
* “American Idol” sucks. “Star Search” sucks. “Fame” sucks. “American Juniors” is useless. “Dog Eat Dog,” “Meet My Folks” and “Paradise Hotel” are not unwatchable. “America’s Next Top Model” (concluding tonight at 9) has hooked Mighty Herc, thanks to fetching med student Elyse and all the naked models modelling nakedly last week. “Amazing Race 4” continues to amaze, featuring as it does models and virgins.
Must rest up now.
Tuesdays 8 p.m. (opposite “Gilmore Girls”). Wednesdays 9 p.m. (opposite “Paradise Hotel”). Fridays 8 p.m. (opposite not much of anything). CBS.
Bonus! A few words about some other reality shows:
* “Project Greenlight” is even better this year. The winning directors made some really funny shorts all by their lonesome, and now they’re battling the producers for creative control. 10:30 p.m. Sundays. HBO. Right after “The Wire.”
* Like many with hateful memories of “Make Me Laugh,” I was not looking forward to NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” But guess what? “Last Comic Standing” is actually pretty wonderful. Remember how Kathy Griffin saved “Celebrity Mole” by making fun of all the other celebs? This is a reality show with a house full of stand-up comedians making fun of each other and every conceivable thing around them. Most of the comics have been kicking around the comedy circuit for a while and have developed some pretty quick wits. Two of them – Minnesota’s Dave Mordel and Texas’ Ralphie May (who looks and sounds a great deal like a clean-shaven Harry Knowles) – are incessantly and offhandedly hilarious. The only real downside to the show is its embarrassing immunity competitions, which continue to prevent the house from voting out Tess. Tuesdays 9 p.m. Hey! That’s tonight! (Comedy Central repeats it 9 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday)
* MTV’s “The Osbournes” has never been better, thanks to the increasingly dysfunctional antics of Kelly and Jack. In addition to tonight’s usual new 10:30 p.m. episode, I believe Jack’s “Back From Rehab” special airs at 11 p.m. tonight.
* NBC’s “For Love Or Money” was the top-rated reality show last week, so don’t be surprised if Monday night’s big finale (which saw the winner actually GAMBLE EVERY CENT OF HER MILLION-DOLLAR WINNINGS on “For Love Or Money 2”) delivered monster ratings. “For Love Or Money 2,” with part one’s winner choosing a mate from among 15 men, inherits the Monday 9.p.m. timeslot starting next week.
* “American Idol” sucks. “Star Search” sucks. “Fame” sucks. “American Juniors” is useless. “Dog Eat Dog,” “Meet My Folks” and “Paradise Hotel” are not unwatchable. “America’s Next Top Model” (concluding tonight at 9) has hooked Mighty Herc, thanks to fetching med student Elyse and all the naked models modelling nakedly last week. “Amazing Race 4” continues to amaze, featuring as it does models and virgins.
Must rest up now.
* “Project Greenlight” is even better this year. The winning directors made some really funny shorts all by their lonesome, and now they’re battling the producers for creative control. 10:30 p.m. Sundays. HBO. Right after “The Wire.”
* Like many with hateful memories of “Make Me Laugh,” I was not looking forward to NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” But guess what? “Last Comic Standing” is actually pretty wonderful. Remember how Kathy Griffin saved “Celebrity Mole” by making fun of all the other celebs? This is a reality show with a house full of stand-up comedians making fun of each other and every conceivable thing around them. Most of the comics have been kicking around the comedy circuit for a while and have developed some pretty quick wits. Two of them – Minnesota’s Dave Mordel and Texas’ Ralphie May (who looks and sounds a great deal like a clean-shaven Harry Knowles) – are incessantly and offhandedly hilarious. The only real downside to the show is its embarrassing immunity competitions, which continue to prevent the house from voting out Tess. Tuesdays 9 p.m. Hey! That’s tonight! (Comedy Central repeats it 9 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday)
* MTV’s “The Osbournes” has never been better, thanks to the increasingly dysfunctional antics of Kelly and Jack. In addition to tonight’s usual new 10:30 p.m. episode, I believe Jack’s “Back From Rehab” special airs at 11 p.m. tonight.
* NBC’s “For Love Or Money” was the top-rated reality show last week, so don’t be surprised if Monday night’s big finale (which saw the winner actually GAMBLE EVERY CENT OF HER MILLION-DOLLAR WINNINGS on “For Love Or Money 2”) delivered monster ratings. “For Love Or Money 2,” with part one’s winner choosing a mate from among 15 men, inherits the Monday 9.p.m. timeslot starting next week.
* “American Idol” sucks. “Star Search” sucks. “Fame” sucks. “American Juniors” is useless. “Dog Eat Dog,” “Meet My Folks” and “Paradise Hotel” are not unwatchable. “America’s Next Top Model” (concluding tonight at 9) has hooked Mighty Herc, thanks to fetching med student Elyse and all the naked models modelling nakedly last week. “Amazing Race 4” continues to amaze, featuring as it does models and virgins.
Must rest up now.
* MTV’s “The Osbournes” has never been better, thanks to the increasingly dysfunctional antics of Kelly and Jack. In addition to tonight’s usual new 10:30 p.m. episode, I believe Jack’s “Back From Rehab” special airs at 11 p.m. tonight.
* NBC’s “For Love Or Money” was the top-rated reality show last week, so don’t be surprised if Monday night’s big finale (which saw the winner actually GAMBLE EVERY CENT OF HER MILLION-DOLLAR WINNINGS on “For Love Or Money 2”) delivered monster ratings. “For Love Or Money 2,” with part one’s winner choosing a mate from among 15 men, inherits the Monday 9.p.m. timeslot starting next week.
* “American Idol” sucks. “Star Search” sucks. “Fame” sucks. “American Juniors” is useless. “Dog Eat Dog,” “Meet My Folks” and “Paradise Hotel” are not unwatchable. “America’s Next Top Model” (concluding tonight at 9) has hooked Mighty Herc, thanks to fetching med student Elyse and all the naked models modelling nakedly last week. “Amazing Race 4” continues to amaze, featuring as it does models and virgins.
Must rest up now.
* “American Idol” sucks. “Star Search” sucks. “Fame” sucks. “American Juniors” is useless. “Dog Eat Dog,” “Meet My Folks” and “Paradise Hotel” are not unwatchable. “America’s Next Top Model” (concluding tonight at 9) has hooked Mighty Herc, thanks to fetching med student Elyse and all the naked models modelling nakedly last week. “Amazing Race 4” continues to amaze, featuring as it does models and virgins.
Must rest up now.
