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It’s been a month since new shows started popping up and my god has it been a rough ride. I was able to keep for the better part of two weeks, but lately I’ve had to throw my hands up and declare that once again, the television has won. Part of the problem, for me at least, is this fall seems to have more decent shows than season’s past. There are always one or two really good new programs, but typically the rest of it is just dreck. This year there have only been a small handful of shows I would consider abdominal, but with an unusually large amount resting somewhere in the middle. But how does one justify sticking with a series that is at its very best just OK. I think now would be as good a time as any to look at where we are and decide how to move forward.

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I’m listening to a conference call right now with Jeff Probst, host of CBS’s reality-centerpiece Survivor. He’s on the line to address the show’s decision to split the new cast into racial “tribes.” His go-to line, and one I’ve read before, is that this is “the most ethnically diverse cast in the history of reality TV.” This may be true, though I feel like the first few seasons of The Real World would argue otherwise.

As expected, he’s 100% in favor of this decision and is certain it will revive the brand. He also calls out those who may criticize the decision without ever seeing the show– pretty standard responses whenever a show is confronted with controversy.

The series usually picks its contestants from videos mailed in by people who want to be on the show. It just so happens that the type of person who applies for a reality show in this manor is frequently white. Because of this, the casting for the new season was much more aggressive. They went out into the communities and sought out the contestants.

In response to questions about Mark Burnett’s sordid history with diversity and reality programming Probst argued that the apparent stereotypes seen in previous seasons (and shows), might have been caused by the overwhelming white presence these shows have had over the past six years. When there’s only one African-American on a show of sixteen people, anything they do that fits into a stereotype gets magnified.

It should also be noted that while various advertisers have dropped their spots from the show, in recent months (weeks?), Jeff Probst is just the show’s host and really doesn’t know all that much about the CBS balance sheet. Should he? Seems like a lot to ask from the guy.

This thing is now reaching the hour-mark, and I have to go to work. So I’m jumping ship…

CBS released this awesome photo of the cast for Survivor’s thirteenth (!!) season. If you look closely you’ll notice that it isn’t as “white” as the cast usually is. There’s a reason for this. Initially the 20 castaways will be divided into “ethnic teams.” That’s right, there will be a team of Asians, a team of Hispanics, a team of African Americans, and a team full of crackers Caucasians.

As the teams get widdled down there will be some integration, as in seasons past. Needless to say, Survivor just got a whole lot more awkward.

I’ve never watched much of the show, so it really isn’t my place to make too many comments, though I do think this decision is interesting given how a lot of the web-chatter has been about producer Mark Burnett’s lousy track record with casting minorites on his non-The Contender series.

Thoughts?

Photo courtesy CBS

Richard Hatch, the first winner of the popular endurance-game-show/network-resurrection-device, Survivor, has just been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for income tax evasion. I don’t know, it seems like stuff like this happens all the time, but DAMN, four years! Have fun, buddy!!

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