Big BrotherReality TV: Ten
Big Brother
Reality TV: Ten strangers, three months and one network that has taken the reality TV craze one step too far. CBS'much hyped Euro import"Big Brother"debuted Wednesday night with all of the style and drama of a Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol commercial.
Latins tap terp craze
Reality TV:'Dancing'waltzes to Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina — BBC Worldwide Americas has unveiled a landmark four-country pact for its hit dance format"Dancing With the Stars"in Latin America. Argentina's Artear will produce local versions of the show for Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina, while SBT Brazil will make its own local version. BBC Worldwide will oversee each production.
Korean webs grab Granada goods
Reality TV: Cabler On Media acquires slew of reality skeins — Granada Intl., the international program sales arm of U.K. TV production and distribution company Granada, has struck a slew of deals with Korean cable and terrestrial nets.
The Mole
Reality TV: The race is on. Not the race to identify the fink in ABC's new reality series"The Mole,"but rather the network-wide scramble to create a new"Survivor"– that is, other than"Survivor 2."The Alphabet net thinks it has a winner with this action mystery series, mainly because"The Mole"is a big hit in Europe. But then again, so are plastic sandals for men.
Ellis says'Hello'to reality series
Reality TV: Dutch airport skein travels to U.S., Canada — Toronto's Ellis Entertainment has picked up exclusive U.S. and Canadian rights to produce a North American version of successful Dutch reality series"Hello Goodbye."
Simmons docu gets kissed by A&E
Reality TV: Rocker docusoap grew from a'Biography'special — Gene Simmons is gearing up to star in his own"Osbournes"-style docusoap for A&E. Cabler has greenlit"Gene Simmons'Family Jewels,"one of three new shows the channel will premiere this year.
NBC's'Comic'still standing
Reality TV: Peacock stands by'Standing'–"Last Comic Standing"hasn't laughed its last after all. NBC has ordered a new season of the Emmy-nommed comedy talent hunt, penciling it in for a summer launch. Peter Engel ("Saved by the Bell") will return as exec producer.
'Idol'sings a familiar refrain
Reality TV: Skein preemed with 15.2 rating/34 share in adults 18-49 — The race is on to find the next American Idol, and so too perhaps the season's ratings champ. Fox dug itself a considerable hole in the first half of the season, but Tuesday's record start for"American Idol,"on the heels of a best-yet opening for"24,"gives the net a shot to close the gap in a hurry.