Publié : dim. juin 25, 2006 7:28 am
Treasure Hunters
By Barry Garron
8-10 p.m.,
Sunday, June 18
NBC
The most striking thing about NBC's "Treasure Hunters" is how much it looks and feels like CBS' "The Amazing Race," right down to its summertime premiere. For a reality show to bear so close a resemblance to another, you would almost swear you were watching Fox. "Hunters" also pilfers elements from the film "National Treasure." While it doesn't improve on either the series or the film, it does a good job of recognizing the strengths of both and re-creating them.
At the same time, "Hunters," with its 10 executive producers and co-executive producers, forcefully argues for a theory of inverse relationship between the number of top execs and the degree of originality.
In this reality contest, 10 teams of three players dart across the U.S., performing physical challenges and solving an occasional puzzle. The challenges, though arduous, still can be performed by the few players who haven't seen the inside of a gym for a while. The puzzles, though a little tricky, still can be mastered by the team of Miss USA contestants.
Which brings us to the issue of casting, which is as critical for an unscrïpted show as it is for the scrïpted variety. Most teams in "Hunters" are telegenic and symbolic. There is the military team, the family team, the yuppie team, the babe team, the high IQ team, and so on. Just as in "Race," we get a little background about each of the competitors as the game begins. Not so much that we actually know them; just enough to stereotype them for cheering purposes.
The host is Laird Macintosh (also host for NBC's "Ultimate Playground"), whose resume includes modeling, acting and performing as a magician. Macintosh is a graduate of the Jeff Probst school of reality show hosts, which requires a deathly serious demeanor, as if this was more than a variation of a scavenger hunt but a race to stave off global warming and end world hunger.
In any case, the timing is right. With a weakened American dollar and the high cost of gas draining family budgets, more people are likely considering vacations close to home. With its first-class cinematography and vague allusions to America's history, "Hunters" reminds viewers that there are an abundance of things to see and do, even in Nebraska.
Reviewers were asked not to reveal the first team eliminated, but it is obvious in just the first few minutes who the real winners are -- members of the NBC sales department. Collectively, they have taken product placement to new and annoying heights. Contestants wear clothes, use cell phones, perform Internet searches and more for corporate sponsors. They can't travel a mile without being bombarded by commercial messages. Reality programming doesn't get more real than that. --Message edité par Char Aznable le 2006-06-25 13:30:19--
By Barry Garron
8-10 p.m.,
Sunday, June 18
NBC
The most striking thing about NBC's "Treasure Hunters" is how much it looks and feels like CBS' "The Amazing Race," right down to its summertime premiere. For a reality show to bear so close a resemblance to another, you would almost swear you were watching Fox. "Hunters" also pilfers elements from the film "National Treasure." While it doesn't improve on either the series or the film, it does a good job of recognizing the strengths of both and re-creating them.
At the same time, "Hunters," with its 10 executive producers and co-executive producers, forcefully argues for a theory of inverse relationship between the number of top execs and the degree of originality.
In this reality contest, 10 teams of three players dart across the U.S., performing physical challenges and solving an occasional puzzle. The challenges, though arduous, still can be performed by the few players who haven't seen the inside of a gym for a while. The puzzles, though a little tricky, still can be mastered by the team of Miss USA contestants.
Which brings us to the issue of casting, which is as critical for an unscrïpted show as it is for the scrïpted variety. Most teams in "Hunters" are telegenic and symbolic. There is the military team, the family team, the yuppie team, the babe team, the high IQ team, and so on. Just as in "Race," we get a little background about each of the competitors as the game begins. Not so much that we actually know them; just enough to stereotype them for cheering purposes.
The host is Laird Macintosh (also host for NBC's "Ultimate Playground"), whose resume includes modeling, acting and performing as a magician. Macintosh is a graduate of the Jeff Probst school of reality show hosts, which requires a deathly serious demeanor, as if this was more than a variation of a scavenger hunt but a race to stave off global warming and end world hunger.
In any case, the timing is right. With a weakened American dollar and the high cost of gas draining family budgets, more people are likely considering vacations close to home. With its first-class cinematography and vague allusions to America's history, "Hunters" reminds viewers that there are an abundance of things to see and do, even in Nebraska.
Reviewers were asked not to reveal the first team eliminated, but it is obvious in just the first few minutes who the real winners are -- members of the NBC sales department. Collectively, they have taken product placement to new and annoying heights. Contestants wear clothes, use cell phones, perform Internet searches and more for corporate sponsors. They can't travel a mile without being bombarded by commercial messages. Reality programming doesn't get more real than that. --Message edité par Char Aznable le 2006-06-25 13:30:19--