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Plural1ty - April 5

FOX is touting their new 'experiment' "Unan1mous" as the newest breakout hit. There are a couple of things wrong with that. Somehow, I doubt that a new show will draw 20 million viewers, even with an "American Idol" lead in and all of the pre-promotion in the world. I don't buy it. Second, I don't buy that it's an 'experimental' idea. "Big Brother" has done this before.

I have all kinds of notes as to why this show shouldn't be on the air, and yet I can't stop watching. First; the bad. One: Whoever decided that J.D. Roth should a) host a show like this and b) should be able to steal George Gray's signature look should be taken out behind the wood shed for a severe beating. He may be the executive producer, but he's not the right 'face' for this show. Believe it or not, I would have chosen "The Chamber" host Rick Schwartz as host for this program. He had just the right menacing tone without being over the top.

I'm again not surprised that FOX took a previously done idea and shaped it to suit their own (masochistic) needs. FOX is doubly guilty in this case, because the final product is uninteresting. The reason that "Unan1mous" is a half-hour show is because nothing happens. We get a vote, then some unrest. Then JD comes up and reveals the next twist. And now we're at 9:59. "Big Brother" gives us a competition each week, as well as some squabbling for votes, and so on. "Big Brother" is interesting where "Unan1mous" is not. I can see where someone thought "What if we did a show where everyone has to vote for the winner!" would be at the round table. I can imagine that FOX jumped on it, and even moved it forward, but there is a glaring problem with the idea.

It boils down to these words: "Why should I vote for you?"

A vote for you is one vote that is not giving me the money. The longer I hold out to win the diminishing cash prize, the longer no one else wins anything. I would happily leave a game after six days and having won $100,000 for it, as opposed to leaving on day one with nothing. These players don't seem to get the very premise that if someone else wins, they do not. I don't care if the conditions are bad, the company is bad, and that I have to look at JD's beard every day. I didn't sign up for down-filled pillows and Kool-aid pitchers; I came to win a game. At least be there to play.

If this is a one-time thing, that's great. FOX had their turn to do the vote-out show. It might even score well. It is not a good game, and it is an even worse show. For some reason, I'm still watching. Perhaps it's to see if any (or all) of the players will crack under the strain. Maybe everyone will throw up their hands and leave the game. Or someone will figure out that the game boils down to who can tough it out the longest. It is interesting to watch, if you can get by all of the problems that I listed. And if you were already watching "American Idol," you may as well stick around, because there's nothing better on Wednesday nights. Unless you enjoy "Lost," I suppose.

Travis Eberle thinks that J.D. Roth should stay behind the camera, or at least in the announcer's booth. Agree or disagree at traviseberle@gmail.com.

 

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