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. |