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CBS Developing Dullest Reality Show Idea of All Time

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (23)



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While Fox is out making reality shows that attempt to lower the bar into the Earth’s core (“More to LoveSomething’s Gotta Give”) CBS seems intent on creating the most facile, tediously dull reality shows imaginable. Not content to unspool a 47th edition of “Big Brother,” and renew “I Get That Alot” for a second season (that’s a hidden camera show where celebrities take low-wage jobs and basically poke fun at blue-collar people for suggesting they look like who they are), the Eye Network is now in the process of developing “The Block Party.”

What’s the block party about? It’s kind of like “Big Brother,” only the limitations are basically nil. Described as something akin to The Simpson’s movie, where the city of Springfield is trapped in a dome bubble, “Block Party” is about eight families who have their entire neighborhood walled off. For three weeks, the eight families are then forced to interact with one another.

Oh, the humanity!

Can you imagine being trapped in your own neighborhood, in your own house, with your own Internet and cable TV for three whole weeks with nothing but the hope of winning a cash prize at the end of all that misery?! I’m just thankful they didn’t choose my neighborhood — I’d be forced to interact with nice geriatric Jewish couples who have lived her for five decades and all their semi-amusing anecdotes on the history of the neighborhood. Jesus: Think of all the traumatic dinner parties?! God help me if I’m stuck talking to the 80-year-old lady down the street who has been in all the Jaws films. I think I’d just stick my head in the oven first.

Hey CBS: Grow a pair. If your contestants aren’t marrying their first cousins or eating monkey poop for the chance to win $50 and some pocket lint, don’t even bother.










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Comments

I don't know. CBS walling off a neighborhood of geriatic Jewish families? Somehow that doesn't sound good.

Posted by: Mrcreosote at June 16, 2009 9:56 AM

Wow, that's a whole new slant! And it's even worse than debasement!

Posted by: Jay at June 16, 2009 9:59 AM

Next on CBS: The new hit reality TV program Street Light. Which one will turn-on first? Which will turn-off last. Will street light number sixteen finally burn out and have to have it's bulb replaced? Who will win the Street Light Repair Man Challange. Stay tuned. You may even see a hooker.

Posted by: admin at June 16, 2009 10:19 AM

*kneels before admin, in the good only-semi-sexual way*

Posted by: gp at June 16, 2009 10:28 AM

A walled off neighborhood? My dad lived in one of those during WWII in Germany. It was called the Jewish Ghetto. Wanna know what reality TV show comes next? The Concentration Camp. It'll be like The Biggest Loser only with no food or workout equipment.

Posted by: BWeaves at June 16, 2009 10:31 AM

Figgy: You've got two contenders right here for EE this week

Posted by: Dustin Rowles at June 16, 2009 10:35 AM

Wait ... they can't even leave to go to work or anything? Who has a job that lets them not show up for three weeks?

I wouldn't expect much of anything to change on this block. As it is, suburban types like me pretty much wall themselves off behind their front doors and their air conditioning and their TV and Internet and never interact with their neighbors as it is. I go (literally) months at a time without even SEEING some of mine, and that's as much my fault as it is their's.

So there will have to be forced interaction (i.e., scripted) here, and right there -- boom -- so much for the "reality" part.

Posted by: , (the commenter formerly known as bucdaddy) at June 16, 2009 10:40 AM

Pitching here:

8 tv-execs locked together in an elevator for let's say 72 hours.

Twist: half of them are avid smokers, only they have only half a pack to share and only 4 matches.

Twist 2: One of them is a mole with a chronic flatulence condition.

Where's my check?

Posted by: Adere at June 16, 2009 10:43 AM

I wanted to comment about how dumb this sounds, but then I had a seizure from the flashing BestFreeRewards ad on this page and hit my head. Now, I think this sounds like a fantastic show, and I look forward to watching it.

This must be how CBS gets most of their viewing audience.

Posted by: Melissa at June 16, 2009 10:54 AM

You have made my day Bweaves...I'm still laughing 30 minutes later.

Posted by: Ashes at June 16, 2009 10:59 AM

BWeaves, you are a godess among men.

Posted by: admin at June 16, 2009 11:09 AM

And the sad part is - I was being serious.

Posted by: BWeaves at June 16, 2009 1:24 PM

Exactly. That is good lip.

Posted by: admin at June 16, 2009 1:26 PM

This week's EE is going to be impossible. You people. You people and your funnyness.

I don't know, man, even without ever going outside I HATE my neighbors. They're noisy fucks with no regard for anyone else, so I think being walled off with them would be a fucking nightmare. I'd probably kill them all with hammers.

Posted by: figgy at June 16, 2009 1:28 PM

A raccoon was killed by a car and thrown up into our front yard yesterday. While the man of the house and I were arguing about who had to clean it up, one of my neighbors walked by and asked if he could have it. He wasn't joking.

If anyone ever tries to wall me up with my neighbors, I'm joining the raccoon.

Posted by: dawn at June 16, 2009 2:26 PM

Hahahahhahahaha. Dawn wins.

Posted by: BWeaves at June 16, 2009 2:37 PM

To quote Chris Rock, "That's not magic. That's called Living In The Projects."

Posted by: SofĂ­a at June 16, 2009 2:45 PM

Network Executive Survivor: Pitch Me

7 contestants are fighting for the chance for their pet project to get the greenlight, prime viewing slot, and $10 million in additional promotional budget. In round 1, they are all kept in a windowless waiting room with 6 chairs. The AC is broken, 3 of them are rabid non-smokers, and at least one of them has a nervous habit of tapping his foot very loudly. When the survivors are all seated, and once the body has been properly disposed of, we move on to round 2! The survivors are put in a green room with a 1-way mirror on a wall, and told to rehearse their pitches in 10 minutes or less - unfortunately, due to overbooking, they have to rehearse simultaneously. After 5 minutes, there's a mysterious power failure, and night vision cameras watch as natural selection makes creative use of items placed in the room. Again, after the lights come on the bodies are removed, and the 3 survivors are sent to the focus group room, where they make 1-on-1 pitches to assorted critics over the next hour. The critics give their feedback in the form of antidotes for the various additives to the survivors' tampered water bottles. The 2 barely-standing survivors are then sent to the network executive for the riveting final round. Their feet are literally riveted in place and have to somehow entice the executive out of his drug-induced semi-consciousness, hold his attention long enough to make their pitch, and get him to press the button that lets them walk away (with rivets still attached) before the room spontaneously combusts. Whoever manages to leave the room in time becomes the new network executive, and gets to exploit his or her pet project at will. If nobody leaves the room in time the viewing public is declared the winner, and the people behind NES:PM are then locked on camera in a building liberally equipped with knives, for the sequel show: Survivor: Cannibal Edition!

Posted by: lordhelmet at June 16, 2009 3:06 PM

lordhelmut, you have vision. Far reaching, and sublime.

gp, holdup, holdup, holllld-UP! In a footrace, I'm closer to admin. GO! (although I'm pretty sure the result would be offering our services as indentured nannies).

And I guess it wouldn't be so bad to be holed up in my neighborhood. It's like, an estimated 50% grow-op kinda town. I'd call the show Anderson Cooper 420 (cute neighbor). Although lacking a corner store in the immediate 4 block radius, we might end up having to call it The Donner Party.

Posted by: replica at June 16, 2009 3:42 PM

Idea instead of that make a reality show in the same setting staring 8 video games charecters
Pacman,Mario,Sonic the hedgehog, Solid Snake, Lara Croft, Masterchief,Samus and Megaman.

Posted by: Utah Dynamo at June 16, 2009 9:57 PM

They are actually doing this in the neighborhood across from mine...and they have cops patrolling. Seriously.

Posted by: DeistBrawler at June 17, 2009 4:38 PM

My boyfriend's family is one of the eight having to participate and I've met the other neighbors and can actually say they're all really diverse and lively people. They've all got they're own hilarious tendencies and unique traits. If anything, I kind of admire him being able to handle being locked together with his family with no phone, tv, or internet. I'd probably commit suicide on camera and he knows it. Haha. While mine is crazy with its own issues, his does as well with its own extensive past so I can say they're more like everyone else than any of you previous people have stated. They're far from perfect and neither are any of the other families. Sure, the plot sounds boring but from what I've been informed of by the participants, cbs aims to promote spending time with one's family rather than the actual reality tv half of it. I myself hate reality television and refuse to watch survivor or anything of the sort so I don't blame some of you for not wanting to watch it. If anything, I'm going to watch Block Party mainly to see if it's worth the work cbs is getting the families to put into it. Not to mention I won't get to see or talk to my boyfriend for three solid weeks so I'll be bored as shit. Haha.

Posted by: RoxasDestati at June 18, 2009 12:10 AM

So... The person who wrote this article is misinformed. First of all... I have tested out the challenges... and they are entertaining. It will def. make for good tv. Second, the only part that is scripted is that which is said by the host. Finally, this show has an edge on all the other reality tv shows because the contestants don't actually get to go home to escape the other contestants... because they already ARE home. They can't say, 'I'm so glad I never have to see you when this is done!' because they will have to see each other each day- even if they don't interact with each other. As for you roxasDestati... if you are who I think you are, I heard your boyfriend talking about sneaking out to get a ice cold sponge bath from you... that made me giggle... mostly because I'm one of the people in charge of making sure they don't get out of the wall.

Really guys, like roxasdestati said... this show is more about spending time with family... it will be entertaining, and it is a great premise. I hope you enjoy it because I enjoy working on it.

Posted by: cbs crew at June 22, 2009 12:15 PM


















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