The Strange Genealogy of the Dating Show

Anna Gregoline | March 8, 2004
Thought that this was a neat article about the rash of reality dating shows.

Scott Hardie | March 8, 2004
Good article. I was surprised by the omission of "Dating Game" + "Survivor" = "Temptation Island".

Anna Gregoline | March 8, 2004
Oh, good one. I'm surprised too, now.

Scott Hardie | March 8, 2004
I never followed along with the "Highlander" TV series, but I thought it would be interesting if they crossed it with an elimination-style reality show. The show would start with sixteen Immortals, and present scenes from their lives. (This would have to be written and filmed fairly quickly, like a soap opera, probably using multiple directors and film crews to pull it off.) Viewers who phoned a 900 number would get to choose which of four Immortals they wanted to see perish next. At the end of every other episode, two of the available four would do battle, with the viewer's choice losing the fight and dying. Since the villains would nearly always be chosen, every once in a while the villain would clearly lose the fight, but cheat and kill the hero instead. After an eight-month season of television, the show would whittle itself down to one champion, who was rewarded with the Quickening. Then, if they could just do something the movies never did (explain how there are still more Immortals after the Quickening has taken place), they'd be all set to repeat the formula the following year.

Anna Gregoline | March 8, 2004
Wow. You must have followed along more than I did. =)

John E Gunter | March 8, 2004
explain how there are still more Immortals after the Quickening has taken place

I can explain it in two words! More money!

Or one word. Sequels!