| Talk of a looming writer's strike reminds me of | | | | Participants in this CW show will pitch their own |
| 1988. Back then, studios were momentarily | | | | shows to a panel including 'Top Model' producers |
| caught out, wondering what they'd produce, sans | | | | Ken Mok and Anthony Dominici. |
| scribes, until they realized that "reality" shows | | | | 3.) Who Whines To Be A Millionaire |
| were a cheap, popular alternative. | | | | ABC has teamed up with Regis Philbin to produce |
| Since then, writers have managed to claw back a | | | | this ultra-efficient show. The set is simply a bare |
| few time slots. But with past lessons fresh in their | | | | stage with a microphone stand. Eight audience |
| minds, producers are ready to wield new reality | | | | members are selected at random and each is |
| shows like strike-breakers' batons. | | | | given two minutes to argue, harangue, beg and |
| You might think that today's audiences have | | | | plead with the audience, which then votes to |
| rediscovered a taste for writer-driven shows like | | | | determine which contestant gets the money. |
| Pushing Daisies, with genuine plots and dialogue. | | | | 4.) Drumming With The Stars |
| You might think that the remarkable proliferation | | | | CBS is another network worried that, without |
| of reality shows leaves nothing new in that genre. | | | | new dramas, its audience will vanish without a |
| As a writer myself, I obviously like the idea of | | | | trace. As a stopgap measure, the network plans |
| audiences that are, again, hooked by stories. | | | | to air this spinoff. Stars will be judged by Tommy |
| Unfortunately, new reality shows are being | | | | Lee, eccentric poet Robert Bly, and a visiting |
| green-lighted faster than Vespas in Roman traffic. | | | | judge from a different musical genre each week. |
| No new ideas in the reality genre? You wish. Here | | | | 5.) The Cat Whisperer |
| are six shows currently in development... | | | | "Cats are the new dogs," says Cesar Millan, who |
| 1.) Survivor: Red State, Blue State | | | | hopes that this show, which he's exec producing, |
| With CBS' writer-driven Big Bang Theory | | | | will be his bridge to basic cable. Felicity Horn will |
| threatened, they've turned to Jeff Probst for this | | | | star; she's the niece of magician Roy Horn. |
| politically timely spinoff. Survivor: Red State, Blue | | | | 6.) The Biggest Gainer |
| State is actually two shows in one. In 'Red State', | | | | Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen hope American girls |
| 16 conservative Republicans from the Midwest will | | | | in the coveted 75-90 pound demographic will have |
| relocate to Berkeley, where their tolerance and | | | | an appetite for this show, which NBC will run in its |
| flexibility will be tested with a variety of challenges | | | | hot 'Bionic Woman' slot. It will go behind the usually |
| including yoga and a worshiping at a Wiccan | | | | closed doors of a renowned eating disorder clinic. |
| solstice festival. In 'Blue State', 16 metrosexual | | | | 16 anorexic teenagers will compete to see who |
| hipsters from the coasts will relocate to a dorm | | | | can gain the most weight in six weeks. Alison |
| at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK. | | | | Sweeney is producing. "We've got product |
| 2.) America's Next Top Reality Show Host | | | | placement deals lined up out the door," she says. |
| Another timely show, since a long strike will | | | | Rumor has it that Häagen Daz has already |
| create even more demand for new reality shows. | | | | signed a seven-figure deal for title sponsorship. |