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Reality TV

Branson Famous episode 5 recap: The Brangelina of Branson

Tonight’s episode of Branson Famous, “The Brangelina of Branson,” could be alternately titled, “Megan Loves Blush.” Seriously, you guys, what even is going on here? More on that later. The show starts with Patty and Tim talking in the car about how something is holding Brandon up from proposing to Megan, and Patty denies it’s her. (Reality check, Patty: It’s you. Actually, it’s probably not really you, but Brandon and Megan think it is, when in fact it’s probably them. There’s a whole psychological thing going on here, but I lack the credentials to diagnose this further, so I’ll just […]

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Reality TV

Branson Famous episode 4 recap: Small Town Fame

This week’s episode of Branson Famous, “Small Town Fame” starts on a predictable note, with Megan unable to hide her jealousy of Heather. She remarks to Heather that she and Patty are getting along well, and Heather’s comments, “I really, really, like, care for her deeply,” and “we’re just kindred spirits.” Those remarks alarm me .. a bit. Who talks about her boss that way? (Secretaries on Mad Men. That’s it, though. Really.) At any rate, Patty and Heather DO seem to be getting along well (though I don’t feel like their relationship is genuine), and this sets Megan’s jealous […]

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Reality TV

Branson Famous episode 3 recap: Waiting for Maw Maw

Forgive me if this posting isn’t quite as snark-tastic as usual (aside from some shirt references). Tonight’s episode was good, but I just wasn’t feeling it the way I was in the first and second shows. (I have faith for episode 4, though!) This episode starts with Patty and Tim (Mom and Dad) discussing how the first rehearsal was rough, but they have faith that Heather will improve and bring some followers to the show. They’ve decided to hire Heather, but will she make it past Maw Maw (Katie Mabe: Tim’s mother and the owner of the show)? Dunnn, dunnn, dunnnnnnn […]

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Reality TV

Branson Famous episode 2 recap: The New Girl

If the theme of the first episode of Branson Famous was “power struggles,” I’d say the theme for episode 2: The New Girl was “bitterness.” The second episode of the musical reality series begins with Patty breaking the news to Megan that Heather Gentry has been hired onto The Baldknobbers Jamboree. Now, I, a polite Midwestern girl, was raised to believe 2 things: 1) If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all … or just pretend to be nice. (I’m the best at being fake nice. It’s one of my superpowers.) 2) As sweet as we girls […]

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Preview

Sequins, Singing & Struggling for Power: Branson Famous Premieres on truTV Monday

At my very first Channel Guide blog meeting, the Editor in Chief, Barb, asked what show I’d like to get my feet wet with. “What kind of shows are you interested in?” Before I could say “Not reality TV —pleasepleasePLEASE not reality TV,” the first episode of Branson Famous landed in my lap. And I was fully prepared to hate it. I am, by no means, a highbrow kind of person — one look at my DVR would tell you that. I just find reality TV to be formulaic, scripted and, well, not grounded anywhere in reality. It is by […]

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Comedy

Interview: “Impractical Jokers” Sal and Joe on their spinoff series “Jokers Wild”

“This is a little more back to our roots,” Joe Gatto told me during a recent interview I had with him and Sal Vulcano. The two, along with James “Murr” Murray and Brian “Q” Quinn, are part of the hugely popular truTV hidden-camera series Impractical Jokers. All four men are spinning off that success with the new series Jokers Wild. Don’t worry; the group is not abandoning Impractical Jokers, and new episodes of Season 3 will begin on the same night as the Jokers Wild premiere, Sept. 25. Some fans might find the new show a change from what they […]

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Magazine Archive

Fall TV shows 2014: New reality series premiere dates, times and previews

Fall means a new batch of reality TV; check out descriptions of new reality series. The Chair Starz Premieres: Sept. 6 Airs: Saturdays at 11pm Billed as “an original filmmaking experiment,” two aspiring young filmmakers are each given the same shoestring budget, the same script and the same location and asked to make wholly original theatrical releases. Mentored by Moore, actor/producer Zachary Quinto and others, excitable YouTube superstar Shane Dawson and sensitive indie filmmaker/actor Anna Martemucci display fascinatingly disparate constitutions and sensibilities on their way to creating works that will, through multi-platform viewer voting, earn one a $250,000 prize. MORE: […]

Fall TV Shows 2014: A to Z
Comedy

Fall TV shows 2014: New comedy series premiere dates, times and previews

Fall TV shows 2014: A roundup of the dates, times, previews and more for the new comedy TV series premiering in fall 2014. A to Z NBC Premieres: Oct. 2 Airs: Thursdays at 9:30pm ET/PT Andrew (Ben Feldman) and Zelda (Cristin Milioti) date for eight months, three weeks, five days and one hour. “This television program is the comprehensive account of their relationship from A to Z,” says the narrator (Katey Sagal). Bad Judge NBC Premieres: Oct. 2 Airs: Thursdays at 9pm ET/PT Kate Walsh (Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice) takes a walk on the wild side as a brilliant but […]

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Reality TV

truTV’s new reality show “Way Out West” looks at Idaho outfitters

TruTV adds another reality series, Way Out West, to its lineup beginning Monday, July 21 at 10pmET/9pmCT. Way Out West gives viewers a glimpse of Idaho’s vast wilderness for tracking, fishing, rafting and camping trips by following three outfitter families: The Bullocks, The Yourens and The Korells (pictured below in order). These families have a long history of rivalry in their businesses of outfitting in the Idaho Backcountry, as they compete against each other to lead the best excursions. In addition to guiding city-dwellers who would otherwise lose their way, the show follows their everyday life adventures from running the […]