Some bad news today in the unscripted TV world. Fox Reality Channel, which is a big reason why we saw Game Show Network switch to GSN, will cease operations in early 2010. At least to me they didn’t have a ton of programming I enjoy, but it’s always bad to see something like a network go under. They did carry some good shows (including game shows) that will sorely be missed. They ran occasional marathons of The Mole which is, to me, pound for pound the best reality show there has been. They aired marathons often of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? and Don’t Forget the Lyrics! in addition to some other stuff. It’s awful seeing the people at the channel lose their jobs as well. I wish them the best and hope they find something very soon. Worst of all in terms of programming, this means the cancelation of one of the most interesting and enjoyable reality/game shows in an extremely long time: Solitary.
Solitary saw nine competitors, each in individual pods kept in total solitary confinement. They had no contact to the outside world. They had to compete in various physical and mental challenges without cracking in order to be the last one standing and collect $50,000. We covered it before and it was a genius show that deserves to still be on the air. I don’t think it has a chance at a major primetime network. It’s just a bit too out there. Take a look and see what I mean.
If I was a GSN executive, I’d be on the phone today calling and begging for the rights to this show. It’s third season premiere, on a network with far less exposure than GSN, scored 330,000 viewers and you never hear people talking about any GSN show unless it involves Bob Barker and Betty White bitch slapping each other. It’s got a proven track record with three seasons of episodes already taped. It’s cheap. It’s enough of a game show to appease that crowd. It’s edgy and very marketable for the younger demographic which they love. And given what I’ve been hearing for the past few months GSN isn’t afraid to go back to reality shows. So what’s really stopping them from going for Solitary? I don’t know the logistics of the current situation, but I really don’t think a good deal of the originals recently have set the world on fire. It has to be worth a chance. It can’t conceivably do any worse than Big Saturday Night and it has to be cheaper.
I really don’t expect them to listen but it’s a nice thought, isn’t it? It’s nice to think a really good proven show could go somewhere and live on.
26 Responses
To heck with Solitary, what about The Academy?!
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 12:51 am
That would fit better on TruTV, not GSN…
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 1:36 am
WTF, I fell asleep last night hearing that The Mole was offically canceled (which angered me SO MUCH!, thanks ABC) and now the only real good show I like is losing its home. Fox Reality is closing down!? OMFG. I've lost Mole, Murder in Small Town X, Legends of the Hidden Temple, Double Dare, Nick Arcade, all the good stuff. And when I get something that I love to watch, I find out that the channel is shuting down! Please GSN, pick up Solitary and reruns of The Mole and other reality shows. TruTV, please pick up The Academy, and possibly Smile, Your Under Arrest. And yes I know I have no life! haha. I can't help it tho, game shows have been apart of my life since I was a little child and I don't like seeing shows I like get axed.
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 2:39 am
This is off topic. Please sign the petition- to get the Moment of Truth, back on the air. Someone might want to do the same for Solitary. Otherwise, a low down dirty shame about FRC….RIP.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/647507842
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 3:10 am
I think it's safe to say you will never, ever see an original version of this on GSN. Reruns are a longshot, too.
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 3:50 am
How about FOX itself picking up Solitary? They could retool it for a bigger audience, and offer a $500,000 grand prize for the winner. Maybe even pair it with The Cube and have a nice little block there. As fot The Academy, whichj I'm also a big fan of, I agree that truTV would be a good landing spot. It would fit right in.
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 4:04 am
GSN used to air old eps of The Mole. Somehow, though, I doubt they'll pick it up again.
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 4:29 am
Solitary would porbably do very well on FOX, since it was on the sister channel FOX Reality. I just don’t hope that they fix it up like other channels have done with imported shows, changing the game play that was fine to being with and the show ending up being canceled. To prove my point, I give you Hole In The Wall or the recent version of American Gladiators ( which I was a fan of, I’m just trying to prove a point tho). Raising the prize money would be better. I could go on Wipeout and win $50,000 without having to be alone and go insane. Maybe half a million, or even a quarter of a million. I love Solitary, the only problem I’ve had with it is that the prize was so cheap for a reality series.
The Mole, I will never understand why it got canceled. Will seasons 2, 4 and 5 be released on DVD? Can another channel pick it up? Please tell me so.
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 1:22 am
One more reason why "reality bites…so watch more game shows!"
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 6:46 am
Amen to that, brother!
This'll hurt my sister more than it does me. She's an AVID fan of 5th Grader. Now it looks like come April 1st, she may have to stay up at 10:30 PM to watch it on MyPHL-17. Oh well.
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Absolutely! There is not much "reality" in most of what they call "Reality TV." Give me an old-fashioned game show any day!
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
How about Tuesdays at 8 PM and 8:30 PM on My Network or weekdays at 8:30 PM on CMT?
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
The term "reality" doesn't sell. Unscripted TV, however, is still quite popular.
It's too bad about the channel going under. Hopefully someone else will come in and pick up the concept.
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
They might stick it on MyNetworkTV.
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Sorry, Capt! I am truly sorry that you feel that strongly about The Moment of Truth, but there is no way that I would ever sign anything that could result in that train wreck getting back on the air. It is television, and humanity, at its absolute worst. It's emotional S&M. I hope it stays dead.
Now, if there's a petition to get The Pyramid back on the air, I'll sign that!
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Sad to hear that Fox Reality is shutting down operations. I thought, at first, it was terrible because all they showed was repeats of Cops and Blind Date. But, as it went along, it gotten better thanks, for the most part, to Solitary and The Academy. I see My Network TV getting the former and Tru TV getting the latter due in part to The Academy being on MNT in the past.
Posted on October 15th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Well of course Fox Reality carried good shows, like……..um…….er……….
COME ON!!! IT'S GOT REALITY IN THE NAME…that means it automatically sucks! Good riddance to it!!
Posted on October 16th, 2009 at 7:35 am
I'm not sure if she has CMT on Dirct TV. Have to ask her about that.
Posted on October 16th, 2009 at 8:58 am
According to Wikipedia, Fox Reality will cease operations in early 2010, but will relaunch as a yet-to-be-determined network. So cross your fingers on Solitary being on that channel.
To Craig: Every cable provider (which includes DirecTV) carries CMT.
Posted on October 16th, 2009 at 9:21 am
Reuters, among others, is reporting that the channel will be converted to NatGeo Wild, a 50/50 partnership between News Corp and the NatGeo Channel. The "Wild" channel already airs in Southeast Asia, the UK, Ireland, and the Middle East.
Posted on October 16th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Aww, man. I was hoping that Viacom would take over the channel, so they could move all their dumb reality shows off of MTV and VH1, and stop being a punchline.
Posted on October 17th, 2009 at 5:38 am
Unfortunately, that'll never happen unless Viacom & News Corp. decide to "create" a venture for themselves. Guess I'll soon delete VH-1 from my channel lineup just like I did with MTV 3 years ago.
Posted on October 17th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Oh, yeah? Then why did Vs. got dropped from Direct TV? Simple. Comcast OWNS the rights to that channek & Vs. issued a letter saying they don't "like it" when Comcast calls it "an informercial". Where do we go frion here? Who knows? If Comcast & DirectTV can't stop their "bickering". I'm afraid my sister may be forcewd BACK to cable. SHEEESH!!!!!
Posted on October 19th, 2009 at 7:56 am
This post got me HOOKED on solitary. I love it!
Posted on October 21st, 2009 at 12:37 am
Am I the only one who was seriously creeped out by the ending of the finale?
(SPOILERS BELOW- OPEN COMMENT TO VIEW. CLOSE COMMENT TO HIDE.
Posted on October 23rd, 2009 at 2:13 am
(I mean, being electrocuted forever in a dark room with no way to call for help is a pretty scary thing.)
Posted on October 23rd, 2009 at 2:14 am
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