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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 20, 2004)
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B ne> wtaJ Aggielife PAGE DESIGN BY JULIE BONE | The Battalion Page 3 • Monday, September 20, 2004 Must-see Fall TV Part One: Meet the freshmen of reality TV ]|j Channe/ 9 "The Benefactor' Premiered Sept. 13 'Wife Swap- Premieres Sept. 29 I 'The Complex: Malibu" Premiered Aug. 30 "Renovate My Family" Premiered Sept. 1 "The Rebel Billionaire” Premieres Nov. 9 "The Next Great Champ' Premieres Nov. 7 _ Channel 6 "The Contender- Premiered Sept. 9 "The Apprentice 2" Premiered Sept. 9 Will Lloyd • THE BATTALION By Robert Saucedo THE BATTALION Once a year, colossal forces that shape and control human lives come together to prepare for combat in an attempt to rule the most powerful tool in America: Television airwaves. This fall, reality television will flood the airwaves as major networks prepare to roll out their new season of programs. From boxing to billionaires, the networks have looked far and wide in search of the next big gimmick in reality TV. Networks have cooked up a handful of new shows, each hoping to entangle view ers in their web of addiction. ABC’s “The Benefactor” will follow Dallas Mavericks owner and all-around billionaire Mark Cuban as he chooses, among 16 hopefuls, one lucky contes tant to bestow SI million dollars upon. Cuban’s show premiered to decent ratings, likely because of its system of eliminating contestants at any time during the season, with three contestants already failing Cuban’s test by the end of the first episode. “Wife Swap” will fea ture two families that trade their woman of the house to experience a mile in a different shoe. Fox is sure to be crowned the king of reality television as it unveils its fall lineup, containing a total of five unscript ed shows in comparison to its single new drama. Among Fox’s new shows are “Spouse Swap,” taking the same formula as “Wife Swap,” wherein families trade not only wives, but fathers as well in their similarly themed program. Already halfway through its season, “The Complex: Malibu,” which deals with eight couples that compete for the chance to remodel a home, is suffering dismal ratings. Fox hopes to improve its luck with “Renovate My Family,” where a panel of “professionals,” including Dr. Phil’s son. Jay McGraw, will consider and redesign every aspect of a family from cars to pets to personalities. Also along for the ride is “The Partner,” a new reality show similar to Donald Trump’s “The Apprentice.” In “The Partner,” a group of recent law school graduates will compete with each other to gain a position as partner in a major law firm. “The Rebel Billionaire: Branson’s Quest for the Best” will follow Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of the Virgin group of companies, as he travels with a group of young contes tants around the world while searching for the most adventurous risk-taker amongst the group. “The Next Great Champ” finds Oscar De La Hoya in a quest to find raw unsigned talent in the boxing ring. Although it premiered to dismal ratings. Fox’s show will find itself in direct competition when NBC unveils its own boxing reality show, “The Contender,” produced in part by Sylvester Stallone. A new season of “The Apprentice” has premiered, with a third season set to follow shortly after the second’s conclu sion. Trump will test the wiles of 18 contestants again, each with their own business education ranging from the Ivy League to street smarts. Although this season’s series did not receive the big ratings it expected, the contestants are already off to a great start: A toy designed by a one team during a chal lenge was picked up for mass produc tion by manufacturer Mattel. Spencer Selvidge, sophomore zoology major, watches approximately fyur hours of television every week. However, he chooses not to spend any time watching reality TV programming. “It was real interesting at first, but today it’s just boring,” Selvidge said, referring to reality programming. “The first year it was cool and new, but it seems that all the new shows are just spin-ofts of the same thing. Natalie Minshew, freshman psychol ogy major, said she has never seen an hour of reqlity television except for some episodes of MTV’s “The Real World” when she was in middle school. “I’ve never watched reality televi sion,” Minshew said. “I’m kind of proud of that now that I’ve survived the heyday of reality television, but I used to feel really confused when my friends would talk about who got eliminated in what.” Minshew prefers scripted drama to reality any day of the week. “I don’t feel my life has been ne glected in some way. If I want reality television drama, I’ll go hang out with my friends.” Rick Rigsby, professor in the depart ment of communication, teaches ai... Chris Griffin • THE BATTALION course on the rhetoric of popular culture. In Rigsby’s opinion, nothing good can come from reality programming. “Reality shows have hit home runs,” Dr. Rigsby said. “They allow the public to watch vicariously. I think these reality shows say more about American culture than people involved in broadcasting.” Selvidge doesn't think all reality shows are worth watching. ‘“Big Brother’” is the dumbest thing on television,” Selvidge said. “I have friends who pay for a live feed just to sit there at their computers and watch See TV on page 7 uaiters ‘94 enses’ ons: ion tyDr 177 ions!* * ON spy Chief Editor oto Edito r Producer h Friday drt ,ummer ses# sity. Peri^: •ess change 5 * 143-1111 A&M Univers)! lonald Bui!« Pebattalion" 61 ndorsemejilW ,-845-2696. f* eed McDons* 1 . 2678. /I student W P 1 ;’ ail subscript®)' erican Expi eS! THIS WEDNESDAY, LEARN HOW YOU CAN LEAD THE MOVEMENT TO END EDUCATIONAL INEQUITY. Wednesday, September 22, 6:00 pm Rudder 402 .» Students In Low- Income Areas 7 Times Less Likely To Graduate From College Than High-Income Peers thi.ti ic7 and ^mUk.o.liW'! 'JillC' ;ifs l.0 overt;.ad! as ivtauy af> City s 213 ft n ’ OUR GENERATION MUST TAKE ON THIS ISSUE TEAOHFOR AMERICA www.teachforamerica.org For individuals of all academic majors and career interests. Full salary and health benefits. The People Have Spoken! The Foreigners a Hilarious Hit! “Best show I've seen since A Chorus Line!" Charlene, Tuna, Texas “I swear...even our sheep were laughing!" Aunt Pearl, Tuna, Texas “I laughed so hard, I dropped my cigarette." Didi Snavely, Tuna, Texas Buy Your Tickets Now! Call 845-1234. www.MSCOPAS.org Student tickets A MSC OPAS enlighten \ entertain inspire ee those hilarious Tuna guys as you [IMP!/ have never seen them before! Jaston Williams and Joe Sears, joined by a full cast, will open the 2004-2005 OPAS season with Larry Shue’s hit comedy THE FOREIGNER. If Sears and Williams kept you in stitches as the outrageous characters of Tuna,you won’t believe the side-splitting hilarity brought on when joined by five other comedic actors! THE FOREIGNER Starring Jaston Wiliams & Joe Sears (stars of the Tuna Trilogy) joined by five other comedic actors! Friday & Saturday, September 24 & 25 7:30 PM in Rudder Auditorium * Available in balcony seating only. Limited numberoftickets available for each performance. Discount valid at MSC Box Office only. TAMU student ID required. Limit two tickets per student per performance. Not valid for tickets already purchased. Offer expires September 25,2004.