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'The Tester' reality series debuts on PSN Feb. 18
Sony's PlayStation Network-exclusive reality series "The Tester" will begin February 18th. The competition will have the above real gamers vying for a chance to win a glamorous testing job at PlayStation. Until April 8th, the PlayStation Store (for PSP and PS3) will update every Thursday with new -- and free -- episodes of the series. Should "The Tester" successfully sidestep traditional employee recruitment and take off, don't be surprised if Sony announces "Who Wants to be Our Janitor?" next season.
Hulu to stream reality show internationally, incessantly
See this forlorn-looking male model? He's got a lot on his mind. Really, he's just like the rest of us -- a starry-eyed dreamer who's headed to Hollywood in search of fame and fortune. To this end, he's shacked up with four fellow photogenic wannabes in a Hollywood crash pad where they'll be webcast 24-7 for Simon Fuller's new Internet-only talent show, If I Can Dream. In addition to weekly episodes broadcast on Hulu, voyeurs viewers will be able to watch the action in the house live, as it goes down. You see, Hulu (who's not had much luck getting a foothold outside of the states) will be streaming the thing to select international markets in an attempt to spread their brand and influence worldwide. Will it work? Who knows? Besides, Jersey Shore is more our speed. PR, video after the break.
The Bachelor weds HDTV in its fourteenth season
Likely as much of a triumph for the cost effectiveness of shooting in high-definition as proof of its mainstream acceptance, the fourteenth season of ABC's The Bachelor will be the first to air in HDTV. As viewers tune in for this weeks episode of stupid human tricks and absolute degradation, they can take comfort in knowing every tear, argument and rose ceremony on the way to wedded bliss will be captured in 720p. Hey, with Jon & Kate off the air we needed this one, don't judge us.
Warner Bros. releasing Bachelor and Bachelorette games
Listen, guys. Warner Bros. Interactive is going to need a ton of money if it wants to provide marketing support for Scribblenauts when it comes out this September. Without these ads, the game may not sell well, which could injure our chances of ever getting future 'nauts titles. To ensure that we never encounter such a terrible future, we have an unpleasant task we must entrust you with: You need to go pre-order the recently announced video game adaptations of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette that WBI is publishing.We know -- you've been holding out for a video game adaptation of Rock of Love Bus. However, with Hell's Kitchen developer Ludia Inc. in charge of development, this pair of titles will ... okay, they're going to be awful. Still, you guys owe us. Remember that incident in Little Tokyo we helped you out of? Yeah, you do. Better get moving -- Gamestop's only open 'til nine.
15 Minutes of Fame: So you think you can nuke Part 2
"I never thought of playing WoW like that!" - neither did we, until we talked with these players
15 Minutes of Fame: So you think you can nuke
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/WoW_15_Minutes_of_Fame_So_you_think_you_can_nuke'; 15 Minutes of Fame is WoW.com's look at World of Warcraft players of all shapes and sizes -- from the renowned to the relatively anonymous, the remarkable to the player next door. Tip us off to players you'd like to hear more about.Forget the Brothers Karamazov. If you're looking for artistic expression, passion and the bonds of brotherhood -- plus a healthy dash of World of Warcraft -- it's all about the Brothers Kasprzak. Evan Kasprzak, a Top 6 finalist in the reality show So You Think You Can Dance, has gamed his entire life with brothers Ryan (also a top finisher in this year's SYTYCD show) and Ian. There's no denying how tight this trio is. One viewing of Evan and Ryan's journey through the beginning of this season's SYTYCD competition as a team (see video, above) or a glance at photos of the threesome with their matching wrist tattoos ("brother" in Greek) show the obvious depth of their bond. And so while Evan is socked in right now beneath the insane pace of the competition's home stretch, we snuck in a visit with Ian to find out how the family finds a foothold to fit all the pieces together. For the gaming, dancing Kasprzaks, support from family includes the WoW family. "In top 6, you can use all the support you can get," Ian notes, "and I know how amazingly supportive the smaller WoW community on my server has been. I also love how WoW.com highlights the multidimensionality of gamers. I think it helps break down some of those stereotypes that gaming is somehow isolating and anti-social, when it is very much a social medium. ... Sometimes, the person behind that Mage that just Frostbolted you might just be someone climbing up their way to the top as America's next favorite dancer."
WCG Ultimate Gamer reality show hits SciFi Channel March 10
If you've found yourself looking for new mediums of entertainment since the heartbreaking season finale of The Bachelor, a new program on SciFi Channel might tickle your reality programming fancy. WCG Ultimate Gamer, the first episode of which airs Tuesday, March 10, will follow 12 gaming enthusiasts as they "embark on an intense and emotional journey" for a prize of $100,000, some Samsung products and the right to represent the titular World Cyber Games league at gaming events across the globe. We anticipate they'll learn a bit about themselves along the way. That's the best prize of all, really.Contestants will compete in popular video games (Rock Band 2 is the focus for episode one) and -- wait for it -- "real-life challenges inspired by best-selling game titles." As much as we wish they'd leave that particular enterprise in more capable hands, we'll probably check it out. We could ostensibly watch reruns of Rock of Love: Charm School to satisfy our debilitating reality TV addiction, but, well, we already know how that one ends.
'American Idol' is most timeshifted show of 2008
Well, would you let your brain simmer on this a bit. American Idol, the famed singing competition that airs live numerous times per week when it's in full swing, was found to be the most timeshifted program in the USA in 2008. Granted, it's also the most watched show in the nation, but we digress. The significance here is that this tidbit, which was dug up by The Nielsen Company, goes to show that live competitions and so-called "topical" programming aren't as immune to DVRs as networks would love to believe. The data found that "an extra four million viewers watched Fox's American Idol in the seven days following the initial episodes." To us, the only true DVR-resistant programming is live sports -- the genuineness of the event just seems to fade when you're not watching in real time, but we can't say we've ever felt the same when watching Simon & Co. a few days after the fact.
WoW Moviewatch: What Happens in Booty Bay Stays in Booty Bay
(Warning: This video contains some harsh language.)Just in time for the weekend, like a quick junket to Vegas,we offer a movie called What Happens in Booty Bay Stays in Booty Bay. The filmmaker, Brigitte Swiftblade, calls this an "RP documentary." I love this format; it's very original. Since she's playing on an RP server, she decides to follow around her pal, Zaitzegrait, and film the consequences while he tries to meet chicks in Booty Bay. Apparently Zait is quite a famous character in Trade chat (US Twisting Nether-A), so it's like she picked a celebrity for a reality show. And, in a way, a "reality show" is really what this movie is since Zait is the only one who knows why the little Dwarf Rogue is following him around so closely. (Her POV is the camera's eye.) Everyone else plays their part to perfection, albeit unbeknownst to them. The subtitles offer insight into the documentary setup and a running non-RP commentary on the action -- or Zait's lack thereof. The result is a very humorous, original movie that contains themes of love, betrayal, honor, and cross-faction hanky-panky. I would love to see more of this kind of documentary movie-making from role-players![Via WarcraftMovies]If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ...
Reality TV: 'Legendary' rockers perform Rock Band 2 for upcoming show
There's some reality to the Rock Band show casting call that popped up on Craigslist this week after all. We've received confirmation from a reliable tip of an event featuring some "Legendary Rock Royalty" playing ... Rock Band 2 for an "upcoming TV show taping." If you're in the Los Angeles area, you're welcome to check it out: Where: The Viper Room When: Monday, September 15 -- free admittance from 7pm to 7:45pm (doors close at 7:45pm sharp) What else: Must be 21 or older. Email "rockbandshow [at] yahoo [dawt] com" to get on the list. Space is limited! (We know, we know, it sounds mad sketchy, but it's legit. The organizers are simply keeping a tight lid on the full details. Just be sure to tell someone where you're headed Monday night, you know, in case you disappear or something ... It's totally worth the risk just to get on TV, right?)[Image credit: eric dickman]
Smash Bros. champion cracks the world of reality TV
Fans of reality TV show Survivor who also read Nintendo blogs will be pleased to hear that gamers are getting some representation for the show's seventeenth season, Survivor: Gabon - Earth's Last Eden.22-year-old Ken Hoang will be one of the eighteen contestants when the series begins on September 25th, and he's there for one very good reason: he can totally kick the world's ass at Super Smash Bros. Melee. Yeah, even yours. A professional gamer by trade, Ken has earned over $50,000 from playing Melee, which (according to his Survivor profile at CBS) he's used to help pay his family's mortgage. Whaddaguy!The message to take from this: don't let anybody tell you gaming can't take you anywhere in life. Unless you play, say, Mario Kart Wii as well as we do. Then, seriously, it's time to look for a real job.%Gallery-20414%[Via Joystiq]
Survivor adds top Smash Bros. player to line-up
You probably don't think that being really excellent at video games is a marketable skill outside of pro gaming, but Ken Hoang has found one other field it can help you get a leg up in: The lucrative "not dying on an island" industry. The pro gamer (one of the nation's top Smash Bros. players) has been added to the cast of the 17th season of Survivor.Why would a spindly thumb jockey think he could hang with the beefy cast? Ken recently told Entertainment Weekly: "Gaming will help me because I do well under pressure. ... I'm the underdog, I think all the fans will root for me to win. I would root for myself if I was watching TV."Note to Ken: If you're watching yourself on Survivor and you root against yourself, you've probably got some pretty serious stuff to work through.
Sky launching Real Lives HD channel October 20
Brits needing their reality TV in high definition get a boost October 20, when the Real Lives channel on Sky goes HD. Hook your HDTV up to Sky+ HD and enjoy Lorraine Kelly's DNA Stories, Toy Boys , Fashion Avenue. Sounds good, we'll be checking out The First 48 and awaiting the HD debut of Survivor in the meantime, although it does bring into question how much of reality TV do we really want to see in HD.[Via HDTV UK]
Survivor starts first HD season September 18
Mark your calendars, the 17th season of Survivor makes its HD debut September 18. The entire fall debut schedule for the 2008-09 CBS lineup is available at TV Squad or in the embedded video after the break, but considering there's just one top rated show that we've waited years to watch (or not watch, considering the glut of reality TV) we'll focus on this one for a moment. Apparently this season's caught the bug of production problems already, although none seem to have anything to do with Sony's slick XDCAM production system that promises real time human drama, backstabbing and tribal council votes in 1080i.[Via TV Squad]
Survivor meets HDTV for the first time this summer
That's right, one of the biggest shows still stuck in 480i is making the switch when it begins shooting this summer, as announced by Sony and CBS at NAB2008. Coming into its 17th season (to air in early 2009), it's the first CBS reality show to make the HD jump, via Sony's XDCAM production system. Executive producer Mark Burnett is calling it a "new era" for the show, we're calling it "about time". It's just a bit embarrassing that the Miss USA pageant made the jump first, but we won't complain about more HD footage from the beautiful locales Survivor tends to visit. No word on how much that extra resolution will cost CBS, but with more people buying HDTVs everyday we don't see how they could afford not to.
Rumor: EA bringing stars of "The Hills" to video game
If you recognize the above pictured pair as reality TV stars (and not just goobers at a Halloween party), then you should stop reading this post right now and just go read US Magazine or something. If you don't recognize them, we'll explain that Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, stars of MTV's The Hills, let slip recently that they're collaborating with EA on a video game version of their, like, totally drama-filled lives.Not many details were spilled on what Pratt called the "top-secret" game, but he did mention to US Magazine that the game would let players work against the popular pair if they want to. "You can even torture me," Pratt said in a quote sure to excite reality-TV-haters everywhere.Pratt expects the game to come out in two versions -- "the adult version and the one for minors" -- around Christmas 2009. And really, if you can't trust reality TV stars for your video game release dates, who can you trust?
Reality TV pushing HD off as long as possible
With nearly every scripted primetime show on television airing in HD nowadays, it's downright baffling that hits such as Survivor and The Amazing Race are still showing up in pixelated standard-definition. There's no doubt these shows are raking in millions from advertisers, but producers are still refusing to make the HD leap. Reportedly, Mark Burnett (executive producer of Survivor) was quoted as saying that "HD would be a nice addition to [the show], but [it] already has a high visual quality." We've also heard a battery of excuses surrounding the risk of expensive HD cameras being damaged in the wild, but it's easy to see the real reason behind the holdout is dollars and cents. Until viewers start turning their eyes to alternatives that are in high-definition, these giants are apt to keep on cranking out new seasons with the least total upfront cost. Needless to say, it's been a hot minute since anyone 'round these parts have tuned into any reality show not broadcast in 720p / 1080i, but we're definitely hoping to revert our attention back whenever the bigwigs in charge get with the program.[Thanks, Will P.]
Gamers into soldiers: SOCOM Hell Week begins
You think you like playing SOCOM? Want to live the life of a SOCOM soldier? Well, the online reality series, SOCOM Hell Week, should have you disagree. The Sony-created show is entering its second season, and it promises to torture its contestants even more. Obstacle courses, freezing surf, and live fire training are all part of the insane experience that promises to transform gamers into soldiers. Check out season 2 at socomhellweek.com.
Survivor Fiji in HD? Update: No it's not
There has been one question that new HDTV fans have asked over and over again "When is Survivor going to be in HD?" According to the CBS.com the answer is February 8th 2007. Over the years we have come to trust their grid and although it has not always been 100% accurate in regards to what is going to be in HD, we are hoping that this time it is right. We may have to wait till next week to find out for sure, but if it is indeed going to be in HD, than this is truly a watershed moment, like with Good Morning America went HD. **Update** Ken H from AVS has confirmed with CBS, Survivor is NOT in HD this season.[Via HDTVMagazine]
Fox Reality enters free-iTune-Episode deal
MovieWeb reports that Apple and Fox Reality have penned a deal, under which iTunes will offer the first episode of each Fox Reality show for free, a week before the show actually premieres. "My Bare Lady" will lead the pack, appearing on November 30th. The actual show will debut on-air on December 7th. The show describes US adult film stars who compete to become legitimate West End stage actresses. After the whole OJ debacle, this is sure to set a new standard for high-quality Fox entertainment. According to MovieWeb, other original series will include a Rob and Amber show (because we never get enough Rahmber coverage on TV) and the intriguingly-titled "The Academy".
