Showing posts with label Lifetime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lifetime. Show all posts
I grew up watching reality television. I became hooked on the many TV shows of people competing to win a prize - it may have been the reason I grew my love of TV and lead me to where I am today. Like, for instance, I write this blog!
When I was a child, I spent most of my time watching cartoons and young adult shows like Digimon, Power Rangers, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But, as I grew into the double digits, reality TV was just being introduced and I couldn't help but follow shows like Survivor, Big Brother, and The Mole. UnReal on Lifetime sounded like a great concept and a perfect show to recap for its first season.
This week on UnReal, the hit reality dating show Everlasting begins production on another season, Rachel returns to set after last year's breakdown, and the production crew pick early favourites.
THE QUEEN OF DRAMA RETURNS
It's lights, camera and action for another season of the popular dating show, Everlasting. As the production crew watches from their office, a carriage arrives bringing the first contestant - Shamiqua, a clerk for a Supreme Court Justice - to meet British bachelor (and hotel-chain heir) Adam Cromwell. Quinn, the executive producer, calls cut as she is in disbelief that the first contestant revealed is African American; she thinks the first girl should be "wifey" material and she doesn't think Shamiqua has a chance. She wants to see the remaining girls for potential.
Rachel, the disgraced former producer who had a nervous breakdown last season, returns as a freelancer with five more girls. Everyone on set has seen Rachel's breakdown on TV and they're shocked she's returned, even her competing producers Shia and Jay and her former boyfriend Jeremy are surprised she's back. Quinn has faith in Rachel and agreed to drop the charges if Rachel came back to work. Unfortunately, Rachel has no choice in the matter - she needs to work and not go to jail.
RUNAWAY PRINCE
There is one thing clear as the cameras film: Adam doesn't look happy. Adam is bored with the reality show process; it's beneath him and he's doing it merely for an image improvement. As the cameras turn away for a split second, he makes a run for it and leaves the set, abandoning everyone in disbelief. Quinn pulls Rachel and forces her to find Adam - it turns out that their bachelor didn't sign the season contract, which means EVERYTHING they filmed is useless and they can't force him to film. Rachel is shocked, but she knows she has a job to do.
She finds Adam sitting next to a lake; he's refusing to return. Rachel calls him out for his media reputation and knows why he's really doing the show - it's not to find love but to restore his image for his family. She bluffs about having a back-up bachelor ready to take his place and reap the rewards. However, after a quick negotiation, Adam signs on board for the season.
THE GAME BEGINS
With Adam returning to the set, the competition resumes with the remaining girls meeting the suitor. Quinn and the production team have early season favourites for inciting drama: there's Britney, their potential villain, Grace the vivacious model, Mary the cradle-robbing mother, and obvious first elimination Faith. The team has (for the most part) planned out the rest of the night for the first episode.
With a little bit of manipulation, the producers (Rachel, Shia and Jay) start interacting with the contestants to cause some TV-worthy drama. Britney takes the idea and comes onto Adam a bit too strong, openly flirting and seducing him sexually in front of everyone. Rachel coaxes Mary into sharing her daughter's bear while Shia upsets Faith by discussing her virginity. Rachel ends up saving the day and gets Faith some alone time with the British beau.
A WRENCH IN THE PLAN
Before Adam begins his first elimination of the season, he strolls out for a chat with Rachel. He can tell that the production team is merely using Faith as a joke character for the first episode; he isn't a fan of that. Rachel comes up with an idea to stick it to Quinn and the entire show.
As the first Everlasting elimination commences, Adam must eliminate five girls from the show. The drama is really between Faith and Britney (sorry unknown extras!) - the team is positive Britney will be saved while Faith will get the boot. Unfortunately for them, Adam saves Faith and eliminates Britney from the show - Quinn is pissed! She heads onto the set and confronts Adam and Rachel, knowing full well that they planned something. Now that their villain is eliminated, they NEED footage from Britney to save the first episode.
WHO'S THE REAL VILLAIN?!
Britney is upset and nearly in tears from her surprising boot. Rachel pulls the camera crew and tries to get her to do her exit interview, but Britney isn't taking the bait - she isn't saying anything mean about Adam. In a feat of pure manipulation, Rachel convinces Britney to have a few drinks with her and starts saying negative comments about her. Britney, now aware of Rachel's true intentions, calls her out with vile words and spits in her face. Everyone is shocked (but impressed) that Rachel could get the dramatic scene they needed. It's going to be a great first episode.
Will Faith survive the next episode? Who will be the villain now that Britney is gone? Is Rachel doomed for another dramatic Everlasting season? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Real talk moment: I have a guilty pleasure for TV movies. I don't just mean specials that are created once in a while, but the full-blown "Lifetime Movie of the Week" TV movie. There are those that have ranged from the downside of torrid affairs to others that are inspired by "real life" events - I've seen my fair share of both. There's something about watching a trashy movie for two hours that can be somewhat relaxing.
Recently, the latest TV movie buzzed around the small screen was about the behind-the-scenes story of one of my favourite television shows from my childhood. I don't make a habit of reviewing TV movies but there's always a first time for everything. The film I will be reviewing today is the "scandalous" expose: The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story.
The Premise: Based on the events of the popular 90s teen sitcom Saved By The Bell and the "Behind The Bell" tell-all book, The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story shares the behind-the-scenes story of how the show, and its teen cast, reached worldwide success.
The Results: 1/5!
Drama. Scandal. Fights. Where was all that in this biopic?! The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story shared the early beginnings of its teen cast as they dealt with fame and fortune. However, nothing revealed in the film felt too shocking or dramatic to warrant a retelling of the behind-the-scenes events. The character of Dustin Diamond (Sam Kindseth) served as the main narrator for the film and the film primarily focused on the negative drama in his life with drinking, exclusion from the cast and blackmail; this may simply be due to the fact that the real life actor was an Executive Producer of the film. With the exception of a few real secrets that fans already knew (i.e. Lark & Mark-Paul's secret relationship, Elizabeth wanting to branch out into film), the majority of the other information shared was simply implied or fabricated. Based on the scenes shown, the cast dealt with everyday teen issues and they were basically a family by the end of the show. It all seemed very tame and missing the real story of true events. That's not to say it's a bad movie. The soundtrack of the film was incredible, serving up plenty of hits for fans of 80's & 90's music, and some of the cast did a great job channeling their characters. If you're a fan of Saved By The Bell, I'd recommend to check it out to relive some of those iconic moments from your childhood but prepare yourself to debate the accuracy of a few events presented throughout the film.
The Results: 1/5!
Drama. Scandal. Fights. Where was all that in this biopic?! The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story shared the early beginnings of its teen cast as they dealt with fame and fortune. However, nothing revealed in the film felt too shocking or dramatic to warrant a retelling of the behind-the-scenes events. The character of Dustin Diamond (Sam Kindseth) served as the main narrator for the film and the film primarily focused on the negative drama in his life with drinking, exclusion from the cast and blackmail; this may simply be due to the fact that the real life actor was an Executive Producer of the film. With the exception of a few real secrets that fans already knew (i.e. Lark & Mark-Paul's secret relationship, Elizabeth wanting to branch out into film), the majority of the other information shared was simply implied or fabricated. Based on the scenes shown, the cast dealt with everyday teen issues and they were basically a family by the end of the show. It all seemed very tame and missing the real story of true events. That's not to say it's a bad movie. The soundtrack of the film was incredible, serving up plenty of hits for fans of 80's & 90's music, and some of the cast did a great job channeling their characters. If you're a fan of Saved By The Bell, I'd recommend to check it out to relive some of those iconic moments from your childhood but prepare yourself to debate the accuracy of a few events presented throughout the film.
Time for a little bit of magic and a whole lot of drama.
Lifetime announced today that they have decided to pick up Witches of East End for a 10-episode season order. The new witchy drama will star Julia Ormond as Beauchamp family matriarch Joanna, with Jenna Dewan-Tatum and Rachel Boston portraying her daughters Freya and Ingrid respectively. Madchen Amick is also slated to star as Joanna's sister, Wendy.
Witches of East End is based on the popular best-selling adult book series from Melissa de la Cruz. The television series will focus on the story of the Beauchamp family and their lives in East Haven. Once younger daughter Freya (Dewan-Tatum) becomes engaged, the union sparks a series of events that forces Joanna (Ormond) to reveal to her daughters that both, in reality, are the next generation of witches in the Beauchamp family tree.
The new drama series is slated to premiere on Lifetime later this year.
Will you be checking out the witchy drama when it arrives to Lifetime? Sound off in the comments and share your thoughts about the new pilot order.