Hard News by Russell Brown

Read Post

Hard News: We invented everything

107 Responses

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 Newer→ Last

  • Hadyn Green,

    We went to a party at the Flatmates house. We were students at the time and knew one of the tenant and if I recall the invite went along the lines of: "...somethingsomethingsomething free beer from the TV people!"

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    we were rather winningly crap at it

    In our household we have theorised that everyone on NZ reality shows is too pleasant and well-adjusted to really give us the goods, nutbar-wise. All the judges on New Zealand's Next Top Model, for example, were so *logical* and *supportive* of the models - none of that crazed self-obsessed inconsistency that's so prevalent on America's Next Top Model (and we don't have the Pure Unadulterated Evil that is Tyra, of course). I think this was really brought home to me a few weeks ago when watching Masterchef, and four members of a team were each asked which member of their team should go home - a prime under-the-bus-throwing opportunity! - and *every single one* of the cheftestants said 'oh, I should. I was the weakest performer'. I mean, it was *nice*, and I felt very tender towards them all for being so self-deprecating, and I would love it in real life, but it doesn't make for much televisual drama, does it?

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    We didn't have Non-Celebrity Treasure Island first; we jumped straight to the variant.

    Umm ... yes we did and no we didn't. There was definitely a non-celebrity Treasure Island first. Two seasons of it, I think (prize in the first one was $5000, the second, I think $25,000).

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • DexterX,

    Don't dish NZs Hottest Home Baker - it was so Hot it was cool, ice cold even.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    WTF? Dude, no. Flatmates was an obvious local attempt at MTV's 1992 groundbreaking The Real World reality series - a bunch of attractive young people living in a house (not a studio), followed by cameras and with the freedom to leave the house.

    Big Brother was definitely inspired by The Real World but it was conceived before Flatmates went to air.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report

  • peter mclennan,

    Agree w Robyn - I recall writing a story for Pavement on the first MTV Real World series prior to it screening here, prob 93 or 94. Flatmates was totally a derivative of Real World.

    AK Central • Since Nov 2006 • 159 posts Report

  • David Ritchie,

    I'm mystified by the perceived Popstars-Idol relationship. Can comebody please explain how "Popstars" -- a reality show about the trevails of a pop group -- was the earlier form of "Pop Idol" -- a talent show, in which contestants get knocked out on a weekly basis (a format which has been around for some time)?

    From what I can tell, the "Popstars" format was sold overseas (see: Hear'say) and was a direct rival to "Pop Idol" in the UK, and a contractual arrangement between the two resulted in no other "Idol" version having the name "Pop" in the title (cite: Wikipedia).

    Edit: happy to concede I may be mis-remembering the "Popstars" format.

    Since Nov 2006 • 166 posts Report

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Treasure Island first. Two seasons of it, I think

    Yeah, two seasons of Treasure Island. The second one included Clark Gayford before he was famous.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report