Reposted from its original location in the wrong place.

I've noticed recently that the forums for many reality shows here have had a few posts comparing them to - or even just referencing - international versions of the same show. Although I myself am partially responsible for some of this *cough*The Mole*cough*, I feel the inside references on some actual TV shows, such as The Biggest Loser's visit to the Australian BL house this past season, are also encouraging people to see more than one version. Therefore, this thread is here for you to compare and contrast international versions of the same show. You don't have to stay with the show currently being discussed necessarily, and you can post just to comment on someone else's reasoning. But this is here to stop other threads from getting bogged down with discussions of why BB Aus < BB UK < BB US, for example. So whether you're a fan of shows which have that je ne sais quoi, love watching schadenfreude in full effect, or just want to see something special, have at it. I'll start the thread off by comparing the Aussie versions of some major shows to their more familiar American incarnations:

Dancing With The Stars
DWTS US = DWTS Aus. Every downfall the American version has, the Aussie version makes up for in spades, and vice versa. Here, we have a cohost with actual hosting ability (so much so that she's favourite to take over from the original host, who left at the end of DWTS 7 last year). But for that, we have a horrible voting system where the judge votes and viewer votes come from different performances in different styles. It's really too close to call.

Big Brother
BB US > BB Aus. Although the US Big Brother is way too dependent on scheming and plotting, it is infinitely preferable to me, who is used to watching a show where nomination talk is strictly verboten and we are made to feel as though nothing ever happens. Having the show only on three nights a week also helps to trim down the boring filler such as who stole poor Princess Sparkles The Toy Unicorn. Not to mention your twists are minimal, compared to the "another fucking set of intruders?!"/"another fucking double eviction?!" feel of the last couple of seasons.

The Biggest Loser
TBL US > TBL Aus. Not even a contest. Five nights a week of over-padding, boring crap, narrated by either boring famewhory contestants or by... a trainer... who... acts like... he... is... reading the... damn... phone book... . Not to mention THE!1TWISTS!!1! which ruin the whole premise of the game - on-the-spot eliminations based not on weighins but on which team loses a challenge or on whoever picks the highest calorie item, bribes to quit, and a second chance "Losing losers, get back in the game!" challenge every single fucking year are among them. On the other hand, Sami Brady versus a host who looks fatter than the contestants by about halfway through. Like I said, not a contest.

Gladiators
AG < Aus G. This is really a lesser of two evils battle. In Australia: Powerball is underplayed. The male host mugs for the camera too much. The referee is incompetent. The crappy games are played every week and the good ones are ignored (except Whiplash, which sucks, but should still be played at least once by the end of the heats). The studio is too small and ugly. In America: Ummm... the same. So it really comes down to Gladiator names. You have only four recycled names among 14 (Wolf from the UK, Siren from yourself and the UK, and Fury and Hammer - the male alternate - from Australia), but your original names mostly suck - see: Hellga, Justice, Stealth, Militia. We have five-and-a-half recycled names (Tank, Nitro and Viper from you - though Nitro and Viper are both female, Hunter and Amazon from the UK, and Angel from the German International Gladiators team [it didn't have its own actual show].) But our original names are better - see: Thunder, Outlaw, Bionica, Olympia. (Yes, I'm ignoring Kouta.) So we win by sheer producer creativity. And we had Vertigo before y'all did.

[The above word is spoiled because it has been confirmed as a new game in the next AG series. You have been warned.]

The UK version of Big Brother has also descended into the 'too many twists' problems you mention. Last year they had to pay some money back from one of the phone votes when they sent a previously voted out contestant back in.

I wonder if the US and Aus versions have also fallen prey to the UK syndrome of putting in people they know won't just 'not get on' but will violently disagree and then plying them with enough booze to sink a battleship?

And reading what you say about Galdiators I can only think 'Blaze....Lazer.....Blazer...'

Well the Aussie version's new host admitted in interviews that the UK version is what they were trying to aim for, so...

Which is weird, because the house is crazy-looking and reminds me more of the US version - especially with the FNL winners getting an armband saying "Head Of House". They should at least TRY and make it look original.

The early 70's British sitcom Man About The House was a million times better than the American version, Three's Company. It had a much faster pace and it didn't have Norman Fell mugging at the camera.

I know a lot of people disagree but I think the US version of WHose Line Is It Anyway was miles better than the UK. For one, Drew was a way better host than Clive and two, WAYNE!

I actually loved both versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway. As long as it has Ryan and Colin in it im happy.

I preferred the US version of Whose Line, too, but I loved 'em both. I like the faster pace of the US version, though. Seems to me that the British version, especially the earlier seasons, was geared towards a live theatre audience, which lead to longer pacing in some of the comedic bits (especially in "Scenes from a Hat"). The American version seemed to me to be geared towards an audience more used to stand-up comedy, and it was paced accordingly.

(To be fair, though, I haven't really seen a lot of the UK version. I caught a couple of the later episodes, and saw some clips of the early shows on YouTube, but otherwise, I'm used to the Americanized version.)

I'm with you on Man About the House, too. For that matter, Robin's Nest was infinitely better than Three's a Crowd. (Then again, that ain't exactly a stretch....)

And hey, anyone else looking forward to the US version of Life On Mars?

After seeing the promo pictures on the Motivator thread and the guy they cast as Sam, no I'm not looking forward to it at all.

Thank god at least the bastardization that would've been McG's version of Spaced won't be picked up after all. Granted I've already been boycotting FOX since that OJ thing so I wouldn't have seen it anyway, but McG and Spaced don't belong on the same continent, let alone the same sentence.

I was expecting to hate the US version of Life on Mars on principle (why? is there something wrong with the first one?) and because I both doubted David E. Kelley would be a good fit for the series and resented the fact that they set it in L.A. (I still think Detroit or Pittsburgh would have been more interesting), but then they went and cast Colm Meaney and I've had a soft spot for Jason O'Mara since In Justice (yes, I'm one of the 7 people who watched that.)

I'm also way too amused that in trying to do an American version of a British show, they managed to cast two actors from Ireland and an actress from Quebec in the lead roles.

You know, I was actually looking forward to the US version of Life on Mars, but seeing the trailer for it just filled me with seething hate. I will still watch the pilot, for one of the following two possibilities: it's either not as dire as the trailer made it out to be, and thus I will be pleasantly surprised, or I'll do a shot of tequila every time something occurs that makes me miss the original and be pleasantly paralytic by the first commercial break.

However, I do like the casting of Colm Meaney as Gene.


Complete and utter word. Thank God it's been canned.

I dont think i will watch it. I just cant imagine someone else as Gene but i think people who have never seen original Life on Mars might actually like it.

Getting back to DWTS:

DWTS:US = Strictly Come Dancing (UK). The US and UK versions are about the same to me, except that Tom Bergeron beats poor old Bruce Forsythe, who has been getting increasingly lamer as a host (although not nearly as sucky as Darryl Somers in Australia.) However, the dancing and music on SCD are generally far superior to the stuff that we see on our side of the Atlantic, which is why we've been begging BBCAmerica for some time now to give us SCD, rather than repeats of our own version. That said, however:

DWTS: New Zealand = DWTS: Netherlands > DWTS: Belgium > DWTS: Austria > DWTS Germany > DWTS: Italy > DWTS: Poland > DWTS: US > DWTS: Romania. New Zealand has the best of the bunch, in my opinon, at least in terms of its host and hostess. Jason Gunn is, in my opinion, the only DWTS host who can really outdo Tom Bergeron; not only is he as quick-witted and sharp-tongued as Tom, but he also sings (and he's really good, too.) And the hostess, Candy Lane, is a former multiple Junior Dancesport champion and judge who brings a lot of her own expertise to her green-room interviews. Let's see Samantha Harris explain technique the way Candy does--and let's see her do demo dances with one of our judges the way Candy sets the dance floor on fire with Brendan Cole!

Now, in terms of sheer jaw-dropping choreography, dancing, and music, I have to go with the Netherlands, Austria, and Germany. While all three versions occasionally produce some head-scratchers in terms of music, the music choices are overall far more appropriate than anything I've seen on either the US or UK versions. Poland is getting better at music, but the dance styles still strike me as being a bit overdone and too reliant on props and gimmicks to tell the story of the dances. Romania has the same problem.

Italy has the best variety of dances, including Bachata and Merengue. And it and Austria are the only versions that have female hosts.

One other thing that the European and New Zealand versions have that the US and UK versions don't: Realistic scoring (and, with reference to the US version, more than three judges on the panel--the US version is the only one that doesn't have a four-judge panel, and Italy and Romania even use five judges.) Germany, Austria, and New Zealand in particular frequently still use the 4, 5, and 6 paddles even late into the competition, and New Zealand has even had one couple get a 1. Let's see the US or UK judges try that for a season--I think heads would explode!

Colm Meaney's in it? F***, I have to watch it now!

Seriously. He's always been one of my favourite character actors, and it's great to see him getting such a plum role.

Still debating whether to catch the original British version on Showcase, though. From your reactions, I'm starting to think that might ruin the US version for me.

Oops, sorry. Wait, didn't you yell at me once for making you re-watch the Ross/Emily wedding ep of Friends by pointing out that Hugh Laurie was The Gentleman on the Plane who gave Rachel a much-deserved telling off? So make that 'really sorry'.

I'm making a point of not watching the trailer given the extreme reactions, so I'm not sure if not the watching the original would make the remake better. So far as I'm concerned, until I see the whole thing it's an entirely different show with some familiar character names and that's it. I think it'll be easier to keep my sanity that way.

Queer As Folk vs Queer As Folk US. I love them both, but by the end of QAF US season one, I had a clear favorite.

I don't know if it was Gale Howard/Brian Kinney or maybe it was the abbreviated season two of the UK version, but the US version just became my favorite. (Especially if I pretend that Ted's adventures in season 3/4 never happened and that most of Season 4 and all of 5 didn't either.)

Still when I think about both versions if I could pick my ultimate QAF cast I'd have Brian, Vince and Nathan. I did love Stuart Allen Jones, but there's something about Brian Kinney.

The Office vs The Office US. For me it's the US version. I acknowledge that the original was intensely hilarious in how cringeworthy it made you, but I think once the US version found it's own footing, it became just as good a show and to me, it blends laugh out loud and the cringing better than the original. I spent most of my time watching the original through my fingers like it was a horror movie. It was horrifyingly good, but I pick Dunder Mifflin over Wernham Hogg.

A former BB Aus contestant got a grand total of FOUR (ie, 1, 1, 1, and 1 from the judges) in week... seven, I think it was? [Just checked the Wiki article, and it was indeed week 7.]

Ah, yes--gay Farmer David, IIRC. I still say, though, that there would be lynchings on the US version if the 1 paddles ever saw light of day, even if the dancer sucked as badly as Farmer David did. You know how we Americans are--we can't handle the truth!

As a complete BB whore, I'm finding it hard to say which versions are better. I'll probably have to stick with my "home" BBUK. I think it lost it's way for a while with the already mentioned OMG!!!TWIST!! but BB9 is back on form with a more "basic" feel (despite a heaven/hell divide and blatantly borrowing ideas from USA's HoH and entering contestants with established connections, and Aus' "strategy room"). I enjoy BBUS because I do like seeing the strategy play out, even if it does reward horrible contestants. I've only watched bits and pieces of Australian BB this year and I really like that at the beginning they were voting to save contestants thus getting rid of the boring ones that skate through, which happens a lot in the UK version. But the execution of when the HM leaves was pretty awful.

Australian Big Mouth is actually pretty awesome. (Mostly) smart people having a reasonable debate about the show in contrast to Big Mouth UK where it's just a bunch of people shouting their opinions over each other.

I think that USA/Aus versions have way too much "filler" on eviction nights. (Showing what family/friends think). I prefer that type of stuff on partner shows instead of the main one. The same is for Aus' FNL. I like the competitive element, but it goes on for ages and WAY too much "filler".

For the record I really am not fond of any of the BB hosts. Davina and her horrible bias' in her interviews and pulling irritating faces that only she can pull irk me to no end. One good thing is that she is enthusiastic about the show. I think Julie Chen bothers me least. I know she's a robot or whatever but at least she's fairly unbiased and has shown sparks of a nice personality at times. I've only watched the most recent series of BBOZ and I'm aware they got new hosts but they are pretty awful. I can't stand them. Especially the fella, Kyle. He's such an arrogant prick.

Gladiators revival: I think of all the editions I've watched, I like the Australian version best because there is more competitions. Though I wish they had added the water element to the eliminator, it's pretty bad-ass. The hosts don't bother me that much. My next favourite is going to have to be the UK version. (Mostly for shallow reasons,I think our glads are hotter even though more assholish, I think otherwise they're on a par with each other). I don't like that there is no variety to the games in our version, but I appreciate that the men/women play the same games unlike the American version (although the American version has more variety as a resut.) Another reason I put the American version as my least fave: Hulk Hogan.

I've loved every civilian "Mole" series. It's such a good show. That is all.

Power Rangers wins this thread.

I watched Power Rangers: Mystic Force and decided on a whim to check out Magiranger where the show is based on. It's like somebody saw the series without knowing a lick of japanese, decided to take only some of the ideas and then changed everything else. While I enjoyed the English Adaption, the Original Japanese just made more sense and didn't feel like they were just writing around the footage they wanted to use.

I actually was hopeful about the Kelley version if Life on Mars, after all the original focused on a lot of Kelley's major themes (the "good guys" aren't always really good, lawmen taking shortcuts and missing the actual criminal even if they target a bad person, justice being missed because of people who refuse to see evidence that contradicts their biases) but then I saw the trailer for his version which treated the 70s like the quirkiness of Boston Legal.

Queer as Folk and The Office are shows I can't pick favorites over. Both have their own qualities that make them better and worse. I though UK QaF was far better written, but the fact that the US QaF lasted longer made me find areas where I could empathize with the characters, while the gays of the UK QaF were people who never lived a moment that was familiar to my gay life. Similarly, I appreciate the quality of UK Office but I enjoy the US version far more. I had to kinda force myself to watch the UK Office but look forward to the US version.

To be fair, though, trailers often don't have a thing to do with the actual show. They're put together by marketing teams who pick what they think is the most marketable aspect of the show and exploit the hell out of it. (And I kinda like their latest one, which was put together like an actual ad from the 70's.)

The main reason I was looking forward to Life on Mars was Colm Meaney as Gene Hunt. I was a bit worried when I heard about all the recasting, though, until I heard they were replacing him with Harvey Keitel. Seriously, Mr. White as a hard-nosed, possibly-crooked cop in the 1970's? You ask me, that's a must-see.

Hey, is anyone else out there absolutely dreading the upcoming Fox version of Little Mosque on the Prairie? (Still probably gonna watch, though....)

Oh, now, there's more mixed emotions. I mean, coming from the network that cast Kirstie Alley as the US Vicar of Dibney... but then maybe that'll finally get Little Mosque to air stateside

Oh, I just finished watching the second UK season. Brilliant. (Seriously, if I did a list of the top ten Mole tasks of all time, three would be from that season.) (With two from Norway, one from Holland, and the other four from Australia. Lift your game, America!)

That was a really good season. I thought that having a different sex mole was too obvious and I never suspected that mole at all. My favourite episode was the episode where they were up all night and had to guard the bowl, I really liked the bomb task and the school task from that season as well. I thought the mole was really obvious for the first UK season. From that first season I liked the gambling task (where they had to get head shaved, piercing, etc.), I also liked the first task and the dinghy task.

Funnily enough, my favourite tasks of all time are actually from the American version. The three rooms task in season one was really good and the mole at it's best. I also loved Anderson's fun house challenge. The latest series was a little weak, though.

I've only started watching the Australian version. I love the fast pace of it, I must admit. I'm starting to think that the contestants are going to end up owing the show money.

Word. Out of about 40 countries now, only the Aussie versions had two Moles the same gender in their first two seasons.



That is a great task, but we did it better. Final Four episode of Season 2. [Not going to spoil it.]

Edit: For those who want to see what I'm talking about, it starts in this vid and continues in this one.

I'm just after finishing watching this season, and I wholeheartedly agree. The task certainly seemed a lot more doable as well compared to the American version of the same game. I've got to say, that entire season was just amazing. Out of the 25 tasks, there was only like 3 which were not really exciting. That is such a good record. My only gripe with the season was brining the 16 in at the start, only to eliminate 6 at the beginning. But that was only a minor thing, it's still made of awesome.

So far, I'm 0/2 in sussing out the Australian mole. In the first season my main suspect from the start won the whole thing and I was genuinely surprised at the mole's identity. (although I could've sworn they were invisible those first three episodes at least). And in the second season, my mole pick from the start ended up as the runner-up. I was also really shocked by the mole again that season. (ironically that mole was at the bottom of my list of suspects)

I'm just not very good at this... but it's not going to stop me from guessing wrong as I go off to watch season three...

You know I'm gonna ask: which three?



Bonus trivia: One of the contestants who got booted officially became the world's first person to appear on two different reality shows, when she finished 4th on Big Brother in 2002. (Even weirder, her in-house love interest's [who finished second] aunt was on Australian Survivor at the same time that BB season aired... and also finished second.)

The assault course in the first episode (although it did allow some nice subtle sabotage), the x's and o's with the sheep, and the kayaking in the final episode.

I liked the assault course. I would have guessed you were going to say the sheep (boring), the hidden camera sting (pointless), and the ATV/bridge game (too un-Moley).

Edit: It gets much worse from here on out. The next season has a baby-photo treasure hunt and a surprise visit to The Weakest Link; the fourth season has players being able to buy their way back into the game; and the fifth season... well, let's just say it makes Jonathan Baker look good.

Oh, I completely forgot about the pointless camera sting, I was only half watching, I do take back the obstacle course in replace of that in hindsight. I've just finished seasons 3 and 4. I'm now 0/4 and I've continued my trend of my first pick from episode one ending up winning again. In season 3 I was drawn to the winner as the mole because if their occupation and in season 4, the winner done some questionable guesses that first episode, and then I just stick with them (unless they would get eliminated first, which only happens in more international versions apparently) because I'm stubborn.

I did enjoy season 3, even though I felt there was a much greater emphasis on extreme sports type things than puzzles. And I love a good puzzle. I didn't mind the weakest link crossover to be honest (shameless ratings ploy as I'm sure it was). I didn't know Morag from "Home and Away" was Anne Robinson, but it makes total sense now and I feel like a dumbass for not knowing before. I didn't like that some of this cast (BOB!) didn't really understand the concept of the program and took it way too personally (I mean "the mole is a scumbag" REALLY?!) My favourite task in season is hands down the task where they had to steal the diamonds.

Watching season 4, brought me right back to watching season two of the UK mole again. I swear I've seen loads of those challenges there. But I really enjoyed it a lot. My biggest gripe with this season was bringing eliminated contestants back. Firstly, as a rule I hate when it happens (see also: Survivor "Outcast" twist, Jon Tickle (BB4 UK, the most boring person on the planet), Nikki Graham (BBUK7, AND she was eligible to win even though people spent money to vote her out), Kaysar (even though I liked him, I still think it's unfair) and James from BBUSA). I just think once you're out, you're out. I do think it was a good coup to divert suspicion from the mole by a fake-out elimination. It fooled me anyway, but I was annoyed that it was more that the production diverted suspicion than the actual mole.

Yeah, S4 is basically all rehashes from UK S2 and Celebrity Mole: Suckatan. Still enjoyable, but it seemed as though the producers were really trying to push the "Holiday!" aspect rather than the "Spies!" aspect like they did for the first three seasons. And there were wayyy too many trivia/brainteaser games during S4 -- the fighter plane flyover, the museum tour guide, the giant cast photo jigsaw, Walk the Plank, Gridlock, New Caledonian whispers, and of course that very first task.

One of the truly priceless moments in Aussie reality TV is Thao spending $5,000 from the kitty to get her Tickle-Me-Elmo doll back.

And the diamond task is awesome. Totally what the show was originally supposed to be about (not freaking weekend trips to New Zealand and repacking luggage).

How awesome? Well, here's my Top 5 Aussie Mole tasks:

1. Hitchcock Hotel, Season 2 [the "four rooms" game]
2. Treasure Hunt, Season 1 [find four of the following: a Tassie devil, a disappearing ball, a 16th century newsreader, Grant's phone, the only rope on a yacht, and a moving dinosaur. And you can't talk to the others!]
3. Diamond Heist, Season 3 [five diamonds, protected by lasers. Use spray to find lasers, avoid, steal diamonds. Five minutes each, any you pick up and return you win the money for ($1K - $5K), don't pick any up you get nothing, run out of time or touch a laser you lose the money.]

...Okay, I lied. Those three tasks are truly spectacular. The rest of the very good tasks hfskgdtkfsdgdftgjkfgkbtjkhy together for me.

Edit: Speaking of the first task from S4, can anyone figure this riddle out and/or explain it? The guy got it in a couple of seconds but I still can't, almost six years [!] later.

The answer was '1101'. (As shown by the close-up on his hand while he typed it in.)

It's subtle in the show, but there's spacing in the numbers on the sign.
(It kind-of looks like the spacing is just because it's diner-style lettering, but it's deliberate.)
The Clue should really be read like this:

THE MOLE
= 33 . . . . 45
A TRAITOR
= 1 . . . . ???

Add together the numeric values of the letters in the words to get the answer.

As such:

T=20
H=8
E=5
20+8+5 = 33

Likewise, MOLE = 45
A = 1
and TRAITOR = 101

It took me six years to get an answer to that?!

...seriously, though, thanks.

I liked both versions of QAF, although I have to say that Stuart and Vince were my fav pair. I tend to think that the US version was dragged out way to long and over romanticized Brian and Justin's really dysfunctional relationship. Not that I didn't love them, but the whole thing was kinda wrong.

UK Office was really brilliant and i was very disappointed in the first season of the US version. Not until they broke away from following the original in the second season did it start to shine.

What I never understood was why NBC decided to remake Coupling. Some of the funniest parts were the crudest, which they would have never been able to do. Not to mention that Coupling was a rather obvious take on Friends, which NBC actually tried to put it with. It was doomed from the moment they thought of it.

I don't even want to talk about FOX's attempt at Doctor Who.

But, but... McGann! And we really should try using this thread without resorting to The Mole every couple of posts.

The US QAF got all soapy towards the end and went down the crapper.

Well back to The Mole...

I didn't realize it had been six years since the 4th Aussie season (were you talking about Australia?), still, does that make it unusual that they were taking a "computer quiz"? Because I seriously got tired of hearing that, every single episode.

And regarding the 5th season, I really didn't like the live eliminations. It was weird that they would leave the locale for the challenges then go back to the studio every night for the elimination.

Oh, I know, that totally sucked. But it was funny how the system kept fucking up the first couple of episodes, and then after they got it fixed, poor WhicheverContestant [?] got stuck to her chair.

And, yeah, it HAS been almost six years. First season was in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and the final season was aired in 2005. The fourth season was the year iPacks were the newest technology around and were shoehorned in in any way they could.

Edit: And to continue the Mole discussion elsewhere and give this thread back to actual other shows, The Mole Australia now has a Survival Game over in the Rec Room.

But first, I mentioned upthread making a list of the best Mole tasks ever (yes, we're back to The Mole... again). Here it is. Enjoy.

(Because this post would be as long as a porn star's penis otherwise, I'm only providing challenge names at the moment. If you want descriptions/reasoning for any of them, please ask.

12. Dice Game (Netherlands, Season 1, Episode 5)
11. Mallrats In The Runs (Australia, Season 3, Episode 2)
10. Anti-Speed! (Netherlands, Season 4, Episode 9)
9. PYROmania (Australia, Season 2, Episode 2)
8. Bedroom Brainteasers (Belgium, Season 3, Episode 7)
7. Anderson's Fun House/Liar (USA, Season 2, Episode 11)
6. Grant's Super-Secret Mole Treasure Hunt (Australia, Season 1, Episode 8)
5. Lift Rift (Norway, Season 3, Episode 6)
4. Diamond Heist (Australia, Season 3, Episode 7)
3. The Informant (Netherlands, Season 4, Episode 7)
2. The Weakest Links (UK, Season 2, Episodes 5 and 6)
1. Hitchcock Hotel (Australia, Season 2, Episode 8)

Is a month and a half long enough before double posting?

If so (and probably even if not), I'd like to rant about TAR for a minute. There's been three different version -- the original US version, the wonderful Asian version, and the woeful Brazilian one. Even though it's the same show, I think it's hard to compare these three because of how different they are. Not that that's going to stop me. TAR Asia has more realistic editing (I don't think I've ever seen a Frankenquip on it, for one), but its tasks and casting leave a lot to be desired usually. TAR US has more dramatic ending and better tasks and twists, but the last few seasons have lacked the sense of fun that the first three seasons -- yes, even Flo and the Hat -- brought. TAR Brazil? Total disaster. Staying in Brazil for the first eleven legs, horrible editing, and an atrocious twist at the start of the final leg ("Here's four kilograms of clams! Eat it! ...Oh, and if you don't you're disqualified and don't get to finish!") ruined it. Not to mention the host. When making a show aimed towards youth (as his turning away from the teams AT THE START LINE to mention an phone voting competition shows), you do not under any circumstances choose a man who looks like Bob Newhart with Donald Trump's combover. Ugh.

Sorry, just had to rant.

WORD (or palavra, as they say in Portuguese) to your rant about TAR: Brazil, raceguy120390. But, although I may regret asking this, where were you able to watch the entire show? I only found the first five epsiodes on my usual viewing place (which is, well, you-know-where), and I just figured that the whole thing was so horrendous that the show had simply been canceled after that. And where did they end up going, once they finally left Brazil? Even though I hated the show (and you are so right about the horrible editing and the really bad host), morbid curiosity makes me want to see how it all turned out--besides, my Portuguese could stand a good workout!

Also, be warned: While TAR: Central Europe, for some reason, never got off the ground (and more than likely never will), I read recently that Israel has had its own version green-lit. Now, that should be interesting, especially if they go to any Muslim countries.

The final two legs were in Chile. The entire route is up on Wikipedia. (Warning: does spoil the winner.)

Edit: The location I watched the entire series has sadly since closed down.

BTW, Central America is also about to get its own version, which might actually be pretty decent considering they're supposedly casting in both the "mainland" and the Caribbean.

So, Survivor.

It's weird how the foreign versions get panned for not being original enough (the original non-celebrity Australian Survivor, and the two UK seasons in particular, for those of you playing at home), and yet they have some of the better twists the game has seen. In one of the UK seasons, the merge episode had no Immunity Challenge (and thus, no winner). And the Australian version... well, where do I begin? A final four reward challenge, the first ever Individual Gross Food Challenge, the Immunity Idol not actually being an Idol [it was a bell], the first ever "stand on this floating platform" Immunity Challenge, a cold location, shipwreck Tribal Council, the "walk the plank" trivia challenge, the first "the first X people to do this move on" challenge, (as much as I absolutely hate to admit it) the first "Do This Slightly Physical Task, Then Take These Pieces And Solve A Puzzle" challenge, and the first "Prize For Winning The Reward Challenge Is An Advantage In The Immunity Challenge" deal.

Coulda done without the lame F9 reward challenge (tell a story about yourself, other players guess whether it's true or false, the more you fool the more points you get, highest score after one story wins) or the endless sharing of rewards (seriously, one tribe won phone calls home and gave some of the allotted tribe to the other team because they were close behind), though.

Sure, host Lincoln Howes was as dull as a doorknob aside from a few flashes ("Gimme my boat back!"), but the season doesn't really deserve the bad reputation it seems to have. Especially considering how bad some US seasons have been.

I think that UK version of Survivor kind of bombed was more because in the first season (which I loved and got me hooked on the franchise) the public basically didn't like that they hadn't a say in the winner and hated the eventual winner Charlotte (the harlot, who got her nickname because there were rumors that she offered sexual favours in return for votes), because we're all about phone-ins and a British sense of fair-play rather than not being close to the original. I think that Charlotte (who actually played a good game, by coming from the smaller tribe at the merge to eventually winning) actually was a better first winner than Richard Hatch. Then the network tried take on board criticisms from the 1st season (too big of a cast, unlikeable winner) by casting 12 likeable but kind of dull contestants, and gave viewers one jury vote.

Time to bring this baby back.

Apprentice US < Apprentice UK < Apprentice Australia < Apprentice Ireland

The US version has basically devolved into a slew of sponsored advertising tasks and lame twists, but the UK version insists on repeatedly having dull, generic tasks. Still, at least there's more variety. The Aussie and Irish versions both straddle the middle ground perfectly (the first six Aussie tasks this season were lawnmowing, the "create a new cereal" task every country seems to do, selling meat pies, organising a night out in a country pub, a 24-hour shift running a floor of a major hotel, and a Microsoft commercial), but the Irish version has a more likeable cast.

TAR Brazil < TAR US < TAR Israel < TAR Latin America < TAR Asia

Brazil suuuuucked, for reasons I've already gone over. TAR US used to be truly great, but is sort of coasting on good feelings at this point. We've had only one truly awesome task so far this season, the duck herding, with pretty much everything else being (1) woefully generic, or (2) showcasing Dubai's opulence at the expense of actual Arabic culture. And, even though the teams are nice (though Jaime and Luke were still nice at this point last season too), I really don't care who wins at this point. I'm not here to watch nice teams help each other. I want a serious competition. TAR Israel is better than the American version, but the idea of having over half the episodes not end in eliminations is sort of pointless. TAR Latin America? The tasks are brilliant, they're immensely cultural, and they used Machu freakin' Picchu as a Pit Stop! But even with that, there's still something unplaceable about TAR Asia that makes it the best of the five -- I think it's telling that I still get the warm fuzzies, even with teams routinely quitting tasks, even with an Asia-centric route, and even with a host apparently chosen more for his looks than any actual discernable talent or emotion.

I agree with your assessment on the international versions of the Apprentice. The US Apprentice became so shit with the ridiculous OTT product placements and I hated all the nonsensical firings and twists. I still sat through 6 regular seasons, though for my sins. But I gave up on the celebrity version a few episodes in because each task basically boiled down to which celebrity had the best contacts. Plus I was spoiled for a Piers Morgan win which left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I also agree that the UK version tends to take itself way too seriously sometimes. Plus much of the tasks are based heavily on selling which can get stale after a while. Especially after five series's. I still think the UK version has the best aides, Nick and Margaret, though. Unfortunately, Margaret's leaving next year. But I quite like male Australian aide as well. Another major frustration I have with the UK version is that Sir Alan tends to keep on to useless, incompetent "villain" candidates, like Michael (series 4) or indeed much of the series 4 cast but they weren't all "villains" just useless and Ben (series 5) who aren't particularly entertaining way longer than they should be around and are taking place of better candidates. And by the time it comes when they eventually get fired, it's a total anti-climax. I still love this overall. Some series' more than others, though. I'd say series 5>2>1>3>4.

This is why I think that it's important for my enjoyment of the Australian version that Carmen leaves at the right time so that it is not at the expense of a better candidate (although judging from the latest episode that may not happen) where she is repeatedly taken into the BR and saved as kind of entertaining-ish as she is so far. I also agree that so far there is a good middle ground between the US and UK versions like the Irish version. And it also helps somewhat that it has a fresh feel since it's new. And I like that the cast has a very diverse age range, with the 19 year old and a 50 something year old.

It's really weird how much I came to love the Irish version. I initially only watched for morbid curiosity to see how bad it would be and for filler until the next UK series started up again but it really surpassed my expectations. The tasks have been pretty good (I especially like the tasks that involve more detail like the recent one where they had to renovate a house, figure out a price to rent it at and then be assessed by estate agents, they also have to usually work out proper long term business plans and budgets) and I too like the majority of the casts of the two series. In fact I'd go as far as saying that Breffney and Geraldine are my favourite reality tv showmance ever. I know they wouldn't last long in the real world but I find the modern day Victorian class romance about a bumbling Harvard graduate and girl from inner city Dublin appealing for some reason. I also find them hilarious, endearing and fun together, as well as separately. I also think that Brenda was a great winner in series 1. She was on the winning team for 10/11 tasks. And the "villain", Joanna from series one (who showed promise at the start until she did a hilarious woeful presentation) was fired at just the right time because it came as a shock that she cheated on the task and got such a brilliant (IMO) tongue lashing from Bill that made it really satisfactory.