706 replies to this topic

[Strega]

"Expedition Impossible" features 13 teams of three racing in a fun expedition across vast deserts, over snow capped mountains and through raging rivers in the beautifully exotic, fabled Kingdom of Morocco. Each week a new stage of the expedition will be revealed to the teams. Will they crumble under the pressure of having to think clearly in the wilds of the great outdoors, or will they find a way to work together to complete the expedition? After 10 stunning legs of competition with drama, comedy and great characters, one team will cross the finish line first to claim victory. Each winning team member will receive $50,000 ($150,000 total for the team) as well a new Ford Explorer. Adventurer, zoologist, big cat trainer and all around risk taker Dave Salmoni hosts. "Expedition Impossible" was created by Mark Burnett, who also serves as executive producer with Lisa Hennessy.

Same again: TWoP will be weecapping this and I needed to set up a thread for linkage, so here we are.

[BaltimoreTom]

Not sure why you're calling this "The Underwhelming Race" -- Eco-Challenge, the obvious source of this, even if it is dumbed-down from its predecessor, was one of the few shows I made a point of looking to see when it would be aired.

If this is even half the fun of that, ABC may have a real winner.

[LakeGal]

This is a summer show that I am looking forward to.

[TheGrimRecapper]

Not sure why you're calling this "The Underwhelming Race" -- Eco-Challenge, the obvious source of this, even if it is dumbed-down from its predecessor, was one of the few shows I made a point of looking to see when it would be aired.

It's a play on The Amazing Race, right? (Have we had another lame rip-off of the show since Treasure Hunters? We're probably due for another.)

[oakgal]

Eco-Challenge

Eco-Challenge! I forgot all about that show, that was awesome. If this is even half as good I'll be happy. Great summer programming.

(Have we had another lame rip-off of the show since Treasure Hunters? We're probably due for another.)

Ah yes, Treasure Hunters. Fond, dumb memories.

[sp23]

It's a play on The Amazing Race, right? (Have we had another lame rip-off of the show since Treasure Hunters? We're probably due for another.)

I've been watching Shanghai Rush from 2009 on the tube of you. It's a precursor of TAR: China Rush, and was pretty obviously an unauthorized rip-off of TAR. Interesting if with petty poor production values.

I hadn't heard of Expedition Impossible. Sounds good to me though! I'll be looking forward to it.

Edited by sp23, May 31, 2011 @ 9:56 AM.

[eelpout]

Ah yes, Treasure Hunters. Fond, dumb memories.

"Incoming Motorola message!" Aw, I liked that show. ;)

[TheGrimRecapper]

"Incoming Motorola message!" Aw, I liked that show. ;)

Heh. One of the only things I actually remember from it was the "Your search begins in Paris, France." "Okay, Paris. Wait, what?" doubletakes after spending over half the season making their way through such amazing locations as... Nebraska. And... a tunnel in Brooklyn. Oh, and then they finished in an abandoned warehouse or something.

[BaltimoreTom]

An abandoned factory in Baltimore, which, IIRC, involved some fairly dangerous excavation work before they got to what turned out to be a rather-less-than-promised payoff.

After the last National Treasure movie cratered, I guess we'll never see that again. I wonder just how arduous this will be? Burnett does enjoy watching his contestants bleed/sweat.

[Quilt Fairy]

What is the start date for this show? It sounds interesting and I don't want to miss it, but I don't watch ABC much so I might not see the promos.

[Aunt Pittypat]

Quilt Fairy, ABC.com says it premieres on Thursday, June 23 at 9:00 ET.

I'll give this show a chance, mostly because I want to see Morocco. Though I just looked at the team bios and they are so annoying I may rethink the whole thing:

Excitable, determined and full of spice, Dashia, Raven and Mai are three Latina ladies who know how to liven up any event. They come fully equipped with a "win at all costs" attitude. Friends and co-workers, these ladies are a competitive force to be reckoned with.

...

Together, this team has a deadly combination of insanely good looks, killer smiles and innate athleticism.

...

Christina, Brittany and Natalie make up this team of brainy beauties. They not only carry the burden of being both gorgeous and smart, but they also happen to be talented athletes.

Gag.

[Grimes]

I want to like this show, but after watching the commercials it totally turned me off. I loved the eco-quest, because it had real people. Seems all they cast for this show was mactors, which I plain tired of.

[Mystery]

I loved "Eco Challenge" and watched every season. I've signed up on "bring back Eco Challenge" websites. I don't harbor any hopes that this show will be close, but it might be interesting. I'll definitely give it a look, anyway.

[purpleskye]

I'm so excited to see this show! I lived in Morocco for over two years and can't wait for others to see how beautiful this country is.

[Bilolo]

hi guys can someone plz write the detailed promo there are some parts that i don't understand
thank you
here's the link http://www.youtube.c..._embedded#at=64

[craigi]

It says (Wikipedia) each member of the winning team will receive $50,000 and a Ford Explorer. That seems rather...cheap?

[cutecouple]

Prize seems underwhelming. On the other hand, it'll be cool if this comes anywhere near "Eco Challenge", which was pretty hard core.

[cutecouple]

Bump for the start coming up in a couple of days. I want to hope, but my gut says that ABC is burying this show in a summer timeslot.

[SledDog]

It says (Wikipedia) each member of the winning team will receive $50,000 and a Ford Explorer. That seems rather...cheap?

Mark Burnett, who is producing the show, actually explained that. He said that he didn't want people who were in it for the money, he wanted people who were doing the show for the adventure.

I've seen the first 15 minutes or so on the ABC website for the show, and I have to say it looks like it could be pretty good. They don't need to clutter it up with the sort of challenges that they have in The Amazing Race. The sheer fact of it being a timed race should make this thing work. Looking forward to it and hoping that it's something worthwhile to watch this summer.

[Bilolo]

SledDog there are some parts i don't get can you plz rewwrite them here if you can plz i 'm a senegalese and english is not my first langage

[Tanya1959]

When I saw the commercials on tv for this show I was underwhelmed but when I watched the 15 min video on abc.com I sorta liked it and am now looking forward to it. I'll be watching, of course if it gets cheesy or dumbs down the "race" I'll switch to something else. The blind guy seemed like he had a good personality.

[HurricaneVal]

Yay! on TWoP weecapping this show.... And I'm crossing my fingers that it will skew toward the Eco-Challenge end of the adventure spectrum and not toward The Amazing Race end of the interpersonal drama-rama spectrum. Because that would suck.

Eco-Challenge was all kinds of awesome. I'd love to get some of that flavor back on my TV.

[Way Wes Jr]

I don't watch ABC much, so I didn't even know this was coming until last night. The success of Survivor and The Apprentice was the worst thing that ever happened to Mark Burnett (re: me,) as he stopped doing Eco-Challenge. That was a once a year- destination TV- goldmine. ("There is a leech in your urethra.") Plus - while he was making the race challenging for the truly competitive teams - he was trying to maim the wastes. (Playmates, anyone?)

Expedition: Impossible, please be 1/4 as good as Eco-Challenge, and you'll be twice the reality show of your summer competition. (Big Brother #Whatever, I'm looking at you.)

----

Just watched the fifteen minute "preview." As we know from AR, camels = comedy gold.

But, dear God, themed teams. GAH! Let's see how many reality-tv stereotypes we can get:

California Girls: 24/25 yr old college friends. Athletic. Not enough to comment on. (Neco)
Fab 3: 36-26 Brother/sister, brother's ex-boyfriend. People think the gay... then don't talk about it!!! Athletic. Irritating.
Grandpa's Warriors:69/48/23 Grpa, dad, daughter. Men are ex-army. Neco.
Mom's Army: 52-28. Mom, daughters, daughters are/were National Guard. (Mom's Army, get it, get it?) Neco.
Latin Persuasion: 44-30 Friends/ coworkers. Three divas, fish out of water. Yadda yadda.
NY Firemen: 39-34. Neco.
No Limits: 33-42. Friends. Erik is blind, but has summitted Everest. Probably a top-tier team.
Team Kansas: 27 - 18. Sisters. Neco. Points for a straightforward team name.
The Cops: 49-34. Neco
The Country Boys:37-27 Friends. Bio says athletic, my eyes say beer-guts.
The Fishermen: 43-48 Brothers/cousin. Neco.
The Gypsies: 26-31 Friends. Twee-surfer vibe. Neco.
The Football Players: 27-31 NFL washouts. (That's a complement - they actually played in the League.) Neco.

There's also a host.

And, as far as I can tell, there is the real star of the show: Morocco. I'm underwhelmed by the teams, but I'm excited to see the course.

Edited: Saw the preview, and "don't reply to my own post."

Edited by Way Wes Jr, Jun 23, 2011 @ 10:32 AM.

[cutecouple]

If this is Eco-Challenge light, well, I look forward to the difference. I wonder what other sites are getting the wallpaper ads.

[soapygirl]

And, as far as I can tell, there is the real star of the show: Morocco. I'm underwhelmed by the teams, but I'm excited to see the course.

Not to mention the locals who seem to be in snarky mode.

I'm intrigued by team No Limits, they seemed the most prepared and probably the team most likely to be underestimated.

[BaltimoreTom]

Got a chuckle out of the TWoP blurb writer -- see link on the home page -- who snarked about how bloated these teams were, being three instead of only two, as on TAR. Can you imagine teams of FOUR having to do this? In Morocco? Could the country hold them all?

Uh, yeah, it did -- when Burnett ran the Eco-Challenge through here -- with a rule that the teams had to be mixed gender, no less! Good Lord, how did the world survive?

Hope the weecapper has more knowledge of what they're writing about than the blurber did...

[kitty32]

I was going to watch this show, but the overwhelming wallpaper ads with the speed-of-sound flashing pictures have turned me off so much I'll probably take a pass. I'd think you'd have to be pretty desperate to do this much to get viewers, which doesn't bode well for the series.

I watched some of the Eco-challenge series and liked that they were no-nonsense with no twists and manufactured drama.

[Isuzu]

Neco

What does that mean?

Got a chuckle out of the TWoP blurb writer -- see link on the home page -- who snarked about how bloated these teams were, being three instead of only two, as on TAR. Can you imagine teams of FOUR having to do this? In Morocco? Could the country hold them all?

Uh, yeah, it did -- when Burnett ran the Eco-Challenge through here -- with a rule that the teams had to be mixed gender, no less! Good Lord, how did the world survive?

Hope the weecapper has more knowledge of what they're writing about than the blurber did...

Hum... It was clearly meant as snarking on the fact that so far, the only difference between this and TAR is the fact that they're teams of three instead of two. It was supposed to be funny.

[rcampuzano]

I'm cautiously excited about this. I loved, loved, loved Eco-Challenge and refused to watch any Survivor because I blame Eco-Challenge's demise on Survivor's success lol.

The only thing that gives me pause is that the Eco-Challenge teams was mostly made up of experience expeditioners and trekkers and it was a joy to see them do their thing with minimal drama. Keeping my fingers crossed that this will be at least a fraction as good.

[Way Wes Jr]

Isuzu

Neco

What does that mean?

Way Wes Jr

California Girls: 24/25 yr old college friends. Athletic. Not enough to comment on. (Neco)