84 replies to this topic

[Albanyguy]

Premiering Monday August 13th on NBC:

Hosted by General Wesley Clark (retired) and Samantha Harris, "Stars Earn Stripes" is an action-packed competition show that pays homage to the men and women who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces and our first-responder services. The star-studded cast includes four-time undefeated world boxing champion Laila Ali, actor Dean Cain ("Out of Time," Five Days of War"), actor and former National Football League player Terry Crews ("The Expendables 2," "The Newsroom"), multi-platinum recording artist, actor, producer and television personality Nick Lachey (NBC's "The Sing-Off"), Alaska businessman and four-time Iron Dog snowmobile race champion Todd Palin, "The Biggest Loser" trainer Dolvett Quince, Olympic gold medalist Picabo Street, and WWE Diva, Eve Torres.

The eight celebrities will gather at a remote training facility, where they will be challenged to execute complicated missions inspired by real military exercises. From helicopter drops into water to long-range weapons fire, the contestants will be tested physically, mentally and emotionally. Each will be paired with a special operative from a military branch or one of our first-responder forces, including former U.S. Army Delta Force and Green Berets, U.S. Navy SEALS, U.S. Marines and police officers, who train alongside their partners and compete in the missions with them. Each of the teams is competing for a cash prize on behalf of a military, veterans or first-responder charity.

Well, I know where I'm going to be two weeks from tonight. This actually has the potential to be interesting. The cast seems pretty legit; most of them have experience in competitive sports that require strength, endurance and discipline and the ones who don't, like Nick Lachey, seem to be in generally good shape, physically and personality-wise. I kind of respect them for not throwing in one or two obvious Kardashian-style famewhores to amp up the "drama".

[Kromm]

Todd Palin probably counts as a famewhore.

[walnutqueen]

Todd Palin probably counts as a famewhore.

Agreed. So does Nick Lachey, in my book.

[bulldawgtownie]

I was already interested in this show when I saw the promo for it but now that I see the cast list and that most of them have a legitimate athletic background I'm looking forward to this show even more.

And famewhore or not I can't bash someone for doing something for charity.

Edited by bulldawgtownie, Jul 30, 2012 @ 3:17 PM.

[walnutqueen]

And famewhore or not I can't bash someone for doing something for charity.

Point taken, bulldawgtownie it is for a good cause. But I've come to believe that true charity is done for its' own sake, preferably anonymously - any resulting recognition, reward or benefit only detracts from the intent and purity of the act.

[areed]

not to mention . . . consider the production costs, all to give a much smaller amount to a charity. What do the contestants get out of this? Publicity as being a good guy/gal and not having to pay taxes on it, possibility of future opportunities, and probably at least expenses covered. If the network wants to give money to one of these charities, it should just do so and run some PSAs or something. I'm sure the "celebrities" could do the same.

[SoManyWays]

Naturally, the network wants a show that will attract viewers and advertisers. The charity angle is a nice bonus, not the main point. As for the stars, I expect a lot of them (being high achievers) were attracted to the challenge of it. The cast and the partnerships with experienced professionals provide some welcome credibility. I'm looking forward to checking it out.

[Actionmage]

I'm excited about this show. Laila Ali and Terry Crews? Picabo Street and Dean Cain? I'm in!

[Kromm]

So this show is getting lots of unintended free press over the whole Sharon/Jack Osborne thing, aren't they?

[henriPootel]

There's something about the promos I find vaguely unsettled. I think it's the whole 'honoring folks who put themselves in actual danger by putting fame whores in pretend danger'. I've seen enough reality tv that I woulda thought I'd be inured to fake reality and producer logic. Still ...

And not for nothing, but I'll bet the producers were wise to exclude Jack Osborne. Years ago, a friend of mine was working for Outward Bound on a course on Catalina Island which Jack Osborne had signed up for. This was after The Osbornes had started so the instructors were all excited. Shortly after Jack showed up he started whining and when he wasn't given special treatment, called his father and said that the instructors were being 'mean to him'. Apparently Ozzy sent a helicopter and Jack left without his stuff which, after a while, the instructors divvied up. My friend still has Jack's water bottle. This was years before his MS diagnosis and if Jack was such a quitter then, one can imagine what he'd do here.

[gosacstate]

I wish I knew more about Dean Cain. Lachey I only know from his unfortunate first marriage. Lachey seems fit, is Cain known for anything else? The others are seriously competitive people. I know there are some that hate that Palin name, but Todd always seemed to me to be in the background of things. If the cast member were any one of them but him,I'd agree with the fameho stuff. But their son is in the military and Mark Burnett knows the Palins as well. He knows how to add the drama that Mark!

I don't see where Jack Osborne would have fit into that group, without the diagnosis, was he even in shape? I'm not surprised he was a whiner. I think production dodged a bullet.

[evilandproud]

I don't see where Jack Osborne would have fit into that group, without the diagnosis, was he even in shape? I'm not surprised he was a whiner. I think production dodged a bullet.

Jack Osbourne became very concerned with his health and wellness a few years ago. He lost about a million pounds through diet and exercise and climbed El Capitan, which is a huge accomplishment. I think he would have fit into this group fine.

The whole premise and marketing strategy behind this show really irritates me. I definitely won't be watching. Also, I remember Celebrity Boot Camp and that show SUCKED.

[marketdoctor]

...is Cain known for anything else?

He played Clark Kent/Superman on "The Adventures of Lois & Clark." If they make reference to "I used to play a (super)hero, now I'm seeing what real ones do", that's where it would come from. (Not a spoiler, just an easy cliche for them to tap into.) He also played on the football team at Princeton.

FWIW, I liked him on "Lois & Clark", and on the talk shows I've seen him on, he seems like a nice guy.


(edited to fix the quote tag.)

Edited by marketdoctor, Aug 13, 2012 @ 7:38 AM.

[Runningwild]

FWIW, I liked him on "Lois & Clark", and on the talk shows I've seen him on, he seems like a nice guy.

And he's a hottie!

Edited to add, he also played Brenda's Paris boyfriend, Rick, on Beverly Hills 90210.

Edited by Runningwild, Aug 13, 2012 @ 2:30 PM.

[henriPootel]

NPR review is pretty scathing: It's Offensive, But At Least It's Boring. Heh. God bless you, Miss Alli.

Edited by henriPootel, Aug 13, 2012 @ 3:51 PM.

[legaleagle44]

FWIW, I liked him on "Lois & Clark", and on the talk shows I've seen him on, he seems like a nice guy.

And he's a hottie!

Edited to add, he also played Brenda's Paris boyfriend, Rick, on Beverly Hills 90210.

And he's even done a gay role -- rent "The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy" sometime if you want to see some hot guy-on-guy making out involving Dean and another hunk.

[RudyRayMoore]

Jack Osbourne became very concerned with his health and wellness a few years ago. He lost about a million pounds through diet and exercise and climbed El Capitan, which is a huge accomplishment. I think he would have fit into this group fine.

Not to be shallow or anything, but Jack Osbourne is hardly in tip-top shape. Plus he was never hired in the first place, so he was never fired. And if he were hired and, God forbid, his MS flared up, NBC would never hear the end of it. And he already works for NBC Universal.

I'll give this show a shot. I like the premise of raising money and awareness for military charities. And Dean Cain is a MAJOR hottie.

[dad2two]

bad move. posted during show

Edited by dad2two, Aug 13, 2012 @ 8:34 PM.

[MichaelaRae]

Don't hate me. I liked it. No one is more surprised than I am.

[dad2two]

So glad Terry Crews made it through. I really like him and Todd Palin is the beast I expected him to be. Eva Torres is a rockstar. I love that Eva and Todd did not allow their teammates failure to complete the first part of the task to slow them down. Definitely a repeat customer here.

[Try Again]

Who went home?

[Runningwild]

Wow. Todd Palin was awesome!

The dude from The Biggest Loser went home. Dolvet?

[reckless]

So glad Terry Crews made it through. I really like him and Todd Palin is the beast I expected him to be. Eva Torres is a rockstar. I love that Eva and Todd did not allow their teammates failure to complete the first part of the task to slow them down. Definitely a repeat customer here.

Eva was great, but it was Picabo who had to finish on her own when Terry Crews nearly drowned. Eve was paired with Nick Lachey.

[ramble]

Hokey? Yep. Too much slow-mo & repetition of scenes? Yep. Will I watch again? Yep, cause I thought it was easy watching fun. Palin was low key as he went about kicking ass. Lachey made me laugh saying that his preparation was being in a boy band. I was sorry to see the pretty that is Dolvett leave, but the real life guys have some pretty going on too & the real life guys are real life impressive, not TV impressive, which makes them hotter in my eyes.

[RudyRayMoore]

Don't hate me. I liked it. No one is more surprised than I am.

Except me. I really enjoyed it. And now that I've seen it, I really don't understand the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates protest. I didn't really think the show "glorified war," although it certainly celebrated the country's armed forces. It seemed that every single celeb who went through the basic training exercises said the same thing: "Now I really respect what you all go through every day to keep us safe." And frankly, as a typical fat-assed civilian whose biggest daily trauma is when my Mac needs an upgrade, I don't see anything wrong with that message going out to millions of viewers. Plus, you know, contributions to military charities.

HOWEVER, as a black guy who CAN swim, I definitely cringed when the only two brothers in the show both panicked and almost drowned when dropped in the water. Didn't Terry and Dolvett realize they would have to swim at some point in this competition? Would it have killed those two to get lessons at the Y before signing up for this show? Way to reinforce stereotypes, guys...

[SoManyWays]

Okay, it's a little bit rough going. All the talking head segments sound the same and they're entirely predictable. I'd like some fresh insights rather than the same old sentiments. The action is necessarily kind of choppy and it's hard to make out who's who under all that gear. Still, the basic premise of people put into difficult situations is enough to keep me around for a while.

I sort of wish they'd skip the elimination of the week format and let people accumulate stripes over the run of the show.

[Mrs OldManBalls]

I remember when BL was in Hawaii, Dolvett seemed a little leery of the water at the time. Guess he still is.... sad to see him go, but happy for Terry Crews!

[havok1980]

As another black man how can swim and as a Navy vet, I'm just surprised more of them didn't have trouble. First, guys with big muscles (like Terry) tend to be denser, so they sink. Add in 70 lbs. of gear. A trip to the Y wouldn't have helped unless he was trying to swim with 70 lbs strapped to his back under the backwash of a helicopter. I'm impressed so many of them made it.

I liked the show. I think it would be awesome to go on live fire simulated missions. Plus I think it does highlight what Spec Ops guys do, and it raises money for charity. It seems a hell of a lot more fun than a celebrity golf tournament.

Another show I'd like to see is a week of SEAL training a la G.I. Jane.

Have to say the Marine guy kind of annoyed me. There is no rivalry between SEALs and Marines. In fact, the really hardcore Marines I know are SEALs.

[fonfon]

Samantha Harris bugs. Wesley Clark could've hosted it just fine on his own. (His circling the green-screened table while pretending to watch video of what was going on, and video game-sounding voiceovers during the mission were pretty amusing.)

It got boring after watching team #2 go through. Are all the episodes going to be 2 hours long? Seems like they could've condensed that down to 1.

Dean Cain: "I could die." Yeah, Dean, based on the fact that there were seemingly a jillion snorkeling crew members and a rescue Sea Doo (you know, just like in real combat) and nobody shooting AT you, I'd say you'll be fine.

[Whitney]

I'm wondering how long it'll be before the announcement that Eve Torres and her "Special Op" are dating. Talk about chemistry!!