1. SURVIVING ON ROCKS AND ICE
Formats that put the participants to their limits (this formula is repeated over and over, like a mantra) are very popular, without many relevant variations: only last week 2 brand new shows of this trend, full of adrenaline, have been announced.
The first one is The Climb that will premiere on HBO Max next 12th January. This competition series will crown the “world’s best amateur climber” (selected among 10 participants), who’ll win the prize of $100,000 cash prize and a sponsorship with the sportswear company prAna.
The program is hosted by actor Jason Momoa and his old friend Chris Sharma, a rock climbing champion. (By the way, it’s quite typical that an actor, known especially for his physique, will host this kind of “extreme” show: see, for example, Chris “Thor” Hemsworth - Limitless, Disney+, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson - The Titan Game, NBC). The format has been created by Momoa himself with his prodco On the Roam, together with Sony Pictures’ The Intellectual Property Corporation.
The second one is Outlast, to be launched on Netflix early in 2023, that follows 16 “lone wolves”, who must outlast each other in the Alaskan wilderness in an attempt to win 1 million dollars.
After they arrive, these “alpha” players learn that they won’t be competing on their own; instead, they’ll need to split up into four different teams, and each team has to set up camp in a different location. Though each individual has a strong set of survival skills, they’re required to work together as a team to win the prize.
Players can change teams at any time, leading to unexpected alliances, selfish maneuvers and decisions that could make or break each team’s ability to survive. There’s no voting out of players in Outlast, either — the only way out is to give up.
The show comes from Jason Bateman’s Aggregate Films and Nomad Entertainment.
2. MILFS RULE
8 hot milfs, aged between 40 to 60, in search of love, are gathered in a beautiful Mexican villa. They will be paired with eight younger men to embark on a dating experience: whether it’s more excitement or their “high libidos,” these moms hope to connect with someone who believes that age is only a number.
This is the very simple concept of MILF Manor, produced by Entertainment One (eOne) and Spun Gold, that will premiere on Sunday, Jan. 15 on the American cable television TLC, owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, and the same day on Discovery+ .
It’s curious to notice that years ago there was already something very similar but… it was a joke. In an episode of the Tina Fey’s satirical, iconic series 30 Rock, we can see the trailer of the fake show MILF Island, with the funny tagline: “20 MILFS. 50 eighth grade boys. No rules.”
3. VIRTUAL MEETS REAL (AND VICEVERSA)
Finding new formulas to engage the young target with new types of contents in new platforms/media spaces is a paramount for the contemporary television industry.
Good Game Asia is a multi-channel reality show that tries to do exactly this. 15 international gaming contestants from all around Asia are gathered under one roof in a hotel in Singapore, competing in a series of game-related activities for the coveted title of Asia’s next gaming superstar and $200,000 in cash and prizes.
They have to face a series of challenges, both in the “real world” (but related to the game universe: e.g. a paintball tournament, a car race…) and in the “virtual world” of videogames. This way, since gaming meets reality, the show’s target is not just hardcore gamers, but also casual gamers (which are a huge amount).
The format, airing in English on Warner TV, with Korean, traditional/simplified Chinese, Bahasa, Vietnamese and Thai subtitles, has been created by Jonathan Glazier, former head of BBC Formats, and distributed by Tim Crescenti’s Small World IFT.