Reality Roundup

From RealityBlurred:

In recent weeks, a few cable networks have announced new reality shows that follow different personalities, from a father and son who perform gastric bypass surgeries to George Foreman grilling. Here’s a round-up of notable, recently announced series:

Bravo has had success with two distinct subgenres of reality TV: competitive series focusing on craft, and docudrama series focusing on different industries and the crazy people within them. Adding a new show to its lineup of the latter, Bravo is planning Welcome to the Parker. The one-hour show is set at the Parker Palm Springs hotel, and Bravo says it “will uncover the lives, relationships and drama of the hotel staff and their guests.” It will air sometime in 2007.

TLC is planning three new reality series. Family Surgeons is “American Chopper meets The Biggest Loser,” according to Variety. It “follows a father-son medical practice specializing in gastric bypass surgeries.” Also coming from TLC: Mind Your Manners follows people as they “undergo etiquette training in preparation for such situations as a first date or a job interview,” while My First Home “chronicles the process of buying a home in today’s climate,” Variety says.
World of Wonder Productions is shopping Viva Hollywood, which follows “Latin telenovela stars” as the come to the US and “struggle to make it big in the U.S. market,” Variety reports.

TV Land has ordered a pilot for Family Foreman, which the network says is “an intimate look inside the remarkable life of former heavyweight boxing champion/multi-million dollar pitchman George Foreman who is a minister to many, and father to ten children.” The network is also planning a six-episode series titled In Celebrity Love Cruise, in which “celebrities take to the high seas to find love in this raucous dating show.” It’s produced by Generate TV, not Bunim-Murray, so, tragically, it’s probably not a return of the FOX series that gave us Toni Ferrari. Finally, TV Land is planning Back to the Grind, which “allows viewers to join celebrated actors as they perform — in the real world — the kind of job their characters did on their respective hit TV series.” Celebs who will appear include Harry Anderson, Bea Arthur, Betty White, and Sherman Hemsley; the series debuts June 6, 2007.

--discuss.