2014 Emmys: Celebrating ‘Survivor,’ ‘King of the Nerds,’ ‘Billy on the Street’ as competition shows
The Outstanding Reality Competition series has become mind-numbing for the Emmys has of late, mostly because we wonder whether or not the voters really even bother to watch all the possible nominees. Some people out there still look down on unscripted fare, even though it can be some of the most impactful, entertaining, and even emotional stuff that you watch.
Four of our CarterMatt nominees for this category below were not nominated last year, and there are some definite longshots in here. Still, hopefully this will inspire at least a few voters out there to wake up and realize that there is more than “Project Runway,” “The Voice,” and “So You Think You Can Dance” out there in this genre. All three are solid shows, but none of them are coming off great seasons.
The Amazing Race (CBS) – It’s won the majority of Emmys in this category since it was created, and we get that it is a cynical choice. But coming off of an All-Star season where the cast was good enough to make up for the budget cuts, we had no other choice but to give it some more love.
Billy on the Street (Fuse) – One of the most hilarious shows of its kind on TV. To us, the real competition is seeing who has the most shocking reaction to some of Billy Eichner’s antics. We watch by and large for this, plus the occasional super-famous person who cameos who turns a segment into a viral video. (“Would you have sex with Paul Rudd?” is a favorite.) You don’t even have to give us a dollar to want to support this show.
King of the Nerds (TBS) – Maybe we’re biased because we like to think of ourselves as Royal Subjects in the Nerd Army, but subject matter aside this show is fantastic. It’s well-cast, superbly edited, and inspired when it comes to the majority of its challenges and Nerd-Offs. Curtis Armstrong and Robert Carradine have found a way to celebrate their target demographic, while simultaneously encouraging even non-nerds to come in and be a part of the fun.
Survivor (CBS) – Should a show entering its 29th season really have anything left in the tank? Based on the run CBS is having right now, sure. The “Blood vs. Water” risk paid off in spades, and “Survivor: Cagayan” is in our mind the second-best season of the show ever. It’s been a long time since the show had two outstanding seasons back to back; we’d go back all the way to “Survivor: China” and “Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites” back during the 2007-08 season.
Top Chef (Bravo) – Even when “Top Chef” does have its stumbles, it follows them up with challenges that are both fun and also no-nonsense. There are no fake inspirational speeches or people exploiting the hard of cooking just for drama. These are people whose food you would legitimately love to test. Plus, “Top Chef: New Orleans” had a great finale with a surprise winner in Nicholas Elmi.
Whodunnit? (ABC) – We don’t care that the show is all but canceled (it would in theory be eligible this year), or that there may only be a tiny audience clamoring for its return someday, we had a blast with it. It’s the closest thing to “Clue” that a game show has achieved, and it captured some of the fun of that game along with the intrigue of “The Mole,” another one of our favorite reality competitions ever.
What is your pick for a nomination in this category? Let us know in the comments, and head over here to take a look at the rest of our Emmy picks! Also, sign up to grab some additional TV news via our CarterMatt Newsletter.
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