‘Beyond the Tank’ premiere review: Tipsy Elves, Define Bottle, and Bubba-Q’s Boneless Ribs

Tonight, ABC launched a new reality show that has the potential to be interesting in “Beyond the Tank.” It is a chance to see what is basically an extended version of the updates segment during “Shark Tank,” and what we like about it right away is that this is not a show that necessarily all about presenting a glossed-up presentation of what these businesses are doing. There is some genuine reality and some hard truths thrown in here!

There were three products featured in the episode, with each one of them bringing their own unique perspective on life since the end of the show. It also was further proof that being successful here was far from a guarantee that you are going to have anything close to this in the future.

Tipsy Elves – It’s a company about cute Christmas sweaters! You probably remember them well. We do still love the idea of these campy, silly sweaters, which are actually now expanding year-round. The story here was that Robert Herjavec can be very tough and hands-on as a mentor. Not only that, but they also had to realize that this has to be a full-time business. We are still completely clueless how they had the level of success that they did given just how many other commitments they had going on.

Define Bottle – This was a water bottle with a fruit compartment that was actually rejected by the sharks, but has gone on to appear in big-box stores all around the country. There was not a complex lesson here so much as there was just another reminder that dreams come true … but only if you work.

Bubba-Q’s Boneless Ribs – This was the business that was struggling the most going into the show, and yes, we did watch an entire segment about a guy searching for a co-packer to keep Daymond John from getting angry with him. Yes, we are totally hungry for ribs now.

Yes, there was a bizarre sort of glossed-over feeling to the episode, almost like you knew that everyone was on camera and nothing felt 100% authentic (even if it was). However, “Beyond the Tank” is probably a great show for you if you are a fan of “Shark Tank,” and have at least a natural curiosity for what happens next. Grade: B.