I never bought the idea that Survivor changes up the challenges to get more drama or help/hurt contestants. It seems like it would be hard to come up with a challenge, get a prototype built to test for safety and how well it would work, etc in the little time they have between the Tribal Council and the other challenges.

I can't help but think they're opening themselves up to lawsuits going down that road, too. I'm sure they all sign a phonebook of a contract, but still..

I have to say that I really liked the challenge this season, especially the Battleship Challenge.

The show with the worst physical challenges is Road Rules/Real World Challenge...which I'm admitting was at one time my guilty pleasure. But it looks like they never test the challenges out for playability because there are so many disqualifications and stuff.

So, I'm watching the last epsiode of the first season of Top Model, and it's fascinating to see the final three, given what I know about what's happened since. Elyse says, "Well, now that I'm eliminated from the show, that's it for modeling -- I'm going to be a doctor." As far as I know, she's still modeling. They keep saying about Adrienne, "Well, she's not going to be on the talk-show sofa talking like that" or whatever, and who's scraped together a reality-tv career?

OK, I think I just caught the final of America's Next Top Model. What are those judges wearing! These people are deciding fashion? Was the one guy being attached by a rainbow?

I'm guessing you're talking about Miss Jay? The black guy? He's crazy. He added a ruffle each week that someone got eliminated.

Also, they're not deciding fashion, just talking about the people wearing it.

I'm getting my reality shows confused. All I could think of was Ruby from Fifth Element, which is not something that inspires confidence. I do not think I'm the stuff of which reality show audiences are made.

Have you guys been over to watch TNT's exit interviews (from Shear Genius)?

Being at home w/o sound, I can't but I hear that Tyson is all class and Tabitha still blames him for their ouster.

I'll have to watch those when I get home.

I can't believe that the show is almost over, howeve, I'm kind of over it at this point and can't wait for Top Chef to start! Especially if the changes I read about really do happen.

Especially if the changes I read about really do happen.

Changes? What changes?

Of the various iterations of the Bravo Reality Show that I've seen, Top Chef seems to be the one striving the hardest to give its judging and elimination process credibility (and also seems to be the one that gets the most grief about credibility, even though it has the most knowledgable and stringent judges). They also seem to be trying the hardest to make sure their challenge rules and judging criteria are very explicit and clearly understood by the contestants, possibly because they've had (arguably) the most problems with contestants and rules.

I haven't seen enough Project Runway to speak knowledgably on that show, but Top Design's judging never had a shot a credibility. And Shear Genius does have some credibility issues, and even bigger problems (from what we've seen, though it's created little on-show drama) with rules and judging criteria clarity, it also seems to be too cool to care about the precision and standards that Top Chef is looking for. But that's as a show about hairstylists should be.