ABC jumps into reality arena big time

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

As the reality-TV surge continues, ABC is ready for a big plunge with shows that range from regular Joes getting makeovers to yet another reality show featuring an all-star cast.

"Extreme Makeover" will give ordinary people opportunities to have their looks changed so (they hope) they can live better lives. ABCmedianet.com

Still, he's already buoyed by the great ratings for "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" and "Celebrity Mole."

ABC's upcoming reality shows include:

• "Are You Hot," at 8 p.m. for six Thursdays, beginning Feb. 13. From the "Bachelor" producer, it's a six-week series that starts with 16 finalists. They will get makeovers, then be judged strictly on physical beauty. The winner — one man and one woman — will be proclaimed "the sexiest people in America."
• "Extreme Makeover," in that same time slot beginning April 3. The notion, already seen in one special, is to give regular people a platoon of help from a plastic surgeon, eye surgeon, dentist, trainer, hair stylist and makeup artist.
• "All American Girl," which premieres at 8 p.m. March 12, then takes the 9 p.m. slot for 11 successive Wednesdays. It's a competition that ranges from singing and dancing to athletics and mental agility. Like "Idol," the show gives the winner a management contract with the company run by British producer Simon Fuller.
• "I'm a Celebrity — Get Me Out of Here," which airs 9 p.m. Feb. 19 after the two-hour "Bachelorette" finale. It then bounces around the schedule with at least an hour each night, through March 5. The show puts eight people in the Australian rain forest. Then in the second week viewers can start ousting one person per night.

Using the phrase "celebrity" loosely, it has Melissa Rivers, Alana Stewart, Downtown Julie Brown, Stuttering John Melendez, Robin Leach, Tyson Beckford and Bruce Jenner, with an eighth celebrity pending.

Such a reality pileup makes sense on Wednesdays and Thursdays, ABC president Susan Lyne insists. "It's a very nice way to heat up a cold time slot."

But that's not it. More are coming.

Braun says there will be a total of 10 new reality or comedy shows this winter or spring with six more this summer. The only comedy announced so far is "Regular Joe," a four-generation show with Daniel Stern as a young grandfather and Judd Hirsch as the great-grandfather.

That hasn't been scheduled yet. Key specials, also without air dates, include:

• "Tim Allen Presents a User's Guide to Home Improvement." During the hour, Allen will show clips and outtakes from "Home Improvement" and will take live questions from the audience.
• A celebration of ABC's 50th anniversary (a three-hour special in May).
• "Dreamkeeper," a four-hour miniseries in May. In the style of the "Arabian Nights" miniseries (from the same producers), it will have an overall story and will pause to tell several self-contained legends. These will be American Indian tales with Indian actors in the key roles.