Given the dismal trends in American pop-television these days ("Survivors," "Big Brother," and now some ghastly thing called "Temptation Island"), do you think an Americanized version of Junkyard Wars will eventually degenerate into just another showcase of egos and tempers, a glorified spectacle of office politics, with team captains and members being "voted out" of the competition, et cetera? Truly, I SHUDDER to think of the Yankee Doodle fate that awaits Junk Yard Wars. Say it ain't so!

VeIocity@

-- Charles Austin (Veiocity@aol.com), January 05, 2001

Answers

I really don't think so. Remember this show is Cathy's idea and she is pretty much in control. Atleast that is what I saw over there. Justjay

-- justjay-Captain-Three Rusty Juveniles (justjay@neo.rr.com), January 05, 2001.

You mean it'll degenerate into what it started out as? According to the episode guide over at dp's excellent site, the pilot had five-person teams selected to provoke personal conflict, and one of the teams chose the driver for their hovercraft by saying "He deserves to die."

The producers have been there, done that, and if they thought a conflict-filled version of the show was what would work, then they would have stuck with the format in the pilot.

As for the thought of a television concept descending into madness once it arrives in America, methinks thou dost protest too much. American reality television doesn't have a body count, but the Europeans do!

-- YCDK (ycdk@hotmail.com), January 05, 2001.

>>>As for the thought of a television concept descending into madness once it arrives in America, methinks thou dost protest too much. American reality television doesn't have a body count, but the Europeans do! <<<

Touché... I am well aware that these angry, reality-based programs such as "Survivor" were originally of European origin; indeed, the original "Survivor" (from the early 90s) was so hostile, at least one loser committed suicide out of shame. Japanese programming is AT LEAST as humiliating. Yes, America is WAY BEHIND the times when it comes to mortifying contestants and humiliating people. But is this really a SELLING POINT? I've taken in MUCH of the crap from around the world by satellite, and I understand that American audiences have a different TASTE--that we are more angry, more violent and more vengeful than any other people in the world. So, my point is that what is ultimately proven to be BAD programming in the European market is destined for even GREATER failure in the American market. If you give us lemons, we make lemon ACID to throw into the faces of viewers and melt their eyballs. And, by the way, it's doest, not dost.

-- Charles Austin (Veiocity@aol.com), January 05, 2001.

Depends on the version you use, apparently. The Shakespeare archive I found at MIT's online student newspaper, The Tech, says we're both wrong! "The lady protests too much, methinks." (Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 2.)

-- YCDK (ycdk@hotmail.com), January 05, 2001.

I wasn't quoting Shakespeare. I was correcting your spelling of doest. Personal guilt is running wild, eh?

VeIocity@aol.co

-- Charles Austin (Veiocity@aol.com), January 05, 2001.

No misspelling - they're both equally valid.

-- YCDK (ycdk@hotmail.com), January 05, 2001.