Now that it's perceived there's a treasure lying at the bottom of the pool, that decision has come back to haunt NBC's entertainment team, Scott Sassa and Garth Ancier. Their corporate bosses have been barking at them for not chasing after ideas for reality programming. The pool is getting mighty crowded now with everyone thrashing about. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' was seen as something of a fluke, but 'Survivor' proved that reality could work. When 'Survivor' hit, the networks' appetite for these kinds of shows grew overnight and just became insatiable.
Contestants study for a series of tests over several days, battling fatigue.
Fortunately, kids aren't included. And those are just on ABC and Fox. NBC is quickly trying to catch up. The network has essentially taken this summer off. Adding to the pressure on Sassa and Ancier is the general sense that NBC's new fall shows are weak, potentially squandering the promotional platform that several weeks of prime-time Olympics coverage will provide.