Reality shows were the rave years ago, but viewerships have been down in recent years, so to keep this cashcow going, networks have started rehashing the same shows, making reality shows out of the most absurd situations and occupations. Duck hunting, Amish community, preacher's daughters, gold hunters, comic book nerds, storage locker hunters to name a few.
So, to see Siberia and Whodunnit putting a twist on it isnt a bad idea. The added twist of murder in the groups at the end of pilot episode, although talked about in the press release (why the networks would allow such press release about a major twist in the show is beyond me.) was the major selling point of the show to the viewers. The death amongst the contestants was what was supposed to differentiate the show from other reality shows out there.
Whodunnit is based on the classic party game, different people from different backgrounds spend the weekend in a large house, alone with the butler and the maids. Then one by one, the visitors start getting killed one by one, and its up to the living inhabitants to solve the mystery of who the killer is.
Here 12 contestants are brought together into a mansion, told to mingle and get to know each other, then sent to their rooms. Suddenly one of them is supposedly murdered, its up to the remaining contestants to solve the crime, find out what happened to the victim, how the killer set up the whole crime and how he/she committed it. They are given choices of what and where to investigate, the dead body in the morgue, the scene of the crime and the last place the contestant was before they died. As one contestant can't be in two places at once, alliances have to be formed between the contestants. Informations and clues to be shared between contestants, so as to get ahead of their competition. Later on, they are all each given a sort of clue to help them solve the crime.
After their investigations, they are then told to pitch to the killer how he committed the crime. How he did it and what materials or instruments he used. The two contestants with the least favorably pitches are given a card, 'scared', while the others are given 'spared' cards. Amongst the two 'scared' contestants, at the end of the episode, one of them is supposedly killed, Solving the murder(s) is the focus of the next episode.
Its a great twist to the whole reality show themes, with this, we expect new and better ideas and themes for reality shows on TV soon.
Siberia is more like a scripted reality show. !6 contestants are dumped into no man's land, in the middle of a large forest. They are told the only way off the land is if they quit, since there would be no rules or regulations guiding them, only their ability to survive.
They are told they can't have any personal luggages except what they have on them and told they have to follow a trail of red flags from the landing zone to the settlement they'll be staying in. The last two to get there are sent packing, as they traverse to the settlement, we're gradually introduced to the contestants one by one. Personalities, cultures and egos clash on the first night when they try to get water, food and start a fire.
The real fun starts the next morning when one of the contestants while looking for mushrooms doesn't come back, and later on, one of the camera-men is reportedly injured. They are later told that the missing contestant is dead, supposedly murdered, and the option to quit is still open to any of the contestant if they don't feel safe. We are shown a little video of how the attack went down, the face of the killer isn't seen. We don't know if the killer is one of the contestants or part of the filming crew.
The reaction of the contestants to someone killing them one by one is supposed to be the core of the show, whether they'll be given materials or clues to find the killer(s) isn't known yet, we wait to find out.
Not the best of shows, but worth keeping an eye out for.
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