TV REALITY CHECK
GIRLS FROM THE BAY GET THE HOOK.
You know an Amazing Race team is in trouble when they do so poorly on a Detour, they have to fall back on the other option. That’s what happened to Newfoundland and Labrador’s Megan and Courtney on The Amazing Race Canada this week. After surviving several challenges in Castlegar and Nelson, B.C., the cousins got stuck on a metal-smithing challenge in which they had to shape two coat hooks. They made a last-ditch switch to the other challenge — sculpting ceramic cups — but couldn’t catch up. The worst part? They had been holding on to an Express Pass. Up next: The game moves to Beijing, with a stop at the Great Wall of China (July 25, CTV).
HOME IS WHERE THE DRAMA IS.
Ah, meeting the parents. An awkward experience made even worse in the presence of TV cameras. The final four suitors brought Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay home this week, and — other than Bryan’s mom threatening Rachel’s life — it was surprisingly uneventful. Well, until the final hometown date, when Dean confronted his estranged dad before millions of viewers, and proceeded to have his heart broken at the rose ceremony. As sorry as we feel for poor Dean, who’s had it rough since his mom passed away, we know he’ll be just fine — especially now that he’s headed to Bachelor in Paradise.
PARADISE WAS LOST … UNTIL IT WASN’T.
Speaking of Bachelor in Paradise ( because we don’t discuss this show nearly enough here), ABC has released an absolutely useless trailer for the series set to debut Aug. 14. The racy show — which was put on hold last month to investigate misconduct allegations between contestants Corinne Olympios and DeMario Jackson — is the first to poke fun at itself, and the 30-second spot is filled with hilariously hyperbolic statements like “summer was almost ruined” and “Paradise is found” along with fan tweets like “I’m healed I’m enlightened.” Given the post-scandal rules — no more than two drinks per hour, no sex without producer permission, etc. — and the fact that filming time was cut back, they might not have had a lot of material to work with.