Gwen Stefani could go out on a high note on ‘The Voice’
Swan song: These days, talent competition shows are a dime a dozen, but one series stands out, thanks to its superstar mentors. Unfortunately for fans, one popular judge will be leaving soon, so they’ll have to get their fill this season.
Gwen Stefani joined beau Blake Shelton in the search for America’s next vocal sensation in this season of NBC’s “The Voice,” which airs Monday, Nov. 18, on NBC. They serve as the show’s coaches, along with first “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson and R&B star John Legend, but Stefani will step aside at the end of Season 17. Nick Jonas has been recruited to serve as a coach in the spring 2020 edition of the show.
Based on the Dutch reality TV series “The Voice of Holland,” “The Voice” features talented vocalists from across the country who audition for a panel of music industry luminaries. These coaches sit in specially designed chairs that face away from the performers until they decide they want to work with them, at which time they swivel around to meet their new protégés. After they choose teams, they mentor the vocalists throughout the competition by giving them advice on everything from stage presence to song selection. Following the Blind Auditions, the competitors go head to head in Battle Rounds, Knockouts, Playoffs and Live Performance shows, during which TV viewers can vote to save their favorites.
It’s been a tumultuous season for Stefani and her colleagues. Armed with “saves,” which allow coaches to save a singer, and “blocks,” which allow them to block each other from choosing a singer, the coaches have enjoyed healthy rivalries. Determined to mentor one of their team members to a win, coaches often clash. In one of Season 17’s most memorable moments, Team Stefani’s James Violet was stolen by coach Legend after an intense round of competition. Violet lost a sing-off to fellow Team Stefani member Kyndal Inskeep, but Legend swooped in to save him, much to Stefani’s chagrin.
Legend holds the current champion coach title, having mentored last season’s winner, Maelyn Jarmon. However, longtime coach Shelton is really the one to beat, with six former “The Voice” champions to his credit. It remains to be seen who will come out on top this season, but Stefani is no doubt hoping to go out on a high note. See how it unfolds in a new episode of “The Voice,” airing Monday, Nov. 18, on NBC.
A new love connection: Before dating apps and social media hookups, single people employed all kinds of strategies in the hope of making a love connection. Some brave souls even agreed to go out with complete strangers on blind dates, a phenomenon returning to television thanks to the folks at Bravo.
From 1999 to 2006, host Roger Lodge (“The Fan,” 1996) gave TV viewers a voyeuristic look into the love lives of strangers who agreed to go out on dates sight unseen in the series “Blind Date,” and Bravo is rebooting the series beginning Monday, Nov. 18. The new version was announced in October in a news release that indicated the show would focus on couples of varying ethnicities, sexual orientations and age. As in the original series, cameras follow the couples as they struggle to make a connection, and the results range from awkward to fun to downright cringeworthy.
This time around, comedian Nikki Glaser (“Not Safe With Nikki Glaser”) takes over for Lodge as the host of the show. She offers hilarious commentary as she guides viewers through the dates, for better or for worse. Bravo’s “Blind Date” will also feature funny graphics, animations and telling “thought bubbles,” similar to those in the original series.The Bravo release promised that the show would include a modernized twist to match social media trends.
Find out whether any of the daters make true love connections when
“Blind Date,” premieres Monday, Nov. 18, on Bravo.
History, now in color: Black-andwhite photos and film footage offer us a window into the past, but a new series can give us an even more accurate look at history.
Memorable events from the early days of film are colorized in the fascinating series “America in Color” and “Britain in Color,” airing back-to-back on Sunday, Nov. 17, on Smithsonian Channel. Thanks to technological advancements and painstaking research to ensure accurate colorization, the original Smithsonian Channel programs show historic people and events in stunning color.
Now in its third season, “America in Color” has been praised by critics and viewers alike.The season premiere brings TV audiences footage of hopeful immigrants in search of the American dream from the turn of the century to the 1960s. Brilliant physicist Albert Einstein is featured in very rare footage that traces his life from Nazi-era Germany to American citizenship. Colorized footage also shows a young Frank Sinatra making pizza.
Nov. 17 marks the premiere of “Britain in Color.” The debut episode includes the earliest footage of Queen Victoria, filmed before her death in 1901. Edward, Prince of Wales, is seen in his stylish suits and patterns before he gave up the throne for love. Early footage shows Princess Elizabeth with her sister, Margaret, in a Piccadilly garden long before she became queen.
Witness iconic moments in world history in full-blown color in “America in Color” and “Britain in Color,” airing Sunday, Nov. 17, on Smithsonian Channel.