‘Spy Games’ premieres on Bravo
Lies and spies: It’s a defining characteristic of the times we live in: nothing is private anymore. Social media, high-quality camera phones, targeted advertising and the digitalization of services like banking and grocery shopping make our everyday patterns accessible and readable. Most of who we are is but a Google search away.
It’s hard to gauge just how far these developments affect our lives, but now there’s a reality show to highlight all the ways in which we are vulnerable. On Monday, Jan. 20, “Spy Games” premieres on Bravo.
The new series is a competition hosted by martial artist and model Mia Kang. The purpose of each episode is to make spies out of 10 completely inexperienced contestants by pitting them against each other in a series of missions that test their ability to obscure their own identities while exposing those of their opponents.
It’s inspired by a U.S. government program from World War II called “Station S,” in which civilians were trained to become intelligence agents. The show purposefully points out the prevalence of surveillance in our culture, and while it aims to entertain, it also takes itself pretty seriously. One look at the judges rounded up for the series will demonstrate that Bravo isn’t playing around.
Evy Poumpouras, a former special agent for the United States Secret Service sits on the judges panel, as does Douglas Laux, a former undercover CIA officer, and Erroll Southers, a former FBI special agent. Overqualified to say the least, these three professionals evaluate the contestants on wide-ranging skills that include emotional and bodily self-control, the forming of survival alliances and even successfully infiltrating a black-tie gala.
“Spy Games” has an intensity most reality series wish they had, all magnified by the fact that the 10 participants chosen for the show are walking in without any relevant experience. The youngest competitor is only 24 years of age, and the eldest is 47, while their careers include fields such as psychology, law, nursing, public relations, journalism and even social media.
There really is no way to predict how this game will go.Add the undeniable pressure of a $100,000 prize for the winner, and “Spy Games” is sure to be an intense ride when it premieres Monday, Jan. 20, on Bravo.
The $100,000 street race: “Street Outlaws” is recommended viewing for car lovers and adrenaline junkies alike. It has run for 13 seasons and has inspired two spinoff shows, “Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings” and “Street Outlaws: Memphis.” Discovery has found the perfect formula in this staple of automotive programming: a weekly coming-together of the best street drivers in the country, who race each other for a single $50,000 payout.
Come Monday, Jan. 20, Discovery is doubling down on its racers and promising an unprecedented cash prize of $100,000 to one of eight seasoned street drivers.The competitors test each other’s limits in the brand-new series, “Street Outlaws: Fastest in America.”
Handpicked by “Street Outlaws: Memphis” chief JJ Da Boss, who also serves as mentor and host for this new addition of the “Street Outlaws” franchise, these racers hail from South Carolina, St. Louis, Kentucky, Mississippi, Detroit, Louisiana,Texas and the Northeast in general.Their journey to the finale takes them beyond fancy engines and abused gas pedals.With teams to organize, techniques to sharpen, times to outdo and emotions to keep at bay, these eight drivers quickly find themselves very far from the home streets they have come to own.
Audiences can expect the accessible expertise and high tensions they’ve come to love from the “Street Outlaws” brand and a whole new set of shocking scenarios that come with a cash prize of $100,000. “Street Outlaws: Fastest in America” premieres Monday, Jan. 20, on Discovery.
The Napier touch: Husband-andwife duo Ben and Erin Napier have been renovating homes on camera in Laurel, Mississippi, for three years and counting. On Monday, Jan. 20, the couple continues the journey that has included many feel-good stories, difficult design structures, historical locations, innovative DIY tips and even the birth of their first child, when the fourth season of “Home Town” premieres on HGTV.
An antidote to fast-paced, city-driven makeover shows, “Home Town” takes Erin’s gift for design and styling, Ben’s woodworking and handyman background, and their mutual affection for the value of the nostalgic old homes in their small town, and it creates the kind of renovation work that prioritizes homemaking over showy construction gimmicks or techy gadgets.
A show as welcoming as the couple that hosts it, “Home Town” seeks to help everyone from first-time owners to families with five children to tend to.As Ben and Erin get their fourth season going, a Hollywood actor and his wife commission them to work on a historical home in Laurel.With a $75,000 budget and a colorful palette to inspire them, the Napiers are ready to give back to their favorite town in the world. Season 4 of “Home Town” premieres Monday, Jan. 20, on HGTV.