Disney reboots reality on its streamer
‘Quest’ for redemption: As fantasy fans wait impatiently for new seasons of “The Witcher” and “The Wheel of Time,” and with the highly anticipated new Amazon Prime series adaptation of “The Lord of the Rings” coming to audiences this September, Disney+ is taking it upon itself to fill in the fantasy TV gap. The streamer’s new reality streaming series “The Quest” premieres Wednesday, May 11.
Eight teenage strangers (called Paladins) are dropped into the fantastic and fictional world of Everealm where they must work together using their knowledge of mythology, fantasy books and movies to save the kingdom and fulfill an ancient prophecy.while the unscripted contestants encounter magical creatures and beings of all kinds on their journey, all of whom follow a scripted story, the immersive journey combines live-action roleplaying (LARPING) with exciting competitive challenges in the likes of “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race.”
Based on the highly rated but shortlived ABC reality series of the same name, which ran for one season during the summer of 2014, the show’s revival is breathing new, younger life into the concept. While ABC’S earlier version featured adult contestants, Disney+ is aiming for a larger-than-life family experience this time around.
“The original show got a tremendous reaction from teenage viewers, so drawing in a teenage audience from the start is exactly where producers are aiming this time around,” executive producer Bertram van Munster (“The Amazing Race”) told Variety. “With the original series’ production team — including The New Media Collective’s van Munster, Elise Doganieri and Mark Dziak; Court Five’s Mark Ordesky and Jane Fleming; and Scout Productions’ David Collins, Michael Williams and Rob Eric — at the helm of the series, exciting, feel-good competition is exactly what audiences will get.”
Filmed at a stunning castle surrounded by woodlands and lakes outside Vienna, “The Quest” uses advanced technology, set design and costumes to present a reality adventure like no other.
Tag along for the adventure of a lifetime when “The Quest” premieres Wednesday, May 11, on Disney+.
‘Match’ Made in Heaven: Home to smash-hit reality series such as The Real Housewives franchise, “Below Deck,” “Summer House” and many more, Bravo is expanding on its dramapacked lineup with the new series “Love Match Atlanta,” premiering Sunday, May 8, on the network.
“Celebrating the business of Black love,” the series gives viewers a glimpse into the personal and professional lives of five of Atlanta’s top matchmakers (per Bravo). Working in the ultra-competitive world of Atlanta’s matchmaking industry, highly sought-after matchmakers Shea Primus, CEO of the Middle-class Matchmaker; Joseph Dixon, Ceo/founder and matchmaker at Realblacklove.com; Ming Clark, owner of Color Blind International; and Kelli Fisher and Tana Gilmore, co-owners of the Matchmaking Duo, bring their triumphs, conflicts and exclusive methodologies to the screen as they hustle to match their wealthy, high-profile singles with a perfect partner.
With thousands of dollars per client on the line, the matchmakers have to pull out all the stops to find them their ultimate relationships and outmaneuver their competitors, all the while keeping it professional in a dramafilled social scene. As the series’ exclusive sneak peek says, they have to “keep [their] singles close and [their] competition closer” to stay on top in Atlanta.
Though, as Ming puts it in the trailer, at the end of the day “it’s all about the love.”
Don’t miss a second of the love (or the drama) when “Love Match Atlanta” premieres Sunday, May 8, on Bravo.
Made for ‘Greatness’: It takes a special level of dedication and heart to make it to professional athletic supremacy, and this landmark short-form series gives viewers a look at the untold stories of some of modern sports’ greatest legends. Season 2 of “Greatness Code” is available to stream on Apple TV+ as of Friday, May 13.
Averaging just six minutes per episode, this unscripted series from director Gotham Chopra (“Man in the Arena”) and writer Erik Ledrew (“Stephen vs. The Game”) examines a pivotal moment that defined an athlete’s career.
Each of the new season’s six episodes focuses on one internationally revered athlete, including Manchester United and English national team soccer player Marcus Rashford; Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson; professional skateboarder Leticia Bufoni, a six-time X Games gold medalist; Paralympic track and field gold medalist Scout Bassett; Bubba Wallace, the first African American driver to win a NASCAR race since 1963; and Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn, one of the most decorated alpine skiers of all time.
While their reputations often proceed them, “Greatness Code” digs into the stories that drive these great athletes.
A co-production between Religion of Sports and athlete empowerment brand Uninterrupted, the series is executive produced by Chopra, Ameeth Sankaran (“Man in the Arena”), Maverick Carter (“What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali,” 2019) and Devin Johnson (“Elite Youth”).
Find out exactly what makes or breaks greatness when Season 2 of “Greatness Code” releases on Apple TV+ Friday, May 13.