Loved the first season way back when. The second was just ok, but it seems the long hiatus (8 years!) was just what they needed. The new season is great so far.
I can’t believe the new schmo is buying it. The deaf girl with the ventriloquist dummy would have had me calling foul. Or entering “lady justice.”
Anyone else watching? did I miss a thread?
I watched it. I didn’t expect it to be funny, but I was cracking up throughout both episodes I watched last night. That bit with the “deaf” girl and ventriloquist dummy was great. I lost it when the sign-language guy starting talking for the dummy behind the couch.
I like the approach they are taking to this fake reality show. It’s too bad they have to vote someone off each week… Lorenzo Lamas has me rolling with his goodbye speech and the final plug for the european casual pouch.
I was a huge fan of the original series, but was disappointed with their second attempt. I was pretty excited about this new incarnation, and to see Ralph Garman back as the host, and it has exceeded my expectations. Who knew Lorenzo Lamas was so funny?
By the way, did you know that Kristen Wiig was on the first series, before she was on SNL? She was Doctor Pat. Also, David Hornsby, who plays Rickety Cricket on “Always Sunny in Philadelphia”, was the “asshole” guy in that first season.
Lorenzo Lamas is hysterical (which I’d never thought I’d say). I don’t think he’s gone, because there are clips that show him doing things we haven’t seen yet.
I understand that in the second season, the Schmo figured it out. I’m hoping that doesn’t happen this time.
Just the pouch alone is hilarious, especially on “L.V.”
There were two schmos. The female Schmo figured it out, and then was brought in as a cast member while another woman was brought in as a backup schmo. It was disappointing, yes, but that risk is part of the show, I guess.
I loved the second season, because I loved the guy so much. He seemed like a really good person, and everyone seemed to have so much fun.
I saw half of the first episode of the new season, and it was watchable. I love a good reality TV parody.
This show is GREAT.
Last night, the model, who has shown her (fake) portfolio of explicit photos, was voted out and had to say goodbye o her spirit animal. A Beaver who apparently had drunk too much water and pissed all over the ground.
Her ad-lib?
My Beaver just Peed
I don’t know how anyone can keep a straight face during that scene and the deaf girl doing a ventriliquist act.
I loved the first season, thought the second season wasn’t quite as good (but led up to a terrific finale) and was thrilled to hear that it was coming back for number 3. So far, it has totally lived up to my expectations. The spirit animals are simply genius. And last night’s episode brought back Monticore! (albeit stuffed)
Ad-lib? I assumed that was planned. Either they trained a beaver to pee on command, or had some kind of hidden squirt bottle full of beaver pee.
Anyone else notice that, when they’re lined up to do their votes, the interpreter is standing in the dry water fountain? I’m wondering if they’re going to do something with that.
Trained Beaver would be a good SDMB moniker.
I really think they’re gonna blow it this season. Between the over-the-top lunacy and the actress playing the deaf girl who can’t keep it together. (admittedly a tough task, but man, at least cover up your laughter with fake crying or something when you lose it.) She’s got to go soon. It’s a cute gag, but she’s a big liability for the future of the show.
And then to let Chase see the window where the convict “Escaped” without clearing the area… Big mistake. The control room people were all like “no, no, no!” but apparently no one told the actors, because they were practically leading him there.
I can’t believe they used the fugitive line. How would they know Chase hadn’t seen it? I recognized it instantly.
I’m still enjoying the show, but it seems like they are taking too many risks and will blow it all.
Oh man, I loved the first season of this show way back when, I had no idea it came back.
I’ll have to look into catching the back episodes.
I hope this is on demand. This is the first I’m hearing about it and the 1st season of Joe Schmoe was one of the greatest reality TV season ever.
So, it looks like Chase has pretty deep suspicions about just about everything now, but isn’t voicing them. I think that this makes it all a lot less fun, in that for anything outrageous that happens, when he reacts, you aren’t really sure if his reaction is real. Although it seems like he still believes that there is an actual reality show that he is on and trying to win, he just seems to doubt whether some/all of his competitors are real people.
That said, it’s still pretty entertaining.
So for people who’ve watched previous seasons, what’s the endgame? Is there something that he has to do which so indicates that he thinks it’s fake that it causes it all to end? Is he going to get $100,000, or any part of it, just as compensation for being made a fool of on national TV? What about the cast members? Do they have some incentive where they get a bonus if he remains fooled forever? It’s a little hard to see what’s motivating them, aside from professional pride I guess.
As I recall, the first one ended with what would be the logical end of the reality show–down to the final contestants, a winner was chosen (pretty sure it wasn’t the Joe), then after getting his reaction, they revealed it all. Pretty sure he got the “prize” money, and he also ended up in a couple other SpikeTV shows.
Based on previous seasons, at the end they will let “Joe” in on the secret, and award him the money. In the first season, that was the best part of the whole thing. For the cast members, it’s an acting gig. They’re motivated by the same thing that motivates actors in any show, a paycheck, exposure, and the desire to do a good job. Incidentally, one of the cast members in the first season was Kristen Wiig, who has gone on to bigger and better things (although she’ll always be “Dr. Pat” to me). The only person who figured out the scam before the end was the woman on Season 2, and since there were 2 schmoes, a man and a woman, they just let her in on the secret and continued the show, bringing in a new woman. No idea what they would do if this schmoe figured it out.
Oh wow! I haven’t had the tv on for a few weeks, so I had no clue this was on again. Like others, I LOVED the first season (and have the dvd’s) but didn’t care for the second. I’ll have to get caught up on the new season online. Thanks for the heads up!!
Loved seeing the producers scramble behind the scenes on this one, especially when “Jake Montrose”, the veteran of all 3 Schmoe shows came up with the perfect “Plan-B” solution to the possible conflict-free finale.
The producers have only themselves to blame for all their mistakes, though. I’ve been harsh on “Karlee” but burying someone alive without rehearsal is pretty dumb, and it’s a credit to her that she didn’t break character while freaking out. (And they were lucky that Chase didn’t question: a) why is the coffin big enough for 2 if the fears were randomly assigned, and b) how does a sign language interpreter help anyone in complete darkness?)
How did this exist without me knowing about it? I have to see this.