2010 Emmys
Reality at the Emmys: Can anything beat 'The Amazing Race'?
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The Primetime Emmy Awards have had a category for outstanding reality-competition series since 2003. And every year the category has existed, the award has gone to "The Amazing Race."The show wins year after year because its producers and crew consistently meet the enormous logistical challenge posed by filming and cutting together a race around the world -- and, we suspect, partly because it's a "classy" kind of show that people aren't embarrassed to say they watch.
But the fact is most of the leading contenders in the category are well-produced, popular shows too. With a few exceptions (we're looking at you, "Big Brother"), competition shows have moved past the lowest-common-denominator stigma that was attached to them when they were newcomers to the TV landscape.
Simply based on history -- including Emmy voters' tendency toward repeat nominees and winners -- "The Amazing Race" has to be considered the front-runner in the category. Here are some of the other contenders.
"American Idol": FOX's perennially top-rated show should probably have at least one of these awards by now, but this probably isn't the year for a make-up Emmy. The show had pacing problems in several live episodes, and the season was a relatively low on the buzz scale compared to previous years.
"Dancing With the Stars": The show's spring season found new life thanks to a well-chosen cast, and the choreography and costuming remained strong. It's also a show that knows how to hit its end time when it airs live.
"Survivor": It's still one of the most beautifully shot shows around, and it builds drama as well as any other unscripted show. Like "Idol," it probably should have won the category by now.
"Top Chef": Bravo's schedule is increasingly dominated by various kinds of "Real Housewives," but the culinary competition has retained its allure through several cycles. It's always well-paced and well-shot, and it usually hits on the casting front as well.
"So You Think You Can Dance": The contestants' talent and drive is palpable, and the choreography is top-notch. It just might not have enough of an audience (or the right kind of audience) to get much love from the Emmys.
"Project Runway": The show's second cycle on Lifetime was a definite improvement, but the first one -- which was delayed for close to a year while Lifetime and Bravo sorted things out in court -- may lead Emmy voters to declare it out this year.
What do you think? Will any of these shows (or anything else) topple "The Amazing Race"?
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Nope. Amazing Race WINS again! TAR! TAR! TAR!
American Idol? It's one of the worst produced shows out there. That show has been a success in spit of itself.
Think back to all the cheesy intros (the Clash of the Titans mash-up will forever give me nightmares), the throw-anything-at-the-wall-to-see-what-will-stick attempts to inject something interesting into the show (the brief backstage glimpses), the insistence of continuing with the Brady-Bunch-style group sing-a-longs...
AI shouldn't even be nominated for an emmy, much less get one.
If there's any year AR can be beaten, it would be this year. AR had what I felt was it's weakest "normal" season (the Family edition should just be erased from history), while Survivor had one of it's best.
TAR should and will most likely win. But I wouldn't mind if Survivor or SYTYCD win.
I love TAR and all the accolades it has received, but Survivor deserves it this year for the Heroes vs Villains season. One of their best, and better than at least the last four TARs.
Nothing would make me more happy than to see The Un-amazing Race get toppled in the Emmys this year. Just to see another reality show (especially American Idol) snatch the Emmy (like they should have) from the Evil Empire that is the Amazing Race and finally win!
Everything I see on American Idol is exactly why it deserves its nominations (including those sing-alongs). Even if it isn't Idol, it's time for a change, for someone else to win and free the Emmy from its captivity.
This is the year. Har har har!!
I don't care which shows get nominated but Cat Deely from SYTYCD should win the hosting catergory, She is way better that Probst, Seacrest, Phil, and Klum who you can't even understand.
nop..!! no way the amazing race gets beaten this year! good season and the competitors really stepped it down this season, i guess survivor is the only one with a shot at beating TAR
No way anything can beat The Amazing Race this year. Season 16 was one of their best seasons with Jeff and Jordan and the Cowboys, and beauty queen vs. hateful lesbians, plus the way the Cowboys went from last to first, even with a speed bump was visually awesome. Either Phil or Tom Bergerom should win host this year.
As long as American Idol never wins an Emmy, something is right with the world.
The Amazing Race is by far the best reality show on tv. Always entertaining and consistent in quality. Idol, Survivor, Big Brother, Top Chef, Apprentice. All fun shows to watch. The Amazing Race however is the most fun as well as educational.