It's hard to say that the Fox Network has sunk to a new low anymore, if only because it's a refrain we've been hearing for years. Suffice it to say that the programmers at the network have long since hit bottom and still continue to dig.
The latest atrocity (or guilty pleasure, depending on how you look at it) to grace the airwaves is a take-off on Bravo's Boy Meets Boy. Whereas in that show, a gay man had to choose from several suitors, some straight and some gay, in Fox's only slightly tweaked version, a straight woman has to choose from among a group of fourteen men. Of course, the catch is, neither she nor the audience knows which are straight and which are gay.
While perhaps not as exploitive as Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire? or The Littlest Groom, Playing delights in the homophobia of many of its participants and wallows in the most mundane of stereotypes, both gay and straight.
Former homecoming queen Jackie is next in a long line of utterly detestable reality show heroines. Even though she appears in only half of the premiere episode, her shallowness and vapidity is evident in nearly every moment she's on screen. The men are no better. Whether straight or just pretending to be, every single one of them uttered at least on contemptible remark tonight. Fox has finally created a series with no one to root for.
While the show seems to make some pretense of fighting stereotypes, all the producers have really done is find a group of very effeminate heterosexual men and a group of very masculine homosexuals. The "shock" the viewer is supposed to feel when the "obviously" gay Louis and Gust are dismissed is manufactured and false. There's little doubt that the men who seem the most "straight" will turn out to be gay in the end.
But is it worth the pain of watching to find out?
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
Truly repellent. Thanks for staying on top of the TV stuff, Scott, very helpful!
2 - TDavid
I thought the bit about the guy with the hair dryer was funny. "I mean, what's the deal with the hair dryer?"
And then Jackie kept him and booted two of the straight guys. "You just reduced your chances, I'm straight."
Friday night is a tough timeslot to launch any new series, even with the advent of PVR.
3 - Margarette Paramio
Bradley got to be gay?!!! he is totally gay?!! such a dork when he sez "Honest, i'm not here for a million dollar!!!" dude,u forgot million dollar will only get by a gay... coz if ur a straight the million dollars will equally divided for u and jackie!!! stupid?!! hehehe so it means... Brad ur screwed!!! GAY loser!!! ur not thinkin!!! only one gay left hu will it be?? will it BRAD? LUCIANO? BANKS? CHRIS? SHERIFF? my bet goes to BRAD?! d one hu hav a hair dryer, and sez for one million(means he's gay), and he picked a totally shocking dress for jackie...
4 - Dean
Hey im from the UK, where this is airing every morning at the moment. We had the UK version a few months ago which was good but this is way better - probably because I have proper fallen for Bradley!! After accidentally seeing on the net that he's gay (but loses!!) its made me wanna come out to my friends, just so i can declare how hot I think he is! I need to get over this because it's just wrong lol.
5 - Lucy
omg Bradley is so fyn. are you sure he's gay. I really liked him cos he looks a little like josh hartnett. NOWAY he cant be gay!!!! O well i still love him maybe sumone cud turn him staright for me hehe. can sumone tell me where they found out he was gay!??? plzplzplzplzplzplzplz email me if u no
lucylovesu557@hotmail.com