'Sizzle reel' of 'T.R.A.C.K. Live!' pretty much fizzles
Beggars can't be choosers. So I suppose we should be grateful for the 1½-minute teaser video prepared after the Las Vegas meet of "T.R.A.C.K. Live!" -- the masters track reality game show under production. But the so-called "sizzle reel" now posted on the show's Web site is an embarrassment. Amid kitschy background percussion, a male voice intones: "This summer, 52 aging athletes . . . wearing the insignias of their high school alma mater. . . . compete in a grueling battle to make it to the finals. . . . and save the integrity of the sport." Oy vey! Can it get any cheesier?
The mash-up of clips, also sent to participants as an MP4 file, is derivative of other shows but barely reflects the drama inherent in masters track.
Is this meant to interest the general public? Oy!
If "Survivor" or "The Amazing Race" had been hyped this way, God knows how long they would have lasted.
What's missing from the sizzle reel? Real people.
We see bodies doing splits, running hurdles, flopping over a bar. But who are these folks? What are their names, hopes and passions? Why should we care?
The voice-over guy has professional chops, and the background music is catchy. But the producers apparently think the athletes aren't sufficient by themselves to catch the public's eye. Hence the overlay of glitz and "sizzle."
Reality game shows have to have a hook, yes. But they also have to obey age-old formulas of human comedy or drama. They must provide heroes and heroines to cheer and villains to boo. They must offer hurdles hit and overcome.
The type of competition doesn't matter. Witness "The Biggest Loser" and the new "American Gladiator." Lots of human interest in these shows. In the case of "T.R.A.C.K. Live!" our niche sport is the context. But the posted video fails to seize on the natural drama of older adults striving for excellence in a pursuit of the young.
Obviously a work in progress, "T.R.A.C.K. Live!" will eventually "get it" -- and dial into the real stories behind the entrants. (Toward that end, it should downplay the community service and "Be true to your school" angles.) The athletes themselves are compelling enough. (I know many of them personally). No need to gussy up the show with artificial and contrived circumstances.
Like a cluttered photograph that needs a good cropping, this show could use some simplification and focus. But there's still plenty of time to refine TL and its trailer.
Hey, guys! Just reveal the native courage of the athletes -- with real human drama, not melodrama. And you'll be fine.
Comments
I liked the clip! I thought it was very good.
linda :)
Posted by: Linda Carty | June 8, 2008 5:24 PM
I don't get it.
What I don't get is the connection between being an older athlete and clinging to your affiliation with your high school, and the focus of the show seems to change every month. I'm a fan of reality TV (and track) and each show seems to have a very specific purpose, but I can't figure out the exact purpose of this one and with the timing of the show, it left nearly every master's competitor who is coaching a high school out of the competition since in May most of us were still coaching our teams.
If you want to make a show on heroics, try making a show on high school coaches who give up all their free time to give youth opportunities to love track and field.
Quite obviously, they have 52 athletes and coaches who have a lot of free time on their hands.
Posted by: Cari | June 9, 2008 8:26 AM