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MTV also-ran Fuse is taking its commitment to bringing music back to television very seriously, as evidenced by the series it has in the can for the coming months. First, we have the imminently debuting You Rock, Let’s Roll (that Dating Game for musicians and groupies) and The Weekly Riff (which sounds supiciously like an updated Four On The Floor). But what of Fuse’s fall programming strategy? Are you ready for Intervention… with musicians as the subjects? How about a music-centric No Reservations that, sadly, has no Anthony Bourdain (or Jon Spencer)? Or an updated version of Queen For A Day… only with a “major record deal” as a prize?
Redemption Song (working title)
Q4 2008
Redemption Song takes ten women who are down on their luck, struggling to get by and a little bit ashamed of their choices as they seize one last chance to make it big. Each week, contestants will compete in a series of outlandish music-related challenges ending with a winner who will receive a major record deal and star in her own music video airing on Fuse. Produced by Zig-Zag Productions USA.Tour Me A New One (working title)
Q4 2008
This half hour series follows comedian Nate Jackson to the far-flung musical corners of the earth. Viewers will meet the world’s most interesting, entertaining and devoted music fans – and observe them in their fascinating natural habitats. Produced by Screaming Flea Productions.Rock Bottom (working title)
Q4 2008
Rock Bottom takes an honest look at the stresses that constantly push and pull at rock bands, hip hop groups and other musical outfits. Each week Fuse follows a rising musical group as they stage an intervention and give one troubled band member dealing with drug addiction, alcoholism or personality problems, a choice – clean up your act or get replaced. Produced by Film Garden Entertainment.
Well, Rock Bottom will have no shortage of material, particularly since the producers smartly threw in the “personality problems” angle in case they run out of people willing to drink themselves into a stupor on TV. But Tour Me A New One kind of sounds like it’ll be awful even beyond the name, although the host at least has some Travel Channel Experience. I’m not even going to get into Redemption Song, except to say that I have a feeling the people controlling Bob Marley’s estate are probably getting on the horn with Fuse about that choice of name right about now.
Redemption For Fuse [IGN]
Have you ever seen the original Queen For a Day? AMAZING. You can rent them from Netflix and I wholly recommend doing so. It is very surreal seeing housewives detailing their abuse/tumors/gimp child/poverty all in hopes of a dishwasher.
Who should be on the music version? Great White, Def Leppard…
I wish the Queen For A Day revamp was going to be about bands that needed career pick-me-ups! Sadly, it’s going to be about women who are down on their luck. The outcome kind of seems like it’s going to be a nation of Ashley Alexandra Dupres, but hey, I could be surprised.
@NeverEnough: @Maura Johnston:
There’s a really good Queen cover band here in town called Queen For a Day. I thought it was going to be them getting their own reality show about the ups and downs of being a Queen cover band. I’d watch it.
What exactly is an “outlandish, music-related challenge.”?
@amandacobra: That would actually be a terrific show! You need to patent that.
@Dead Air ummm Dead Air: Think about sex with Fred Durst and not have your genitals retract back into your body cavity in horror?
Hey look everybody, a fallen woman! Let’s all point and laugh at her struggles as they take part in “music-related challenges” such as speed-oatmeal eating and trampoline pillow fights!
@NeverEnough: Whoops, I just lost that one.
I am so frustrated with both Fuse and MTV2 at the lack of rock video programming that I’ve actually resorted to watching the Music Choice channels on cable. I even read the little comments, and laugh every time they post an incorrect fact about a band.
Yeah.
Oh, Fuse. You used to be cool when you were MuchMusicUSA. Now you’re just sad and you employ DJs who can’t pronounce the name of Blur guitarist Graham Coxon correctly.
Thank goodness for MTVu.