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The Range: The Tucson Weekly's Daily Dispatch

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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Joe Schmo Returns, Giving You Exactly One Reason to Watch Spike

Posted By Dan Gibson on Tue, Dec 25, 2012 at 11:06 AM

The Not So Real Reality Show - Joe Schmo Is Coming
Get More: The Not So Real Reality Show - Joe Schmo Is Coming

Although the show has seemingly been wiped off the pop culture map (there are very few clips on YouTube and episodes aren't available on any of the streaming services to my knowledge), the two seasons of the Joe Schmo show were among my favorite television experiences. I'm entirely sure that's a great thing to admit, considering the show was essentially an exercise in torturing an unsuspecting regular person (hence the title) by placing them inside a fake reality show where everything is scripted and the rest of the cast are actors (Kristen Wiig was one of the cast members during the first season). Still, I watched every episode, laughing uncontrollably at the reactions of someone trapped inside a televised world where everything has seemingly gone mad.

After nine years, the show is coming back, this time as a fake game show to find America's next bounty hunter (sure) and Lorenzo Lamas is among the contestants (OK, why not?). I generally assume that the cable network Spike's programming schedule consists of one constant marathon of Deadliest Warrior, so now I'll have a reason to figure out what channel it occupies on my cable lineup by January 8th.

Tags: joe schmo, joe schmo third season, spike, dan gibson makes bad tv choices, Video