DVD Report

Jason Katzman

Reality television is everywhere for a reason. Compared to dramatic or comedic series with actors, reality television shows are far cheaper to produce and carry far fewer risks. Somebody just comes up with a concept, finds some people willing to give it a try and a television show is born.

Of course, given the pervasive nature of the genre, not all shows are created equal and many shows are finding their way to the small screen that maybe shouldn’t be there. Ideas filter down to some of the “lesser” networks and people most of us have never heard of before are tossed in front of the camera.

The Mojo HD network is one such network and chef Ralph Pagano is one such person. Pagano is best known for finishing second on the first season of Hell’s Kitchen and he’s the host of Pressure Cook. The first season is now available on DVD.

The concept behind the show is that Pagano is dropped in the middle of nowhere and has 72 hours to earn enough money cooking to buy his plane ticket home. The idea, were it taken seriously, isn’t a bad one, but the concept is largely a set-up for a show that’s more travel-oriented than it is drama-oriented. It’s probable that dropping Pagano in some unknown country with a hidden camera would have resulted in the little guy’s death. Thus, people know Pagano is coming, so it’s not like he’s going to starve to death. What entertainment value there is in the show rests largely on Pagano’s shoulders, and he’s not quite experienced enough to pull it off.

Another Mojo HD show that fares better, but also features similar amateurishness, is I Bet You, which features professional poker players Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari betting each other to do various semi-outrageous things (Laak is well-known. In addition to being a winning poker player, his girlfriend is Jennifer Tilly). They’re supposedly using their own money, so the bets do have a certain drama to them. The two will bet on anything and everything and both men are personable and entertaining.

Each episode has a bet that forms kind of the backbone to the episode. In one, the two bet several thousand dollars to see which one can earn more tips bartending following a training session. In another, they each learn to dance and are then judged. In between, the two wander around finding other things to wager on, including what kind of underwear a woman might be wearing and whether or not a Las Vegas police officer has ever fired his gun. Usually the bets are between $500 and $2000.

Both shows are reasonably entertaining, but I Bet You has the more novel concept and the more entertaining hosts. Neither is Survivor or The Amazing Race, but there’s some good ideas floating around in each.