They may have ripped its purpose to shreds, but Greeks sure held their breath in the wake of Big Brother , the first ever reality game show produced by Antenna TV and broadcast live nationwide, as well as via satellite in the US, Australia and Cyprus. Now the channel's main competitor, Mega channel, readies for a new show that promises to draw even more crowds.
Mega is indeed one way to describe the sociological phenomenon of reality-show-compulsion that swept Greece for over three months. Born in The Netherlands and successfully transplanted around the globe, Big Brother overcame initial criticism and established itself by leaping into people's sitting rooms and staying there live, every night from 10 to 11pm (plus 23 hours a day on cable TV and around-the-clock trivia on the web). Media and state speculation, criticism, cynicism and apprehension veiled the show, they never prevented it from becoming a hit nonetheless.
True to its objective of creating non-stop interest to the masses, the television show featured six male and six female contestants living in an isolated house filled with cameras and microphones, weekly challenges set by the station and rising domestic tension. Ultimately, success was in the cards and today, following the show's final curtain on December 31st, all twelve players are widely considered to hold hot celebrity status.
What's more Big Brother made big bucks for not only Ant1 and its contestants but for the media overall. Magazines, news reports across the TV spectrum, websites and clothing manufacturers, among others, cashed in on the decidedly dull but equally viewable show. And while the channel plans a new season, competitor Mega channel is in the midst of an aggressive promotional campaign for its own dose of televised reality entitled The Bar (in Greek, To Bar).
Enter The Bar
The clone of a Swedish show by Strix Television The Bar is set to go on the air in March, well before Big Brother's second season is reputed to commence. Hosting seven male and seven female contestants who are also under 23-hour surveillance and not only live but also work together, this show promises to make Big Brother's earnings look like pocket money.
For television ratings, websites, show-themed bric-a-brac and media turnovers will possibly prove a secondary source of profit in relation to the money made daily from the real bar where the 'characters' will work - and crowds will hopefully flock. Athens being a large capital of a relatively small country, there's no doubt that the show's interactive element alone will draw in crowds. Viewers will be able to go drinking at the same place where their television 'heroes' (or antiheroes) work, get a piece of the action in the flesh and grab the opportunity of being seen live on TV nationwide as they slug back shots.
Differentiating itself from the concept of isolating a group of people in a house with no outside stimuli (so that they gradually drive each other out or drive each other crazy or both) leaving one final winner, The Bar will test the social, physical and psychological skills of its contestants. It promises to achieve this by using bar-visiting viewers as pawns who add extra excitement, variety and tension.
"Thousands upon thousands of young Greeks from every corner of the land have sent their CVs for review; we're still in the process of deciding," says Aglaia Pagoni, Mega Channel's public relations spokesperson in charge of the upcoming show. She adds that the choice of contestants becomes a bit of a chore because the group formula needs to be perfect.
With the choice of the actual bar finalized - it's called Ydroghios (Universe) and is located in the suburb of Galatsi - there's little more one can do than hold on to the remote control and...stay tuned!
