Shark Bytes

Season 2, definitely.

The first season presented us with a new, cool idea: pranking a person by putting them on a not-so-reality show.

Then you get season 2, they get in over their heads and attempt 2 people, it blows up in their face, and they have to bring a new person in. Along with that, all of the challenges are sex, sex, and more sex.

It's a damn shame such a fresh idea was killed within two seasons because the producers tried to go too far too fast.

The first season was great. In the second season, however, the "Schmoes" were just kind of there. Matt would always give cartoonish reactions in the first season, but the season two schmoes didn't even blink when the secret was revealed.

While season one focused on Matt, season 2 jumped the shark by instead focusing on the actors. "Porked and Beans," the dance-off, and a whole host of garbage that basically ruined the show. Granted in the first season, there were small storylines the actors were charged with carrying out, in season two that premise WAS the show. (Notice I'm leaving out that whole Ingrid thing. That was just poor, period.)

I loved the first season of Joe Schmo. The whole interplay between the actors and Matt was great, and it actually seemed like there was great chemistry between the actors. I was looking forward to the second season, albeit unsure if they could pull it off again. The problems started to develop in this show almost immediately...the fact that they had someone admit they were hired by an agent in the first episode, the lack of chemistry among the actors, the Schmo turned actress (nice cover-up, or really great joke on the viewers), the constant bringing back of "evicted" members of the cast. It worked the first time they did it with the Hutch in season one, and even when they did it with Ingrid this season, but to bring back Bryce.....WTF!!! Then, the piece d'resistance-they just dropped Tim, the Schmo. I think the show just went over the shark with a quadruple tuck into the full lay-out position. They've now turned one Schmo into an actress and replaced, the other has just been dropped. What next, are they going to have the Hutch and Dr Pat stop by and get it on again? Honestly, this show is done, unless of course, they come back with another great "plot twist" like the "killed cast member" that was another bad attempt at gaining viewers. Oh well, I'll still watch, to see how many more times they can jump the shark this season

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Amanda is totally disgusted by some of the "challenges." And she wasn't even there for "Lap Dance for Love." She seemed genuinely broken up over the death of Everett, the Frog. (I hope the frog's death is fake, too). A lot of the challenges on the show involve partial nudity, which I guess will be shown uncensored on the video, and simulated sex between fully or partially clothed people, or people and manikins. However, when one thinks about it, "Survivor" and "Big Brother" look for every excuse to get women in bikinis, and for muscular young men to show their chests. Admittedly, older guys like 'Old Tom end up bearing their chests, too, and the few older women on these shows generally have the decency to keep covered up. However, I believe Joe Schmo 2 is using its outrageous contests and strip-offs as a parody of the "real" reality shows. At first I thought this show was just stupid. Now, it's beginning to make more sense to me. Why should we be aghast at "getting your heart on" when Survivor shows discrete shots of Darragh taking a shower, various couples doing something in the tents at night which sure sounds like sex, Boston Rob and Amber making out at the Survivor Drive-In, etc. etc?

I don't think it has jumped so far. Season 2 is getting better, mainly because Tim is just so clueless. And is it my imagination, but does Amanda act like she is disgusted by some of the contests and drama?

Joe Schmo jumped when Austin kicked Ingrid off. She was the only person who made the show worth watching. It jumped back over the shark when Ingrid was invited back on the show. The 7/19/04 episode was the best. I loved the parody of product placements on reality shows, loved Elanor "The Weeper's" speech where she told off Austin, and I loved the grief over the demise of the frog. This is becoming one of my favorite guilty pleasures. Tim is so invested in the show that he thought Elanor's make out session with the Austin dummy was so bad that she couldn't possibly be an actress!! I can't wait to see how Tim and Amanda will react when they find out they have been duped. I think they will both take it pretty well.

Though season 2 has gotten a little better as it goes on, I'd still say it jumped the shark. The false advertising didn't help matters either. Seriously, what the hell was with that? They advertise a 90-minute episode, play an audio clip of Matt Kennedy Gould while they show a picture of him with a beard looking slightly different. I'd been thinking about not really watching the show anymore, then I saw this and I eagerly anticipated the next episode. Then....nothing. Not even a mention of MKG and the show certainly wasn't 90 minutes long. What the hell was that? Does anyone know the reason?

This show jumped when they advertised a special 90 minute episode with guest star Matt Kennedy Gould (from Joe Schmo 1), and they just ran a typical 60 minute episode without him. They never even mentioned that they had changed the lineup or why. It's likely that they didn't want to run past midnight on Monday because ratings would suffer, but c'mon, do you honestly think ratings won't suffer from lying to your viewers?

When I first heard of the premise for this show, I thought it was the worst thing I'd ever heard. Then I stumbled onto the first episode and have been hooked ever since. I have NEVER looked forward to every episode of any other show the way I've eagerly awaited new Schmos.

The second season is too far over the top. Matt Gould was likeable and the show had a quaint (albeit sleazy) feeling. The second season is sex and stupidity.

Austin and Piper. The story line seems to be that Austin is attracted to Baskin and Robbins, which are Cammy's two most noticeable assets. I can't buy that Ingrid would be attracted to Austin at all on an intellectual, spiritual or emotional level. She might like him for a brief time on a physical level, but it couldn't last. Austin has a mouth like a sailor or a longshoreman, and that really turns Tim on. Tim is just looking for a good time instead of a relationship. From what I've read and heard, the ratings on this show have gone steadily down. I doubt if we'll see Joe Schmo 3.

What's with Ingrid being so paranoid about the "Choose Me" speeches. Unless she's been living under a rock for the past five years, has she never seen a dating reality show? They all make speeches! Three-quarters of the two hour snooze-a-thon that is The Bachelor is speeches. Plus, she likes to hear herself talk so damn much that she should be excited about it. Jeez.

I only saw a few episodes, but has been very funny. They did play with Matt's emotions a lot, but he took it well in the end. and he did get the money as a prize.

This show jumped with the first episode of Joe Schmo 2. Joe Schmo seems like a caricature of Joe Schmo 1. Anyone who couldn't figure out that this "reality show" isn't for real would have to be dense as a 2 by 4. The "drunk" woman was so over the top as to be totally unbelievable. Anyone who would participate in the "Lap Dance for Love" contest (who wasn't paid to do it) would be absolutely pathetic, but Ingrid looked like she was eating it up. Ralph Garman oozes all the sincerity of Richard Milhous Nixon (that is, none). Added to all this, Tim and Ingrid have nowhere near the likeability that Matt Kennedy Gould had in Joe Schmo 1. Ingrid comes across as someone who would gladly accept a "pearl necklace" to advance her career, and Tim has this smart ass smirk all over his face. I could see women falling for Austin, but as a guy several of the female contestants (even the drunk) would appeal to me more than Piper.