TV: Total Drama

"I have to be anywhere but here."

A group of Canadian teenagers compete in the reality show Total Drama. The host, Chris McLean (Potenza), is self absorbed and takes pleasure in the campers suffering. Chef Hatchet (Bennett) makes the inedible food and terrifies the campers. The producers enjoy tormenting the contestants and the unpaid interns who have to test the challenges. And the bears and sharks want revenge.

Each season has a unique title and situation/rules for the contestants:

• Season 1: Total Drama Island - 22 teens at Camp Wawanakwa, a summer camp on an island in Ontario.
• Season 2: Total Drama Action - most of the original cast return to compete at an abandoned movie studio in movie-related challenges. 
• Season 3: Total Drama World Tour - 2 new contestants join 14 returning cast members on a musical flight around the world.
• Season 4: Total Drama Revenge of the Island - brand new cast goes back to the island and Camp Wawanakwa, where everything has a radioactive new look.
• Season 5A: Total Drama All Stars - fan favorites from the previous seasons return to Camp Wawanakwa to compete as Heroes or Villains.
• Season 5B: Total Drama Pahkitew Island - 14 new teens compete on a new island, Pahkitew Island.

There is also an entertainment show that covers the competiton, Celebrity Manhunt, and a behind-the-scenes show, Aftermath.

The show is an animated take on reality competitions, like Survivor, Fear Factor, etc.

The Good:

Every season is a little different, but the overall concept is the same: teens competing for cash while trying to survive the wild challenges devised by Chris, Chef, and the producers. The characters grow and change over the course of the season. If they appear in multiple seasons, you learn new things about the character and some get to change your perception (redemptionfor some villains and downfalls for some heroes).

The Bad:

Some of the characters are grating and do not get better (Izzie, Beth, Zeke, Sierra, Staci, Sugar, Leonard, etc). Some of the humor is juvenile (lots of fart jokes).

Other Comments:

-Other than the hosts, only 6 characters appear in 4 seasons: Courtney, Duncan, Gwen Heather, Lindsay, and Owen.

-Gwen and Duncan are my favorite characters (Seasons 1-3, 5A).

-There was 2 versions of the finale (with different winners) each season - the winner you see is based on the country where you live.

-The show was popular enough to have spin-offs: Total Dramarama (the main characters as 4-year old kids in day care, with Chef as their caretaker) and The Ridonculous Race (a spoof on the Amazing Race).

-A revival of the show was made in 2023, with a brand new cast and new voice actors for Chris and Chef. The new show is essentially season 6 and is again titled "Total Drama Island".

Total Drama (2007-2014)

Creator: Jennifer Pertsch and Tom McGillis

Starring: Christian Potenza as Chris McLean

Clé Bennett as Chef Hatchet, DJ, Beardo, Leonard

Emilie-Claire Barlow as Courtney

Katie Crown as Izzy

Novie Edwards as Leshawna

Megan Fahlenbock as Gwen

Kristin Fairlie as Bridgette

Brian Froud as Harold

Scott McCord as Owen, Trent

Stephanie Anne Mills as Katie, Lindsay

Drew Nelson as Duncan

Peter Oldring as Cody, Ezekiel, and Tyler

Dan Petronijevic as Geoff

Rachel Wilson as Heather

Man's Favorite Sport?

"Did you take a special course in blackmail, or is it just a natural talent?"

Roger Willoughby (Hudson) is the fishing expert at Abercrombie and Fitch. He is well respected and literally wrote the book on fishing. His expertise is sought by many. But he has a secret: he doesn't know how to fish.

The annual Lake Wakapoogee fishing tournament is coming up. The tournament organizers, Abigail Page (Prentiss) and the lodge owner's daughter Isolde "Easy" Mueller (Perschy), want Willoughby to enter the tournament. His boss, Mr. Cadwalader (McGiver) agrees that it is a good idea and provides all of the gear.

Willoughby reluctantly tells Abigail and Easy the truth and they offer to teach him to fish. Can Willoughby survive the lessons, fool everyone, and keep his job?

Based on "The Girl Who Almost Got Away" by Pat Frank.

The Good:

This film is an homage to the screwball comedies of the 1930s. It embraces the slapstick (at least in the case of Rock Hudson's character). Paula Prentiss is funny as Abigail and has decent chemistry with Hudson.

The Bad:

Director Howard Hawks wrote the character of Roger Willoughby for Cary Grant, who starred in several of Hawks' earlier comedies. Grant turned down the role, citing the age difference with Prentiss, but watching the film it is clear that Grant was the model for the character. Hudson is fine, except for the physical comedy.

Other Comments:

-Norman Alden's John Screaming Eagle doesn't age well... as a whole, his character is focused on conning guests at the lodge, but some aspects of his character are cringy now.

-There is a bear riding a motorbike - yes it's ridiculous, but it's also funny.

-The side characters are fine, they work well in the story and don't overshadow the stars.

-Enjoyable, with some solid laughs, but not Hawks best.

Man's Favorite Sport? (1964) 120 minutes

Director: Howard Hawks

Starring: Rock Hudson as Roger Willoughby

Paula Prentiss as Abigail Page

Maria Perschy as Isolde "Easy" Mueller

John McGiver as Cadwalader

Charlene Holt as Tex

Roscoe Karns as Major Phipps

Norman Alden as John Screaming Eagle

Forrest Lewis as Skaggs

Regis Toomey as Bagley