The Joe Schmo Show

A average, everyday person finds themselves selected for a reality TV show with a large prize at stake. Little do they know they're the only contestant: all the other "competitors" are actors and the whole show is just a set up to test how they react to different scenarios and moral dilemmas.

A show that that uses reality TV as a basis for a competition but has the opposite effect, and degree of quality, as reality TV. While reality TV is cheap, dime-a-dozen broadcasting bringing out the worst in people, The Joe Schmo Show was a clever, quality production showing the best in people. Watching Season 1 gave me a new, positive view on mankind: whatever the producers/writers threw at our hero - all manner of moral tests - he passed with flying colours, always doing the honourable thing.

Wonderfully life-affirming and a great a parody of the blight that is reality TV.

I saw the first Joe Schmo, and thought it was a great concept. Who among us isn't a bit sick of the plethora of reality. In practice, it was pretty damn decent.

My favorite part of the first one was Ralph, the Smarmy Host, so how pleased am I that he's back as Derek Newcastle? Very!

The new version is a parody of reality love shows, this one called, "Last Chance for Love." Two innocents (using that term loosely) are on the show with such stereotypes as the Heir, the Stalker, the Bitch, and the Drunk Girl.

I think that this season may be even stronger and funnier than the first, as they have already experimented with the formula and now can perfect it. And watch out for Ingrid-- she'll school you good...

<<They're going to study up some on reality shows before they go on one, they would hear of "Joe Schmo," and they'd wonder if something was up.>>

Jane Schmo (Ingrid) said in an interview that the only reality shows she has watched were "The Real World" and "The Bachelorette", and Joe Schmo (Tim) hasn't even mentioned any reality shows he has previously watched.

The first season of "Joe Schmo" peaked at 3 million viewers, which is only about 1/4 of the "Bachelorette" audience. You have to think that the "Joe Schmo 2" producers made absolutely sure that neither Joe nor Jane Schmo had heard of "Joe Schmo" or Spike TV, and because "JS" didn't get huge national ratings, that shouldn't be too hard.

<<I wonder if they also know that Spike TV is hosting it, or how Spike TV would hide that fact?>>

Most reality shows, just like sitcom pilot episodes, are not tied to their eventual network when they are produced. Potential reality shows are filmed and then production companies shop them around to various TV networks. There is no reason for Joe and Jane Schmo to even be told that this particular show will end up airing on Spike TV. The producers could simply say, "Once we're done filming 'Last Chance for Love', we will be meeting with TV executives to try to sell it for future airing."

On top of that, Jane Schmo (Ingrid) probably has never heard of Spike TV because a) she is not in their target demographic (young men) and b) she has spent the past few years traveling the world and reading books about Madeleine Albright in her spare time, not watching wrestling on Spike TV.

WOW! From someone who really wants "Reality" shows to be taken off the air and all copies of all their tapes be destroyed utterly I really enjoy this show. I usually avoid "Reality" shows like the plague because of the fact that they appear so phony and the people on them really annoying but this one parodies those shows to the "T". Of course they will have to figure out a way to keep future "Joes" in the dark as to the real purpose of the show. After seeing this people will know that the show "Lapp of Luxury" is a fake and is really "The Joe Schmo Shoe". Unless when the producers poll potential candidates they (the applicants) have never seen any reality shows. It's possible but they have probably at least heard of the big ones like "Survivor" and "Big Brother". The producers will also have to keep finding new actors for the other "candidates", which isn't as difficult as finding the "Joes". I think being one of the actors on "The Joe Schmo Show" would be better than being a real contestant on any of those quote "Reality TV" shows.

My husband and I thoroughly enjoy this show. We are hooked and are watching the second season as well. I do have to say, I find Matthew Kennedy Gould more entertaining and likable than the two Schmos they have on the show during the second season. Could Matthew Kennedy Gould be much nicer or more genuine. This is a man we would love to meet and become friends with! As a warning, if you are not a fan of reality TV, leave this show alone as well. The spoofs of the stereotyped characters are right on, but if you didn't like those people to begin with, you're not going to like these overblown versions either. I must admit, these people really do play their characters well. If you like reality TV you may find yourself trying to decide who will get "kicked off" the show tonight!