Suspect

I'll start out by stating that I'm a fan of the show "Catfish". Regardless of whether some think it's scripted "reality" or not, I enjoy it.

That being said, this ain't Catfish.

Suspect isn't "Suspect". In other words, it's not about a suspect. It's about people who SUSPECT things about other people. It's an odd name, and they even have to clarify its meaning on the opening of the show.

The concept, I feel, was not thoroughly hashed out. There are some very awkward situations on the show, mainly due to two strangers sticking their nose in complete strangers business. And it feels kind of wrong. Definitely invasive.

They really should have called the show "Busy Bodies". Or "all up in your sh*t". While some of the people in a few episodes were mildly intriguing (quite mildly), there's no shaking the feeling like maybe I shouldn't be watching this. It's too personal. Even if these people give consent, it's really about delving into the private lives of occasionally unfortunate people in very sad circumstances. That's not very appealing.

Which is why, I suspect, I've not heard anything about it coming back after its first 8 shows. I'm more than certain they dropped it. Good. It's kind of boring, and when it's not boring, it's annoying.

"I'm IO, I'm a activist and a artist." That's IO's tag line at the beginning of each show. An intelligent, Caucasian lesbian, obviously well educated, dropping "an" for "a" to make herself seem "authentic". Give me a break. The show sucks and is fake-feeling.

Nev Schulman, who is the star of this show, is also one of the stars of another MTV show--"Catfish". There are similarities. In both shows, Nev and a friend respond to people who write to them with problems. They act like detectives to find the truth and solve those problems. The big difference is that there is always a potential victim in Catfish", someone who feels he might be the victim of fraud. In "Suspect", Nev and his co-star iO sign up to alleviate the suspicions of people who think a friend or family member is lying to them.

We can see how this might benefit the person who is suspicious. What does it do for viewers? It incites curiosity. After watching a few episodes, I have mixed feelings about the results.

The suspicious people are called "Truth Seekers". This term unnecessarily ennobles the premise of the show and promotes the idea that it is always okay to delve into the secrets and personal circumstances of others in the name of truth.

There was one episode that involved a young man who was using a harmful diet method due to serious body dysmorphia. In all other cases I viewed, there was no potential bodily harm. Having said that, I will say that in my opinion Nev's motivations are humane. As in "Catfish", he always seems genuinely concerned about the well-being of all parties involved.

Another observation is that the suspicions of the "Truth Seeker" are always wrong. If they think their friend is sick, it turns out they are lying about something entirely different. If they think the sister is involved in a dubious way of earning money, it turns out she is spending her time and efforts on another endeavor. This ups the surprise factor, but it also shows how clueless the "Truth Seekers" are.

In essence, the show performs interventions without the aid of mental health professionals. Some of their "let's poke around" detective work leads to situations that could become volatile. It only takes one. The road to legal prosecution and/or social media condemnation is paved with good intentions.

If you enjoy the curious stories uncovered by "Catfish", this show might be entertaining for you. Just bear in mind that "Catfish" included examples of people manipulating the show for publicity, and "Suspect" carries the same risk.

Obviously realizing that Catfish can't last forever it seems Nev decided to branch out into the world of more general 'secrets' between friends and acquaintances. Unfortunately he didn't take Max along for the ride and the show suffers an almost terminable fate for it in his replacement: the insufferable, androgynous tryhard Io. Lacking the least bit of screen presence or the slightest semblance of a compelling, magnetic personality, Io is the anti-Max. Whereas Max was snarky, sarcastic but inherently compassionate for other people, Io seems inauthentic, obnoxious and only concerned with what ugly hat she can wear to this or that interview. She tries SO hard to be different and zany that it completely clashes with Nev's much more grounded and personable demeanor and creates discordance in the entire tone of the show.

The ONLY way I can see this show being renewed and having a life after Catfish is if Io is replaced by somebody the audience would actually enjoy watching solve these 'cases' in the seasons ahead. Otherwise it's going to go down as a failed experiment for Nev in branching out when all the blame should fall squarely on Io's trenchcoat- laden shoulders.