Tabloid
Is reality television real?
The 'real' in reality tv might be questioned elsewhere, but tabloid! brings you proof the genre is burgeoning in the UAE.
- By Kelly Crane, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:58 January 6, 2009
- Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump's daughter, Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim and Trump's son Don Jr.
- Image Credit: Supplied photo
Reality television is a concept which has sparked on-going debate and controversy from Hollywood to Hong Kong.
Fair, unfair, unethical and staged are all elements questioned by producers, viewers and critics the world over, all searching for the answer to one question - is reality television real?
A genre of television programming with unscripted-dramatic or humorous situations, the aim of reality television is to document actual events, featuring ordinary people instead of professional actors. But debate or no debate one thing is certain - it works.
And this week, the UAE is making history by launching the long awaited international reality television show Hydra Executives - the local answer to America's The Apprentice.
The first season of Hydra Executives, the brand new English reality-based series which pits a team of eight American contenders against a group of eight British rivals, debuts tonight on Showtime and Infinity TV.
"An hour of drama, suspense, conflict and great entertainment" is how executive producer Ziad Batel describes the reality show the world is currently talking about.
Unlike America's The Apprentice, a cut-throat fight to the death for 16 young entrepreneurs desperate to win the prize of being in control of a Donald Trump mega project, Hydra Executives sees a team from the UK battle it out against a US crew under the direction of Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim, CEO of Hydra Properties, one of the world's largest commercial real estate developers.
Casting for the show started on December 15, 2007 and filming took place over the first six months of last year in the UAE.
Destroy each other
Batel added: "In The Apprentice Donald Trump destroys the contestants by pulling them apart and eventually choosing to fire them one by one.
"Our show is a totally new concept where we let the contestants destroy each other. We have simply picked the teams and the rest is up to them."
Tonight's show, which introduces audiences to the cast of budding American and British entrepreneurs, will be broadcast entirely in English and according to Al Fahim has cost around $5 million (Dh18.3 million) to produce.
Donald Trump consulted on the project and is even rumoured to make a few guest appearances throughout the series.
The prize is nothing to be sniffed at, with $1 million (Dh 3.67 million) up for grabs for the overall winner of the show to set up a real estate business.
The executive boardroom-style programme is currently being shopped for global distribution and is being produced in association with Showtime Arabia, which is partly owned by Viacom, and Dubai's Infinity TV.
A UK and US partner has not yet been agreed but the series is already being closely fought among the big players in both countries.
"It's a little like the Olympics of reality TV," explained co-host Batal.
The would-be-professionals were selected from thousands of submissions from both countries, based on their passion, talent and idea or dream for a real estate venture.
The competition will be fierce and the second and third seasons promise to be bigger and better than the first.
Batal said: "Season two has already been cast and will feature India vs Pakistan and the third season will be the showdown with America vs the Arabs. This show will have the biggest budget and we predict by then the show will be one of the highest watched reality television shows of all time."
Catch it if you can
The 28 episodes of Hydra Executives will be airing on Showtime Arabia, Infinity TV, Emirates TV and RETV before heading to viewers in the UK and the US later in the year. Two timeslots have been allocated on Wednesdays at 7pm and 11pm on Showtime and Infinity TV respectively and in addition, a delayed telecast of the show's last episode will air on Tuesday on Hollywood.tv and Emirates TV from
January 13.
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