URL: http://community.realitytvworld.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/rtvw2/community/dcboard.cgi
Forum: DCForumID17
Thread Number: 2130
[ Go back to previous page ]
Original Message
"Top Shot"
Posted by jbug on 06-01-10 at 01:29 PM
Colby Donaldson

http://www.examiner.com/x-11363-TV-Examiner~y2010m5d25-Survivor-contestant-Colby-Donaldson-hosting-History-Channels-Top-Shot

Sixteen of the nation’s most skilled marksmen have been carefully selected to compete in the new 10-episode series. Some have professional shooting experience, some are amateurs –all will showcase breathtaking timing, speed and accuracy in their quest to win the $100,000 prize package and title of “Top Shot.” The winner will ultimately have to be skilled in everything from muzzle-loading muskets and modern pistols to slingshots and throwing knives.

"The series is hosted by actor, adventurer and athlete Colby Donaldson, a born competitor whose experience as a contestant on Survivor brings a unique perspective to HISTORY’s first elimination series.

Table of contents
Messages in this discussion
"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by Estee on 06-01-10 at 05:39 PM
Once you get past 'actor, adventurer and athlete' (which, locally, took about forty minutes), this almost sounds like an interesting idea. I might try to catch the premiere.
"Premiere."
Posted by Estee on 06-07-10 at 09:08 AM
I watched large portions of it. A few notes:

1. One female contestant? The host couldn't bother to actively recruit in his own state, let alone glance down any random block in his own hometown?

2. Gosh, I wonder what the primary influence on Colby's hosting style could be? Or who... His introduction was fun just from waiting for the entire pool to chorus on 'Who's Colby Donaldson?' (They may have held it back until they got inside.)

3. The elimination format is slightly quirked -- very slightly: it's mostly pasted together from bits of other shows. It sounds like the group/tribal format will be run as far as it can, with no merge or individual Immunity battles on the horizon -- but that may just be what the producers want everyone to think.

Public votes are scary things for the contestants: every alliance is going to be out in the open, and each bullet represents one hit on a membership count. Hopefully this is a mature group. Or at least one holding single-shot voting guns. That can only fire when they're facing the targets. Not a good place for the next RussHell to turn up...

I don't mind having the faceoff element to eliminations: this is a skill challenge more than a social one, and someone picked out as the worst should get a chance to prove everyone wrong. Similarly, if the rest of the field is trying to knock you out because they feel you're too strong, they could learn to regret it -- but the penalty there (beyond the luck factor) is opening up the classic Big Brother pawn position. 'We're going to vote you into the elimination challenge so you can take our real target out.' As if that could ever backfire.

4. The show is going to have a hard time keeping challenges from being extremely repetitive. 'Hit this target using this weapon. Now hit that target using a different weapon. Later on, you'll need to move over to those targets... underwater...' If you're not into marksmanship or can't bring yourself into the mindset, then this isn't going to be your series.

5. The early editing is shaky. Who are these people? We're not going to tell you. Say, anyone need a scenery shot? Local animal? Rotation image of the next weapon to be used? That's much more important! Meeting so few of the sixteen pointed out the elimination participants early and turned the silent into cannon fodder.

On this show, that could wind up being literal.


"RE: Premiere."
Posted by riverrocker on 06-07-10 at 05:05 PM
We watched; I liked it; hubby didn't--which is probably because he was a firearms instructor! I, too, was surprised that only one woman was in the group, but I just loved that the "kid"--maybe they can nickname him "Billy"?--outgunned the old hand.

Will try to catch this again next week. We were wondering, though, how many times a "shooting contest" could be held and still keep everyone's interest.

"RE: Premiere."
Posted by Agman2 on 01-27-16 at 11:43 AM
You're right on target with that evaluation.


"RE: Premiere."
Posted by emydi on 06-07-10 at 09:05 PM
LAST EDITED ON 06-07-10 AT 09:07 PM (EST)

I posted over in Survivor Fanatics (I thought me and suzzee were the only ones watchin) He's channeling his inner Probst.... I bet Jiffy got a chubby watching this

As for the show, I was first interested bc my late sister was air rifle shooter and was top female in PA for 2 yrs I think. I was bummed too that there is only one woman.

As for not knowing anyone, it could be low budget (or they needed to spend all the money on exploding targets)or they let us know the people that were players in ep. 1. They focused on Mike and Kelly (the young kid) bc they were the first in the elim. challegne and Aaron (he's from Pittsburgh!) bc he was the doomed spotter. The blue team only focused on the woman bc she is the only one and the Asian man who knew Mike well and did not like Kelly shooting a smiley face. They were really the only ones featured. Can we take anything from this yet like the editing in Survivor?? who knows?

And for challenges, they ae going to use all kinds of weapons including knives--but will they have a woman bolted to a wall? or may they can use Colby

"Episode #2."
Posted by Estee on 06-14-10 at 06:52 AM
As we hit the first semi-real twist in the format: the other team gets to choose which member of the opposition sits out. (And you can't sit out the same person in back-to-back challenges, and Jeff is invisibly standing behind Colby repeating every word the newer host says.) Given that most of the players have at least some idea of what the majority can do -- a small field which already has professional meets -- this could keep some of the strongest from ever firing a shot.

Problem.

"RE: Episode #2."
Posted by kingfish on 07-13-10 at 03:33 PM
So far it's OK. It uses the tired template of Survivor editing, I think the musical fillers are ver close to Survivor too. And it would seem (one can only hope) that gun enthusiasts cooped up Big Brother style might produce interesting inter-action. I guess they don't get to take their guns back to the house with them, though. Oh well.

The adult behavour and treatment of fellow houseguests that we've become so used to on Big Brother seems to be missing here. (That was sarcasm).

"RE: Episode #2."
Posted by Agman2 on 02-01-16 at 11:36 AM
They tried to be too much like survivor unfortunately and i don't think there were enough gun enthusiasts in the audience.

"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by weltek on 07-14-10 at 09:33 AM
So it turns out grown men are a bunch of dramatic fools when you throw them in a house, too. Whichever guy turned the playing cards on the pool table into "Act your age" is my hero.

I'm kind of half-watching it with Nolay. We DVR it and it's on while I cook dinner.


-A Tribetastic Creation

"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by dabo on 07-17-10 at 00:45 AM
LAST EDITED ON 07-17-10 AT 00:53 AM (EST)

Marine Adam is such a control freak diva, who woulda guessed.

http://www.blogged.com/b243649759

"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by weltek on 07-19-10 at 10:00 AM
Caleb shows far more class at his young age than some of the contestants. He took the loss with grace and went out with dignity. He didn't even get nasty in his blog.


-A Tribetastic Creation

"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by Molaholic on 07-19-10 at 07:13 PM
I'm actually getting into this -- thanks to hulu I'm fully up to date. Funny, because I'm not a gun enthusiast in any way.

Of course, I find the interpersonal drama a bit of a bore, and have to admire the gumption of a couple of the "you've taken your final shot" folks.

I'm still not sure about the open voting twist, and this notion of a 'vote for me so I can beat the pants off someone else' is bound to (if you'll pardon the pun) backfire.

Gonna have to TiVo the next couple of episodes as I'll be off-continent.

"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by kingfish on 07-20-10 at 07:02 PM
Now Adam is giving Denny grief for not volunteering for the elimination challenge. It is, he claims, what a real man like him would do.

Adam is a turd.

"8/8/10"
Posted by udg on 08-09-10 at 02:12 PM
Awww. Kelly's gone. Poor kid got axed by drawing first to run up the hill. He was my favorite. I'm not sure I even know the names of anyone who is left (OK, maybe a couple of them... Peter, Iain, JJ... Plus that other guy.)

I was hoping Colby would come more into his own style as the season progressed. He's still Probst II. Oh, well.

I did want to share, my husband was involved in a shooting competition last month. He did well overall but horrible with the pistol. Yesterday, he was back on the range practicing for another competition, and he said he put to use some of the techniques he observed on the show, and he was totally shocked at the results. His pistol score almost doubled! He wasn't even really interested in the show; he only watched it because I turned it on while he was in the room. LOL


Slice n' Dice's Sigpic Chop Shop 2004

"RE: 8/8/10"
Posted by dabo on 08-09-10 at 02:31 PM
Yeah, shame about Kelly, he fought the good underdog fight, lost on time not aim. Thought that first challenge was going to last all week! But at least it was about precision. The second challenge with running uphill and all, whoever went first just set the clock.
"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by riverrocker on 08-10-10 at 04:43 PM
Was disappointed to see Kelly go, but happy Adam went. Of those left, I'm hoping JJ can pull it off. He's my first pick, but I like the attitude of Chris as well. Iain and Peter seem just a little too full of themselves.
"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by dabo on 08-16-10 at 11:01 AM
LAST EDITED ON 08-16-10 AT 11:01 AM (EST)

Congrats, Iain!

Got to say, for a show based on something I couldn't care less about, firing weapons, as a competition it was pretty exciting. The final challenge, at least, was a virtual photo finish. The first challenge was just basically who could overpower the guy he was pit against, good-bye Red Team. Shame JJ knocked himself from contention in the second trick shot horse game challenge, he would have rocked on that final challenge. Oh well. Them's the breaks, pilgrim.

Iain seemed like a pretty solid chap throughout the series, if a bit bland, glad to see someone prevail other than one of the headstrong drama queens.

"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by jbug on 08-17-10 at 08:55 AM
I had missed an ep or 2 so was glad there were re-runs/re-plays, whatever. I taped those and was able to catch up.

I hated to see Kara go but it was the only decision she could make. Would hope if they do this again, they ask her to return.

The last 3 comps were great. JJ really rocked on the 1st pistol challenge - it was funny that all 3 of the other guys knew they didn't want to go up against him

These last guys had great attitudes; still competitors but still respectful of each other and the skills of each.

Congrats Iain.


I'm country & proud of it! Thanks Agman 2010

"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by emydi on 08-17-10 at 10:21 AM
they are casting for TS 2 the app deadline was 8/12/10 After the finale Probst II said watch for TS 2 "Coming Soon"

That would be nice if they let Tara return and a few more women too. they are out there.


"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by Agman2 on 03-04-16 at 11:33 AM
I'm sure they're rifling around getting their applications ready, know that everyone will be gunning for them!
"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by dabo on 08-16-10 at 11:04 AM
Got to say, Colby did a pretty good job of channeling Probst, by the end his screaming play-by-plays may even have annoyed and distracted the shooters themselves.
"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by Molaholic on 08-17-10 at 00:26 AM
I liked the finale, even though I was pulling for JJ to win it all. Really was ironic that he busted while using a pistol.

Iain is a great Top Shot -- he was consistent throughout and kept the honor (or, seeing as he's a Brit, honour) of the competition as primary.

Colby -- well, I guess we could have done worse...

"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by weltek on 08-17-10 at 09:22 AM
Yeah, poor Colby just couldn't break out of Probst-mode.

Iain was great. The final challenges were great. Peter's outfits? Great.

I enjoyed the "where are they now" tidbits at the end. Iain has no plans for his winnings and Kelly was a guest on Bill's show. *snort*


-A Tribetastic Creation

"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by JessicaRN on 08-17-10 at 06:15 PM
I've never been near a weapon, never had an interest in them, but I liked this show. Most of the competitors were quite likable and I liked how supportive they all were of each other.

The other thing is the History Channel needs to win an Emmy for photography. Although it was slightly overused, those slow motion sequences were amazing.

"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by weltek on 08-18-10 at 10:45 AM
Those slow motion shots were very cool!

I giggled at some of the pure testosterone moments ("look at me"....bang! and unloading the cartridge in celebration upon a hit).

I agree that the general likability of most of the competitors was a real selling feature. The only disappointing act was Bill's refusal to forgive Kelly. It was stupid stubborness that I got sick of REAL fast.


-A Tribetastic Creation

"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by JessicaRN on 08-18-10 at 06:26 PM
I never got to know most of them, but I cracked up the episode where the one guy kept going on and on about the other one being a "rat fink". Every episode after that, he became the rat fink guy.
"2nd season of Top Shot"
Posted by emydi on 02-01-11 at 05:41 PM
starts next tuesday at 10 pm on History Channel
"RE: 2nd season of Top Shot"
Posted by jbug on 02-03-11 at 10:37 AM
I hope I don't forget - I liked this show.
"Premiere."
Posted by Estee on 02-09-11 at 07:32 AM
At this point, Colby should just change his name to Jiffy Junior and be done with it. (On the other hand, he's working Phil's hairstyle. Hosting infidelity!) His speech rhythms, stance, and I think he's actually taken on the accent... gah. At least he isn't making nothing except leading statements during the pre-vote meeting.

Yet.

No, hitting closest doesn't qualify you to be team captain, and it's a fair observation to make. But at least JJ didn't imitate his father and make the captains choose on the spot based on appearances: they got some time to find out just who was out there to choose. Not that it helped...

That was a nasty pair of opening challenges. The first came with no warning or practice time for a weapon most contestants have likely never handled, and the second had the weather factor -- which almost had to have put its own hurt on the blue team's time. (Not the full eleven minutes, but figure one or two.)

The editing would like us to start hating George. The editing may find us cooperative.

And the casting department's made a huge improvement! Now we have two females!

"RE: Premiere."
Posted by udg on 02-09-11 at 03:59 PM
Now I know what to buy Colby for Christmas: a thesaurus so he can look up synonyms for the verb "exploded" (e.g., he exploded the 8-ball).


Slice n' Dice's Sigpic Chop Shop 2004

"Am I the only one still watching?"
Posted by udg on 03-22-11 at 05:37 PM
The girls both left early, and Jay has grown on me. I can't remember anyone else's name.


Slice n' Dice's Sigpic Chop Shop 2004

"RE: Am I the only one still watching?"
Posted by Corvis on 03-28-11 at 01:57 PM
I am watching. I agree that Jay has gotten more likable. I am almost rooting for him now. I like Ashley, too.
"RE: Am I the only one still watching?"
Posted by jbug on 03-29-11 at 01:13 PM
I'm watching again too; usually a week late but I try to work it in

I wish we saw more of Colby

"RE: Am I the only one still watching?"
Posted by JessicaRN on 03-30-11 at 11:20 PM
I have several recorded to watch, but I do think that the super slow motion shots are very cool, although slightly overused.

I laughed when the one guy sat at the head of the table and told them all to pray, "at ease, bow your heads." He didn't like when Jay said he doesn't pray. (or perhaps doesn't pray in the same way).

It is really hard to keep people straight, because most of them have the same look and we don't really see much of them in the house.

I think Colby seems kind of over the top. I feel like he has practiced being a macho host. It seems like he is always posed and his speech pattern is very "macho".

"Hmmm."
Posted by udg on 04-13-11 at 02:06 AM
Well, I was sad to see Jay go last week, but thrilled to see Ashley go this week. Now for George to get his butt kicked, to make me completely happy.


Slice n' Dice's Sigpic Chop Shop 2004

"RE: Hmmm."
Posted by jbug on 04-20-11 at 03:19 PM
I agree completely!
Ashley & George are nothing but buttholes! (~grin~)
I think the guys name that they seem to hate so much is Jamie.
I don't understand why.
I don't think I ever heard him say he was a Navy Seal, but apparently Ashley called him that & then got po'd when Jamie would not say he was a seal. ??

Guys like George & Ashely give military a bad image. They are rude & ugly.
&, I'm sure the older guy is much better - haven't seen a lot of him but did not like that he voted for Jamie when Joe had asked to be put up against Jay.

"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by jbug on 04-22-11 at 10:01 AM
Dang it! I was wanting George gone!
The final challenge seemed rigged to me. Jamie thought it would be with pistols - as they are usually with a similar gun as used in the challenge that day.
So he voted Chris - thinking he didn't want to go up against Joe or Gunny with pistols. Unfortunately for him, they switched & used a shotgun; apparently Chris was born with a shotgun in his hands.
Jamie fought his way to the end.
George may brag about never having his target shot at the elimination voting, but that just means he never had to fight to stay in the game. He flew under the radar all the way.

I want Joe or Chris to win.

"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by udg on 04-22-11 at 04:36 PM
I want Joe or Chris to win.

I'm with you on Joe, but I'd rather see Gunny/Brian than Chris. Chris got a good edit last night, but he was also talking about his alliance with Joe and George, and George is such an utter douche that it contaminates his alliance-mates in my eyes.

Gunny seems to be on the outside, and he's been shown expressing his distaste in the way bullies George and Ashley were treating others. I'd like to see him win if for no other reason than that. Joe is the next least objectionable.

What it really comes down to, though, is anyone but George.


Slice n' Dice's Sigpic Chop Shop 2004

"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by emydi on 04-27-11 at 11:33 AM
wow Chris' edit changed in a hurry. I loved that he won and George redeemed himself a bit. Gunny didn't need $. I'm glad Chris won! Colby did a lot better this year as host imho
"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by jbug on 05-02-11 at 09:58 PM
not quite enough redemption tho; George was so horribly rude and ugly to Jay. There was just no reason for that.
"RE: Top Shot"
Posted by Agman2 on 01-26-16 at 07:38 PM
Colby is such a wanna be Jeff! I notice the show got shot down fairly quickly!