LAST EDITED ON 09-12-02 AT 12:05 PM (EST)

Now, this show could be interesting...

First, TV Guide Online:

http://www.tvguide.com/newsgossip/inthenews/020912.asp#A

NEXT BEST THING: NBC has picked up a new reality series from movie producer Joel Silver that will attempt to find the next Vin Diesel and Jennifer Garner. According to Variety, the 10-episode series — titled The Next Action Star — will follow producers as they hold a casting search to find potential male and female stars with "that indefinable 'it' factor." The winners will star in the Silver-produced NBC TV movie Hit Me. Paging American Idol spitfire Tamika...

edited to add CNN story:

http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/12/television.action.hero.reut/index.html

New NBC show to find 'Next Action Star'
HOLLYWOOD, California (Reuters) --Look out, Vin Diesel.

Joel Silver, producer of such action movie franchises as "The Matrix" and "Lethal Weapon," has partnered with NBC in an attempt to find "The Next Action Star," Variety reports.

The 10-episode reality series will follow producers as they hold a casting search to find potential male and female stars with "that indefinable 'it' factor." The winners will star in a Silver-produced NBC TV movie, tentatively titled "Hit Me." Silver will serve as an executive producer of the series, which is targeting a likely summer 2003 launch.

"Uncovering new talent is a fascinating process and we are excited to share this experience with the public," Silver said.

"Next Action Star" represents a slight change of pace for NBC's reality department, which until now has mostly focused on stand-alone contests such as "Fear Factor." Those close-ended shows perform well, particularly in repeats (unlike serialized reality shows), but lack the pop culture phenomenon quality of an "American Idol" or "Survivor."

"Obviously we've had plenty of success with 'Dog Eat Dog' and 'Fear Factor,' so I like the action genre for reality," said Jeff Gaspin, NBC's executive VP of alternative series, longform and program strategy.

The series will kick off with a nationwide hunt for prospective stars, who will eventually be narrowed down to 12 finalists. The contestants will then move to Hollywood, where they'll be given acting, training and combat lessons in addition to receiving "star treatment" (such as limos and fancy clothes). Contestants will be eliminated at the end of each episode after competing in a series of stunt action sequences.

The final winners -- one man, one woman -- will star in the "Hit Me" picture, which will also double as "The Next Action Star's" series finale.

"When you write the handbook for reality TV, this show has all the elements," Gaspin said. "It has the vote-off, the contestant search, the close living quarters."

A number of details are still being ironed out, such as whether the show will include an at-home voting element. Additional episodes may also go behind the scenes of the movie's production. As part of the televised search, the producers also hope to showcase a major feature casting director and find a big name to direct the movie.

Evil, rude, snotty, and proud of it!

• RE: Next Action Star,katem, 02:15 PM, 09-12-02
• oh no,GTmike, 03:12 PM, 09-12-02
• RE: Next Action Star,ejm92, 03:18 PM, 09-12-02
• RE: Next Action Star,Bucky Katt, 03:48 PM, 09-12-02

Oh noooooo !!!!! They must be joking !!!!!

That movie is going to be "straight to video" bad

(c) 2002 IceCat Originals, Inc. All rights reserved.

That is all that I can say. Oh no. It is bad shows like these popping up all of the time that ruin good ones like Survivor and Amazing Race b/c they all get put in the same category.

*sighs*

Wow, I thought FOX was bad...how low will these networks go to get a viewer? At least CBS still has some quality reality programming.

Packers 2002 Mission: 16W Update: 1-0, Saints are the next casualty!

"If we get home field, it's over. We're not losing at home." - Brett Favre....Consider yourselves forewarned, Rams.