Who Do You Think You Are

[Raph's Girl]

For those not in the know. There's a British tv series that focuses on the genealogy of celebrities called Who Do You Think You Are. An American version is now in development!! This is SOO kewl!! I've been wanting to see the British version for some time now there's an American one!! Woot!

But of the British one I wanna see the ep that had David Tennant in it (from season 3). Jerry Springer is gonna be one of the guest for Season 5. Perhaps it's ironic that they're doing an American version of the show just when an American is gonna be on the British version. There's also a Canadian (which featured Margot Kidder) and Australian version.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080311/...amilytree_dc_1

If exploring the lives of celebrities seems a little tired, NBC has a solution: Find their relatives.

The network is developing an American version of the hit British series "Who Do You Think You Are," where stars are shown the oft-surprising details of their ancestors' lives.

In the UK version, the series uncovered backstories included tales of bigamy, wartime heroism and, in one case, attempted murder. Celebrity participants often are brought to tears as they learn about their relatives' hardships.

Producers are researching the family trees of several interested celebrity candidates to see whether they have compelling backgrounds (the network declined to name the candidates). Former "Friends" star Lisa Kudrow will serve as an executive producer.

Celebrity-based reality shows have been on the rise, fueled by the success of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars." NBC found success with "The Celebrity Apprentice" this season and has "Celebrity Circus," premiering this summer.

"Who Do You Think You Are," which launched in 2004, will air its fifth season on BBC1 this year. Its fourth-season premiere in the summer scored the show's highest rating ever, with 6.8 million viewers tuning in.

The show is credited with sparking an interest in genealogy among many BBC viewers. Last year, BBC Magazines began publishing Who Do You Think You Are? magazine, a monthly publication about tracing one's family tree. Versions of "Who Do You Think You Are" also are in production in Canada and Australia.

Wait what?! Celebrity Circus?! Another version of Circus of the Stars?! ...Yay for networks rehashing old reality shows from the 70's/80's...

[Spitfire]

Great another TV show we ripped off from Europe. You know I actually watched some of their reality shows over there when I visited and their not that bad. I can't even watch the ones here. Course letting them swear helps. I watched one pretty good one where they made people build stuff out of what someone throws away in a year. Quite the eye opener. This was the first time I saw a reality series with a point or any kind of message. Course I've never seen an American version of that series.

[GK Punk]

They usually aren't "Ripped off" but produced by the same people, or licenced.

[Mecha Cow]

Indeed, and let's not pretend European reality TV is somehow any better than American reality TV, because I assure you it is not and in many cases it is actually much trashier.