If you watched a lot of NCAA Basketball this weekend (I know I did) you were bombarded with the requisite CBS promos for all their respective TV programs. You had your
Cold Cases, your
Units, your
Survivors, etc. One show, however, whose promo presence was a surprise to me was
Big Brother. Well, maybe I wasn't shocked that CBS was pimping its big summer reality series; it was why they were showing promos. CBS made it clear this weekend that they are still taking applications for this summer's eight incarnation of
Big Brother.
Aren't we a little late in the game? Shouldn't the cast have been nailed down weeks ago? Perhaps I'm reading too much into this, and maybe this is the way CBS has always done it, but it still feels suspicious. Applications will be accepted through April 13, and all you have to do is go to the main CBS site for information on how to get your name in the hat. However, is it possible that the casting well has run dry for CBS?
I ask this because, as I've been interviewing
Survivor and
Amazing Race contestants over the past few months, I've noticed an interesting trend in casting: a significant portion of the contestants didn't apply. They were found.
The reality casting department has been hitting the pavement, actively searching for diverse types to fill their casting needs. I'm sure this can be effective enough, but I get a little disappointed when I learn that someone I'm watching on
Survivor didn't actively pursue their spot on the show, when there are thousands of prospective cast members who have spent time making videos and applying.
Anyway, if you want to be on
Big Brother, your every move scrutinized by millions of fans, you still have that option.
-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer