reality-competition

The Amazing Race reclaimed the reality-competition program trophy after Top Chef ended its seven-year win streak last year.

Modern Family Dominates Emmys, Friday Night Lights Surprises 2011

If the new season of Top Chef can keep up this pace as it moves the challenges from San Antonio to Dallas and Austin, this could be my favorite reality-competition block of the week, paired with the provocative Work of Art: The Next Great Artist 9/8c, which tonight welcomes executive producer Sarah Jessica Parker as a guest judge.

Critic's Guide to Wednesday TV: Reality Wars (X Factor, Survivor, Top Chef) 2011

The show has been up for the top reality-competition Emmy a consecutive nine times, but has lost every year an Emmy record.

Emmy Watch: Burning Questions Answered 2011

After seven straight wins at the Primetime Emmy Awards for reality-competition series, The Amazing Race was dethroned this year by Top Chef — a loss that Phil Keoghan sees as a positive.

Phil Keoghan: A Game-Changer Does Amazing Race Good 2010

Anheuser-Busch InBev NV's Budweiser unit this summer began working with Radical to shoot its own reality-competition show called "The Big Time"—without locking in a TV network to air it.

Lights, Camera, Advertisements Sam Schechner 2011

Lythgoe hopes the TV Academy will consider splitting the reality-competition Emmy into two categories: One for on-location, post-produced shows like Race and Top Chef, and another for live studio shows like Idol and Dancing with the Stars.

Emmy Watch: Burning Questions Answered 2011

My other favorite reality-competition episode this week: the "jock makeover" challenge on Logo's hysterical RuPaul's Drag Race.

Matt's TV Week in Review 2011

THE COUNTDOWN My weekly reality-competition survey: Casey's growling ways get him sent home from American Idol, proving right Jimmy Iovine's contention that "the family dog does not vote on this show."

Matt's TV Week in Review: A Wedding, A Farewell, and More! 2011

Also from the reality-competition front: another plug for Syfy's Face Off, which in its second week comes even closer to Work of Art greatness, as the special effects make-up wizards tackle a body-painting/photo shoot challenge with naked models—and some astonishing results.

Matt's TV Week in Review 2011

While the reality-competition contests are reaching their climax this week, the fictional journey of Lima, Ohio's New Directions glee club finally makes it to New York City for the second-season finale.

Matt's Picks: May 23-26 2011