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"Star Dates" Review By Shawn McKenzie 12/16/2002 I applaud when a network tries to put a new spin on a rapidly aging genre. Reality shows, or dating reality shows specifically in this case, are becoming excessively formulaic. The E! network is trying out a new dating show that combines our love for dating shows with our love for celebrities with “Star Dates.” It works this way: they choose two women to go on a date with a celebrity. They don’t know who they are going to be going out with until right before the date. I can tell right now that they are hoping for George Clooney. Not a chance! The network obviously can’t get Clooney-size stars to date mere mortal women (fake breasts or not), so they have to settle for B-list actors like Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster from “The Munsters.”) Next week they have Dustin Diamond, a.k.a. Screech from “Saved By the Bell,” as the star. In the first episode, Patrick goes out with two very different women. Host Jordan Black presented them with an envelope containing the identity of the star that they were going out with on a date. The first one seemed surprised at first by who she was going out with the star she was going out with, but seemed open to it. This was a 30something woman with fake breasts but a great attitude. I don’t know if she was necessarily attracted to Patrick (who could have passed for her dad, or at least her older brother), but she had fun on the date. They both had good comments for each other, though I didn’t see them kiss (they did get into the hot tub together, and there was one point where Patrick had to “close the door.”) The second woman was a little spacey all around and had a horrible reaction to the name of the star she got. She acted like she was too good for Patrick. I have a theory that he went on more dates, but they may have been too polite, i.e. boring, so they took the hottest date (the first woman) and constructed the worst date possible with this second woman for the show. This was to show both sides of the dating life of this star. The second woman may have been weird and stuck up, but I can’t blame her for part of the date. First, she meets him at a geeky B-lister convention (where he charges $10 for an autograph.) Next, he takes her to an Italian restaurant after she spends the whole trip there stating how much she hates Italian food. Finally, he drapes all over her, even though she is not very touchy-feely. The date was pretty much a disaster. “Star Dates” is interesting, if you like dating shows or “where are they now” specials, but I’ve seen plenty of both. Between “E! True Hollywood Story,” VH-1’s “Where Are They Now?” specials, “Celebrity Boxing,” etc., does anyone ever wonder where these stars are now? They aren’t missing, they are just reliving their pasts over and over! While this show isn’t as bad as the networks’ other hit reality show, “The Anna Nicole Show,” I don’t see myself watching this every week. I am curious about next week’s Screech dates though…
Ratings System:
DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW!
Try to catch this show every week...
If a better show is on, tape this one...
If nothing else is on, maybe this will be good...
If this show is on, change the channel immediately!
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