From Latoya West,
Your Guide to Reality TV.
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May 28 2007

If your favorite reality show is gone for the summer and you’re open to having a summer fling, let me introduce you to similar reality shows that will heat up your nights this summer.

Get A New Dance Date

So, Dancing With the Stars has moved on but you still want some dancing in your life. Maybe you should make a date with Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance. The contestants competing on So You Think You Can Dance are not celebrities, but they are some of the most talented undiscovered dancers from all over the country. The main thing So You Think You Can Dance has in common with Dancing With the Stars is the exciting weekly performances. So You Think You Can Dance's performances do not have a ballroom focus, but it’s even more fun to see the teams attempt everything from hip-hop to Broadway every week.

When to Watch: Wednesdays at 8 pm and Thursdays at 9 pm on Fox.

Another Option: If what you loved about Dancing With the Stars was watching celebrities try something new, you might also enjoy this show.

Find Your New Idol

Jordin Sparks’ crowning moment was also our goodbye to the sixth season of American Idol. But cheer up, Idol fans. America’s Got Talent may fill the void left behind by the hit Fox show this summer. Like American Idol, NBC’s America’s Got Talent is the search for an undiscovered star. There are three celebrity judges, viewers vote for their favorite contestants each week, and the last contestant left standing at the end of the competition walks away with a life-changing prize. Unlike American Idol, America’s Got Talent isn’t limited to singers from a certain age group. Got Talent welcomes a colorful array of performers -- from jugglers, to comedians, to bands. The judges featured this year are actor David Hasselhoff, UK TV personality Piers Morgan, and former reality star Sharon Osbourne. Jerry Springer replaces Regis Philbin as host.

When To Watch: Tuesday nights at 8, starting June 5 on NBC.

Another Option: So You Think You Can Dance would also be a great summer fling for fans who are missing American Idol. The exciting dance show has a similar format to Idol.

Hook Up With Another Bachelor

Now that Andy Baldwin has chosen his future bride on ABC’s The Bachelor, we won’t enjoy the guilty pleasure of watching a group of women compete over a handsome bachelor on Monday nights...Actually, we will. NBC’s new Monday night reality show Age of Love will feature a group of women vying for the heart of 31-year-old tennis star Mark Philippoussis. Unlike The Bachelor, Age of Love has a twist. Philippoussis will be dating women from two groups. One group is called the Kittens. They are described as six “fun and enthusiastic” women in their 20's. The other group is called the Cougars -- seven “beautiful, sophisticated women” in their 40's.

When To Watch: Monday nights at 9, starting June 18.

Find An Adventurous Type

If you’re already missing The Amazing Race and Survivor, Pirate Master might be show to watch this summer. On Pirate Master, contestants will embark on the adventure of a lifetime. They will live on a massive barque and search the island of Dominica to find hidden treasure. The “pirates” strike deals with each other along the way and at the end of each episode, one contestant is “cut adrift.” I'm hoping we’ll be in for a Race-paced adventure and some Survivor-style game play.

When to Watch: Thursdays at 8, starting May 31st.

Another Option: For Survivor fans, Big Brother is always an exciting summer alternative. It’s not set on an island -- Big Brother takes place in a house! But there are challenges, alliances, and eliminations that Survivor fans can appreciate.

Leave An Outspoken Businessman for a Hot-Tempered Chef

Judging from the ratings, not many of us are missing The Apprentice: LA. But if you were hooked on Donald’s firing-fest until the season concluded in late April, we have a show that may help you move on.

As you know, The Apprentice featured an intimidating boss and a group of ambitious candidates competing for the job of a lifetime. Similarly, Fox’s hit summer series Hell’s Kitchen features a hot-tempered head chef and a group of culinary candidates competing for a life-changing job opportunity. An obvious difference between The Apprentice and Hell’s Kitchen is the fact that Hell’s Kitchen is centered around the kitchen and not the boardroom -- lucky for us, things get a lot hotter in the kitchen!

When to Watch: Monday nights at 9, starting June 4.

For info on more summer shows including On The Lot, The Ex-Wives Club, and Last Comic Standing, click here.