Rock of Love with Bret Michaels: The Complete First
Season (Anchor Bay DVD) + A Shot At Love with Tila Tequila: The
Complete UNCENSORED First Season (MTV/Paramount DVD)
Picture:
B- Sound: B- Extras: C Episodes: C
Pimps up,
Ho’s down! Or something like that I
guess? So it seems the world has become
obsessed with reality television to such an extent that they will watch
anything that is thrown in front of them.
Rock of Love with Bret Michaels (Poison
front man) and A Shot at Love with Tila
Tequila (of Maxim and MySpace fame) use the basic premise of
other dating reality series like that of The
Bachelor, but with a much higher sexually charged atmosphere. In both series ‘contestants’ face off in
challenges that can range from mundane too completely insane in order to win a
personal date with the shows star. The
point of the ‘single dates’ is to get more ‘one on one’ time with the star and
essentially plead their case as to why they are the best choice. Rock
of Love is a bit simpler of a series than A Shot at Love, in that all it starts with is 25 woman (or
groupies) that wish to win the affections of the Poison heartthrob, Bret Michaels, with not many other surprises
(with the exception of the challenges) thrown on top. A Shot
at Love with Tila Tequila, however, starts with 16 men and 16 women who are
also ‘looking for love’ but are unaware that the ‘bisexual’ Tila Tequila must
decide in the end who is the better fit for her, a man or a woman. The fact that Tila Tequila is ‘bisexual’ is
revealed to the entire cast in the first episode (not hidden from them at all),
but in turn creates an atmosphere that to many extents pits men against
women. Both series use the formula that
the general public loves prying into other peoples’ business, regardless of how
fake or setup it seems. The men and
women on both series are often times revealed to have appeared on other
‘reality series’ or ‘dating shows’ or even slept with other celebrities. Does this reviewer believe that some of the
contestants are really looking for love?
Sure. Does this reviewer think
that 99% of the contestants are television/celebrity groupies that are there
for some other self indulgent reason?
There is no doubt. Both series
are like watching a train wreck in progress.
You know you shouldn’t be watching, but you just can’t look away.
Rock of Love with Bret Michaels is definitely the superior of the
two series being reviewed here; if for no other reason than Bret Michaels is
more likable and has more credit to his name (credit that has been on loan
since the 80’s). To this reviewer, Tila
Tequila feels like an unattractive, overpaid, prostitute the entire series that
is making demands of the men and women that she is by no means worth. A Shot
of Love is also disturbing because on some level the viewer knows that Tila
Tequila already knows if she wants to be with a man or a woman, but is using
this series to milk her ‘confusion’ for all it is worth. In the end, Tequila ends up having to choose
between one man or one woman (go figure) in a setting that seems all too
staged. Bret Michaels’ series, whereas
by no means 100% legitimate does demonstrate some higher degree of reality that
the viewer could believe that this Aquanet infused, bandanna toting, rocker
could actually be in it for real; all while making some nice side cash, of
course. Neither series to this reviewer
is worth owning on DVD; unless you think it will look good next to you Survivor, Surreal Life, and Big Brother box sets? You can rename it the ‘Has Been’ shelf; be sure to lock your liquor cabinet.
The
technical features on both series, which were shot in HD, look quite good. Both series are presented in a 1.33 X 1 full
screen that is nothing special and at times goes in and out of focus, but this
is forgivable due to the filming style of each ‘reality’ series. The colors remain bright throughout with an
occasional light/dark and contrast issue arising from time to time. The sound on both series is presented in a
boring Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo that is adequate for two series that should
have never existed in the first place; though I would have really liked to hear
the moans and vomiting in a solid DTS, but I will live. The extras on both sets are unwanted and
forgettable. Rock of Love features six different extras which includes Phone
Sex, Late Night Food Fight, Heather Cam, Bret’s Sexy Sing-A-Long, ‘Get it On’
Music Video, and Supertrailer; all of which are boring and left this reviewer
asking, why? Just when you thought it
could not get any worse there are the extras on Shot at Love that include such gems as Extended and Deleted Scenes
for ‘Foam Party’ and ‘Car Wash.’ This
reviewer does not say this often, but I wanted less extras.
On an end
note, not to spoil anyone’s fun, but both these series have second seasons
currently on the air; which means, oh so sadly, that neither celebrity found
love. It just makes you wonder if a
former rock star and walking STD can’t find love, what chance do I have?
Oh wait!
I have morals and brain…
- Michael P Dougherty II
