Reality TV loves Bostonians. “The Real World’s” CT, “Survivor’s” Boston Rob and “Glee Project’s” Alex Newell are just three notables who’ve popped larger than life on the screen. This summer, locals continue to make their mark on the tube.
If you must watch one show about strangers forced to live under one roof and compete in stupid challenges while mastering the art of betrayal, then make it ABC’s “The Glass House” (Mondays at 10 p.m. on WCVB, Ch. 5), the unabashed ripoff of CBS’ -comatose “Big Brother.”
Viewers control almost every aspect and ultimately decide who goes home. Now fans are faced with a doozy of a choice: Evict Mike, the 48-year-old Irish bar mitzvah DJ from Pembroke, or gay Brooklyn receptionist Jeffrey, 35, who willingly threw himself into limbo to preserve his alliance.
Mike has behaved like a bulldog around the women and doesn’t know when a gentle voice can get him further in the game. He and Bostonian Stephanie, 32, a divorced scientist, were the least popular this week with viewers. Stephanie’s problem isn’t that she’s unlikable, it’s that she’s about as interesting to the average watcher as a dust mite. I still expect Ohio cop Kevin, 33, to walk away with the grand prize. Part of this show’s appeal: It only demands one hour a week. Meanwhile, the Chenbot slogs on.
The sadists are in charge of Oxygen’s “The Glee Project” (Tuesdays at 10 p.m.). That’s the only way to explain this week’s “lesson” in tenacity in which the contestants were forced to run a punishing gym obstacle course while lip-syncing Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” in one take, all climaxing with Ali — who is in a wheelchair — being forced to make a basket. Any time anyone stumbled, they were forced to restart from the beginning. This seemed like the kind of thing “Fear Factor” would do to break its players. The performers finally nailed the video on the 34th take.
Cape Cod native Lily Mae Harrington, 19, inexplicably again ended up in the bottom three, but she saved herself with a delightful rendition of “I am the Greatest Star” from “Funny Girl.” As she proved last week when she covered Adele’s “Someone Like You,” Harrington has no problem commanding the spotlight. As her coaches noted, she has difficulty reining in her talent to share with the rest of the group.
One thing to be said about “The Glee Project”: The right people have been going home. Abraham Lim had worn out the stage with his multiple personalities. Whatever happens here, Harrington is a star. If “Glee” won’t have her, Broadway will.
Lifetime’s “Project Runway” kicked off its 10th season with a lame challenge — creating a companion piece to an existing outfit. Remember the good old days when the contestants had to race through a grocery store for materials? You’ll never get the memory of Austin Scarlett’s corn husk dress out of your brain. And wasn’t it obvious that the designer who couldn’t sew would be going home?
Contestant Gunnar Deatherage is striving hard to establish himself as this season’s villain, and while he has a name worthy of Lord Voldemort’s cousin, his mouthiness is right out of “Pinky and the Brain.”
Truth is, “Runway’s” only appeal right now is the emotional breakdowns. Two contestants reportedly bolt the competition in an upcoming episode, both in the dark of night.
Boston fashionista Sonjia Williams, 27, didn’t get much screen time in the 90-minute premiere because she seems nice and, well, sane.