What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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May 21 - 27, 2023 WHATS UP! T11 In normal circumstances, this task would be accom- plished by a little clip mic at- tached to a collar or lapel. But the "naked" part of the show means the survivalists don't have such things to attach to. Indeed, the only thing they have is the one personal item — such as a lighter or a ma- chete — each contestant is al- lowed to bring with them into the wild, which they carry in a burlap satchel. But therein hides another production secret: The satch- els also hold little transmitters and battery packs that the necklace mics need to work. When you think about it, these are pretty clever work- arounds to the tricky problem — a longstanding challenge of the reality-TV era — of mak- ing a show that records people who are supposedly alone. Q: I feel like I remember a '50s-style detective show with Josh Brolin, but it aired in the '80s. Did I dream that up? Why have I never seen it in reruns or on-demand anywhere? A: You don't see "Private Eye" anywhere now because it was a total flop then. It didn't even get a full season when it first aired in 1986-1987. If that surprises you, you aren't alone. It was a surprise to a lot of people at the time, who expected it to be the next "Miami Vice," literally and figuratively. "Private Eye" was figura- tively seen as the next "Miami Vice" — the smash-hit, mid- '80s TV series that became a wider cultural phenomenon, influencing fashion, music and more — because it was created by "Vice" co-creator Anthony Yerkovich. The two shows also shared a similar obsession with the styles and fashion of their respective eras. "Private Eye" was also literal- ly the next "Vice" because NBC chose to schedule it right after "Vice" on Friday nights. When "Private Eye's" weak ratings started coming in, peo- ple wondered if that was maybe the wrong move. The L.A. Times said at the time there was "speculation about TV audienc- es perhaps being burned out on high-style shows." "Private Eye" was also, unfor- tunately, hugely expensive to make — Yerkovich himself told the Times that it cost $1.25 mil- lion per episode, which isn't cheap even by today's stan- dards. And so the series, about a cou- ple of 1950s Hollywood detec- tives played by former soap star Michael Woods (who was Dr. James Reardon on "Guiding Light") and a pre-fame Josh Bro- lin (just off his debut role in 1985's "The Goonies"), was can- celled after only getting a half- season order. And since no one bothers to make 13-episode shows from 40 years ago available today, this all adds up to "Private Eye" being a memorable show (hence you bringing it up) that has nonethe- less been forgotten by the eco- nomics of TV. Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal replies will not be provided. Advance Pest Control 2 x 2 TAKE 5 Solution on page T23 Use the clues above and beside the grid to fill in the squares BY ADAM THOMLISON TV Media Q: Where did Victor Gar- ber get his start? Is he still acting? A: It might not surprise you to learn that the urbane, charming Victor Garber got his start on the stage. Before he became a hugely re- spected supporting star on film and TV, thanks to roles such as Jack Bristow on the early '00s spy series "Alias" and Ambassa- dor Ken Taylor in "Argo" (2012), he was a theatrical guy in Cana- da. In fact, he started in a chil- dren's acting troupe when he was just nine years old. His first major screen role was actually a translation of one of his first big stage roles: He be- gan playing Jesus in a Toronto production of the popular musi- cal "Godspell" in 1972, alongside fellow Canadian acting greats Eugene Levy ("Schitt's Creek") and Andrea Martin ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding," 2002). That production was filmed and re- leased as a feature film in 1973. It was even nominated for a pres- tigious Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival, giving Garber a pretty splashy en- trance to the film biz. His career basically followed this dual path afterward, and he's been moonlighting on stage and screen ever since. He's been seen mostly on the small screen lately, with recur- ring roles on the space comedy "The Orville" and the Canadian legal comedy "Family Law." But his most recent gig also came with a pretty fun side sto- ry: He had a small supporting role in the recently released Ap- ple TV+ miniseries "The Last Thing He Told Me," which re- united him with Jennifer Garner, his on-screen daughter on "Alias." Q: What are those ball- shaped items they all wear as necklaces on "Naked and Afraid"? A: Once you find out, it makes perfect sense. Those little hol- low-bead necklaces the contes- tants wear on "Naked and Afraid" contain microphones. The premise of "Naked and Afraid" is simple: Contestants are essentially cast out in the wilderness and we watch them try to survive without help for 21 days. But, of course, we have to hear them, too. Victor Garber HOLLYWOOD Q&A www.advancepestcontrolnwa.com Family Owned, Competitively Priced, Quality Service Since 1981 Rogers 479-636-5590 Springdale 479-756-1788 Eureka Springs 479-253-8967 PEST CONTROL TERMITE FERTILIZATION WEED CONTROL PRE-EMERGENTS MAY 21-27, 2023 WHAT'S UP! 21