Movies

Regular Guy’s Redemption

BBG News

The upcoming premiere of “The Joe Schmo Show” on TBS on January 21 isn’t something fresh. In reality, it’s actually the second revival of a series that initially aired for two seasons on Spike TV (now Paramount Network) starting in 2003, and then again in 2013. The intriguing concept behind this show: It presents itself as a fake reality competition program, where every participant is an actor and all outcomes are pre-determined. However, the only real person involved finds himself living his own version of the Truman Show.

To those who haven’t seen the original “Joe Schmo”, the TBS reboot might appear as a copy of the popular 2023 reality comedy on Amazon’s FAST platform, “Jury Duty”. However, it’s quite possible that the resurgence of “Joe Schmo” was influenced by the success of “Jury Duty”. Despite the earlier creation of the format, the similarities between the two are striking. Both series aim to elevate their leading characters, who embody the typical “everyman”, at a time when there’s little agreement among American audiences about what constitutes a hero.

As a cinema enthusiast, I’d like to share my take on the story of Ronald Gladden, who was a 29-year-old solar contractor, picked from a pool of 2500 applicants for what they thought was a documentary about the legal system. Unbeknownst to him, he found himself in an unusual situation, serving as jury foreman in a staged civil trial, surrounded by improvisational actors portraying eccentric jurors and courtroom personnel. Throughout this bizarre process, Gladden consistently demonstrated his integrity and kindness. Even when the man he knew as Judge Alan Rosen (Alan Barinholtz) unveiled the show’s deception, he didn’t mock Gladden but instead commended him for taking his role seriously and treating the oddballs he was sequestered with respect. “Ronald Gladden,” he declared, “you are a hero.” Unfazed as always, Gladden accepted the news gracefully. (The $100,000 reward from the show’s producers certainly made the surprise easier to swallow!)

I closely resemble the character of Joe Schmo, as depicted in many aspects. The reality show “Big Brother”-style series from 2003 had a central figure like me – Matt Kennedy Gould, a 28-year-old pizza delivery guy. This program featured a future SNL star, Kristen Wiig, among its cast members. The show catered to Spike’s primary demographic of young males, who likely found appeal in Matt’s admiration for his female counterparts and an early challenge involving parading around in each other’s underwear. Additionally, Matt embodied a typical bro archetype from the 2000s era. However, he displayed good character when it mattered, such as pledging allegiance to a gay character (portrayed by a straight actor). During the finale, host Ralph Garman expressed admiration for Matt’s decisions: “You always made the right choice.

In the subsequent seasons, they generally continued the pattern set earlier. For instance, Season 2 was a parody dating show where male contestants were matched with their female counterparts. Moving on, the main character of TBS’s Joe Schmo 3.0, Ben Frisone, shares some similarities with past Joes, but the reboot makes an effort to present him as a new Gladden. A charismatic and accessible 28-year-old electrician, Frisone is portrayed in the premiere as “the most normal, kind-hearted, down-to-earth person we could find.” He expresses sentiments such as: “I cheer for the underdog. I don’t like it when people bully or belittle others because they are different.” And indeed, his actions reflect this sentiment. During scenes of a modern (yet somewhat fake) reality competition called The GOAT, which shares some similarities with The Traitors, his fellow contestants praise him in interviews as “a genuinely good person” and “incredibly emotionally intelligent.” One thing he plans to do with the prize money? Adopt a kitten.

Just like before, the revamped “Joe Schmo” series isn’t particularly impressive. Unlike shows like “Jury Duty”, which thrived by sticking to a traditional sitcom structure and keeping episodes brief, “Joe Schmo” seems overly lengthy at 42 minutes on cable. Watching a staged reality competition can be even less engaging than watching the real thing, as the results are already predetermined. Additionally, it feels somewhat outdated, given that viewers today are more aware of how much influence producers have over reality shows. Moreover, watching the same person make selfless, albeit low-stakes, choices in a blend of “Candid Camera” and random acts of kindness becomes monotonous quite quickly.

As a movie enthusiast, I can’t help but admit that the generosity portrayed in shows like “Jury Duty” seems to resonate with plenty of viewers, and this is particularly true for Gladden. The series, which premiered the same year and casts him as an “all-around good guy,” has been a massive success. This isn’t just on-screen; it’s off-screen too. Remember that heartwarming Mint Mobile commercial where he shared a hug with Ryan Reynolds? That wasn’t a one-time thing. Gladden even signed an overall deal with Amazon MGM Studios to create, develop, and star in content across various platforms. And if there was any lingering doubt about his kindness being more than just his character trait but also his personal brand, Gladden himself makes it clear on his Instagram bio. He proudly states that he has “debunked the myth that nice guys finish last,” proving that he’s not just a good guy on television, but in real life too.

The challenge many would relish is debunking the assumption that only controversial figures such as reality-TV stars, real or fictional serial killers, true-crime offenders, and a two-time President with a history of felonies and sexual misconduct can capture public interest. However, finding an everyday hero who appeals to a wide audience in today’s divisive times isn’t straightforward, as characters like these often polarize opinion. Nevertheless, Gladden and Frisone appear to be considerate, compassionate individuals. Yet, their shared characteristics might be just as crucial as their behavior in making them universally appealing. It seems unlikely that their shared traits – being young, good-looking, apparently heterosexual, white men – are merely coincidental or a matter of demographic necessity, similar to the case of Joe Schmo on Spike. Both individuals display open-mindedness and empathy without being sanctimonious about it. They seem friendly enough to share a beer with and gentlemanly on a date. While fans may want to attribute their own beliefs to Gladden and Frisone, it’s not difficult to imagine either supporting either of the presidential candidates from last year.

In a different scenario, if the lead actor of “Jury Duty” had been someone other than a white man – perhaps a woman, a person of color, or a member of the LGBTQ community – it might not have achieved the same level of success or made the protagonist as iconic. This is partly because historical reality-based shows have often portrayed individuals from these groups unfairly, as seen in deceptive dating shows like “Joe Millionaire” and “I Wanna Marry ‘Harry'”. In these shows, women were frequently depicted as gullible or gold diggers. Similarly, Bravo’s gay version of “The Bachelor”, titled “Boy Meets Boy”, had a twist where half the men vying for the star’s affection were secretly heterosexual. If a straight man had won the lead’s heart, he would have received a cash prize, further reinforcing stereotypes.

Instead of portraying malicious undertones like many other shows, which assumed audiences would enjoy the embarrassment of their LGBTQ+ or female characters, the shows Jury Duty and particularly its updated version Joe Schmo aim to honor extraordinarily ethical men who are portrayed as ordinary individuals. These men serve as role models for many men to aspire to be like. Women can indulge in fantasies about dating them. They fall under the same category of tender odes to masculinity as Ted Lasso and the wave of gentle male characters expected in 2024’s pop culture – creations of a post-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) era whose universal relatable figure remains straight, white, and male. However, these series make a slight concession to inclusivity by making this man likable. They function as a subtle yet impactful, possibly unintentional form of propaganda, aiming to persuade viewers that our current form of patriarchy may not be so bad. All we need to do, they suggest, is choose the right patriarch, like the creators of Joe Schmo and Jury Duty.

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2025-01-22 06:06

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