Boot Camp - the latest reality TV fare

BY FIONA RAE

In a town in Connecticut six people are given guns and forced to try to kill the other five. Everything is recorded on camera. One of the contestants is pregnant, another has cancer.

If they make it through the first three episodes, the prize is that they don't have to play anymore. This is the reality game show called Series 7: The Contenders. Tagline: "Real People in Real Danger."

Nah, just kidding. That's a satirical film that premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival, although it never seems such a big leap to the world of backstabbing, competitive, managed-reality game shows where someone is going to get more than just burned hands.

Among the latest wave of these shows in the US are The Amazing Race, where eight couples race around the world and visit 11 cities in 30 days; Combat Missions, where present and past members of the military engage in tests of physical endurance, discipline and strategy; and Jail Break, where eight contestants are locked in a prison and have to try to escape.

Then there's The Runner, the Ben Affleck-Matt Damon game planned for January next year where a contestant is dropped somewhere in the US and must remain at large for 28 days.

And, lucky us, here comes Boot Camp to our screens, the show that put 16 contestants through a military-style training camp and caused a bit of a stir in the US because of its extreme nature. Plus there was the small matter of a lawsuit taken out by Survivor's owners, CBS, who said the Fox Network's Boot Camp had ripped off the idea.

That lawsuit was settled this month — terms, of course, were not disclosed.

"Welcome to Boot Camp Reality TV," says one website. "The Only Good Day is Yesturday." Well, the contestants aren't being tested on their spelling, after all.

The contestants have to "surrender every aspect of their civilian lives". Real Marine drill instructors put them through obstacle courses and other training activities. It's messy, sweaty, muddy and the drill instructors are very, very mean (one chows down on a bucket of worms and them makes the "recruits" do the same, another screams at them, "What did you have for breakfast this morning? Crack?").

Each episode, the recruits have to elect a leader and take part in a mission, at the end, it's weakest link time — one participant is voted off (at "Dismissal Hill") and takes another recruit with them.

The missions have acronym names, such as Operation MOTH (Move everything Over The Hill) and MESS (Military Extraction of Secret Serum).

Do people get hurt? You betcha. There are groin injuries, leg cramps, a badly sprained ankle, dry heaves and one medical discharge due to an unknown cause. Egos probably take the worst beating, however, especially as the exhaustion starts to bite: if a team fails, they are punished with extra overnight physical training.

The final two episodes are a face-off between the remaining two recruits that includes bringing back previous contestants to vote for their favourite.

Why do people do it? For the challenge alone said one, another entered on a dare. The money (in this case $US500,000) doesn't seem to figure.

Critics might have been rather hopefully predicting the end of the reality genre trend for a wee while now, but with wannabes lining up to participate, and audiences from here to Romania tuning in, don't expect an end to it soon.

You know the drill

Dave Francisco

"Look over here! Stand up straight! Get your feet at a 45 degree angle! I want you to sound off in a loud and vigorous manner! Do you understand!?!"

Joined Boot Camp because he wanted to show the world how to do it right.

Enlisted in the Marines in 1980 and worked his way to sergeant major. Can do between 80 and 100 push-ups, has made between 80 and 100 recruits cry.

Tony Rosenbum

"When I tell you to do something, you're going to do it as quickly as possible! You will do exactly what I say when I say it and how I say it!"

Chief Warrant Officer Rosenbum served in both Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He enjoys being a drill instructor because it gives him the greatest impact and influence over a group of people in a short amount of time. His motto is "Save the drama for your mama!" Says his shouting voice "exceeds AC/DC live" and has made "one too many" recruits cry.

Leo McSweeney

"C'mere, freak show! What are you looking at? Get over here right now! Hurry up! 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Stop! You're done!!!!"

Former sergeant Leo McSweeney was honourably discharged in January 2000 after 10 years in the Marines. After deploying all over the world he felt that being a drill instructor was his last challenge in the Marine Corps.

Motto: "Shut up!" Can do 120 push-ups, has made around 100 recruits cry.

Annette Taylor

"Get your eyeballs on me, and this is the last time you're going to be looking at me directly in the face! You get your little nasty body over there and stand at the position of attention!"

Gunnery Sergeant Taylor is Equal Opportunity Adviser at Camp Pendleton in San Diego. Doesn't do push-ups; does 200 crunches a day. Has made about 200 recruits cry, at least 30 of them male.