After a dull holiday season on screen, on Saturday night a new competition will be launched on television, this time between "The Singer in the Mask" by Keshet 12 and "VIP Survival" by Network 13. The last season of Survival turned the rating charts and gave the network lead, which Talk about the buzz around Asi Bouzaglo, Israel Oglebo, Idan Habib and Jordan Jerby.
But Request is never satisfied with second place, and came to the winter season more prepared than ever, with ammunition other than a singer in a mask including "Ninja Israel", "Being With Her" and "A Wonderful Land", with the highlights of "Wedding" still ahead of us.
If in the past they would give up the competition and settle for the special of the "imposters" with Haim Etgar, the trauma from last year did its thing, and a request to pull out their strongest card.
The singer's first season in the mask was the most-watched show on television at the time it aired, when the attempt to guess who was hiding behind the stork and the rooster became a national sport, providing perfect escapism for the Corona period.
In the new season, the male and female singers return in more upgraded costumes, including a horse, beetle, rugelach and hedgehog.
The judges' table will not change, and it's a shame, because there is something to change in it, but quite a few guests will join them, for example Rina Matzliach, previous season's winner Tzachi Halevi and other familiar figures.
I will try to avoid spoilers, but already at this stage it can be said that unlike the previous season, in which not all the hottest stars in the country were cast, this season there are also some "a-lists".
At the same time, Network 13 will bless "Shahayinu" and launch a new season of their flagship reality show.
Filming for the new season of "Survival" has been repeatedly postponed, and in 2020 not even a season aired.
After the failure of "Big Brother" last season, a lot of weight is now placed on tribal councils.
In the new season we will see 18 contestants, plus a mask participant who will be revealed in the second episode and will be a new twist in reality.
In this case, the islanders stayed at home, but relying on the promos - emotions and rivalries dominated the island, and hugely.
A factor in the production promises "a different season than its predecessors, but no less good", and we will survive and see.
Here, too, I will refrain from spoilers, and will only mention that the final trio is particularly interesting.
And despite everything, this grueling competition between broadcasters already has losers - viewers at home.
Both programs have proven their success in the past, and now viewers will have to choose who to watch live and who to watch later, or just give up on one of them, which is a shame.
What next?
This coming weekend we will all suffer from promos and endless promotions, however the broadcast schedule will be set for Sunday towards nine in the morning, by which time the ratings data will arrive, all of which are already biting their nails towards them.
Only then, according to them, will the continuation of the broadcast schedule be determined, and I have a feeling that there will still be quite a few shifts in it.
Erans@israelhayom.co.il
