Television reality competition shows – probably everyone who has ever watched TV can name at least one. There’s been the good, the bad, and the truly awful, but one thing is for certain: they’re addictive, and wildly popular. A unique blend of competition, drama and the knowledge that the people you see on your screen competing really are actual people (however manufactured some of the twists are) makes reality game shows like Project Runway, Top Chef, American Idol, the Top Model series and Dancing With The Stars some of the most popular and profitable programs on television today.
You’ve probably heard of some of the aforementioned shows – many have a numerous seasons and legendary status. And you may even know a few of the more niche ones (RuPaul’s Drag Race, anyone?). But one that you may have not heard of has flown more under the radar since is 2011 début and if you haven’t started watching, you should. It’s the Syfy Channel’s wildly inventive Face Off, a reality competition show for special-effects makeup artists.
The show, which pits a group of prosthetic makeup artists against one another in a number of challenges where thy have to create looks based on various inspirations, has nine seasons already under its belt, and a tenth set to premier in January ’16. It is certainly the best of its genre to hit the small screen in many years. Here’s a few reasons why Face Off should be your new reality show favorite.
- It’s incredibly unique.
If you don’t already know about Face Off, the description of it above is most likely fascinating to you, or at least makes you think – huh, that’s original. And as far as modern television goes, original is an adjective worth applauding. Face Off‘s setup – your group of everyday-folk competitors, an episode per challenge, an expert panel of judges and an winner/eliminated outcome plus a grand prize for the last one standing – is nothing new, but its focus on movie makeup is both an innovative concept, and highly fascinating to watch. Most of us regular TV watchers love movies, but we know next to nothing about how some of the fantastical and stunningly real makeup effects that we see are made. Face Off gives you a glimpse of the process of practical and prosthetic makeup design, execution, and quality standards that you won’t get anywhere else. Watching the process of each competitor creating their prosthetic pieces first out of clay, then casting them, then using various techniques to achieve their desired (usually visually stunning) looks is engrossing to say the least. And in a world where it seems like all movies are nothing but CGI and green screen, it’s great to watch movie makeup done in the original way – by hand and in the most innovative manner.Plainly and simply – there’s nothing quite like Face Off on TV right now, and it gives you a look into a world you have probably never thought about. - The competitors are genuine & there’s no unnecessary drama.
Some reality TV competition shows are driven by drama. Often people come for the ridiculous personalities, and to be able to laugh at their screen and think, man, where do they find these people? While certain shows have their place for that, any show where there is art or creation involved in choosing who gets to stay to compete for the grand prize, and who is sent home, drama and huge personalities often distract or derail. And sometimes its clear the producers foment conflicts between competitors for ratings, or keep certain less than deserving people on just for their personalities (this is what brought down Project Runway, ahem).This is another reason Face Off is a breath of fresh air in the crowded reality TV market. The competitors on the show, while each with their own unique visions and personalities, are at the heart of it every day people working in the special effects makeup world, who are geeks and movie lovers just like us. They’re young and old, men and women, loud and quiet – but you can see the passion with which they all love their craft, and their unique skill sets and techniques, in every episode. And, in this writer’s humble opinion, the comparatively few scenes shot at the house they share during the competition are a good thing. We’ve all seen competitors on other shows yelling and screaming and getting caught up in the drama and rush of competition, so it’s nice to see a show so focused on the creator’s work, full stop. There’s no time wasted on pointless drama, just time spent showing true artists at work – that’s refreshing to say the least. - The challenges are always cool.
Most every challenge on Face Off involves the contestants creating an original character inspired by something – they range from objects, to places, to other film or book characters. These range from the simple: create a character inspired by an art movement, to the more complex: create a western steampunk cyborg character. Every season, this writer is always surprised with how exciting and original every challenge is. The show has not tried to top itself with every new season – it knows what formula works, and keeps it going, all while staying exciting with every new episode. Plus, through its expert panel of judges and frequent cinema-makeup celebrity guests, it brings attention to the talented people behind some of the coolest creations on the big and small screen. All this combined allows you to gain a bigger respect for those behind the scenes folks who make our favorite unforgettable movie and tv characters the way they are.
The Syfy channel has long been known for its wacky and original shows, and Face Off is some of their best yet. The most inventive, unique and professional reality competition on television right now, Face Off is most definitely worth a view by any fan of reality TV, or anyone who want to find out more about the fascinating behind the scenes of movie magic.
Words by Nana Gongadze.