Don’t count out that dystopian future quite yet. With ABC’s new pick up of reality actioner Crash Course, we’re inching, ever so slowly, toward the day of automobiles and average slobs getting crunched for ratings. Now while no one will quite be be mowing down power walkers, mailmen nor people curbing their dogs on this show, Crash Course will feature five teams of two (such as brother and sister,
best friends, spouses, etc.) undertaking four extreme driving
challenges. The first three rounds have contestants performing such
feats as driving on two wheels or navigating intense weather
conditions. Contestants have to work together when, for instance,
the passenger is given sole control of the brake. A tandem is eliminated each round and the final event is the titular crash course, which is an obstacle track.
The concept seems little more than a take-off of some of the challenges in NBC’s Fear Factor, which featured some intermediate and final challenges of people doing things like flipping cars into boxes. The similar non-car obstacle course show, Wipeout, which recently did respectable ratings, may have hastened the pick-up of this show. Crash Course is being prepped for an August run and will be shot in Michigan to cash in on the automotive tradition of that state.
Keeping in the other tradition of that state, there’s no word yet on whether or not the show will be outsourced to Mexico if it does well…