Following a premiere episode that showed potential, the second episode of NBC’s “The Great American Road Trip” nosedived sharply in quality on Monday and probably will be this summer’s television version of “Dead Man Walking” — if it doesn’t get canceled first.
The first installment of the reality series that takes place on Route 66 managed to maintain my interest because of the physical challenges that combined family teamwork amid competitive tension. But the producers of Monday night’s episode made the ill-advised decision to subject the families to performing at a talent show in Branson, Mo. The result was awful in every way — awful singing, awful rapping and awful skits. The whole segment was embarrassing and tedious. Longtime Branson entertainer Andy Williams, who was a judge, looked horrified or pained by the performances. I can relate.
The good news is that Monday’s show prominently featured three Route 66 landmarks — Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis, Meramec Caverns in Stanton, Mo., and 66 Drive-In Theatre in Carthage, Mo. The bad news was the rest of the show seemed dreary and bereft of ideas — not a good sign when you have six weeks left.
In most TV series, you had better catch your stride by the second episode, or your audience likely will leave in droves. “The Great American Road Trip” failed miserably in this.
The series’ first episode on Tuesday, July 7, saw such bad ratings that NBC moved it to Monday night to keep it from being an albatross around the neck of “America’s Got Talent.” “Road Trip’s” ratings dropped further Monday night, to 3.3 million viewers for a distant fourth place among the major networks. It’s apparent the show is in imminent danger of getting the axe.
The producers should have gone another direction to juice up the series. Perhaps a few segments featuring the colorful characters of the Mother Road would have helped. Maybe the producers could have appealed to the families’ altruistic side and helped a down-on-his-luck Route 66 business owner, a la “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”
I’ll probably continue to watch “Road Trip” until it slogs to Santa Monica Pier. But unless it rejiggers itself dramatically, there won’t be any joy in this journey down the Mother Road. That’s what I call a big missed opportunity.
I actually enjoyed most parts of this weeks episode more than last week, although I have to agree with you 100% on the “talent” show thing. They spent way too much time on that and had this been the first time I watched or was not a follower of all things 66 I would have to think twice about watching again. When you think about all the places on 66 in Missouri they could have done some kind of challenge it is a shame they veered off course to take in Branson. Still I loved the Ted Drews stop and thought the ending activity at the Carthage drive-in was a strong close. I hope they keep it on the air for the remaining shows just to see more of 66. From the teaser clips I recognized several true 66 locales to come.
I saw the first episode, and wasn’t impressed. I didn’t think, then, that it would be good publicity for The Road.
I didn’t see the second.