ANSWERING...THE PHONE
written by Hiko Mitsuzuka
This is what you get when you mix The Amazing Race, Enemy of the State...and Justin Timberlake.
The Phone, premiering on April 21 on MTV, begins when players answer two cell phones placed at opposite ends of a big city. An unseen guide will then direct two players in a "cliff-hanging race against time and odds" to accomplish their mission, with a big pile of cash waiting at the end. The producers also promise a fast pace and visual style reminiscent of movies like The Bourne Identity, though presumably without the multiple takes and stunt players.
Words like "ground-breaking," "wild," "genre-busting" and "action-packed" are being thrown around, hyping up this thing as if it's the Second Coming of reality competition shows. "When you watch, your heart will pound as hard as the contestants. This is popcorn TV!" exclaims MTV's programming boss Tony DiSanto.
