Starting Over Talk - Peer Coaching Support Site

Bunim-Murray (BMP) made a calculated decision when they moved production from Chicago to LA. BMP is an LA, based company. What they gained in efficiency, they may have lost in the authenticity provided by the Chicago setting.

Unfortunately, I've seen some editing techniques in use on SO that clearly have migrated from Real World and the challenge shows. This has probably hurt their overall audience, since the SO core audience is not likely impressed with the contrived drama so key to the other BMP shows.

I'm not sure where BMP goes from here, if there is no season 4 deal with NBC. They could try to take SO to another distribution company for syndication or to another network. There is no reason it would not work well on WE, FX, USA or Lifetime where the core SO audience would likely follow.

While ratings for it's Real World/Road Rules Challenge "Gauntlet 2" placed it #1 in January for all cable shows in the critical 18-49 demographic, MTV has only ordered two more shows. Road Rules was cancelled and the Real World audience is fading. Perhaps the company may go the way of their website -- into stagnation.

I don't doubt the information you received from your local station, but it confuses me. If SO production has ceased, why does the Official SO website still say they are accepting applications for new housemates? Has anyone out there actually tried to submit a video tape for acceptance recently?

Although I'm a long time viewer, I just started to take a look at the SO websites. Today I tried to submit a request for a newsletter from the Official SO website and it was not accepted. This concerns me. Do any of you receive that on-line newsletter and if so what does it say about ceasing production?
I think the idea of writing to see if Opray will pick up the show is great! I will do it. I think it will require many e-mails to get her staffs attention on the matter.

I think someone mentioned that a planned casting call in one of the cities was cancelled. Maybe they are still weighing their options. I think they ought to get it out of L.A. though... Maybe someone will buy rights to the show from Bunim Murray. It is really up to the production company if they want to continue and what markets they want to promote it. With so much junk on tv these days...I'd really think they could shop the show around and find a new home...

Someone suggested getting Oprah involved! Maybe she'd buy the show! She sure would know how to promote it properly! and hopefully put the brakes on some of the over the top drama...Or misleading story lines. At the very least the women should be screened alot more to weed out the Lisa's... and those whose motives are contrived and their for the wrong reasons. (15 minutes of fame!)

I got the straight scoop on the cancelation of SO.
I spoke with someone high up in the Fearless Living Institute (the organization that Rhonda Britten started) today. I called about possible going to a workshop and asked the coach who runs the workshops in Denver (Rhonda lives in Denver when she's not living in LA doing Starting Over). He said that NBC is running scared from "reality shows" since they are being sued by many people from other reality shows that they air, for one reason or another. He said NBC is dropping these types of shows (even though of course SO is the only one that actually is REAL!). SO hopes that another network, perhaps cable, will pick the show up. He said that this season will finish out on NBC. Also, he said that both Rhonda and Iyanla still want to do the show, if it gets picked up. Also he said, if there's any chance of keeping the show on NBC, people should write in to the LOCAL stations that air it, not NBC. I know a lot of people are doing that and that's great. He said if enough people wrote in to the local stations, that the local stations would/could put pressure on NBC. I also told him that I had emailed the Oprah show about them doing a show on Starting Over (someone had suggested that in one of the threads and so i did it). So, everyone write Oprah and your local stations and we'll cover all our bases! Maybe Oprah's oxygen network could pick up the show! krista

I third that Season 1! Was the bomb!!!

Why did they move it to Calif anyway?

I also wonder what happens to each house after each season---if it's just a house they are renting from someone or if they purchase it? Either way they are beautiful!