The Hunters are the Hunted...

Seems like NBC et al. are having some trouble getting their new reality show, "Treasure Hunters," off the ground. They originally announced it and began soliciting applications back in March:

BURBANK, Calif. -- March 17, 2005 -- Imagine Television and Madison Road Entertainment will join NBC Universal Television Studio and Magical Elves Productions on NBC's new "Treasure Hunters," an unscripted "quest" series that will feature teams of treasure-hunting competitors who will use folklore, fantasy and actual history as clues to solve a complex puzzle...

-- Official NBC Press Release

The original deadline was in May. Apparently they didn't get what they wanted:

3. Women Physicists Sought for Reality Show
From: WIPHYS of June 1, 2005

NBC is currently seeking female physics professors and
teachers in teams of three to compete for thrills and
riches in televisions first global treasure hunt.

The treasure hunters will face exciting challenges
requiring brains, stamina, passion, and teamwork.

For more details, go to NBC.com and click on *Treasure
Hunters*. If you have questions and would like more
information please contact:

Ashley Kemp, Casting Associate- Treasure Hunters - NBC
213-630-6530 ext. 101

-- American Astronomical Society newsletter

They also placed a notice in Marine Corps News and held more open casting calls in various cities, including Boston and San Francisco. I was suckered-- er, I mean, invited to join a team as their third (does that make me Ender? would anybody at NBC get that reference?), but I'm still skeptical about the show actually happening-- and pretty sure they'll never call us back.

Hey, I'm a realist. I'm not interesting on camera. Why do you think I wanted to be a voice actor? And even though they claim they want intelligent people who can solve more difficult puzzles than the fluff found on "The Amazing Race," they're not going to want Gamers who can burn through any clue in minutes. That's not good television.

When lay people think the junior-grade riddles in National Treasure "are so difficult that no sane forefather could have conceivably believed that anyone could actually follow them," I have no confidence that a silly reality show will ever be able to challenge real Gamers.

Which is fine. We'll make our own fun, as we always have. Nobody does it better.