Loft Story
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Loft Story is a French reality show started in 2001 on the M6 channel. It is also a Canadian show with the same name and premise that aired in 2003 on TQS.
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[edit] Description
Loft Story is a slightly re-tooled version of the Dutch-created Big Brother, toned down slightly for the French market by production company Endemol. The initial French Loft Story inspired the creation of a similar show of the same name in Quebec. The famous eye logo is used by both Loft Story versions. It evokes the voyeuristic eye of the television viewer as she or he watches the Lofteurs live in front of the cameras. Some of them get gradually voted off the show by viewers on their phones and the last couple win a house. It caused great controversy in France and the house was attacked by protesters [1].
[edit] Canadian version
The Canadian counterpart, on TQS, had TVA's Occupation Double as its main competitor in 2003. In Canada, it was a success in terms of viewership but not as financially successful as the French version. Therefore, the program was off the air the following season but came back two years later in January 2006.[2] A third season started in September 2006.
The 2006 version is produced by Groupe Tele-Vision, under licence from Endemol. The winter version was hosted by Isabelle Maréchal and Virginie Coossa, the fall version by Marie Plourde and Virginie Coossa. In response to criticism of year 1, year 2 toned down the sexual content and replaced it with daily games and truth/dare events. The loft for year 2 comprises a "stunt room", the size of a basketball court, which serves for games and entertainment.
The winners of the first season were Julie Lemay and Samuel Tissot and the finalists were Brigitte Bourdeau and Hugues Dubé. Lemay subsequently published two books: "Un automne au Loft: Le journal de la gagnante de Loft Story" and "L'envers de la téléréalité".
The winners of the second season were Mathieu Baron and Stéphanie Bélanger. Each of them won a car and $50 000. The other participants were Dominique Julien (finalist), Maxime Hébert (finalist), Steve Carrier, Nancy Bouzi, Lysandre Maillot-Perron, Jean-François Janelle, Isabelle Perreault, Étienne Gagnon, Élisabetta Fantone, Benoît Marier and Alexandre Ouellet.
[edit] Criticism
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Loft Story became a craze when it was screened, but as it went on, it became extremely criticized, mocked and belittled by the media: the premise of ordinary young people being filmed most of the time in a cozy loft (and letting themselves out, they got a reputation of being stupid), being voted off by people on phones and getting to win money at the end, got it called high-rate "garbage tv".
Loft Story is considered to be the precursor of reality shows in France where the contestants get voted off by viewers.
Like other Big Brother-style programs, the show's sexual content was criticized as several contestants were seen having intercourse on camera.
[edit] See also
- Culture of France
- List of French television series
- Television of Quebec
- Culture of Quebec
- List of Quebec television series
- Reality television
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
- Official site of TQS's Loft Story (French Only)
- Pictures of participants of the 2006 Canadian edition
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