ElimiDATE
Encyclopedia
elimiDATE was a television dating reality show in which one contestant chooses between four contestants of the opposite sex by eliminating them one by one in three total rounds. On August 11, 2006, it was announced that the show would not be renewed for the 2006–2007 season due to low ratings, and the show went out of syndication after September 5, 2006.
Productions, and distributed by Warner Bros. Television Distribution
, a subsidiary of Warner Bros.
Entertainment Inc. The show was produced by Alex Duda. Narrator was Dale Inghram.
Nationwide, it was broadcast on cable late nights on Superstation WGN
. As of 2007, viewers can watch episodes of elimiDATE on AOL
's free video-streaming channel, In2TV
, currently it is not available.
The show was popular due to it being designed to be aired around or past midnight, when their target audience was just coming home from being out or ending their studies for the evening. It developed a cult following of sorts among college students nationwide.
The group of five is cut one-by-one each round and in each round the group usually goes to a different place. The show starts out in the late afternoon at a public place (e.g. a city park or restaurant). Then, when there are only two suitors left, the setting moves to a hot tub
or VIP area of a club where different sexual actions
are apt to happen.
Typically, the contestants are very competitive and direct insulting comments towards one another many times during an episode. There are rare cases of fighting, but "catty" bickering is the major draw of the show. The extremity of some of the cattiness suggests handling and line-feeding from producers, and contestants respond in to these situations in interview sequences filmed after the fact. Most eliminations are preceded by some variation of the phrase I liked everybody but unfortunately the name of the game is 'elimiDATE', so I have to make a cut. So I decided to cut.... Contestants who are cut have the opportunity to react to their dismissal. Many, who are often clearly intoxicated, usually insulting the contestant, claiming He/she wasn't my type, anyway. Although the four suitors usually compete intensely for the main contestant, there was at least one instance in which two females suitors left with each other because they were so disgusted with the male contestant.
Initially, episodes rotated between Los Angeles
, Miami, and New York City
, but the popularity of the program encouraged the producers to film episodes in other cities. Episodes were filmed in over three dozen cities, including Baltimore
, Chicago
, Columbus
, Little Rock, St. Paul, Jacksonville, Phoenix
, Raleigh
and Sacramento
, and the syndicators usually received strong support from their affiliate stations to find contestants for the series within their cities through casting calls.
, presented by former Atomic Kitten
singer Kerry Katona
. It generated a little controversy when contestant Donovan Russell lodged a complaint with the Broadcasting Standards Commission alleging that the programme was 'fixed' and contestants were told in advance who to pick. Although the complaint was not upheld, the series was dropped mid-way through its run.
Information
The syndicated program premiered on September 17, 2001 and was produced by Dawn Syndicated Productions in association with TelepicturesTelepictures
Telepictures is an American production company, currently operating as a label of Warner Bros. Television, with Hilary Estey McLoughlin currently serving as President...
Productions, and distributed by Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Warner Bros. Television Distribution is an American television distribution arm of Warner Bros. Television, itself a part of Time Warner formed circa 1960. In 1989, the studio formed Warner Bros...
, a subsidiary of Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
Entertainment Inc. The show was produced by Alex Duda. Narrator was Dale Inghram.
Nationwide, it was broadcast on cable late nights on Superstation WGN
Superstation WGN
WGN America is a Chicago-based American superstation feed of WGN-TV, owned by Tribune Broadcasting. WGN America offers its national programming across North America without the CW network programming and most syndicated programs that are carried on the Chicago area feed...
. As of 2007, viewers can watch episodes of elimiDATE on AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
's free video-streaming channel, In2TV
In2TV
In2TV was a website offering ad-supported streaming video of classic TV shows in the USA only .The main appeal of the service was that it made available numerous old shows which were rarely, if ever, aired on broadcast television...
, currently it is not available.
The show was popular due to it being designed to be aired around or past midnight, when their target audience was just coming home from being out or ending their studies for the evening. It developed a cult following of sorts among college students nationwide.
Format
The contestant (sometimes female, but usually male) meet their four dates one by one, and then give their first impression in a confessional-style cut scene. The other four contestants then size each other up along with the contestant within their own confessional scenes.The group of five is cut one-by-one each round and in each round the group usually goes to a different place. The show starts out in the late afternoon at a public place (e.g. a city park or restaurant). Then, when there are only two suitors left, the setting moves to a hot tub
Hot tub
A hot tub is a large tub or small pool full of heated water and used for soaking, relaxation, massage, or hydrotherapy. In most cases, they have jets for massage purposes. Hot tubs are usually located outdoors, and are often sheltered for protection from the elements, as well as for privacy....
or VIP area of a club where different sexual actions
Human sexual behavior
Human sexual activities or human sexual practices or human sexual behavior refers to the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. People engage in a variety of sexual acts from time to time, and for a wide variety of reasons...
are apt to happen.
Typically, the contestants are very competitive and direct insulting comments towards one another many times during an episode. There are rare cases of fighting, but "catty" bickering is the major draw of the show. The extremity of some of the cattiness suggests handling and line-feeding from producers, and contestants respond in to these situations in interview sequences filmed after the fact. Most eliminations are preceded by some variation of the phrase I liked everybody but unfortunately the name of the game is 'elimiDATE', so I have to make a cut. So I decided to cut.... Contestants who are cut have the opportunity to react to their dismissal. Many, who are often clearly intoxicated, usually insulting the contestant, claiming He/she wasn't my type, anyway. Although the four suitors usually compete intensely for the main contestant, there was at least one instance in which two females suitors left with each other because they were so disgusted with the male contestant.
Initially, episodes rotated between Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Miami, and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, but the popularity of the program encouraged the producers to film episodes in other cities. Episodes were filmed in over three dozen cities, including Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Little Rock, St. Paul, Jacksonville, Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
and Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, and the syndicators usually received strong support from their affiliate stations to find contestants for the series within their cities through casting calls.
elimiDATE Deluxe
A network version of elimiDATE aired concurrent with the syndicated run called elimiDATE Deluxe on the WB for the 2001–2002 season, but was dropped after just a few airings.British version
In 2002, a short lived British version aired on ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, presented by former Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten were an English girl group from Liverpool, first established in 1997. Created by Andy McCluskey, the final line-up, and most commercially successful, consisted of Natasha Hamilton, Liz McClarnon, and Jenny Frost...
singer Kerry Katona
Kerry Katona
Kerry Jayne Elizabeth Katona is an English media personality and singer best known for her television work, predominantly in light entertainment and reality shows. She has also been a pop singer with girl group Atomic Kitten, a magazine columnist, an actress, and the author of ghostwritten books...
. It generated a little controversy when contestant Donovan Russell lodged a complaint with the Broadcasting Standards Commission alleging that the programme was 'fixed' and contestants were told in advance who to pick. Although the complaint was not upheld, the series was dropped mid-way through its run.