By Glenn Meads
Tweet

Superstar blog: Episode two - the island

The voice-over in last night's episode Amanda Holden is seen tonight as we travel to Superstar Island. You can tell that the contestants mean business as many of them haven't shaved.

Amanda announces that this is Jesus Bootcamp. The Lord tells them to look after their bodies as well as their minds. I begin to laugh at this point as everything feels very earnest and life-or-death. I know that's the format but much of what you see has very little to do with the final product. Villainous Jonathan Ansell has been released from his contract and is back as Jesus No. 41.

Just when you think this couldn't get any more Spinal Tap or Naked Gun, the bearded ones are invited to eat their 'Last Supper.' Any more Bible puns and I may have to start hammering nails into my arms and start singing "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life." Then I hear the word "temptation" - bring on the nails! Then you realise why they have been invited to eat/drink. See which one gets hungover and then get them up early and make them sing. Ah, I see! Quelle suprise.

Nathan from The Voice is told to lose the hair-ography by vocal and acting coach Donna. She is excellent because she winds many of them up, which makes great telly, but also because some of them think they are the 'chosen one' and answer her back. Jason Donovan cracks a joke about wide-eyed model type Ross and declares him to be Zoolander.

Then uber-villain Ansell starts to become argumentative and you sense he could be arguing himself off the Island. Pack your 50 Shades of Grey and your razor because it looks likely. Donna tells him he seems "disconnected" to the material he sings and he has a go back. Melanie C looks serious and asks him to "think before he speaks." Pack your bag as you'll be back in A Tale of Two Cities before long.

Jason and Mel do come across as very authoritive and their partnership definitely works. There are some scenes which remind me of those two off The Apprentice who stand in the background frowning when they hear the entrepreneurs name their new dogs' food Catty.

The show's format though does resemble X Factor more than any other show I have seen. Why else put them into groups and make them sing, dance and act together. Cue cat fight - or beard pulling - and there you have reality television. Seamus from Any Dream Will Do keeps popping up in the background. It's like they don't want us to see much of him. I think he is the Jesus already.

A meaningless task follows as each group have to make a pop video. One group pick the awful "Jar of Hearts" which could easily be mistaken for a song by Hannibal Lecter. What's wrong with jar of marbles, why hearts? The other groups sing "Grenade" and you can see Seamus in the background again. Is he about to throw one? Jason announces that the "performance in the videos will help decide who goes home." Ansell is sent off the Island - with only Louis Walsh on speed dial - what will happen to him? What's more why did he enter?

The Lord then invites the remaining men to his villa in Majorca. This is like a posh Judges' Houses from X Factor - fingers crossed Sinitta is in this bit! Oh, hold on - this is a sun-drenched advert for next week's episode, followed by the live shows. So after all of the carping on about how important this search is, in TV land - it only takes one week to find Jesus. Well, I suppose with Andrew being the Lord, he has connections.

- by Glenn Meads

Any opinions expressed above do not represent the view of Whatsonstage.com nor any of its staff or contributors beyond the bylined author.

Glenn has covered the Manchester theatre scene for Whatsonstage.com since 2001. Since then he has edited whatsonstage.com/manchester and he currently edits the North West site, as well as providing news, reviews, features and competitions.

Related Content

Booking Tickets & Show Listings
	Jesus Christ Superstar Listing Page

Other Posts By Glenn Meads
	Glenn Meads: Oliviers 2013 Blog - View from the armchair - 29th Apr 2013 blog
	Delicate & Perfect - Octagon's Glass Menagerie - 7th Apr 2013 blog
	The Timeless Tennessee Williams - 27th Mar 2013 blog
	Has the Jukebox musical found its niche with Soul Sister? - 3rd Mar 2013 blog
	Get a Taste of the West End in the North West - 2nd Mar 2013 blog
	Why I Cannot Wait for Book of Mormon - 26th Feb 2013 blog
	Does Smash Need to Change? - 31st Jan 2013 blog
	Bring on the Broadway Performers: Welcome Kristin Chenoweth - 27th Jan 2013 blog
	Why Sheffield's My Fair Lady Should transfer to the West End - 22nd Jan 2013 blog
	Les Miserables - Is the film any good? - 10th Jan 2013 blog
	More...
Internal Links
	First Superstar UK tour to play in Newcastle - 20th May 2012 News
	Lloyd Webber's Superstar confirms first broadcast, 7 Jul - 28th Jun 2012 News
	Superstar blog: The search for Jesus Christ is almost complete - 1st Jul 2012 Blog
	Brief Encounter with ... Superstar casting director David Grindrod - 5th Jul 2012 Interviews
	Superstar blog: Opening show auditions - 7th Jul 2012 Blog
	Review Round-up: Are Forster, Minchin, Moyles & Mel C Superstars? - 24th Sep 2012 roundup
	Jesus Christ Superstar - 24th Sep 2012 reviews
	1st Night Photos: Lloyd Webber praises cast at Superstar premiere - 22nd Sep 2012 photos
	WOS TV: Behind the scenes with Jesus Christ Superstar - 20th Sep 2012 tv
	Superstar Update Mel C, on Playing a Modern Day Mary - 12th Sep 2012 interviews
	Superstar Update Ben Forster, Living the Dream - 7th Sep 2012 interviews
	You could still be Jesus – and Judas - 28th Aug 2012 features
	Full casting announced for JCS tour, Hanson plays Pilate - 22nd Aug 2012 news
	Superstar Interviews -The Winner: Ben Forster - 6th Aug 2012 interviews
	Superstar Interviews: Rory Taylor - 30th Jul 2012 interviews
	Superstar Interviews: Roger Wright - 29th Jul 2012 interviews
	Ben Forster wins ITV's Superstar to play arena Jesus - 26th Jul 2012 news
	Superstar Interviews: David Hunter - 26th Jul 2012 interviews
	Are there really 'few leading men' in the West End? - 25th Jul 2012 features
	Superstar Interviews: Jeff Anderson - 25th Jul 2012 interviews
	Superstar Interviews: Jon Moses - 25th Jul 2012 interviews
	Superstar blog: Semi-final time - 24th Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: Tweetgate - 24th Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar Interviews: Tim Prottey-Jones - 24th Jul 2012 interviews
	Mel C spices up charts with Superstar showtune? - 23rd Jul 2012 gossip
	Superstar Interviews: Niall Sheehy - 23rd Jul 2012 interviews
	Superstar Interviews: Dirk Johnston - 23rd Jul 2012 interviews
	Superstar blog: You nailed it - 21st Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: Who does the Lord want? - 20th Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: Another one bites the dust - 19th Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: The second evictee - 18th Jul 2012 blog
	Matinee performance added for Superstar at the O2 Arena - 17th Jul 2012 news
	Superstar blog: The first exit - 17th Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: First live show - 16th Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: The final ten - 14th Jul 2012 blog
	Jesus: Have you checked out the new Superstar app? - 9th Jul 2012 gossip
	Superstar blog: Opening show auditions - 7th Jul 2012 blog
	Superstar blog: The search for Jesus Christ is almost complete - 1st Jul 2012 blog
	Lloyd Webber's Superstar confirms first broadcast, 7 Jul - 28th Jun 2012 news
	First Superstar UK tour to play in Newcastle - 20th May 2012 news
	Superstar blog: Jesus Christ & other miscasting - 17th May 2012 blog
	Chris Moyles & Mel C join Tim Minchin in Superstar - 16th May 2012 news
	Minchin makes another musical debut as Judas in Superstar - 8th May 2012 news
	Dawn French returns to pious performance with Superstar? - 17th Apr 2012 gossip
	Will Amanda Holden host ITV's search for a Jesus Christ Superstar? - 28th Mar 2012 gossip
	Lloyd Webber & ITV team up to search for Superstar - 18th Jan 2012 news
	Lloyd Webber Readies Jesus Christ Superstar for World Arena Tour??? - 10th Mar 2011 gossip