I typically don’t review reality shows but, being that I am also a meteorologist, I can’t resist.  We’ve had every occupation in the book as a reality show: model, singer, actor, body artist, cake designer.  Finally, the meteorologist gets his or her turn.

The show is produced by Mark Burnett and Funny or Die so apparently it is half-comedy/half-reality.  To keep with the weather theme, there are storm clouds gathering but lightning is not about to strike.  No one will “hail” this show as exceptional or even mediocre, just an accumulation of awfulness.

In interviews, the producers state the following: “We had to be very conscientious because the weather for many people isn’t something that they find inherently funny because it can be deadly. What we’re focusing on here is the reporting aspect of it and how important that role really is.” If thats the case, then why not have people audition to be reporters.  Reporting on weather is serious business.  One, its hard work.  Two, you can’t just do it.  Three, your forecast often involves life and death.  I can laugh at myself with the best of them (that’s why I review sitcoms and write my own) but I can’t laugh at this.

And if the focus is one how important that role really is – why not make it a serious competition.  Skill drills like “How long can you hold a weighted mike” have nothing to do with meteorology.  Granted, geography is important so having contestants being able to identify places on a map is important.

The contestants are your usual cornucopia of standard issue reality show folks.  I’m not I’d watch any of them on TV.  Yep, we have had our share of crazy TV weatherfolks: Lloyd Lindsay Young and Al Kaprielian come to mind.  But there are hundreds and hundreds of TV meteorologists who take their job and their responsibility seriously.  Why not focus on that?

Here’s my other pet peeve.  If you are going to have a competition that requires contestants to put weather conditions on a map – at least have the weather conditions make sense.  55 degrees and sleet in Fiji?  50 and a tornado in Chile?  Ugh.

I also teach atmospheric science  – to high school girls.  This is not the kind of role modeling I’d seek out for my students – or for human beings in any way, shape or form.

I really think the producers blew it.