Fake Off is an American reality competition television series. The show features groups of performers who recreate and reimagine moments from pop culture (e.g. movies, events, television series) in spectacular 90-second routines. The teams use a diverse range of stage disciples including black light theatre, projection mapping, puppetry, and dance. The term "Faking" is used to describe the act of recreating an iconic moment. It debuted on TruTV on October 27, 2014, and is produced by Shine America.[2] TruTV renewed the show for a second season, which was also its last.

Fake Off
GenreReality television
Created byChris Culvenor
Presented byCorbin Bleu
JudgesHarry Shum, Jr.
Laurieann Gibson
Casper Smart
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes32
Production
Executive producersJames Sunderland
Eden Gaha
Paul Franklin
Chris Culvenor
Original release
NetworkTruTV
ReleaseOctober 27, 2014 (2014-10-27) –
June 24, 2015 (2015-06-24)[1]

Summary

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The knock-out performance competition is hosted by Robert Hoffman and judged by actor and dancer Harry Shum, Jr., Pop Star Rozonda Thomas and renowned choreographer Michael Curry.[3] The series features ten teams of performers who each week are given a new pop-culture theme (such as action movies, reality television, the Moon landing, or the Olympic Games). Each team has one week to turn their theme into a 90-second Fake that is then scored by the three judges and the studio audience. The team whose Fake got the lowest score is eliminated from the competition. The Fakes consist of visually stunning special effects that are generated by the group through various stagecraft techniques.[2] After eight episodes one team wins the title of America's Best Fakers and $100,000.

Contestants

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Team Hometown Result
Wilderbe Los Angeles, CA Interactive Videotaping Dance Group Eliminated 1st
10th place
YFX Detroit, MI Theatrical Mime Illusion Group Eliminated 2nd
9th place
Verses Los Angeles, CA Silhouette Dance Group Eliminated 3rd
8th place
Kristef Strikes Back Las Vegas, NV Comedy Acrobatics Troupe Eliminated 4th
7th place
Inspirati Denver, CO Shadow Dance Company Eliminated 5th
6th place
Archedream Philadelphia, PA Blacklight Theater Group Eliminated 6th
5th place
Freelusion USA Los Angeles, CA
Budapest, Hungary
3D Videotape Dance Group Fourth place
4th place
The Body Poets San Diego, CA Street Dance Crew Third place
3rd place
PUSH Physical Theatre Rochester, NY Physical Theater Group Runner-up
2nd place (runners-up)
Lightwire Theater New Orleans, LA Luminous Puppet Theater Company Winner
1st place (winners)

Competition summary

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Season 1

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Week 1

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Running order
Contestant Theme Total Score Result
The Body Poets Video Game Revolution 24 + 7 = 31 Safe
Wilderbe Titanic 29 + 9 = 38 Safe
Archedream TV Drama 26 + 7 = 33 Safe
Inspirati Children's Cartoons 26 + 9 = 35 Safe
PUSH Physical Theatre The Super Bowl 26 + 9 = 35 Safe

Week 2

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Running order
Contestant Theme Total Score Result
Freelusion USA Western 22 + 8 = 30 Safe
Kristef Strikes Back Horror Movies 26 + 9 = 35 Safe
Lightwire Theater Local TV News 27 + 9 = 36 Safe
YFX Sci-fi Movies 21 + 6 = 27 Safe
Verses Movies 22 + 7 = 29 Safe

Week 3

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Season 2

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The judges are Harry Shum Jr., Laurieann Gibson, and Beau Casper Smart. The host is Corbin Bleu. Meghan Camarena is the backstage correspondent.

10 new teams competed in Season 2 (Academy of Villains, Astra Dance Theatre, ClownSnotBombs, CubeMetricks, The Deca Crew, JUNK, LUMA, On The Fly, The Surrealists, Tribe of Fools).

  • Winners: Academy of Villains
  • Runners-Up: Cubametricks
  • 3rd Place: The Surrealists
  • 4th Place: Tribe of Fools
  • Eliminated: Astra Dance Theatre, LUMA, ClownSnotBombs, The Deca Crew, JUNK, On The Fly

Week 1

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The theme of the week was "Movie Night".

Team Theme Harry Laurieann Beau Judges' Total Audience Total Result
Academy of Villains Horror Movies 8 8 9 25 10 35 Safe/Highest Score
Astra Dance Theatre Fantasy Movies 8 8 7 23 8 31 Safe
CubeMetricks Sci-Fi Movies 7 7 7 21 7 28 Safe
On The Fly Kung Fu Movies 6 7 7 20 7 27 Safe
ClownSnotBombs Silent Movies 6 8 5 19 7 26 Safe/Lowest Score

Reception

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The show received a positive reception from critics when it launched in October 2014. Allison Keene from The Hollywood Reporter wrote “TruTV has truly created a flashy and worthwhile series that is cut above current competition series, and far more exciting than yet another iteration of a singing show.” Pilot Viruet from Flavorwire wrote “I think Fake Off is my new favorite unscripted program, it was completely mesmerizing.”[4]

References

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  1. ^ "FAKE OFF (TRUTV)". Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  2. ^ a b Allison Keene (October 25, 2014). "'Fake Off': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  3. ^ "Harry Shum Jr., Chilli, and Michael Curry to judge new TruTV series 'Fake Off'". EW.com.
  4. ^ Pilot Viruet (October 29, 2014). "Fake Off, Friends of the People: truTV Review – Flavorwire". Flavorwire.
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