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. TruTV renewed the show for a second season, which was also its last.
Summary 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. 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. After eight episodes one team wins the title of America's Best Fakers and $100,000.
Contestants Team Hometown Result Wilderbe Los Angeles, CA Interactive Videotaping Dance GroupEliminated 1st10th place YFX Detroit, MI Theatrical Mime Illusion GroupEliminated 2nd9th place Verses Los Angeles, CA Silhouette Dance GroupEliminated 3rd8th place Kristef Strikes Back Las Vegas, NV Comedy Acrobatics TroupeEliminated 4th7th place Inspirati Denver, CO Shadow Dance CompanyEliminated 5th6th place Archedream Philadelphia, PA Blacklight Theater GroupEliminated 6th5th place Freelusion USA Los Angeles, CABudapest, Hungary 3D Videotape Dance GroupFourth place4th place The Body Poets San Diego, CA Street Dance CrewThird place3rd place PUSH Physical Theatre Rochester, NY Physical Theater GroupRunner-up2nd place (runners-up) Lightwire Theater New Orleans, LA Luminous Puppet Theater CompanyWinner1st place (winners)
Competition summary
Season 1 Week 1 Running order ContestantThemeTotal ScoreResult 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 Running order ContestantThemeTotal ScoreResult 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
Season 2 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 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 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.”
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