It's summer, but that doesn't mean that there's no new TV premieres. In particular, any fans of reality television (or cantankerous sorts who complain about reality television) need to tune into ABC tomorrow night for the return of one of the genre's highlights.
WHAT: The Mole III
WHERE: ABC
WHEN: Monday, June 2nd at 10e/9c
Official Website: The Mole @ ABC.com
The Premise:
The Host:
The Contestants:
LIZ Age: 60
Occupation: Retired
Whitefish, MT
Education: Associate's Degree, New Mexico Tech.
Liz has more energy than people half her age, lives life to the fullest and doesn't let age stand in her way. Nor will she hesitate to shock people with her outlandish sense of humor. When Liz' husband passed away, she decided to adopt two children and raise them on her own. She has an 18-year-old daughter, a senior in high school, and a 20-year-old son in the army, who recently gave her a grandchild. Her son may be deployed to Iraq at any time. She suffers a bit from the empty nest, so she's eager to have this adventure to bring some excitement into her life. Liz feels that her age will be an asset in the game because with age comes wisdom, especially when dealing with younger people.
MARCIE Age: 31
Occupation: Stay-at-home mom
Corona, CA
Education: High School graduate, West High, Torrance, CA
Marcie got pregnant in high school, married her high school sweetheart and is a devoted wife and mother of three sons. Married to a police officer, she devotes her entire life to raising her family, but sometimes feels she has missed out on the opportunity to do something just for herself. She believes stay-at-home moms have the most important jobs anyone can have; they're not people who can't do anything else, they just choose to raise their families rather than pursue a career. Playing this game will be Marcie's big adventure and an opportunity to prove she is more than "just a mom." She feels that others will underestimate her, and she'll use that to her advantage. Spanish is her first language and she speaks it fluently.
ALEX Age: 31
Occupation: Musician
Haverford, PA
Education: Attended University of Colorado, Boulder
Alex grew up in the suburbs outside Philadelphia and has been drawn to music his whole life. In high school he was president of the jazz band, and now he's an aspiring musician, the lead guitarist for a fledgling rock band. He doesn't want to compromise his musical aspirations, so he works odd jobs and lives at home with his parents while waiting for his big break. He says he communicates best through his music. He plans on bringing his guitar to help entertain his fellow players with a song he wrote especially for The Mole. His strategy is to be the "nice guy," but he says he can play dirty if he needs to. He learned to speak Spanish from his mother and lived in Costa Rica for five years. He considers himself an expert marksman.
CRAIG Age: 30
Occupation: Graphic designer
San Diego, CA
Education: B.A., Point Loma Nazarene University
Craig has been overweight his entire life so he developed a sense of humor in order to make friends. He's a lovable prankster with a big heart, and his magnetic personality has gotten him through life. Craig plans on using his endearing nature and non-threatening appearance to win the players' trust and then manipulate them. He knows his physical limitations, but says this can be an asset in the game because everyone will underestimate him. He hopes to surprise people with his abilities. Craig has sleep apnea, so he has to sleep with a special machine to help him breathe. Craig has traveled extensively and worked as a humanitarian disaster relief aide worker in Turkey and Thailand.
KRISTEN Age: 35
Occupation: Neuroscientist
Santa Monica, CA
Education: PhD, UCLA
Kristen says that, because she's tall, blonde and beautiful, no one ever thinks she could be a neuroscientist. She's currently conducting research to find a cure for Parkinson's Disease at UCLA. Growing up in an upper-middle class family in the Midwest, Kristen showed horses competitively and also dabbled in modeling. She says that competing her entire life as an equestrian and scientist have made her hone skills that will serve her well in the game and believes her athleticism and naturally strategic mind will also be assets. Kristen feels her best trait is her kindness, and her worst is that she's a perfectionist.
VICTORIA Age: 26
Occupation: Retail Manager
Bishop, TX
Education: B.A., Texas A&M University, Kingsville
Victoria is a spunky, former pageant girl and cheerleader from a small town in Texas. She once told pageant judges that her favorite reality show was "The Mole" because you get to be deceptive in the game. This didn't go over so well with the judges. Victoria is very close to her family and professes to be a daddy's girl. She admits that her looks and sweet demeanor often get her what she wants, especially from men, and though people often mistake her for a naïve, small town girl, she admits she can be conniving when she wants to be. Victoria says people usually underestimate her intelligence, but she is much more observant and deceptive than she lets on. She considers herself very competitive and says she won't hesitate to backstab in the game if she has to. She admits one of her flaws is that she cusses like a sailor.
CLAY Age: 32
Occupation: Criminal Litigation Attorney
Philadelphia, PA
Education: Law Degree, Howard Law School
Clay is a devoted husband and father of two sons who likens his household to the Cosby family. He feels that the skills he uses as a criminal trial attorney will closely parallel his strategy in the game, and plans to use his argumentative abilities to convince others to do what he wants. Clay is analytical and can easily hide his emotions. He says he will use the same skills he employs in selecting a jury for figuring out who the Mole is, and that because of his trial experience, he has developed a keen sense of how to read people from all walks of life. Clay thinks he can outsmart the other players in the game because he's smarter than most people. He does admit that he suffers a bit from OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), and has been known to touch a light switch ten times before he can leave a room.
PAUL Age: 29
Occupation: Machinist
Yonkers, NY
Education: Attended Pace University
Paul has the accent and demeanor that clearly reveal he's an Italian New Yorker from Yonkers. He works 9 to 5 as a machinist for a utility company, and as a wedding DJ on the weekends. It was at one of these weddings that he met his wife and his life changed forever. A self-professed, former "pla'ya", Paul is now a man who dotes on his family, especially the love of his life, his two-year-old daughter. Outgoing and with a charismatic personality, he feels he has an advantage in "The Mole" because, growing up, his father worked for a spy gadget company and would use the gadgets to spy on his kids. Paul considers confidence, his best trait and his worst trait, and admits -- his wife will readily agree -- that he just doesn't know when to shut up.
NICOLE Age: 32
Occupation: OBGYN doctor
Chicago, IL
Education: MD, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine
Nicole says she has the ability to be a social chameleon, a skill she's developed by growing up in a lower-middle class, African-American neighborhood, working in a white collar profession and dealing with a wide range of patients. She says she can be street or professional when she needs to be, has a strong personality and isn't shy about letting her opinions be known. Nicole is very proud of being a doctor and has no problem with being considered a diva. She is close with her mother and credits her with her success.
ALI Age: 24
Occupation: Model
St. Louis, MO
Education: Associate's Degree, St. Louis Community College
Ali is a model who has worked as a ring girl for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. She describes herself as "stunning" and believes her beauty helps her get her way, but also causes people to instantly dismiss her -- which she plans on using to her benefit in the game. Ali used to be a wild, party girl. She celebrated her 21st birthday with Motley Crue in Las Vegas. But now she treats her body as a temple. She has strong religious beliefs and has settled down with her boyfriend, a UFC fighter. She claims to have a 75% accuracy rate with shotguns and is experienced in fishing. Ali considers herself ambitious and caring, but also forgetful and prone to road rage. She plans on using her beauty and brains to outsmart other players.
BOBBY Age: 25
Occupation: Restaurant manager
Philadelphia, PA
Education: B.A., Penn State
Bobby loves games, competing and winning, though you may not know it from his low key exterior. He's a hardcore fan of "The Mole" and used to host "Mole" viewing parties in his basement. He knows the game well and has a solid strategy to form coalitions with less intelligent players whom he can lead astray. Bobby feels that being selected as a player on "The Mole" is the fulfillment a lifelong dream, and that also being gay, his "gaydar" -- the ability to recognize other gay people -- will help him read others players in the game. Bobby considers himself loveable and generous, but also stubborn and vengeful. He used to work as a restaurant manager until recently, when his restaurant closed. Bobby feels his knowledge of the game guarantees him a spot among the final three players.
MARK Age: 42
Occupation: High school history teacher/soccer coach
Mukwonago, WI
Education: B.A., University of Wisconsin, Whitewater
Mark is an extremely competitive high school soccer coach and world history teacher. He plays to win and has no tolerance for whiners. A huge fan of "The Mole," Mark has seen all the previous seasons and will be very intense and focused about playing the game. His only weakness is his family: Mark grew up poor, in a broken family, but his life turned around when he met his wife. He can get very emotional about his wife of 18 years and his three kids, whom he considers his life. He also has a fourth child on the way. Mark says he thrives on competition and being challenged, and has an IQ of 143. His strategy is to figure out an "end game," whereby he foresees a desired end and the most advantageous route for himself towards it, then does everything in his power to manipulate things in that direction.
The Quiz:
Each week, the contestants answer a quiz about The Mole, and this time around ABC is offering more fan interaction by offering the first week's quite early. Here's the questions that the contestants will be asked, so keep them in mind while watching (With mission titles spoiler tagged just in case, but it's nothing we haven't seen in commercials).
The Reviews:
From Variety:
WHAT: The Mole III
WHERE: ABC
WHEN: Monday, June 2nd at 10e/9c
Official Website: The Mole @ ABC.com
The Premise:
The Host:
The Contestants:
LIZ Age: 60
Occupation: Retired
Whitefish, MT
Education: Associate's Degree, New Mexico Tech.
Liz has more energy than people half her age, lives life to the fullest and doesn't let age stand in her way. Nor will she hesitate to shock people with her outlandish sense of humor. When Liz' husband passed away, she decided to adopt two children and raise them on her own. She has an 18-year-old daughter, a senior in high school, and a 20-year-old son in the army, who recently gave her a grandchild. Her son may be deployed to Iraq at any time. She suffers a bit from the empty nest, so she's eager to have this adventure to bring some excitement into her life. Liz feels that her age will be an asset in the game because with age comes wisdom, especially when dealing with younger people.
MARCIE Age: 31
Occupation: Stay-at-home mom
Corona, CA
Education: High School graduate, West High, Torrance, CA
Marcie got pregnant in high school, married her high school sweetheart and is a devoted wife and mother of three sons. Married to a police officer, she devotes her entire life to raising her family, but sometimes feels she has missed out on the opportunity to do something just for herself. She believes stay-at-home moms have the most important jobs anyone can have; they're not people who can't do anything else, they just choose to raise their families rather than pursue a career. Playing this game will be Marcie's big adventure and an opportunity to prove she is more than "just a mom." She feels that others will underestimate her, and she'll use that to her advantage. Spanish is her first language and she speaks it fluently.
ALEX Age: 31
Occupation: Musician
Haverford, PA
Education: Attended University of Colorado, Boulder
Alex grew up in the suburbs outside Philadelphia and has been drawn to music his whole life. In high school he was president of the jazz band, and now he's an aspiring musician, the lead guitarist for a fledgling rock band. He doesn't want to compromise his musical aspirations, so he works odd jobs and lives at home with his parents while waiting for his big break. He says he communicates best through his music. He plans on bringing his guitar to help entertain his fellow players with a song he wrote especially for The Mole. His strategy is to be the "nice guy," but he says he can play dirty if he needs to. He learned to speak Spanish from his mother and lived in Costa Rica for five years. He considers himself an expert marksman.
CRAIG Age: 30
Occupation: Graphic designer
San Diego, CA
Education: B.A., Point Loma Nazarene University
Craig has been overweight his entire life so he developed a sense of humor in order to make friends. He's a lovable prankster with a big heart, and his magnetic personality has gotten him through life. Craig plans on using his endearing nature and non-threatening appearance to win the players' trust and then manipulate them. He knows his physical limitations, but says this can be an asset in the game because everyone will underestimate him. He hopes to surprise people with his abilities. Craig has sleep apnea, so he has to sleep with a special machine to help him breathe. Craig has traveled extensively and worked as a humanitarian disaster relief aide worker in Turkey and Thailand.
KRISTEN Age: 35
Occupation: Neuroscientist
Santa Monica, CA
Education: PhD, UCLA
Kristen says that, because she's tall, blonde and beautiful, no one ever thinks she could be a neuroscientist. She's currently conducting research to find a cure for Parkinson's Disease at UCLA. Growing up in an upper-middle class family in the Midwest, Kristen showed horses competitively and also dabbled in modeling. She says that competing her entire life as an equestrian and scientist have made her hone skills that will serve her well in the game and believes her athleticism and naturally strategic mind will also be assets. Kristen feels her best trait is her kindness, and her worst is that she's a perfectionist.
VICTORIA Age: 26
Occupation: Retail Manager
Bishop, TX
Education: B.A., Texas A&M University, Kingsville
Victoria is a spunky, former pageant girl and cheerleader from a small town in Texas. She once told pageant judges that her favorite reality show was "The Mole" because you get to be deceptive in the game. This didn't go over so well with the judges. Victoria is very close to her family and professes to be a daddy's girl. She admits that her looks and sweet demeanor often get her what she wants, especially from men, and though people often mistake her for a naïve, small town girl, she admits she can be conniving when she wants to be. Victoria says people usually underestimate her intelligence, but she is much more observant and deceptive than she lets on. She considers herself very competitive and says she won't hesitate to backstab in the game if she has to. She admits one of her flaws is that she cusses like a sailor.
CLAY Age: 32
Occupation: Criminal Litigation Attorney
Philadelphia, PA
Education: Law Degree, Howard Law School
Clay is a devoted husband and father of two sons who likens his household to the Cosby family. He feels that the skills he uses as a criminal trial attorney will closely parallel his strategy in the game, and plans to use his argumentative abilities to convince others to do what he wants. Clay is analytical and can easily hide his emotions. He says he will use the same skills he employs in selecting a jury for figuring out who the Mole is, and that because of his trial experience, he has developed a keen sense of how to read people from all walks of life. Clay thinks he can outsmart the other players in the game because he's smarter than most people. He does admit that he suffers a bit from OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), and has been known to touch a light switch ten times before he can leave a room.
PAUL Age: 29
Occupation: Machinist
Yonkers, NY
Education: Attended Pace University
Paul has the accent and demeanor that clearly reveal he's an Italian New Yorker from Yonkers. He works 9 to 5 as a machinist for a utility company, and as a wedding DJ on the weekends. It was at one of these weddings that he met his wife and his life changed forever. A self-professed, former "pla'ya", Paul is now a man who dotes on his family, especially the love of his life, his two-year-old daughter. Outgoing and with a charismatic personality, he feels he has an advantage in "The Mole" because, growing up, his father worked for a spy gadget company and would use the gadgets to spy on his kids. Paul considers confidence, his best trait and his worst trait, and admits -- his wife will readily agree -- that he just doesn't know when to shut up.
NICOLE Age: 32
Occupation: OBGYN doctor
Chicago, IL
Education: MD, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine
Nicole says she has the ability to be a social chameleon, a skill she's developed by growing up in a lower-middle class, African-American neighborhood, working in a white collar profession and dealing with a wide range of patients. She says she can be street or professional when she needs to be, has a strong personality and isn't shy about letting her opinions be known. Nicole is very proud of being a doctor and has no problem with being considered a diva. She is close with her mother and credits her with her success.
ALI Age: 24
Occupation: Model
St. Louis, MO
Education: Associate's Degree, St. Louis Community College
Ali is a model who has worked as a ring girl for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. She describes herself as "stunning" and believes her beauty helps her get her way, but also causes people to instantly dismiss her -- which she plans on using to her benefit in the game. Ali used to be a wild, party girl. She celebrated her 21st birthday with Motley Crue in Las Vegas. But now she treats her body as a temple. She has strong religious beliefs and has settled down with her boyfriend, a UFC fighter. She claims to have a 75% accuracy rate with shotguns and is experienced in fishing. Ali considers herself ambitious and caring, but also forgetful and prone to road rage. She plans on using her beauty and brains to outsmart other players.
BOBBY Age: 25
Occupation: Restaurant manager
Philadelphia, PA
Education: B.A., Penn State
Bobby loves games, competing and winning, though you may not know it from his low key exterior. He's a hardcore fan of "The Mole" and used to host "Mole" viewing parties in his basement. He knows the game well and has a solid strategy to form coalitions with less intelligent players whom he can lead astray. Bobby feels that being selected as a player on "The Mole" is the fulfillment a lifelong dream, and that also being gay, his "gaydar" -- the ability to recognize other gay people -- will help him read others players in the game. Bobby considers himself loveable and generous, but also stubborn and vengeful. He used to work as a restaurant manager until recently, when his restaurant closed. Bobby feels his knowledge of the game guarantees him a spot among the final three players.
MARK Age: 42
Occupation: High school history teacher/soccer coach
Mukwonago, WI
Education: B.A., University of Wisconsin, Whitewater
Mark is an extremely competitive high school soccer coach and world history teacher. He plays to win and has no tolerance for whiners. A huge fan of "The Mole," Mark has seen all the previous seasons and will be very intense and focused about playing the game. His only weakness is his family: Mark grew up poor, in a broken family, but his life turned around when he met his wife. He can get very emotional about his wife of 18 years and his three kids, whom he considers his life. He also has a fourth child on the way. Mark says he thrives on competition and being challenged, and has an IQ of 143. His strategy is to figure out an "end game," whereby he foresees a desired end and the most advantageous route for himself towards it, then does everything in his power to manipulate things in that direction.
The Quiz:
Each week, the contestants answer a quiz about The Mole, and this time around ABC is offering more fan interaction by offering the first week's quite early. Here's the questions that the contestants will be asked, so keep them in mind while watching (With mission titles spoiler tagged just in case, but it's nothing we haven't seen in commercials).
The Reviews:
From Variety:
