Claim to Fame

There's a troubling glorification of fame lurking beneath every facet of this new reality show, but that's not its biggest problem. Claim to Fame will appeal only to viewers old enough to recognize the celebrities referenced -- leaving out a whole lot of viewers. Hosts Kevin and Frankie Jonas are charmingly self-deprecating and share a silly chemistry. Clues, both true and false, are scattered throughout the show, and the viewer is let in on some of the secrets. At first, it seems as though this simple formula will be enough to hook the audience (in fact, anyone viewing with others will instantly start debating who's who). Soon enough, though, it's revealed that many of the celebrities are either too niche, or too old, for younger viewers to recognize -- making the big reveals less and less satisfying. There's also not much shared about the contestants themselves, once again reinforcing the idea that their only value lies in their famous relations. The result is a show that provides a little initial fun without much to sustain it.