ABC’s visit leaves lasting effects in Maine community

The cameras have been turned off and volunteers are back to their daily routines, but the experience of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” coming to Milbridge is something that will be remembered for a long time.

You might be tired of hearing and reading about it, but I promise to be brief.

While there were stories about volunteers and mentions of the numerous businesses that donated supplies and manpower, I don’t think there’s any way to truly describe the massive undertaking that occurred in such a small coastal town.

Yes, the magic of TV isn’t as magic when you see it up close and personal, but putting the pettiness of a few aside, the magic of what Mainers can do truly is amazing.

I wish the Ray-Smith family the best of luck and look forward to watching the show sometime in early 2008. I’ll keep you posted on the air date when it approaches.

Speaking of upcoming shows, the air is crisp and that means a whole new slate of fall reality shows are coming to television screens.

I recently received a preview for The CW’s latest called “Online Nation” that premieres this weekend.

While it seems a little hokey and contrived, some of what the show digs up is interesting – and a little startling.

The show is advertised to turn “mouse potatoes into couch potatoes.” Confused? I was. But the idea is to take the best of user-generated videos that “Online Nation” staffers find on the Web and provide them to TV viewers.

I suppose you could go online yourself, but this cast scours the Internet to find the best of the best in online videos in an almost “America’s Funniest Home Videos” kind of way.

For a sneak peak, visit www.cwtv.com or just wait until 7:30 p.m. Sunday and tune into the CW.

To read about another new endeavor for reality TV, visit the Reality Bytes blog on the BDN Web site. I thought it a little too risque to mention here, but it’s definitely a first for reality TV.