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There's an old saying that truth is stranger than fiction. That's the core enigma of The Casino, which is supposed to be a reality show, in Vegas, and yet...it's boring. Is that because truth is actually more boring than fiction, or more likely, is it because this reality show is so obviously rehearsed and taped-after-the-fact, that anything that might have been engaging and fun about "real life" has been swiped clean?

Here's the story. Best buddies Tim and Tom were two of the lucky ones in the internet web wars. Their meager vacationing web site was bought out by a bigger fish, for a very pretty penny, leaving these two sudden millionaires with a whole lotta cash. Now, someone with half a wit would've taken their money and enjoyed an early retirement. Nope; these two bachelors decide to buy out a "historical" (yet admittedly dated) Vegas casino, The Golden Nugget, and bring it back to its old glory. Good luck guys.

Yeah; it's a cute story...if this was fiction. In a fictional show like Las Vegas, you can create fictional hotels like "The Montecito" and pretend it's just a walk away from the center of Vegas' night life. If this were a similar spurious story, you could claim this casino was in the outskirts of "downtown Las Vegas," and still have Brad Pitt come strolling through the door, with a line like "Hey, Tim! Tom! My old buds!" No; this is real life (or so we're told), so reality sets in: barely anyone goes to this section of Vegas anymore. So, episodes are about whomsoever actually does come through The Golden Nugget door: namely, the sort of guys who visit every casino...and this was, say, #35 on their list. Get the picture?

Consider the premiere episode, which one would think would offer the best stories, for a rocking premiere. Nope; we're left with a story about "Big Chuck" Gorson, professional gambler. Now, I have nothing against Big ol' Chuck, because I don't know the guy, but I do know sucking up when I see it. "Sucking up" as in: spend big bucks at our casino, Chuck, and we'll put you in the series premiere of our series. This guy has no story to tell, so he is left with nothing to do but just mug for the camera --ooh! look! he's on his cellular at the airport! How exciting!-- and we're left wondering: this is supposedly Vegas, right? Why am I still yawning?

One enigma remains: is this reality TV...or not? Consider: this isn't a reality TV game show, where everyone is either host, contestant, or employee. This is a show filmed in public; not unlike an episode of Cops, or a documentary. Yet not one single person in the foreground, background, or anywhere in the hotel has a blurred-out face. What this means is: somehow, somewhere, everyone you see signed a waiver, and allowed their mug to appear on TV. Really...? Everyone...? That's about as believable as some of the "realistic" conversations of the employees, which might as well sound something like, "Dude; you shouldn't have done that...no, wait; a camera is on me...Forsooth, young heathen! How dare you do such malodorous behavior in my presence! Allow me to strike you down with the stench of my horrific overacting! Have at thee!"

Don't argue. In one scene, two ladies with a love for psychics come driving into Vegas. It's strange enough when, lo and behold, a psychic just happens to be visiting the Golden Nugget, at the exact same time they come strolling through the door. What's weirder, however, is how the camera gets a shot of these women, in their car, driving into Vegas, from mid air, above their convertible. This is a very staged entrance of characters for a "reality TV" show, unless the cameraman happens to be a Jedi Knight, standing near the outskirts of town, knowing exactly which car is headed for the Golden Nugget, and floating above the car like Spider-Man. This is supposed to be reality TV, not "el cheapo Vegas."

Not that "mock-umentaries" (as they're often called) aren't as enjoyable as documentaries. It's just that once you remove the hurdle of having to film exciting moments in reality by mere chance, you have no more excuses about boring content. After all: if all of this is staged, why stage a boring event? Either these are boring, staged events, or this is simply a boring hotel; your choice. Either way, I find it odd that a bunch of college chums would agree to be filmed as they have a party of hookers in their room, and what's more, their room just happens to be a luxurious suite, when these boys don't look like they could afford to take their girlfriends to McDonald's for a Medium Size Value Meal. Oh; they also dress one of the hookers up in a "whip cream" bikini. Lame!

It was the July 19th episode that was the final nail in the coffin for this critic watching this series. See, they need a performer for their showroom. So they audition such illogical acts as an illusionist who eats "glass light bulbs" and comedians who make the worst singer in American Idol look like Pavarotti. Then they hire an act unseen --yes; they hire an act, unseen, which never happens-- and he just happens to be da-bomb. It's like a subliminal caption is trying to say, "Come! Come see this surprisingly good act now. Better yet; do it just like Tim and Tom did it: sight unseen! All the audience was standing and applauding, man! Don't you believe us?" Answer: um...no. What little of the act you were willing to show us looked like total crap. For that matter: showing us even crappier acts before this crappy act did not make me want to go out and see Mr. Slightly Less Crappy Than Totally Crappy Act. Nice try guys.

Admittedly, I have yet to miss a single episode of The Casino. However; that's because it's the middle of summer, it's on Mondays at 9 --a time slot which rarely has good TV on even during the regular TV season-- and there's quite simply nothing else on. When as little as one show is in opposition however, I doubt I'll ever be too interested in this series ever again. It's a good piece of summer fluff. Too bad it isn't much more.

	Final Rating : Near miss. They say that truth is stranger than fiction. So why does this look so fake? Either way you cut it: this "Vegas" is very boring.
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The Casino

A Review by Techtite