It’s Crunch time on The Benefactor!

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Ok, let me answer all the questionsI have been getting via email.

With each test, I am looking for specific things. I cut based on those specific things. In putting together the basketball teams, I was looking for organizational skills. I always tried to stick to evaluating the skills the tests were based on.

Did I like it when the kids were harassed by some of the contestants? Of course not. Did I take it into consideration? Yes, but not as the primary consideration.

Now that I have gotten to know the remaining contestants, I have been accumulating the “brownie points” and the “cut points”. Things like how they dealt with the kids. How they have treated and reacted to both me and the other contestants. Those haven’t gone unnoticed. I just tally them up, ready to use them if there is a toss up in making a decision between two contestants.

Why not just cut on the spot? Because there is only 1 reward on this show (with the exception of the bribe). That reward is winning the million dollars. There is not added value if a contestant goes further but still doesn’t win. They walk away with the same amount of money as The Rich, the first contestant cut.

In fact, a wise viewer might surmise that I recognize that some people appear to be excelling by simply not failing. They would be right.

I will give every remaining contestant the chance to win. They will have to do so by excelling at the tests, not by not making mistakes or just getting lucky.

Some more twists for you to watch for…

Character tests come in to play starting this episode. If you thought there was something good or bad about a person, it comes out Monday.

This Monday has the funniest response to any test. I don’t know how they thought of it, but they did.

There are a lot of built up frustrations released by the contestants on Monday night…at each other.

As always, thanks for reading and watching!

And one more tidbit. The best place to search for info on The Benefactor is via a new feature on IceRocket.com. It’s the blog Search. Forget what traditional media is saying. The fun stuff is on blogs. Check it out

http://www.icerocket.com/search?tab=blog&q=%22the+benefa…

29 thoughts on “It’s Crunch time on The Benefactor!”

  1. I came to the conclusion that it was cool. I just had to let go of the serious mentality and enjoy it for what it was. A good time. I like it. A lot better than that freaking Trump show. man that guy gets on my last damn nerve.

    Comment by runescape money -

  2. To be replaced by Barbara Walters, doing an unannounced prime-time special on recently-deceased Christopher Reeve, kind of tells America what ABC programming thinks of the Benefactor, huh?

    Comment by wow powerleveling -

  3. Last time the show aired, the previews pumped all the viewers up for the finale. What happened? Two weeks in a row and NO SHOW!!! Please update your fans as to when it is scheduled to air. Thanks and for what it’s worth,I just love your style! You have such a creative way of making your point! It’s truly been a pleasure to watch. Wish there was more!

    Comment by KP -

  4. hey, why is the benefactor not on again tonight nov 1.

    Comment by Karen French -

  5. why is the benefactor not on again this week has the show been cancelled. i hope not i love the show.

    Comment by Karen French -

  6. Was surfing the web and saw a posting about this interesting recent opinion survey.
    http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041013/nyw143_1.html
    Val

    Comment by Val -

  7. The play between creative and destructive in each Benefactor contestant was fascinating.

    And did I mention the intentional, tangible focus propelling Mark Cuban’s depth of thinking, STRATEGIES, and creativity?

    LOOK at these thoughts and strategies, LOOK at the way in which he orchestrated changes in the contestants, LOOK at the depth, intensity, charismatic aliveness, and focus of Mark Cuban.

    Comment by Ecovue -

  8. dude. the first search results were about the failure of the benefactor. interesting that those are the direct hits…

    Comment by Ralph Lee -

  9. No further message (NFM)

    Comment by Linda -

  10. If they didn’t air “The Benefactor” in the USA they didn’t air it in Canada because they want it to air simultaneously all across NA.

    Comment by Dimitri -

  11. If they didn’t air “The Benefactor” in the USA they didn’t air it in Canada because they want it to air simultaneously all across NA.

    Comment by Dimitri -

  12. Imagine my dismay when I finally got the opportunity to watch my recording, only to see the 20/20 show. I’m going to have to build a TIVO so I won’t worry about these shocks.

    Comment by Jon L-ski -

  13. You are never usually pre-empted where I am but you were this past Monday. As a matter of fact, you were listed until the last minute when a special edition of 20/20 came on instead. While I agreed that it was appropriate due to the loss of a true winner and truthfully I did watch, I hope that the episode is being shown next week instead. Thanks again for one of the most intellectually stimulating diversions that are so rarely found on television (but don’t take it from me …my favorite professor of all time and the one from whom I learned the most was my contracts professor in law school who taught contracts via fig wasps and chicken sexing). Thanks again M for taking the time to enjoy life…keep it up. Are there plans for the Benefactor II?
    C

    Comment by Christina -

  14. …before anyone else does hehehe, I’m not the Linda on the show and it is a good thing I’m not on the show or I would be kicked off for not reading here first to check the facts. It is back to fish flipping for me.

    Seriously though, Mark if you read this please do not ignore the email because so far CTV has not announced that they will be showing the episode that was not aired tonight on another night. String pulling on your part to make sure it gets aired ‘if possible’ will still be appreciated.

    Linda

    Comment by Linda -

  15. I see now that it was not just my local station in Nova Scotia, Canada that did not air The Benefactor tonight. Unlike several others who posted here we did not get the Christopher Reeves tribute so the reason for The Benefactor not airing as scheduled was not at all obvious.

    The replacement show that aired was a wife swapping show that just didn’t fill the spot well for me at all.

    Linda

    Comment by Linda N -

  16. Uh-oh — !! Gee, Mark, why isn’t ABC airing your show tonight, Monday, October 11 at 8 pm?

    To be replaced by Barbara Walters, doing an unannounced prime-time special on recently-deceased Christopher Reeve, kind of tells America what ABC programming thinks of the Benefactor, huh?

    Let me put it this way – if TV shows were little squealing piglets, pitted against each other in the battle for ratings survival, The Benefactor would be the hindmost feeder.

    Comment by Tom Castro -

  17. People for many years have watched him as Superman and he has become more of a Superman after his accident than in the movies in the role he played.

    I wanted to see the show tonight but totally understand why they aired what they did. We can watch the show that was scheduled next week but today was a sad day and the tribute was not unusual for such a person that inspired so many.

    Comment by Pammi -

  18. Looking forward to tonights show only to see 20/20..yes, Christopher Reeves deserves a tribute but The Benefactor deserves another time slot this week..it’s a must see also.

    Comment by John Garrett -

  19. Benefactor bumped for 20/20! I was really looking forward to this week’s episope and Channel 8 decided to go with 20/20 instead? I don’t get it.

    Comment by Mike -

  20. Mark…how can people in Dallas see your show this week. I can’t believe WFAA preempted your show LOCALLY! I guess they are mad about the DMN stuff.

    Can you resurrect the Dallas Times Herald?

    Comment by Jeff -

  21. ABC has scheduled a 20/20 special about the passing of Christopher Reeve in place of The Benefactor tonight. The show has been rescheduled for next week…

    Comment by Jason -

  22. Thanks, I appreciate your insight 🙂

    Comment by Patrick Muldoon -

  23. I was really looking forward to this show when I heard about it. I’m a huge Mav’s fan and I love what Cuban has done for the team. During the first episode, I was sitting there thinking, “Damn, this is cheesy.” After it was over though, I realized that I was somewhat brainwashed by other shows and them trying to make it as though life and death depended on it. Once I realized this show was meant to be fun and different, I came to the conclusion that it was cool. I just had to let go of the serious mentality and enjoy it for what it was. A good time. I like it. A lot better than that freaking Trump show. man that guy gets on my last damn nerve.

    Will be looking forward to tonight. See where it goes from here.

    Comment by Jay Patterson -

  24. Because I work late on most Mondays, I have only been able to watch the last two shows, but I have really enjoyed it. I hope it comes back next season. I can’t wait for this week’s show, and the twists that I am sure will come. Keep up the great work!

    Comment by Richard -

  25. If you don’t like the Benefactor that’s OK. There are so many others that see the fun and entertainment factors in the show. Not enough T&A, streaming continuous foul language, extreme violence and all the other issues that may serve to desensitize us. A nice change in adult late night TV viewing. Looking forward to Monday night. Thanks to the producers and Mark Cuban for going out on a limb to bring on good TV again that’s fun and entertaining.

    Comment by salmon -

  26. I’m looking forward to the show tomorrow night. I loved last weeks show, well the week before too!

    I was really surprised by the way that the team that ended up losing reacted to the kids on the court. I can only imagine how nervous they were and it was shocking who were smack talking when they went out to shoot. I think the kids did great under that pressure!

    This week it is all about acts of kindness! I cannot wait to see how they think that they do and then have an evaluation of those deeds! Kindness isn’t always something that come natural so it will be a good one to watch!

    Comment by Pammi -

  27. Your show seems like it would be okay if the time zone wasn’t getting jostled around so much. Don’t have time to watch it, MNF man.

    And check out my Grinch parody, “How The Grinch Stole Christmas and Replaced it with Chanukah” …www.thegrinch.tk

    Comment by Alex -

  28. patrick, you’re such a kiss ass

    Comment by Jason -

  29. Thanks Mark, a lot of us needed this update!

    Comment by Patrick Muldoon -

Comments are closed.