Now Turning 40 Has A Reality Show

What happens when someone turns 40? Pop culture would have you believe that it's a magic age of sudden insight, existential questioning, or decisions to make major changes.

Those don't often happen in real life, and they don't happen in TV Land's "The Big 4-0" either. What we do learn is that sometimes a TV show will throw you a pretty cool 40th birthday party.

In one episode, Derrick Moore, team chaplain for Georgia Tech's football team, rustles up old pro teammates to play a flag football game against current college players. His primary challenge was to get back in shape. He seems like a nice guy and he gives a nicely reflective halftime speech to his similarly 40-ish teammates. But is it gripping entertainment? Does he turn 40 and discover the meaning of life? Not really.

The problem seems to rest in the concept of the show itself. If there were drama to be found from a 'big' birthday, the questioning and doubt would be internal and not make for the most interesting TV. Even if the subjects were taking stock of their life so far, it's no life-or-death struggle against the Bering Sea.

One wonders if the programming executives or producers who developed the show haven't yet crossed the four decade milestone, and expect it to be more than the anticlimax it so often is.

A sampling of other reviews includes "the entertainment value of watching somebody else’s home movies," (Kevin McDonough, United Feature Syndicate), "if you're looking for an incisive or amusing reflection on those feelings (about turning 40), you might be better off watching reruns of 'The Cosby Show' or 'Family Ties.'" (David Hinckley, New York Daily News), and "looks a whole lot like a title in search of an actual program" (Brian Lowry, Variety).

"Big 4-0" producers were probably looking for more, but for most people, turning 40 is not an enormous milestone. Grand revelations may come, but they often come gradually, and certainly not on a timetable.

You can watch episodes 1 and 3 (of a six episode run this spring) online at TV Land's website.