Pirate Master

I don't watch many reality shows and this is my first network one. I prefer something like Monster Garage or Junkyard Wars where people make something - or Robot Wars where they destroy each other's creations. But, Pirate Master has a pirate theme so I felt obligated to watch.

The format is simple. The contestants are divided into two teams by random chance and sent off to recover a treasure. The winning team chooses the captain for the rest of the episode. The captain chooses a first and second mate, decides how the treasure will be split, and chooses three people to get the black spot. One of the people who gets the black spot is "cut adrift". This person is chosen by popular vote from the remaining crew.

There is a lot of deal making and some bribes and pay-offs.

It doesn't really have much to do with pirates. In fact, it could as easily be called Treasure Hunters.

The show would be better if it followed the format of Stan Lee's "Who wants to be a superhero?" In that show, the would-be heroes were put to two tests each episode and people were eliminated on the basis of how they did in the tests and other factors.

I can see that here. Have a show called "Who wants to be a pirate?" The would-be pirates would compete in things like swordplay, plank walking, navigation, parrot-training (ok, this is a stretch). It would be a lot more fun to watch. It might also get better ratings. Pirate Master isn't doing very well.