Is it just us, or does it seem like Israeli TV is invading Hollywood lately? There’s “Homeland,” “Dig,” the forthcoming show from Yitzhak Rabin’s granddaughter and now, Deadline reports, ABC has bought the format to the popular Israeli talent competition show “Rising Star.” The network has ordered up 10 episodes of an American version of the series, which allows viewers to vote on contestants real time via an app. Also separating “Rising Star” from similar shows like “American Idol” and “The X Factor” is that it is 100 percent live, starting out from the very beginning with live auditions. And then there’s this:
In a twist, the performer is separated from the studio audience and the judges by a translucent floor-to-ceiling LED screen where images of voters at home, taken from their Facebook pages, appear live facing the singer (picture above) who can see how fast the vote tally is growing during the performance for an immediate feedback, making result shows feel “antiquated,” as a person close to Rising Star put it.
ABC plans to air “Rising Star” next summer. Can’t wait to see if it’ll come with an American version of “The Amazing Rabbis.”
