India, Feb. 2 -- Reality shows such as Bigg Boss, Roadies and Khatron Ke Khiladi have, over the years, built massive fan bases, with viewers eagerly waiting for each new season. This year, however, a new entrant has arrived claiming to refresh and redefine India's reality TV space. Titled The 50, the show premiered on February 1, promising scale, novelty and a never-seen-before format.

While The 50 claims to be the biggest reality show yet, the so-called freshness largely lies in its scale, a massive number of contestants, a different form of audience participation, and an unbiased, unknown host. Beyond that, much of the show's concept and casting feels like a familiar mix of existing reality formats. After the first episode, it becomes ...