Baggage meets Love Connection

As I wrote on a faux tweet a while back, GSN is trying to refresh its Baggage franchise. The show still gets pretty good numbers but not the bodacious ratings of its first couple seasons. So the producers have borrowed a page from Chuck Woolery's book, and the show is inviting back some contestants after their first date.



Baggage First Dates debuts August 21 at 8:00PM, amid a marathon of just plain Baggage episodes. The press release promises that "the audience of Baggage First Dates gets to go along for the bumpy ride." The ride on the debut is the first date of Andre and Maggie, who agreed a while back on the show to put up with each other's baggage.



I've seen a few glimpses of the episode on GSN promos, as Maggie backs off from Andre's backyard menagerie of large animals. After the first-date fun and games, the couple meet back at the studio for one last piece of "truly shocking baggage." I'm not easily shocked, so I don't expect to faint.



At least GSN is trying a new wrinkle to keep the show going. I like Baggage most of the time, though the contestants are sometimes boring or obnoxious. But the show remains an entertaining blend of Dating Game and Deal or No Deal. Now they're adding Love Connection to the mix.