‘Toughest Cowboy’ and ‘Jockeys’: the quest for control

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In 2003, Fox aired ‘Man vs. Beast,’ a series of preposterous competitions between humans and animals that proved beyond any sliver of a doubt that Fox could leave no sensationalistic reality television idea alone. What it didn’t do, though, is answer the root question: Who’s really in control?

Man vs. BeastNow, a couple of more shows are weighing in on the eternal debate -- ‘Jockeys,’ the new Animal Planet would-be soap opera reality series (9 and 9:30 p.m. Fridays), and ‘Toughest Cowboy,’ the Mark Burnett-produced rodeo competition on Spike TV (11 p.m. Thursdays), now in its third season. (It previously aired on Fox Sports Network.)

Control is not the only theme at play here, but it is a crucial one. On both programs, people battle against, or with, an animal for the thrill of sport. And in both, there is the illusion that humans are in charge.

-- Jon Caramanica

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(Photo: ‘Toughest Cowboy’ Credit: Spike TV)