The Hero

Ultimately, even with so many competition shows on the air that have done almost every formula there can be, The Hero finds a way to make things feel fresh and interesting, with Johnson as a great anchor.

Sit through TNT’s The Hero and “72 Hours” and REELZ’s “Race to the Scene” back-to-back, you realize how much the genre lives on the tired bone marrow of “Survivor” and "The Amazing Race."

The more promising [of the two TNT shows--the other is "72 Hours"] is The Hero, which at least allows the contestants to develop as characters--although you might wish there was less focus on the sniveling crying of mother-of-three Patty.

The Hero is not all that exciting but the production values are top-notch and the location (Panama) somewhat unique.... Rather than three shows, one show would be best: Make The Rock the host, use the settings of "72 Hours" and the casting of "Race to the Scene" and viewers would be much better off than watching any of these individual new programs.

Johnson clearly has fun playing up his motivational role as host, and there is one harrowing-looking stunt in the early going that involves hanging from the side of a building. That said, the participants (who include a pro wrestler and a cheerleader) are a straight-from-central-casting bunch, and before we’ve even gotten to know them, they engage in an inordinate amount of bickering.