Further blurring the meaning of the words “weather” and “reality,” the Weather Channel has just greenlit two more reasons why you might as well just check the weather widget on your phone. Those reasons will take the form of two reality series, both clearly inspired by The Weather Channel’s fellow cable networks’ imprecise use of the words “discovery” and “animal.”
First is Brainstormers, a reality series starring three men The Wrap refer to as “a father, a son, and their friend” who are constantly on the hunt for practical applications for bad weather—like going outside to play in the rain, so Daddy and his friend can have five goddamn minutes of peace. Then there’s How Weather Created A Monster, a show that redefines the word “monster” by following explorer Sean Duggan as he searches for rare and exotic (but decidedly non-imaginary) animals shaped by the extraordinary climates in which they live.
In a statement, The Weather Channel president David Clark says, “With these two new series, The Weather Channel delves far beyond the usual weather stories to show just how pervasive weather’s impact is,” and that yes, you should bring an umbrella just in case.