What do "Game of Thrones", "Lord of the Rings" and "Survivor" have in common? You can find out in one week when ABC's new reality-fantasy show, "The Quest" debuts at 8 p.m. on July 31.
And if that's not enough reason to entice you to tune in, here's another – one of the 12 contestants, who will be engaged in a real competition that's set in a scripted fantasy world of swords, crossbows and mythical creatures, hails from Connecticut!
Andrew Frazer is one of the show's 12 paladins – if you aren't a Dungeons and Dragons geek or forgot what you learned about Charlemagne, it means "holy knight, crusading in the name of good and order." He is 24, a personal trainer and hails from West Hartford.
Andrew will join 11 other contestants who will be faced with ogres and dragons and other mythical-like creatures and compete in fantasy-themed challenges as an epic tale of heroes and darkness and the quest for good unfolds around them.
The HamletHub caught up with Andrew as he eagerly awaits the world premiere of the show he says "changed his life."
Andrew says that it was a Facebook advertisement asking whether he believed he was a true hero that made him take the first step on the adventure of a lifetime.
"Anyone who doesn't believe that they, themselves are a hero, is mistaken," he says. "Each and every day you can put forth the effort to do something for someone that is hero-like, whether it is small or on a grand scale. It's what keeps good things happening. It's a ripple effect that is not only positive but has a good outcome"
An avid lover of video games and a fan of the fantasy genre, Andrew, a personal trainer, says that he jumped at the chance to head to Boston for his audition and then to a castle in Europe, complete with secret passageways, trapdoors, drawbridges and dungeons, for competition on "The Quest.
"I got to experience every single bit of it firsthand," he says. "I put everything of me into "The Quest" and I know it'll show my love for the fantasy and action genre. It was not only one of the most exhilarating experiences I have ever had in my life, but a dream come true. Not only filming, but living in an actual historical castle was something that very few can ever say they have done. I feel proud, blessed and honored to have had the privilege to have been given this opportunity. It was the greatest experience of my life."
The show, he says, is beyond anyone's wildest dreams. "This is the best thing to hit television because it is going to change reality television forever," he says. "Once "The Quest" airs the genre will never be the same."
TV Guide says it's one of the 5 Shows to watch this summer.
Even if they hadn't said that, I'd still be watching because of the other Connecticut connection -- my friend Jane Fleming is one of the executive producers!
Though she is carving out many successes in LA, she is rooted right here in our great state and one of my dear friends from Greenwich High School, Class of 1985.
Jane joins Mark Ordesky, producer of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and executive producers Bertram van Munster, Elise Doganieri, Rob Eric and Michael Williams on this show. And she says it is going to be like nothing we have ever seen.
"It's a land of adventure, where contestants compete and one true hero emerges who can turn the darkness back," Jane explains. "It's positive and inspirational and an adventure you can watch with the whole family. This is family programming and we are proud of that."
The concept of the adventure, she says, is taken from little bits of movies we love, like the "Avengers", "Harry Potter", "Game of Thrones" and "Lord of the Rings" with bits of Dungeon and Dragons and favorite action and fantasy video games thrown in. "It's about a hero's journey. An immersive reality where our contestants – the heroes -- are thrown into environments that we can only ever dream of."
And having one hero hail from her own home state, Jane says, is an added bonus. "I love it!" she says. "It's exciting when you can support your home state and waive the Connecticut flag. Andrew is a great representative from the Nutmeg State. He definitely has a true hero's heart."
Andrew says he has his Connecticut people all lined up for next week's premier, with a central location full of family and friends, and fans, he hopes too at Damon's Tavern & Sports Bar on Prospect Avenue in Hartford. He knows his fellow Nutmeggers are great fans and always support their own and he is counting down the days until next Thursday -- Team Frazer All Day Every Day!
So prepare for the adventure and mark July 31st on your calendar. "The Quest" begins then.
{Photo credit -- ABC's "The Quest" and ABC Studios}