Reality shows aren't just an American phenomenon, what with U.K. series like "Pop Star" giving birth to "American Idol," and "Big Brother" getting its start in the Netherlands.
Dutch viewers, it turns out, are also big fans of "Wie is de Mol?" a show that was created in Belgium back in 1998, and that has since mutated into versions shown all over the world. The U.S. got into the act, with "The Mole," which aired in 2001-2002, with Anderson Cooper as host, and popped up for a total of five seasons with other hosts, until 2008.
The Dutch version brings together a group of celebrities, who try to earn prize money in assorted challenges. But within the group, there's a mole, who's trying to foil the challenges, and whose identity is unknown to the other competitors.
Adding to the intrigue, episodes end with the contestants answering questions, trying to guess who the mole is. Each week, the competitor who has the fewest correct guesses gets booted off.
So, what does this have to do with Portland? Because, while previous seasons have filmed in such global destinations as Argentina, Japan, Iceland, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Australia, "Wie is de Mol?" had never shot a season in the U.S. before.
Until this season, that is, which filmed in Oregon last spring. When Dutch viewers tune in to the Season 17 premiere on Saturday, Jan. 7, they'll see "Wie is de Mol?" cast members competing in challenges that take place in Portland, and other locations in Oregon.
Last May, the "Wie is de Mol?" cast and crew were shooting on location at Director Park in downtown Portland. Rain was falling, but the work went on.
Ebbie Visscher, an executive producer, explained that shooting a season of "Wie is de Mol?" in the U.S. had been on "our wish list" for some time. With help from Travel Portland staff, and examples of potential locations, the show's producers decided to film in Oregon for their first American destination.
"Portland has a lot of diverse locations, and it's a really cool city," Visscher said. Oregon's geographic variety was also a plus, she added, as the crew filmed in Pendleton, Bend, and areas near Cannon Beach.
Visscher praised Portland's "good vibe," adding, "This is the first time a couple of crew members said, 'We could actually live here."
Millions of viewers watch "Wie is de Mol?" every season, Visscher said, as she predicted Oregon tourism may see a boost from fans of the show who are inspired to see where the filming happened.
"This immensely popular show will expose thousands of Dutch viewers to the vibrancy of Portland and the beauty of our state," Laura Guimond, Travel Portland senior P.R. manager international, said in an email. "We expect to see increased travel from the Netherlands as a result -- Delta's nonstop flight from Amsterdam to PDX makes this very convenient -- and these visits boost our local economy. We have already seen a huge increase in Dutch visitors to our website since the season's location announcement was made."
For Oregonians who want to watch episodes of "Wie is de Mol?" the best bet is to do a search for episodes on YouTube, where they tend to appear with English subtitles about a week after they air in the Netherlands.
In addition, Travel Portland is creating a guide to "Wie is de Mol?" locations, which will have updated information after each of the nine episodes air.
-- Kristi Turnquist