LOS ANGELES (AP) - CBS still wants to evict “The Glass House” from the airwaves.
The network moved ahead with its lawsuit against ABC this week by amending its filing that alleges ABC copied elements of “Big Brother” for its new reality TV competition series “The Glass House.”
CBS attorneys added several more objections to the show now that ABC has aired several episodes, arguing that “`Glass House’ employs the same plot, themes, mood, setting, pace, characters, dialogue, sequence of events and other concrete elements making up `Big Brother.’”
CBS originally sought to stop “Glass House” from premiering in June, but a federal judge refused. U.S. District Judge Gary Feess agreed with ABC attorneys who argued that many of the filming techniques employed on “Glass House” are not unique to “Big Brother” and are used in other reality TV shows.
Both shows employ dozens of cameras to monitor a houseful of contestants vying for a cash prize, but Feess ruled the shows are likely to play out very differently.
Among the similarities that CBS added to its lawsuit this week were that both shows feature an “obligatory older” and “openly gay” player, “showmances” as a plot element and “generally comfortable, cloistered house” environments.
CBS says “Glass House” violates copyrights and trade secrets from “Big Brother” and alleges that dozens of former “Big Brother” staffers and producers now working with ABC on “Glass House” may have violated non-disclosure agreements.
The seventh episode of “Glass House” aired Monday on ABC.
The 14th season of “Big Brother” is currently airing three nights a week on CBS.
A spokesman for ABC said the network has no comment about the updated lawsuit.
ABC lawyers previously said “Glass House” is different because many of the contestants’ decisions, and who remains in the house, are made by audience votes. Only the first season of “Big Brother” allowed viewers to choose which houseguest was evicted.
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AP Entertainment Writer Anthony McCartney contributed to this report and can be reached at https://twitter.com/mccartneyAP. Derrik J. Lang can be reached at https://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang.
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