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Hello Everybody, Welcome to the annual "oh yeah that happened" game show and occasional TV show list of the year. First things first, an elephant in the room. G4 shutting down, last year, I was championing this revival of the video game channel, and a few hiccups (from business ethos, to bending the knee to reactionary YouTubers) ended what I thought was one of the best things going. I am still upset many of the shows like "invitation to party" never really got that reboot, but I hope people moved on to things like Dimension 20 on College Humor. I'm sure "do we need game journalists and Attack of the Show in 2022?" would be a debate for another day, but for now. Let's chat about my specialist area - game shows! For Game Shows this year, I got some good news and bad news - the bad news is that many shows I wanted to write about, thinking they "were new" are actually in their second season, things like "I Literally Just Told You" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd23YFha-Kk Shows that were my favorites like "The Cube" didn't have a show that came out this year, but are launching soon. Speaking of, this year had a few "new formats" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaKmmIbL9KI "The Genius" is one of my favorite game shows ever made, it's not about social games or luck, but game breaking mechanics that give that "a-ha" moment. It was my biggest surprise this year to see it get rebooted in The Netherlands. Some things have changed, Garnets we're G-Coins, Bandage Man was "The Creator" but there was still plenty of game theory thrown around in a 45 minute program. It's not "better" than the original, but it's still "pretty good" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMNVQuNqmqc The traitors was "the hot new reality format" with one in the UK and another in Australia, and the Peacock version airing really soon. Currently, the BBC version is airing with Claudia Winkleman as the host as traitors try and play "Big Money Mafia" to win a few thousand pounds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyAdK9FTmP4 Claudia Winkleman also had a quick and easy game show - "One Question" that I thought was very charming! Questions like "What is Blue?" Is met with "The color of Weezer's third album" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YC6ABc-QNY Bridge of Lies was also a really cool idea, where had to go through correct answers in a video maze with a cool ticking clock format, that is surprisingly an edge of your seat quiz show, with a really neat "industrial" look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4XJXFBitM4 And also the return of "the big money game show" with Limitless Win, where contestants win INFINITY MONEY. As ant and/or Dec ask numeral based questions that determine the spaces up a. Prize tree, but with Price is Right rules applying where "one over is game over", but it's also home to the more iconic catchphrase - "that's a lifeline we will get back to that!" But, Like I said, we really didn't have much of a run in America in terms of game shows. But if you were wondering… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG1DE4BfMXQ Bullshit made it's debut on Netflix, where you could win $1,000,000 getting questions wrong but making somebody believe you were right. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZiu5IhlVhA NBC rebooted the classic game show "password" with Keke Palmer fresh from "Nope" (and not that far from a Junipers Ranch on the studio tour) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZdjKKrMmaw And MSNBC's Alex Wagner hosted the reboot of "The Mole" set in Australia, and "borrowing" challenges from the Belgium version (albeit without jokers, but plenty of exemptions) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IYzF8Tii8s Speaking of Netflix, One of my personal favorites, Run for the Money, was a long standing game show in Japan where celebrities run against Agent Smith clones to try and win a million yen. This was adapted into "Cha$e" on Syfy in the 2000s and easily forgotten, but they decided to raise the stakes and increase the play zone and the amount of runners to make this a 5 episode "event" that I found just gripping. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXXe3qqw9ZQ Only Connect is in my "top 5 game shows" list every year, and I needed to just keep putting this in my list, even if it unfortunately didn't reach the Top 10 this year for the counter. This year marked an achievement as they had a majority of the teams be Trans and Non-binary, which in a very exclusionary (and slightly transphobic country, with the likes of JK and Lineham), it felt good to see them playing a game show they enjoy without any sort of angry letters and just positive vibes all around (the episode linked isn't the one in question, as I'm just pulling from YouTube and I'm sure it's on iplayer) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8NrMKd1OHo This year was also the best year for Jeopardy, with it's reign of Super Champs, from Matt, Amy and Mattea, being among the most iconic people in a tournament of champions. And that's not including a Second Chance Tournament, and the introduction to the new host of Jeopardy, Ken Jennings… and Mayim Bialik. I honestly was thinking of putting this in number one this year, but I figured this list is already lengthy enough as it is, and there are already plenty of "oh you forgot about" on this list. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPEnDuj6-yg If we were to make a "best game show" list this year, and if I really wanted to include some on my top 10 (I think I only included 3, and they are very special) the winner this year will be PRESS YOUR LUCK! Elizabeth Banks has made the best game show on television, hands down, the Whammy Animations have become mini slots, the prizes are one of a kind, and there have been really emotional moments this season, that made me actually cry and get invested in a contestant winning some serious cash and prizes, and as a guy who spends a good chunk of time that I'm desensitized to it all, it has the makings of just great television. With that long preamble about game shows, let's begin with the Top 10! 10) Reboot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC0tosYozso Reboot is from the people that brought you Modern Family but answers the question - "Can Johnny Knoxville actually act?". And the answer is yes. In the show, the daughter of a Sitcom star wants to make a reboot of a 90s sitcom with the original cast, with a parody of Hollywood at every corner, from the actress that leaves to be royalty, to the rounchy comedian that enters rehab to the child actor that becomes very sheltered from a post Disney Channel life. I thought the show was very funny but hardly got the attention from social media that I thought would've worked. 9) The Rehearsal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fjPFt8cpic I was "this close" to give it to "How to With John Wilson" this year again, but Nathan won the count with the Rehearsal as the show starts out as one show, the "Nathan for You" Style self help awkward comedy hour, and by the midpoint of the series, unravels into a self-aware hellscape that wouldn't exist anywhere else, and you get that Dr Frankenstein "create the monster" horror story that is one of the greatest moments in TV this year. I still can't forgive the Chinese for inventing gun powder! 8) Welcome to Wrexham https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJYFASFtbc4 When I first heard they were doing a documentary with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, I was thinking "comedy" and I was also thinking "oh they know Ted Lasso was big, and wanted to capitalize. But no, that's not the case. While there are plenty of Documentaries that came out this year (like White Hot and Pepsi, Where's My Jet?) Wrexham actually does what so many sports documentaries ignore - the heart. Ryan and Rob barely show up in the series and instead it's about the Welsh village and it's inhabitants and what this football team means to them for financial and for personal care. 7) What We Do in The Shadows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rb2_eJUgog What We Do in the Shadows had a "good" year, it was mostly the "Baby Colin Robinson" season, but it did have so many comedy heavyweights deliver funny performances. This season was all about the vampire night club and Guillermo having a boyfriend, somewhat, and the perils it took to Nandor's relationship. My favorite episode was the parody of HGTV flipping shows featuring the Sklar Brothers, right down to the reveal of "this is not my house!". Also, shout-outs to Harvey Guillen for his voice role in "Nightwing" for having the best interpretation of my favorite superhero this year (beating out Titans and Gotham Knights) 6) Beavis and Butt-Head https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXVdTT1Sis0 It seems every decade or so, they attempt a reboot of "Beavis and Butt-Head", and unfortunately, it just never "lands" because the writing isn't exactly what it needed to be, or they just go straight for the slapstick or "fartknocker" and call it a day, but believe it or not - THE BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD REBOOT IS GREAT! The Escape Room episode feels something straight out of the original run, but obviously has become very modern in it's design and it's music video viewing. It's one of a kind comedy makes this a can't miss show for anybody who needs something to watch on Paramount Plus besides Survivor and whatever Star Trek they are interested in. 5) Peacemaker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mrr3UNALww Yes, James Gunn is the new creative lead for the DC universe, suicide squad was "mixed" but what I really enjoyed this year from DC Comics was "Peacemaker" and it's embarrassing protagonist played by John Cena who is just "trying to do the right thing, but fails". I consider it the "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" of comic book television, where you just know the worst is going to happen for peacemaker, but the breakout star is, of course, Eagle (e-glee) the Eagle. A nice send up to American Exceptionalism! 4) Star Wars: Andor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKOegEuCcfw I understand Star Wars fans really love the Star Wars mythos, and will take anything as long as there is a lightsaber or x-wing or just mere mentioning of "Jedi Councils" and a brief cameo of Chewbacca. But as somebody who doesn't want the shiny keys in my face, Andor was a big breath of fresh air for me, that I have always wanted in a Star Wars series. It's in many ways just a political thriller in space, so you expect a Sorkin-style monologue, but instead, the pacing is surprisingly brisk, and the set dressing is not only there to be gawked at, it gives the planets we visit a personality and rewards the die-hards through just mere explanation of what the Senate acts like, and why democracy could fail. 3) The Boys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elTgqUW-NYE Homelander memes aside, The Boys continues to be the best satire of capitalism and the superhero genre we are already feeling the fatigue of. Everything from a fake reality show to determine the next never of the seven, to a "Woke" Country Fair to be the most hamfisted way to give penance, tob the bizarre story of Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy and just whatever you want to consider what "The Deep" is up to this time around. The best satire on television, and it's still only on Prime Video. 2) Taskmaster https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ9uSgbOfMA Taskmaster, in theory, is a comedy show, but it's also a Game Show. The challenges and games just change every week and they hardly, if ever, duplicate. It's a panel show, kind of, in the comedians bantering and trying to plead to the Taskmaster to win points. This year saw a Streaming service with many countries airing, it saw the YouTube channel reach 1,000,000 subscribers, it also saw announcements of an Australian version in the works, there's also one in Quebec now! It celebrates all the many forms of comedy and art, from improv to slapstick to sketch to musical, that one season still delivers "something for everybody" and is still continuing to change and evolve, and have plenty of tie-in home games to pair with (and an app!) 1) She-Hulk: Attorney at Law https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7JsKhI2An0 I watched Thor Love and Thunder and thought it was "okay", I saw Ms Marvel and thought "this is cute, but it's still bleh", I couldn't get into the Guardians of the Galaxy holiday special, and I am sure I'm missing a few marvel TV shows and maybe movies this year. (Apologies to Shang-Chi) I honestly thought nothing was going to get me back into the MCU and then She-Hulk came around and won me over. The story revolves around Jennifer Walters, a Los Angeles D.A. who after an accident with flaming hot cheetos (and a blood transfusion) becomes She-Hulk. I'm already happy that the show is set in "Not New York City" and in the L.A. area I grew up in (even though it's MAAAADE IN GEORGIA) so a few locations and references make it really interesting. And minor references like the socal drought and the fourth wall breaking (which hasn't happened in any other MCU show, and hasn't happened in spider-man, and the only one I could think of at the top of my head was Deadpool) and the final episode of the season being the exact kind of screwball comedy I wanted in my Lawyer Show! And that concludes my top 10 this year, Game Shows we're great this year, but I couldn't give them a spot on my list, and shows like "Succession" and "Severance" as great as they are, I unfortunately did not see them this year, and felt I would be a big fat phony if i pretended to see them. I hope to see everybody in 2023, with more game shows and more clever shows.
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Dec 22, 2022 11:24
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| # ¿ May 10, 2024 21:18 |
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It's my favorite time of year, and so many of my favorite names here contributing to this project makes me so glad to return time and time again. I will get around to watching Severance just as soon as Netflix screws up it's system and I wind up resubbing to apple tv after the last session of Ted Lasso.
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Feb 3, 2023 07:43
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