Holey Moley

I’ve almost caught up with my Backlog Of Stuff to watch over the weekend, and I’ve finally got around to watching Holey Moley, the new show that pitches itself as Wipeout-meets-crazy golf.

And it’s weird. It’s not nearly as much Wipeout as the adverts would have suggested (other than the first hole with the windmills there’s actually very little pratfalling, although the threat is there in some holes) and has a surprisingly large golf and pressure-putt element.

Twelve contestants are paired off, each pair “does” a hole after learning of their inspirational backstory, fewest shots proceeds to round two, where the six winners are re-paired off to compete on holes, with the three winners going forward to Mount Holey Moley where the winner receives $25,000, a golden putter and a plaid jacket.

Holes range from the visually arresting and quite interesting (the windmill one, the log roll) to a bit dull, and it’s probably telling that many of the holes are given over to highlight treatment (there’s one hole in the opener where they show minutes the contestants trying to climb a slippery hill, come back from a break with five seconds of “oh, X won.”). As a show it’s going to live or die by its ideas and variants, I suspect we’ve seen most of what it’s got to offer already. I suspect some holes may have been better as timed events rather than stroke play.

I quite enjoy the tone the show has taken with its presentation, commentary and hosting is provided by actual ABC sportscaster Joe Tessitore and comedian Rob Riggle, it’s produced and has regular cameos from NBA star Stephen Curry and has on course reports from Jennie Mai. It acts like a serious sports broadcast but with a very silly undercurrent.

I enjoyed it, it’s definitely worth one watch, whether it can sustain a series I don’t know.

In other news I’ve also watched the new Joel McHale Card Sharks. Despite the lavish and rather nice set, didn’t really get on with it. Dislike the race round (rather than best of three five-cards, it’s one race with ten cards and five questions, going to sudden death pretty much every time). As a game, the actual calling of cards has always pretty much played itself but consider Brucey (for example) building up energy and momentum with the turn of each card – this is completely missing, it’s way too slow, potential energy has just been replaced with general shouting and in no way carries the same excitement. Without the showmanship to sell it it doesn’t really work. Pity, really.