Well, it is the season premiere of Wipeout (although the first episode was three weeks ago. US telly is weird) and conveyor-belt quiz Downfall this evening. I’m probably not going to get the chance to watch them until later in the week, but here is somewhere you can have a chat about them.
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Well, technically it was a sneak-peek of the new season of Wipeout (even though it was an hour longer than a normal episode).
Oh I get that, but I’m certainly not buying it.
Yep, especially when they called it “Episode 01”.
Its satisfying to see one of those damn popcorn carts go over the edge noting how much TPiR loves them so much.
On the whole good stuff from Wipeout – absolutely love Double Cross, and it’s a much better update of King of the Mountain than Overdrive, which we had in the Blind Date episode.
The Dreadmill launch in the Wipeout Zone a bit of an anti-climax though, but like the Gut Puncher and Sinistairs. Didn’t like the use of paint though, especially in the Wipeout Zone. It’s just unnecessary and I think such childish elements actually take away from how difficult it is rather than add to it.
Im sad to say i thought Downfall was rubbish, the format is surely never going to yeild any jackpot winners. Im also not convinced by the personal item, would much rather the lifelines were both supporters.
I was shocked at how good Chris was at hosting though, think he is wasted a bit on such a rubbish format.
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Wipeout = a whole lot of awesome. Have to say loved the flapping doors on the qualifier.
They have also made some very exciting changes to the Wipeout Zone, they really have done well in picking the right obstacles, not sure about the obsession with gunge they seam to have this time or paint as they call it.
Downfall seemed at pains to point out the stuff being dropped were mostly replicas and not the real thing – are they that worried about fakery complaints? In one way it removes the sense of jeopardy and in another it makes it seem less wasteful.
The setting is impressive initially, certainly I haven’t seen anything like this on TV before. I expected the drop to be much higher, but I suppose safety and practicality limits this.
The questions were geared towards mentioning a lot of brand names, is this a common thing on US telly?
As for the choice between putting a friend or an item on the belt – why would you ever choose an item? What’s the point?
My strategy would be to play the categories I thought would be hardest first, so I’d have to answer fewer questions for them. If I got stuck, I’d play a category I’m more confident on with my personal item on the line (so that I know I can save it), then the friend (because who cares about them. If you can’t help me with the questions, screw you). That’d be the ideal strategy in my mind, unless there’s a category that you know you know nothing about, then you’d have to play the categories in such a way that you deliberately avoid that category (ie go as long as you can without using both helps).
Not that anyone asked.
As for the brand names, I’d say that it’s better that they get more brand names out than just one or two. By having a category in which so many fast food restaurants were named, no one is getting more publicity over any other, so no one can cry foul over hidden advertising or whatnot.
On the whole, I thought it was interesting, although I’m not sure how long the novelty of things falling off a roof will last. I thought Chris was sorta clunky, slow and mechanical like a first-time-host. Hopefully that clears up over time, because I just found him annoying.
Also, do I get bonus points for being the first to come up with the comparison of “Every Second Counts” on crack with the theme from “La Cible”?
A fake car (or fake money) falling over the edge still looks pretty damn good. Also it has to be hard to concentrate on the questions when you can hear your prizes crashing down.
Personally I think the format is damn near perfect. Sure it might not produce many jackpot winners but all it really takes is one gambler, the money tree looks pretty similar to the sort used by Don’t Forget the Lyrics by having the safe point fairly low. It’s paced well, doesn’t drag things out too much and speeding up the belt as a penalty for passing is a very nice touch. Another nice touch being the contestant being lifted over the edge by their safety line when the money drops.
As for Jericho as host, I was rather impressed. He looks like he has the usual first time host nerves but I can see him becoming extremely good as time goes by.
Also anyone else find it weird that ABC are using a different logo from the actual show one for promo stuff?
The font seems to be the same (if I remember right), I think they’re just using the letters in a different way. The square/vertical rectangle logo used on the show would take up too much space on a promo, which is probably why they have the horizontal rectangle conveyor belt one for the ads (to allow space for a date and time underneath). I’m sure it’s not the first show to go with a modified logo between publicity and on-air uses.
Yeah, but there’s gambling, and there’s gambling. If someone were to go for the million, they’d have to risk everything (except $25,000), get ten out of ten on the belt’s highest setting (another thing I don’t love – the producers double dip on increasing the difficulty each time by asking for more correct answers in a shorter time).
For a gamble on a gameshow to work, it has to be tempting and inviting. I’m not convinced it is here, and I certainly don’t think anyone is going to get past the $50k (naturally I hope and look forward to being wrong).
Otherwise, the quiz element is quite good, the central conceit is quite fun (and yes, I’m perfectly happy to see representations of prizes falling off a building. I think because of the unusual nature of having a prmetime show with item prizes these days, I’d just give away anything left on the belt after each round without the risk). I think Chris Jericho should have a big lever that appears to start and stop the belt rather than shouting “stop the belt!”.
The “dropping the contestant” element is a bit underwhelming. I think I would have them dangling ready to drop all the time.
Despite the faults I think I will tune in next week.
Early ratings suggest that “Downfall” may have the same problem that befell “I Survived A Japanese Game Show” these past two years. The new show only got around three=fifthe the audience that watched “Wipeout”, and its audience declined in each quarter-hour. Even I was thinking about bailing, so that I could get to the computer and write down what I think of the show.
The game itself is solid, if unspectacular. The sight of “replicas” and “representatives” of the prizes going off the edge could get old very fast. Chris Jericho looks like he has a future as a game show host, especially if he’s not to try to do something that requires gravitas (e. g. “Jeopardy!”).
As I understand it, it’s got a six-week run. We’ll have to see how the ratings hold up over that period.
And regarding Wipeout, pretty much agree that the paint ruins the Wipeout Zone (although it sounds like a one-off in this instance). Dislike the fence flapper (all obstacles should be doable), otherwise liked most of the new stuff – not sure what the point of Overdrive is seeing as it’s a less fun version of the Double Cross. Bruiseball I really, really like.
There should be little producer intervention on the Wipeout Zone ideally, the gutbuster and bucking bronco bridge thing would have been perfectly fine without a little man controlling them with a joystick.
Didn’t bother with Downfall but sounds like my initial suspicions were right – once you’ve seen a fake prize drop off a building once, you don’t really need to see it happen again.
So Wipeout on Thursdays for the next three weeks as well as Tuesday – but I fully expect a double episode at some point on a Tuesday once Downfall is pulled from the schedules.
I think you’re doing it a disservice – the show’s quiz element is rather good and quickfire and Chris Jericho was brilliant I thought. The prizes may have been fake (or rather, the expensive prizes may have been fake) but still smashed satisyingly, and if Brainiac can get many years out of blowing up caravans every five minutes as a gimmick, I don’t see why Downfall’s gimmick couldn’t do the same. The show is basically well presented – it’s got a great set and music straight out of the old school of gameshow think musics.
In fact “old school” is quite a good description for it really. Destroying things and throwing people off buildings are the concessions to modernity.
I think the show has structural issues, I think there are some design decisions they could have made better, but my overall feeling after seeing the first episode were basically positive, and I could think of many worse ways I could have spent 45 minutes.
Inevitably short-lived naughty link!
I enjoyed Downfall far more than I thought I would, especially considering the overtly negative entertainment in the premise – the focus being on avoiding loss rather than winning. The concept of contestants being able to win nothing and lose a cherished item twangs my admittedly rather hyperactive “That’s Not Right” sensor, but the contestants are getting the very fairest of runs for their money.
once you’ve seen a fake prize drop off a building once, you don’t really need to see it happen again
It’s a very wise decision to have lots of different fake prizes which fall down in lots of different ways and look good in their self-destruction. I’m not sure that there’s enough to sustain it for the long term, but six good episodes and going out before it gets stale sounds like a very good lifespan for a one-gimmick show. It’s a format that can have one good season in each of fifty countries around the world. Lots of money for Mr. Warwick, please, and let’s hope that some of it filters back into the UK tax system.
Basically complete agreement with Brig; Chris Jericho is a natural, and the match of a Big Dumb Show with a Big Dumb Pro Wrestler Host was spot on, except one who turned out to be far from dumb and indeed was admirably spontaneous in his responses. (Wrestlers turned game show hosts! Hulk Hogan hosted relaunched American Gladiators, er…? Drew Carey’s silly cameo does not count.)
Minus 2% for having some quickfire questions that are shown on screen (good) and others that are not (bad), which is a severe play-along-at-home fault when the contestant can interrupt the questions. I don’t want to get into fundamentalist Only Connect-style discussions about this (OC does this right as far as I’m concerned) but this is a show where graphics overlaid on screen with the questions would feel appropriate.
I wonder if it would be more visual to have the belted-up contestant on the belt, sat in a be-panic-buttoned chair which cannot move backwards along the belt, and the money off it, so that there isn’t the artificial gap between the time expiring and the contestant’s downfall? Admittedly it probably helps in this regard to have seen The Million Pound Drop Live drop fat bundles of loot already; it’s also far more spectacular to have the fake notes fly apart from each other, rather than having bundles of real notes just blob about. (If they can have the Panic Partner stand on the belt and not worry about the possibility of their movement, then the contestant should not be immune.)
Jonathon Ross’s Saturday night ITV debut, I reckon!
Jonathon Ross’s Saturday night ITV debut, I reckon!
Big Big Talent Show not withstanding, of course!
But yes, ITV Saturday night was exactly what I was thinking.
I disliked Downfall because it’s obvious no one is going to win the jackpot and increasing the speed of the belt is not needed answering more questions is hard enough but i’ve got to admit Chris Jericho was a great host
Wipeout was good but a few problems i have the gunge is not needed and i can sort of understand it on the earlier let’s make a fool of the contestants rounds but on the wipeout Zone where the show gets serious it’s completely out of place.
It would be interesting to see how Downfall does in the UK if the guys at Fremantle UK decide to import the format and hire a London skyscraper to give players at chance at prizes and up to £250,000 cash.
I don’t know if they would invite Chris Jericho as the host of the show. (Especially since he’s busy with AEW at the moment)
The music would need changing as it didn’t feel intense and dramatic. (Something in the G minor tone)
Maybe it could work on Saturday nights on ITV alongside the Lottery draws. (When it comes to ITV properly with the Thunderball, Lotto, and Lotto Plus)