So this is exciting, Glenn Hugill’s started an entertainment indie called Possessed TV, working under ITV Studios.
It’s no secret that Hugill’s been one of our favourite telly people over the last fifteen years, responsible for more high quality stuff that’s piqued our interest than basically anyone else so we wish him best of luck with this venture, and that he gets on with it and buys the rights to The Genius.
On the idea of a UK version of The Genius – Who do you think should be in it?
Vicky Coren, Rachel Riley, Mark Wright etc.
Me of course, but if they haven’t got my contact details then maybe e.g. Mark Labbett and Dara O’Briain (in addition to Brig’s suggestions)
I’d like to add Carol Vorderman and Stephen Fry to the list.
In general, I think the Chasers and frequent QI players would make good contestants. I’d imagine the Chasers would be good at the game-theoretic side, while the QI regulars would likely be good at finding the intentionally built in loopholes like in Open Pass.
I think Graeme Garden would have a lot of potential, possibly. Robin Ince, maybe? Of all the chasers, my gut is that Paul Sinha might be the best fit.
A slightly left-field suggestion (in that while she’s done Only Connect, I’d be *amazed* if they could secure her for a series): Baroness Greenfield. I’m thinking that Sue Perkins might be a reasonable fit, too. Mel as well, but Sue’s done more of the protracted gameshowy series things!
I had one more in the back of my mind but couldn’t recall the name, but got it now: Emma Kennedy.
I’m slightly obsessed with the idea of PokerStars sponsoring it, because it’s just left-field enough to happen, and then featuring both Vicky Coren in her role as a columnist/author/presenter and Liv Boeree in her role as an astrophysicist/model. Not sure if that would be legal in terms of product placement restrictions or not, given how strongly PS is associated with the two. (I’d also be interested in seeing if an up-and-coming smart young magician – not sure who counts as such these days – could do really well at the game.)
Really the games are the star, and I just would love for it to happen, and for people who really know and love games to get to work on it.
Well done Glenn. I’m over here if Possessed are looking for a high concept entertainment format.
But that press release by ITV..
Love how of the 4 shows named that Endemol creative came up with, 3 of the 4 failed to get a second series.
Glenn didn’t come up with the banker character for DOND. OK he may have had something to do with forming an ‘imaginary image’ for Noel to play off, rather than going “hmm…yep..right I’ll pass the offer on” in the offer calls, but the banker was not entirely a UK version invention.
Pointless 2.91m (23.9%)
Tipping Point 1.86m (21.6%)
The 21st Question 1.51m (12.8%)
Big Brother 1.26m (8.0%)
Perfection 0.94m (14.3%)
Judge Rinder 0.88m. (13.0%)
Couples Come Dine With Me 0.81m (6.9%)
The Chase (R) 0.67m (9.3%)
BBBOTS 0.61m (6.5%)
Deal or No Deal 0.59m (7.8%)
Countdown 0.40m (5.9%)
Win It Cook It 0.36m (3.9%)
All including HD and +1 where appropriate
The nation’s love affair with Judge Rinder is OVER.
I literally can’t work out if T21Q is worth a recommission.
Thanks Paul.
Also, Sky are betting the farm that geeks are a thing:
http://tbivision.com/news/2014/08/sky-preps-superfan-show-based-international-format/317521/
That’s on top of King of the Nerds.
Meanwhile ITV strike another blow for originality:
http://www.theguardian.com/media/mediamonkeyblog/2014/aug/15/itv-sunday-night-at-the-palladium-bryan-adams-art-garfunkel
(I don’t actually blame ITV, to be fair, when viewers’ default position when faced with any new format is to not watch it, then take to the internet to complain that “This is confusing/rubbish, bring back XXX…”)
Hmm, no second series of Gadget Geeks though.
Not sure I like the idea of The Fanatic, or at least I hope they’ve found some way to make specialist subjects entertaining to the average viewer. King of the Nerds does at least riff off tropes which people are going to be familiar with.
I don’t really think there’s much harm in a variety entertainment show in a primetime Sunday slot.
You can have complex games on, but you have to be much smarter as a producer and director to lead the audience.
ITV doing their best to p*** off entertainment producers. One of the best formats ever created, but I really hope they don’t screw with it.
I don’t think ITV’s position is helped when confusing concepts are pitched to them. Viewers don’t complain if something is simple and tonally right, but 95% of entertainment programmes are not that though (there are some complex shows which do well like The Chase or Tipping Point). The more complex something is, like The Fuse or Take on the Twisters, the quicker the viewers lose interest.
I think tone is so, SO important, people will give you more of a chance if you can appeal to them early and different slots require a different sort of appeal, but I guess that’s a production thing that’s difficult to sort out until you come to actually make it. And also you can save an average format with a good production eye (I daresay Bother’s Bar favourite Avanti un Altro! falls into this – the format’s *OK*, the end game is great, the show is hysterical).
If you can’t make the first five minutes of a new show at 5pm appeal to the sorts of people who watch The Chase – there’s no point bothering. You have to be *aggressive*.