500 Questions starts tonight! And as the US’ big new event show that’s already had loads of interest from other countries despite not having aired anything and aiming to redefine the gameshow genre (a bit like Million Second Quiz two years ago) we’re paying close attention to the numbers. With THE TERRIFYING DEMOGRAPHIC DRAGON. Will Quest complete the quest, or will he BURN?
We’ll be updating this over the next week or so – it’s the first tonight, a double-episode tomorrow, one on Friday, then repeats on Saturday and Sunday, and then on nightly next week, finishing on a double.
I’m going to be a bit behind with watching it (because of work commitments this week, aggravatingly), I’ve been down on it from ever since hearing about it (it sounds like Quizzlestick, the prizes feel a bit cheap, crucially it’s going to be much slower paced than necessary).
I think it might do OK this evening on ABC as new hyped shows invite a watch (although it is up against the Survivor: World’s Apart live final on CBS, a show that’s proven tremendously resiliant over 30 seasons, and there’s the added bonus of the results of a live vote to determine which previous contestants will play the next All-Star losers season), the killer is that being slow paced, if someone gets to question 60-70+ and then loses, is the average viewer bothered enough to sit through another two or three episodes to get up to a point where it’s going to be in any way tense (and even then a graphic that suggests ’60/500′ looks like too much effort to expend for not enough reward)? I predict not, and I would expect a large drop off when the first contestant eventually gets knocked out. It’s very difficult to do endurance as a quiz show in a way that keeps viewers.
The Genius S4 starting end of June!
Awesome! Will keep an eye out for that one
I’ll be intrigued to be the new set and if we have any returning players
Just watched this, I’ll be amazed if it holds on to viewers through the week. I like the game as a whole, the different question types give it enough variety but I don’t see how anyone will have the patience to stick with it. I don’t see how anyone could greenlight a gameshow where in an entire episode there isn’t a winner, there isn’t a loser, nothing really of interest happens. I get that the show is all about the ‘journey’ through 500 questions but at least make the journey interesting.
The set is brilliant, I’m always a fan of having any graphics, etc. built into the set itself rather than being on screen. I’d have put the ‘three strikes’ graphic somewhere other than the main screen though, that seems to me like it belongs on the player podium as it’s such a critical element.
Not sure I’m a fan of Richard Quest, he certainly brings energy but at the same time to me he doesn’t quite fit into the tone of the show.
They at the very least need to make sure they get through 50 questions an episode, I assume the contestant gets the chance to cash out then or something happens but a whole episode in, I still don’t know for sure.
I still reckon the set is too dark!
#grumpypants
#dontlikedarksets
3.7/7 in terms of total viewers, waiting on the key demo rating.
MSQ opened with a 1.7, for reference.
The Demographics Fireball will probably hit Richard Quest on a 2.0 or below, although I might down it to 1.5 so the feature can run a bit.
For reference re: US numbers, the key demo is the 18-49 year olds, X.Y/Z is where X.Y is the total percentage of households with 18-49s were watching, and the Z is the share of the viewers in the timeslot.
Just seen your Tweet with the figure. Oh dear.
Warning, team! Extreme peril imminent!
Yep, 1.2 in the fast Nielsens. Maybe it will become a 1.3 by the time I get home!
Second in the timeslot (against Survivor final), about sixth for the evening:
http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/05/21/tv-ratings-wednesday-modern-family-black-ish-finales-fall-to-series-lows-supernatural-finale-flat/406854/
In other news, a pub with a soft play area pulls out all the stops for a one-night Funhouse revival, complete with Pat Sharp, Melanie, Martina, karts and the works. Lichfield, mid-June.
Funhouse? Fun House? Fun House?
Saturday early-evenings with twenty-thirty year-olds. It’d do massive numbers.
Saw this Russian show based on a Japanese format that was funny…
https://youtu.be/b7GxPiccoBE