If the answer to my question is no, I’m deeply sorry. I still hate it too. Yes, lady and gentlemen, this week we’ll be looking back at a simple game show. How does one review a game show you might ask if you’re really bored? Well, let’s find out together shall we. Does that sound like a good idea? (This is where you answer. Use “Blue’s Clues” as an example.) Although not on the airwaves for a long time in the United States, this show managed to catch on pretty quickly thanks to the feisty red head we watched belittle the contestants and her little catch phrase. For those who are so egocentric to think that she disappeared when the announcer from “The Price Is Right” came along, think again. There is more to the world than U.S. See what I did there? No, because it was stupid. Anyway, back on point, Miss Anne Robinson hosted the show in the United Kingdom until March of this year. I frankly don’t get how she remained popular all this time, but whatever U.K., you like what you like.
Hopefully you stuck with me, because that was difficult to read I’m sure. Let’s start with the U.S. version since I too am an arrogant Yankee. After the Anne Robinson era ended in America, we needed to find a way to make the show worse and keep it. We decided to take the road least traveled and put a man in the role of host. George Gray was the man to take center stage while wearing thick glasses and black clothes. He was less stern and biting, and more of just a douche bag. His voice was grating, and he just made fun of people. I didn’t mind him, but he really didn’t maintain the attitude of the show. This is like some idiot from “The View” host “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” It just wouldn’t make any sense to do that. Gray went on to be the announcer for the Drew Carey led “Price is Right” and will probably make more money in that venture than this. Good for him.
Now we are on the main attraction. The feisty redhead that won us all over with her biting wit:
No. This one:
Roaring onto BBC Two in August of 2000, “The Weakest Link” showed everyone that trivia wasn’t dead. It also brought back the real fun of trivia: getting to show your peers that you know more than them and you will kick them to the curb for being stupid.
The game worked liked this: The contestants, usually nine, would all answer general questions. The categories were normally things people should learn just by living. With each correct answer, the amount of money earned went up. The catch here is that a wrong answer doesn’t doom you if you plan ahead. You could bank the earned money to guarantee you get something. It’s a good idea as long as you allow your team to get to the most money in the pot.
After questions are asked, the host would make some kind of crappy remark to people and tell everyone who was the smartest and vice versa. Then the players would vote people off that they saw fit. Normally they vote the idiot off, then the smart guy. Use the nerd for money then dump him. Sounds about right ladies right?
When the final two contestants are left, we get a Wild West shootout the likes of which have never been seen. I’ll differ to Wikipedia because they succinctly state what happens here as well as I could. “For the head to head round, the remaining two players are each required to answer five questions each in a penalty shootout format. The strongest link from the previous round chooses who goes first. Whoever has the most correct answers at the end of the round wins the game. In the event of a tie, the game goes to “sudden death”. Each player continues to be asked questions as usual, until one person gets a question right and the other wrong.
The winner of the game takes home all of the money accumulated in the prize pool for the game, and the loser leaves with nothing, like all previous eliminated players. In daytime episodes, the maximum possible winnings are £10,000; in primetime and special celebrity charity episodes, the maximum is £50,000”
What of the now retired Anne Robinson? Well she can now ride into the sunset as a grandma and former alcoholic racist. She was apparently a respected journalist and unfit mother before her game show glory, and I hope her grandkids call her a weak link every day.
Oh hey, Kane!
Credit goes to: BBC.co.uk, wikipedia.org, NBC.com, Priceisright.com and rediff.com