Snake Oil (2023– ) User Reviews

Humorous Game Show

[atlasmb · 6/10 · 30 September 2023]

David Spade hosts this television game show, so it helps if you enjoy his wry sarcasm.

The game itself is simple: two contestants are presented with various products and they have to decide which are legit and which are fakes. Each is assisted by a celebrity. They get to view humorous "commercials" for each product, and they interview the reps for each product before making their decisions. Each choice is weighted by how much money they want to bet on their decision. Winners play another round in which they try to pick a fake product out of a group of real products.

Pay attention, because the contestants can change their minds or bet money that the other contestant is wrong. One reviewer erroneously alleged that the show said one real product was a fake.

This is really a comedy show masquerading as a game show, but real money is won. In an early episode, a contestant won more than $200,000.

cringey audience participation & audio editing problems

[tallyho-34810 · 28 September 2023]

I feel like half of David Spade's dialog was artificially spliced into the show, after the fact, like re-recorded later with ADR and then added in "post production" or whatever. That and the absolutely awkward & phony audience gestures were the 2 biggest flaws of the show. Seeing these goofy audience members being forced (off-camera I'm sure) to make these ridiculous "snake" movments with their arm out, cupped hand, etc. It's like they're trying to parrot The Masked Singer and their unrealistic audience expressions and cringey gestures.

The humor in the first episode was hilarious though, I did laugh out loud several times during the premiere episode just now. But I probably won't tune in again, the editing is just so painfully obvious where they chopped out bits & pieces of the host's or contestants's speech, and clumsily tried to splice in re-recorded dialog. Very very noticeable, I'm surprised a FOX show like this can't afford a better ADR company who's been in business longer.

I can't speak for future episodes, but during tonight's prelimere show, I'd estimate that the words we heard from David Spade on our TV screens were approx. 60% genuinely uttered in front of the studio audience, there at the taping, and around 40% were recorded in a sound booth, weeks or months later, after everyone else went home. That might be the phony-baloney Hollywood version of "authenticity" but it's no way to run a successful TV show. Plus the deception of them hiding the 60-second countdown clock is as bafffling as it is suspicious. Do the producers REALLY think no one will notice their ethical lapse? Why not show the full sixty seconds ON SCREEN as they count down? Reputable game-show producers from a generation or two ago are rolling over in their graves over "Snake Oil" and its misleading dishonesty.

Too much Game Show not enough Business

[dannyh-75354 · 2/10 · 16 October 2023]

Really wanted to see this be more like "shark tank" and spend more time on what/why it was real or not. Less on the "how much to bet". Meat flavoured alcohol - more details and how many varieties?

I also feel some of the fake companies are inspired by real ones but just that specific company does not exist so it isn't that there is not a company doing that work, just made up the company name.

Really don't care about the gambling portion would just like to see more about the company ideas.

Would really have liked to see more ideas and ways to be inspired me on types of companies coming out of the show.

Needs Improvement!

[perrybabic · 3/10 · 6 October 2023]

The show is pretty confusing. Kind of jumps all over the place and you're not sure what is really going on. I think if they simplified the format, the show would be a lot better. I found myself going back to figure out if a product was real or fake. They leave you hanging and don't tie up lose ends very well. I don't care for the celebrities either. Just another annoying distraction. Even the ending doesn't make sense. I think I would have to watch an episode at least three times to understand everything. I like David Spade and hope he can fine tune this show that has potential but needs some work.

Surprisingly good and quite funny

[sayedshazee · 8/10 · 5 October 2023]

First of all, one of the other reviewers left a whole ranting essay saying that the whiskey was snake oil on the show and how it isn't. He should watch the show again as on the show the whiskey is indeed not the snake oil, as the contestant chose the baby teeth which was the snake oil.

Anyone on the show, I don't really like American game shows but this was actually kind of good. Some people said that Spade isn't excited enough but he is actually a pleasant departure from the usual over the top game show hosts and the show uses his dry sense of humor perfectly.

As for the game itself it is quite interesting and trying to decide which product is the snake oil is quite challenging in itself as they are very well prepared and usually make sense as a product.

All in all a good, funny show and much better than most shows out there.

How Dare You For Using Veterans to Sell a Lie

[Joelony84 · 1/10 · 4 November 2023]

I like David Spade, I like the concept for the show, and I like the inclusion of celebrity guests. But, the first episode I chose to watch included lies about helping veterans. As a veteran myself with a VA disability rating, I found it appalling that the creators/writers would use "heartstring" stories to make it more difficult to find the fake product. This isn't about being easily offended, I'm close to Adam DeVine's age, enjoy all types of humor, but I find it irresponsible, ignorant, and opportunistic to use Vets and the VA to perpetuate a lie. But hey, when nearly a quarter of a million dollars is on the line, anything goes, right?

Well let's see, there is always a Winner and you get David Spade!!

[jtomlinson-48204 · 9/10 · 9 November 2023]

I think my title said it all! If you are like me you cannot tolerate watching these game shows where people walk away without enough to cover the cost of taking time off to tape the show! Boo! Hiss!

Not with this show! Someone always wins enough to make it worth their time!

David Spade looks even better than ever and of course is witty as heck! I love this guy!

And he grows on me where I like him more with time. He was always good, now he is really good, and cute!

He seems like a sincere gentleman as well which is nice to see. I just enjoy the tar outta the guy. I watch this show!

You can rewind it too, on Sling anyway, so I can go back and review things! I am a little nitpicking and analytical so I like to review the details and try to figure out what makes sense. I have gotten much better at identifying the fakes (snake oil). One of the most fun things is when they show a product that is new or has a limited market and I have actually seen it! I get a kick out of that! I knew 2 of the products on tonight's show! 1 of them was correctly guessed to legit and got the winner into the final! It's a close to home kind of game! Some clever people created this one!

They pick the stupidest people

[kaimaru-659-61821 · 20 October 2023]

I literally wish I had knew and auditioned for thus show. In 4 episodes I've been wrong zero times. I honestly feel like they picked the stupidest people to display on this. I admit. It saves them money. But take the last show. You have EMERGENCY keys. Not your primary key under a fake item. Yet they portrayed it as your primary key for entry. Why use a gnome to protect you key with a fingerprint scan to GET your key when you could literally for the price ($300) get a lock with fingerprint recognition. Then they had crocs with animal prints and thought who would want that when a billion crocs are sold each year. The fact anyone picks the correct product after 4 shows astounds me. Rent a mule for in your house with a keg and loose plastic cups there. Not even a hygiene issue but they seriously considered it. I like the actors. (FOX) that they add. But even when the actors are like IDK they pick stupid things. I think they honestly pick the dumbest contestants like early American Idol would showcase and sometimes advance ridiculously bad singers.

Rip off of the Your Kickstarter Sucks podcast

[CrimeChauncey · 1/10 · 16 December 2023]

This whole show ripped off ideas from a podcast called Your Kickstarter Sucks, specifically their segment cknown as "Real or Fake." In fact, the premise of this show is the exact same premise as Real or Fake, no differences. Even worse, it is much less funny than the podcast they ripped off. YKS has been doing this segment since at least 2017. It's way better than this show. If they had somehow involved the hosts of Your Kickstarter Sucks, Jesse Farrar and Mike Hale, then I would have no issues with this show. It might even make it somewhat enjoyable instead of being terribly unfunny inaddition to unorignal. Unoriginal and unfunny. That's a double whammy.

I absolutely love this show.

[amyrella-32996 · 10/10 · 9 November 2023]

This is one of my favorite shows. David Spade is perfect person to host. I think he is very undervalued as a actor, he is very talented and truly funny. He is one reason I love the show but also,I remember as a kid my grandparents taking me to flea market and they actually brought Snake Oil along with several other products claiming to,"cure ails you". Every cut or scrape we got she grabbed the snake oil.

I love trying to guess which products are Snake oil and which are the real products. Some are ridiculously funny and others make a lot of sense, even some of the so called Snake Oil products.