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Reviews
The Chase (2013)
An underrated classic
This is about as great as a quiz show can get, frankly. It has a fully realized concept of the "David vs Goliath" and plays into it with its set design, sounds, music, etc. Brook Burns is a fantastic host as well, having a ton of personality and great interaction with Mark Labbett, as well as being able to read the questions clearly at a rapid pace for the timed rounds. And of course, The Beast is phenomenal, being legitimately intimidating and providing a great challenge to the team. Of course, the game itself is awesome well, with a fantastic pace, an appropriate cash prize and perfect level of difficulty. Obviously things are harder for the chaser than the team, but it has to be: even as is, only 25% of teams win. All in all, a great gameshow that I think is an underrated classic.
The Chase (2021)
Needs some work
I'm a longtime fan of the Chase on GSN, as well as becoming hooked on the original British version. The show has everything a great modern game show needs: solid challenge, perfect pacing, great intensity without being corny. Unfortunately, the primetime version feels very lacking in comparison for a variety of reasons.
Probably the best way to describe this show is "The Chase Lite". It is The Chase in rules, setup, etc. However, it lacks any of the "flavor" that makes the other two so special. The previous versions make great use of sight and sound to emphasize the David vs Goliath battle. The chaser sits high above the team in imposing colors like red, with the rest of the set darkened except for the team and host. A heavy "thud" plays as the chaser follows the team down the board, and subtle but dire music plays as both sides race the clock to try and beat the other. Unfortunately, the 2021 has none of this and looks and sounds like a much lighter affair. The set is generally too bright and a monotone mix of blue and orange, with light "whoosh" sounds with no power (though I do like the Final Chase music). I wouldn't find this an issue if the show were going for less intensity than the original, but I don't think you'd bring in true game show royalty without intending to be intense.
The other notable issue is the host, Sara Haines. It has absolutely nothing to do with her personally; she's extremely likeable and charming, has a great sense of humor, and is very clear and precise when reading questions. However, in being so precise, she doesn't have the speed that either Brooke Burns or Bradley Walsh do. This speed is critical to the show's pacing and unfortunately bring the cash builder and final chases to a crawl. I don't like knocking hosts for things like that, but for a gameshow that's so dependent on it's pace to hold it together, it matters. I imagine with a bit more experience, Sara will have no trouble bringing things up to speed.
Of course, there's the issue of the chasers too. I'm not sure if it's the show or their personalities, but none of the three feel like the massive heavyweights of knowledge like they are. Part of this may be the fact that I'm used the behemoth that is Mark Labbett, but I also think that the show's design doesn't allow this to come out either. You could replace Ken Jennings with anyone and it wouldn't make a big difference in the feel of the show, which is a problem.
There is a great show in here somewhere, it just needs to be retooled and polished to bring it out. I'm really hoping that these issues are just first run jitters and we'll get the chance to see a truly phenomenal show that rivals the best.
Snoop Dogg Presents: The Joker's Wild (2017)
Hilarious and a good game show!
I honestly don't get where all the hate for this show comes from. Something tells me it's coming from the kind of old farts who get uncomfortable when an interracial couple sits near them in a restaurant. Sure, the show's been updated, but since when does "reboot" mean "exact same cheesy, unoriginal thing to appease the old fogies"? The remake clearly has a lot of love and respect for the old show put into it. The reason Snoop became involved in the first place was because he adored the original show, and it clearly shows.
As a standalone game show, it's surprisingly good: the set is eye catching, the pacing is snappy, the questions are varied and often challenging, and the humor hits the mark far more than it misses. Sure, it's geared towards a younger crowd, but it even has my 64 year old father laughing at almost every crack. Snoop Dogg is also a fantastic host, taking all kinds of pot shots (har har) at himself and bringing that cool, half-baked vibe he always has while still being sharp. The stakes are also just right: the prize is a solid 50K, so it's not too little like some GSN shows, but not a "big money" snoozefest that spends more time gawking at a big prize pot than actually playing the game.
All in all, a perfectly serviceable, fun to watch game show that's sure please most anyone who is open to it's updated style. If you're willing to chill out and aren't the kind of person who gets uncomfortable at the mention of brown people and/or weed, you're in for a treat.