Total Blackout

By | April 27, 2012

So last night I saw the premiere if SyFy US’ Total Blackout, the format that’s been quietly sweeping large parts of the world.

In it, people are challenged to do and identify things in total darkness, and as such their imaginations are encouraged to run away with them. For example, the contestants are led to four boxes and have to identify the things inside, some innocuous, some less innocuous (cockroaches, a pineapple, an octopus and a bra in the first episode, for example). Or taste things (that are of course lying on bodies – like champagne or a cherry). Or smell things (peanut butter, a sweaty shoe, a man’s armpit). After each round the contestants simultaneously jump on a trap door, with the person who performed the least well falling through it. The last person standing wins $5,000.

It’s not particularly exciting from a format perspective – you’ve basically seen much of it before elsewhere but not in a warehouse – but the tone is much lighter (ironically) than, for example, Fear Factor.  Watching people  trying to build up the courage to put their hand in a mystery box, shriek and then discover it’s completely innocuous (there’s a lot of laughing-at-themselves interview splicing) is mildly amusing for a little while but I don’t really know how much longevity it has. Apparently episode two is a couples edition and much funnier, and I know the Scandinavian versions push the fear element a bit more, but I’m intrigued to see how many different ways they have to dress up the same idea.

I may do a proper feature on this soon as it appears to be becoming a thing. It got off to a very good start audience wise, apparently.

Don’t forget you have until midnight tonight to win some cash.

10 thoughts on “Total Blackout

      1. Alex

        Also has anyone over here in the UK bothered to look at bringing it here? I like it quite a bit.

        Reply
        1. Brig Bother Post author

          It is quite good fun, although two and a bit hours of it is a bt much.

          Cele, what’s the name of Italian show again? If I can find an episode I’ll do a feature on it.

          Reply
          1. Brig Bother Post author

            Yes, and daily. I will see what I can find. Didn’t realise it was Endemol actually.

      2. Alex

        This theme tune is horribly infectuous, it’s going to be stuck in my brain for a LONG while.

        Reply
  1. Ryan

    Does Total Blackout have the same humour vein as Estate of Panic? That would make it more watchable…

    Reply

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