It’s NEW Aussie Price is Right!

By | May 8, 2012

With thanks to the guy who put it up:

Here is basically the issue with it – it’s based on the very successful French reimagining of the format, but that itself was built seemingly from the ground up as a vehicle for Vincent Lagaf. Once you take Lagaf and his creative direction out of the equation, what you have is a massive hole to fill, which everything here fills in awkwardly. Emdur’s a great old school host but he does not suit this show’s direction particularly, and the rapport between host and co-host that’s central to the French version is just not really here here.

The French show plays with nostalgic elements and will do something new with them, here the showcase feels like a throwback because they can’t think of anything better. Shame really.

The way the prize cue has got whistling in it but shies away from using the French theme is mildly amusing.

It’s all about The Ratings

By | May 7, 2012

Well look, I don’t really watch either The Voice or Britain’s Got Talent but you can’t have failed to notice that one is doing rather better than the other. And it’s no good pretending that these two shows aren’t in competition and are after different audiences when production people are gleefully tweeting figures when The Voice was doing better. And obviously it is funny when people use “peak” and “share” because that often means they’re hiding something.

Last night’s The Voice results show got a little over 6.5m viewers, almost 40% down on the show’s audition highs. The previous week Countryfile managed over seven million. That means The Voice is now OFFCIALLY less cool than John Craven. The fact that The Voice loses significant viewers between performance show and results show is just another more credible way it differentiates itself from The X Factor.

We are constantly informed that “well, the live shows lose viewers internationally as well” in a way the makers of the show seem quite proud about – a fun feature, even! Well how stupid is that? Evidently there is a format issue and it needs fixing.

So obviously given the blind audition bits are the most popular, have twelve of those followed by a massive Eurovision style sing-off. Format sorted, cheque please.

Bank Holiday

By | May 6, 2012

Whatever you’re doing this Bank Holiday Weekend have a good one! I’m working.

Still, tonight we have a free game of limit 7 card Stud starting at 8pm, that’s open to everybody so do come and join us.

Probably the best thing on Bank Holiday Monday is CITV are running an entire day of Fort Boyard: Ultimate Challenge. No word if they’re filming any more of those yet, from the scheduling I get the feeling it’s been rather more successful in the UK than it has in the US.

Bob Stewart

By | May 4, 2012

Bob Stewart, creator of US shows such as The $10,000 Pyramid, Password, The Price is Right and To Tell The Truth has passed away at 91.

So as we’ve already done US Pyramid when Dick Clark died, here’s an episode of The Pyramid Game from 1990.

It’s Foreigners That Go On A Bit Weekend! (feat. Schlag den Raab 5/5/12)

By | May 4, 2012

I’m busy over the next few nights but there are some entertaining foreign shows on, and happily because they’re on for ages there’s a chance I might get to see some of them.

Tonight at 9-11pm UK time is the Spanish version of popular Italian fun king of the hill quiz Avanti! You can watch an official live feed of the channel here.

Saturday at 7:15 UK time Stefan Raab defends a whopping €2m on Schlag den Raab. Hopefully a naughty live feed will turn up.