ITVX, from December 28th
Although we understand it will be going out on ITV2 sometime in the future.
This may or may not be any good but the premise sounds quite fun – five pairs running around the Aegean Islands in Greece, one of whom is granted a Golden Credit Card loaded with cash daily so they can have a great time, but they must watch their backs because the other teams will be trying to catch them in order to have the card for themselves. It sounds like the last leg on the final episode will be played for lots of money. It’s Greece Uncovered meets Hunted, basically.
Watched it? Let us know what you think in the comments.
I’ve watched two episodes of this so far and it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster. Initially I thought Kae Kurd’s Sarcastic Commentary was the clear indicator that I’m too old for this (although I should add that I’ve enjoyed him on Fighting Talk and various stand-up spots previously), but the Big Idea is quite fun – rich God Plutus (i.e. someone pretending to be rich God Plutus) has left his golden credit card loaded with €50,000 on a rooftop in Athens, and five pairs are racing to find it. Whoever gets it can spend spend spend to their heart’s content, but if the other pairs can tag the Spenders, they get to nick the credit card. Plutus will ping the contestants, who each get a smartwatch and phone, whenever the credit card gets used (with details of when, where, what and how much), and evidently has set up some sort of social media platform where contestants send their photos and he’ll ping them to everyone else to stir the pot. As Spenders, Plutus acts as a concierge and guide – if they say they want food, he’ll book a table at a suggested steakhouse for them, or if they suggest they want a massage he’ll go to the trouble of booking them into a spa. The contestants have the choice as to whether to take the suggestions or not but the feeling seems to be “might as well”. Each evening he’ll book the Spenders into luxury accomodation, whereas the Chasers get a hostel. It looks like every two days they book into a “safehouse” which is mainly an excuse to go to a different area of Greece.
There are a couple of interesting things that become apparent, some quickly, some not so quickly. As Spenders you get all the money and luxury, but you rarely get to actually enjoy it properly as you’re usually looking over your shoulder – this said you do have a lot of power (there’s some great strategy on show in episode two). The Chasers are limited to €30 a day and as Chasers they’re pretty limited to waiting for a Ping or a clue and hotfooting it to the location, whereas the Spenders are effectively playing Chicken at many places, in episode one they effectively leave halfway through a €350 meal – there doesn’t seem to be much room for strategy, no real traps to lure the Spenders to on the Chasers part. It’s probably not a good sign that the Chasers look like giving up, and it’s only Day Two! On the one hand leaving half the experience seems like such an utter waste, on the other hand the Chicken thing is probably something they ought to lean in more on, as it is they just stopped taking photos, Plutus probably needs to force them to do so.
There’s an odd thing where Plutus’ suggestions seem pretty directed – go to this place! The player’s use of money thus far is pretty unimaginative – have some nice food and drink, grab taxis and not much else, the big spends have come with the luxury overnight accomodations that Plutus has laid on for them – €8,500 on a yacht, €4,500 on a posh hotel, where the total other spend they’ve spent on living it up under their own steam in the first two episodes probably comes to around €750. Lux-ur-ry!
The moments of tension when it *does* look like a capture might happen have been pretty good so far though – one with a pair who were utterly outclassed and a second one where there are inches in it, and the second episode finishes on a good cliffhanger (although I’m not sure how our heroes survive it from the build up).
I’m not sure there needed to be fifteen episodes of it, but I like it enough to continue for now.
I’m four eps into this now and I think I like it and will probably watch the rest. I’m not sure it needs the equivalent of an entire episode at the safe house, although the goings on were fun enough (the romance is quite cute), but it feels like people are thinking a bit more – I think making Mykanos a self-driving area gives a bit more scope for strategy and self-determination, and the latest catch wasn’t a result of a clue being given and them getting there quickly but a hunch that was correct, and some teams now having an Instant Locator could add a bit of spice.
I’m up to ep 10 now – it’s a bit of a slow burner but I am enjoying it, especially as everyone’s playing a bit smarter now, although I’m not sure about the revolving door eliminations – kicking people out just to bring new people in, especially quite close to the end.
It seems being ‘loaded’ is quite boring and actually starts to become a secondary story to how the show progresses in later episodes (especially when the cars become a thing meaning one of each pairing becomes the designated driver for the day and hence limited to out of this world €6 mocktails!)
On Episode 11 now which has quite an interesting start…still feel they could have trimmed it down by several episodes without losing much, some of the twists and elimination choices don’t really provide any suspense but they still spend 20 minutes pretending on the DRAMA of them
I’ve definitely laughed at the luxury accomodation going from €8,500 yacht to €350 quite nice hotel.
There’s a bit in ep 11 where they abandon some yoga in a hurry and it’s not clear whether they actually paid for it. Presumably production did, but if they did did they do the location ping for the other contestants?
The final rather unexpectedly turns into Carte Aux Tresors.
I’ve enjoyed this, it’s been a romp. And the theme tune (and credits) is a banger.
RECOMMISSIONED! Fun.
https://deadline.com/2023/05/loaded-in-paradise-itvx-reality-recommission-twofour-love-island-1235382528/