I actually had no idea this was on, but it started on ITV2 this evening (it’s repeated at 00:40 if you’re up). It’s based on a Japanese show I think, celebrities try and keep a poker face as things happen, basically, and the other team try and work out who it’s happening to.
If you watch it on catch up do let us know what you thought.
It’s Distraction meets Call My Bluff basically, and it’s not actually a bad idea. Your enjoyment will depend precisely on your tolerance of sexual references and weak irony.
These shots from the pilot, presumably: http://www.redarrowinternational.tv/formats/game_show/fake_reaction.php
This is darn cool:
http://pacdudegames.com/?page_id=1902#
It’s only the letters game BUT there’s a Teatime Teaser and ‘Multiword’ round to mix it up. Very nice job. Glad I’m not their lawyer, though.
First night notes:
* Test of acting and deception more than anything
* The concept has depth, the format doesn’t bring that out
* Matt Edmondson cheekily good
* Caution: contains electric shocks
I’ll watch next week’s show to firm up opinions. As things stand, the worst I can say is it’s not really my cup of tea and there are better uses for my time.
The worst I can say about it is that I found it boring, but definitely agree that the concept’s decent, Matt Edmondson is quite good, but the format lacks something.
Well, boring and it played into the heteronormative ‘male body parts are gross’ thing – Looking at a man’s testicles is, judging by this format, in the same category of thing as having snails on your back, getting electric shocks and eating cat food. That they gave the kilted gentleman to a person who seemed to be playing into the hyper heterosexual ‘must appear straight at all costs’ weirdness didn’t help this, and in fact drew attention to it.
Saying that, I’m sure the concept has an audience, even in this guise weather it finds it or not is another question entirely, and I was impressed with a panel show having an equal amounts of men and women on the panel, which is a damn sight better balanced casting than I’m used to being the default. Plus… It was a lot more tolerable than I was expecting (despite seeing potential in the concept of what essentially comes down to a physical stimuli version of Call My Bluff or Would I Lie To You?). Just… Dull.
In fact, production values wise, the only thing I fault it for was revealing who was experiencing snails during the second round rather than waiting for after it, ruining any play along value of that round. And possibly being slightly overpadded.