FUNNY GAMES
A trio of fun(ny) game shows from the UK, US/France and the Netherlands
Game shows have changed. Or rather, it is not the games themselves (which remain a pillar of the unscripted) that have changed, but the atmosphere of the games. In the early 2000s, game shows - following the example of the global phenomenon Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? - were predominantly 'serious', tense, with a set design and cold lighting (predominant colour: blue), emphasising the emotional journey of the protagonists. Now, on the other hand, they are mainly cheerful, sunny and full of fun, with warm, bright colours. The following three examples are excellent examples of this.
CARR’S SLAM
Good news for lovers of good game shows: the third series of Alan Carr's Picture Slam has been commissioned for BBC One and iPlayer later this year, produced by Objective Entertainment, part of All3Media’s Objective Media Group . The format's first series, which aired in 2023, was the BBC's biggest entertainment launch of the year and the second biggest new entertainment launch in the market; the second series averaged 3.2m across its season, peaking at 4.1m, making it the second biggest entertainment teatime title.
In this fun, picture-based quiz, host Alan Carr - one of the most brilliant presenters in my humble opinion - tests contestants' knowledge and speed in a series of fast-paced rounds as they try to identify as many pictures as possible. The images can be anything from famous faces and places to brands and logos, films and TV shows, toys and animals or things you buy in the supermarket.
In each round, 3 teams of two contestants are presented with a board full of pictures to identify against the clock. If they complete a full board of correct answers for a Picture Slam, they'll receive a cash bonus. Only the team that makes it to the final will take home any of their banked cash, and if they find all the required pictures, they'll take home the £10,000 jackpot.
In this case, the 'fun' is not so much in the structure of the format as in the style of the presenter, who is very talented at alternating moments of entertainment with the typical tension of the game.
THE BIG DEAL IN FRENCH SAUCE
Let's Make a Deal is a television game show that originated in the United States in 1963 and was revived by CBS in 2009. It is historically significant as perhaps the first game show to combine typical game mechanics with elements of variety and entertainment. The format is also famous for a puzzle brainteaser, the Monty Hall Problem, named after its original host, Monty Hall, which has driven viewers and mathematicians crazy for years. You can find out how it works here.
During its more than 60 years of existence, the show has been localised in around 20 countries, including France, where it was broadcast daily on TF1 from 1998 to 2004 under the title Le Bigdil, produced by AH! Production, distributed by Can’t Stop Media and hosted by comedian (and more) Vincent Lagaf'. And now, after a 21-year break, 2 January is back on RMC Story, a relatively new independent French TV channel (it was launched in 2012), always with Lagaf' as host.
The results were astounding for the channel: 1.8 million viewers - 9% share - for the first episode and more than 2 million for the second, overtaking heavyweights such as TF1 and M6 in the head-to-head competition. Bigdil's success extends beyond TV screens: with 27 million views on social networks, the show has captured the attention of the younger generation. A real record for RCM Story.
The concept is simple and - in the end - not that important: the contestants have to pass various tests, at the end of which they can decide whether to keep their winnings or exchange them for gifts or a sum of money. The real strength of the programme lies in the fun tests and challenges, the general atmosphere and, above all, the verve of the host, Vincent Lagaf', the true soul of the show, who has been acclaimed for his charisma and inimitable humour.
Following this success, the programme will also be broadcast on the French-language Belgian television channels RTL tvi and RTL play from 1 February. Another hit is expected.
QUIZ WITH BALLS AND LAUGHS
Finally, The Quiz with Balls is undoubtedly another fun game. Launched in 2023 on Dutch channel SBS6, this format from Talpa Studios has already been adapted in Spain (Antena 3), Germany (RTL) and the United States (Fox). And now the Argentine free-to-air channel El Trece (Canal 13) has acquired the rights to adapt it in the production centre in Argentina run by Kuarzo Entertainment, repeating the formula already used by both companies with The Floor, which was also shown on El Trece.
In each episode, a team of five friends, family or colleagues compete for a cash prize by answering a series of quiz questions. For each question, each team member chooses one of six answer options. The answer options are linked to the balls, which start rolling when all the answers are given. If a player stands on a correct answer, the ball stops in time. If not, the ball mercilessly drops the player into the pool. Each question has as many correct answers as there are players left on the platform.
As each player falls into the pool, one incorrect answer is added to the six possible answers for the next question. The key for each team is to stay as complete as possible for as long as possible, as the tenth and final question is worth a huge cash prize.
In this latter case, the fun is in the mechanics of the game itself: the big ball hitting the unsuspecting contestant from behind and throwing him into the pool has an irresistible comic effect (see the US trailer below).
NEWS IN A NUTSHELL
The winners of the second edition of the Rose d'Or Latin Awards were announced on Tuesday 21 January in Miami at a gala event held as part of Content Americas. The winners in the unscripted categories are Me Caigo de Risa T9 - EndemolShine Boomdog/Televisa/Mexico (Comedy or Variety); 100% Unique (The A-Talk) - Shine Iberia/Banijay/Telecinco/Cuatro/Spain (Docu-Reality or Factual), Desafío 20 Años - Caracol Televisión/Colombia (Competition Reality).
Slovakia (TV JOJ) and Israel (Keshet 12) have ordered local versions of The A Talks, becoming the 13th and 14th countries to produce a local version of the format distributed by Can't Stop Media.
On Wednesday 5 February, the fifth series of Qui Veut Être Mon Associé? ('Who Wants to be My Partner?'), the local adaptation of a Japanese format known internationally as Dragons’ Den (UK version) or Shark Tank (US version), will premiere on the French channel M6.
Dutch travel/dating show Love on the Road, which successfully launched last November, will officially return for a second season on NPO3 in the Netherlands later this year. The format is produced by Tuvalu and distributed by Primitives.
Blue Ant Studios has secured a number of new distribution deals for its unscripted programming, including Canada's CBC competition format Race Against the Tide in Spain.
The iconic Argentine satirical show Caiga Quien Caiga returned to Telecinco on Sunday 19th January with a new team, new sections and new reports.
International company Dori Media Group confirmed at Content Americas that its competition format Power Couple has been acquired and renewed in various territories including Brazil, India, Germany, Hungary and Croatia.
Japan's TV Asahi is teaming up with Smart Dog Media for the co-production of a new talent show, Song vs. Dance.
