Author Topic: Canada: Que Le Meilleur Gagne returns April 30 (Read 1567 times)

Blaq · « **on:** April 29, 2007, 05:51:05 PM »

Tomorrow, Radio-Canada will bring back one of its most beloved game show hits, Que Le Meilleur Gagne. [May the best man win] The French-Canadian version of Britain's "Everybody's Equal" is simple. Cue Bob Saget: "It's zero vs. 100!" 100 contestants punch in their answer to a multiple-choice question. One wrong answer and you're out. The hosts playfully razzes those who get eliminated. When the field narrows down to 10, the semifinalists appear onstage after a commercial break, when we get to know their names and occupations -- but the game remains the same until a single player is left.

In this version, the winner gets $5,000 in cash and plays for a $5,000 bonus. They have 10 seconds to place 4 answers in order (Fastest Fingers First) -- but the 99 eliminated contestants also play! If the winner fails, those who answered correctly split the $5,000 bonus.

This rule gives me a nice, warm feeling inside. It gives everyone a second chance, and ensures that the broadcaster must give away all money on every episode. Plus, giving $10,000 a show is pretty good by Québec standards!

The show has changed from a daily, half-hour format to a weekly hour-long game. Beloved host Gregory Charles is no longer, replaced by Alain Dumas. From what I hear, the set should see a major revamp: contestants get the strictest wardrobe restrictions I've seen in Québec. In addition to the usual no white, stripes, polka dots and so on, contestants must not wear red or blue, since those colors will be used by the lighting setup to label players who answer right or wrong. Since I love 1 vs. 100 and Winning Lines' reveal, I think this high-tech version of the show will please me to no end!

The show premieres tomorrow, Monday April 30, at 8:00 PM EST on Radio-Canada.

Blaq · « **Reply #1 on:** May 02, 2007, 12:54:40 PM »

Review:

"Que le meilleur..." (baille)

What. A. Dump. The host was constipated. The theme song was practically nonexistent. (Test: if you watched the show, can you hum any part? I didn't think so.) The energy level was catatonic.

And the reveal? With LED-panel technology, I expected something out of 1 vs 100 or (be still, my beating heart) Winning Lines. Instead, we got... nothing. When right/wrong players are shown, there is no color fade, no animation, just a simultaneous color flip. Not even a nice sound effect! On the large, high-tech set, the reveal is a dud.

It gets worse. The biggest problem with the show? They found a way to kill the crucial play-at-home factor! The show is taped in HD. Before every question, we get a static shot of the stadium-seated players from behind and to the right of the host. The shot includes the host on the left, and his screen on which the next question & answers are not legible... but a giant yellow bar highlights the correct answer! "Oh look, it's going to be the second choice." Once you notice this detail, you can't avoid glancing at the screen -- it's beyond your control. I had to spend the rest of the show with my hand blocking the corner of the screen.

Taping problems didn't help the energy level: contestants had to wait 2 1/2 hours to enter the studio. Technical problems galore -- players had been promised to be done by 10 PM; by 10:30, the hour-long show was only half-done. People were hungry, thirsty. Someone left in disgust; a replacement had to be found at 10:15 PM. Taping finally ended at 12:15 AM.

Finally, the bonus game seemed suspicious, especially considering the grueling taping: all 99 eliminated contestants supposedly sorted 4 major Canadian cities (Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina) from West to East. The point was moot -- the "meilleur" also got it right, earning a $5,000 bonus on top of his guaranteed $5,000 -- but seeing all 99 players remain blue on a geography question certainly looked fishy...

All told, this show won't last beyond the summer, especially if TVA airs 1 vs. 100, for which they got the rights, along with Thank God You're Here and Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?.

clemon79 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 02, 2007, 01:11:52 PM »

I don't think I've ever seen Blaq genuinely hate a Quebecois game show before. This thing must REALLY blow.

Blaq · « **Reply #3 on:** May 02, 2007, 03:02:32 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'151351\' date=\'May 2 2007, 01:11 PM\']
I don't think I've ever seen Blaq genuinely hate a Quebecois game show before. This thing must REALLY blow.

[/quote]

<LOL> That's funny, Chris. It's not hate, rather disappointment. QLMG was a Québec institution, and deservedly so! Energetic, multitalented host Gregory Charles led the game like a pro. (Of course, our fond memories date from when the show had found its tone and rhythm; I reserve judgment on Alain Dumas, but he does seem way too frou-frou erudite in the pilot.

There's still hope. Radio-Canada once had a plodding hour-long word game, Cerveau Direction, whose answers led to each round's keyword. Each of the 9 rounds' keywords inexorably led to a single final answer. Once you had it figured out, you had a good 10-30 minutes left to watch. Gameplay was leaden, the decor sparse, the only real good thing was sweet girl-next-door Élyse Marquis as host. In its third season, the show came back all revamped, with just the host and general "answers-lead-to-a-common-theme" principle intact. Game structure was changed, a new set was built, gameplay was much faster, the hour-long show was split into 3 major rounds, and the result was like night and day.

If they can effect such major changes to an existing game format, I'm cautiously optimistic that QLMG can get a round of polish to make the proceedings more enjoyable.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #4 on:** May 02, 2007, 04:52:04 PM »

Isn't there a Canadian singer named Gregory Charles, or is it the same guy?

Blaq · « **Reply #5 on:** May 23, 2007, 10:01:09 AM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'151374\' date=\'May 2 2007, 04:52 PM\']
Isn't there a Canadian singer named Gregory Charles, or is it the same guy?
[/quote]

Same guy. I did say he was multitalented.

By the way, I've totally warmed up to the new Que le Meilleur Gagne! As early as the second episode, they'd lightened the plodding format by making occasional use of video clips ("Who scored the goal in the hockey excerpt you just saw?" "Which group sings in the previous music video excerpt?"), having a musical guest star appear on stage (the topic of the previous question; they sing a song, plug their new CD, and ask the next question -- sounds hokey, but it works), and the host was much better. Technical problems must've been resolved, since the mob's energy was much higher. And I no longer begrudge its reveal a lack of zing; the show has settled into a nice, easygoing groove.