J. Keith does a masterful job of guiding the panel along. Wil Wheaton takes the game seriously and plays to win, yet he is but one of four panelists. The other three have a way to go before they enter the league of D.K., B.C. and A.F.
Out of deference to J. Keith, since he's a member of the board, I won't presume to try to fix his show for him in public.
I have nutz o' steel so I will. To J. Keith: these are offered in the spirit of constructive criticism:
- At the beginning of each game the panel needs to be given a more explicit hint. For Wednesday night's show, Game 1 (crime scene investigator): "our guest is salaried and works in a branch of local government." Game 2 (makes Renaissance costumes): "Our guest is self-employed and makes a product." Game 3 (hand bell ringers) "Our guests perform together." Those 10 "no" answers seemed to mount up pretty quickly. This might help things along.
- If you don't already, guests and new panelists need to be thoroughly briefed. If a panelist is stuck for a question they should pass (or you can offer that they pass). Guests are to remain seated when the game is over. That kind of thing.
- Adam's synthesizer needs to be notched down a decibel or three. It overpowers the dialogue.
- The show needs a dancing bottle of Stopette:
http://www.old-time.com/commercials/unique_products.html. Yes, I know the show already has a sponsor in Auction Doctors (the cure for your auction headaches at
http://www.auctiondoctors.com/) but even the real WML? had alternate sponsors.
- The swirling question marks are K-E-W-L. They put that chintzy butcher-paper thing to shame. In its defense, the butcher-paper thing
does [/b]work by magic. Every time the name disappears it makes music. That there is proof there is magic at work.
- Bruno Kirby's anecdotes were engaging. The bell ringers more than made the evening.
- I think Wil Wheaton has a facial structure which is very similar to Dorothy Kilgallen's. No, really. SplitSecond, who accompanied me on this adventure, didn't see it but I do, especially when the light hits him from overhead. Dotty didn't have sideburns so there the similarity ends.
As for the theater, it is reminiscent of the converted radio studios NBC uses for television at 30 Rock. Studios 6A, 6B and 8G measure roughly 45' x 75' -- I'd say that comes close to the dimensions of the Acme Comedy Theater. The audience actually goes upstairs to enter the room and sits in a comfy stadium-style seating arrangement with the stage at ground level.
This show is definitely a MUST SEE.
