Game shows overdue for a remake

[Fedya]

I've argued in some other threads here that I think Hit Man -- not the video game chrome, but the conceit of answering questions on a couple-minute clip/article -- could have fit right in with the E/I requirements.  Not that networks are making their own original weekend kids' programming, but I'd also think their news divisions might have enough archive footage for it.

[Jeremy Nelson]

Dunno if I agree about it not working just because Ben is too dry. The Chase showed that you could have a charismatic nerd to root against, although I wasn’t a big fan of just how much they played up the villain role in the second season of the ABC version. You’re not supposed to like the Chaser obviously, but I felt The Beast and Ken/James/Brad had some charm to their cartoonish villainy.

There was also Win Beadle's Money in the UK. But for a US reboot, I always liked the idea of Neil Degrasse Tyson. Maybe Brad Rutter?

Also, Ben being dry was his on-screen persona- people knew him as the Ferris Bueller teacher and the Clear Eyes guy.

Ben is also a perfect example of how you don't need to have a bubbly personality in that role- you just need to be really really good at the game. In retrospect, when Marvel did the last two Avengers films, Thanos probably got the least amount of villain orgin story time than any previous MCU character. But he was effective because he was so incredibly good at simply beating people up.

[Joe Mello]

Also, Ben being dry was his on-screen persona.

That was also one of the central jokes to the show: instead of a high-energy and/or charismatic emcee, you have a dude who talks like he's half-asleep citing rap lyrics that make him sound about as white as a snowdrift. For a new version of the show to succeed, you would need an appropriate anti-host, one who is smart yet canny enough to play up that they got no rizz.