[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Aug 5 2004, 08:58 PM\'] Surprisingly good show, with a surprisingly good host! [/quote]
Mmm - well, it's not bad, but it's no Malcolm. (By way of standpoint, I maintain that Malcolm could - should? - have been a kids' show and had gameplay that could have stood the test of time.)
Round one was the weakest of the three by far. I think it is a clear error to have gameplay so fast that the audience applause detracts from following the gameplay. This isn't a knock against fast gameplay, noting that wordgames and anagram games tend to be fast by nature and are most fun when played at speed - simply an observation that an audience isn't completely necessary, or at least should be trained not to applaud after every... single... anagram. Conversely, I think this would have worked better had it been the final round of the show, not least because it was by far the fastest-paced, offered by far the highest scoring opportunities and had its own bonus prize. To me, those are characteristics which are most naturally associated with a final round.
I liked the other two rounds a fair amount; the round two letter board, with letters dropping in, is at least as much fun as what Vanna does on Wheel of Fortune. Heck, the game is a faster, more interesting Wheel of Fortune without the wheel. Perhaps they could just call it of Fortune. The final round, while arguably somewhat derivative of Now You See It, had lots of play-along value. My gut reaction is that it would be too hard for players and viewers alike, but it's very well-pitched.
Mixed views on "Shotgun Tom". Shouting at the contestants in joy is probably to be avoided, though forgiveable because the only purpose is to make yourself heard over the audience. The standard offender in this category is Roy ("RRRRIIIIIIGGGGHHHHTTTT!") Walker on British Catchphrase, but at least he stands a good four or five yards away from contestants who are the same size as him. A big host shouting at little kids seemed a little off to me.
His interviews: plus points for saying "Do you have any hobbies that you'd like to tell us about", which is unusually polite and appropriate for kid contestants; minus points for not being able to respond more interestedly than just restating what the contestants say to him. Now, granted, not every host can have a flip response for every situation, and there are only certain sorts of hosts and atmospheres where such would be desirable. However, not having sufficient general knowledge to be able to respond interestedly with follow-up beyond asking about favoured teams is, well, weak. I will forgive him a fair amount for making the kids comfortable enough with him that they will dance with him at the end of the show, though. That's just adorable and fun.
Can anyone propose a counter-example to a sartorial principle that it is a fundamental error to wear a hat on a traditional indoor game show set?
My conclusion: better than most, six out of ten.
