The Weakest Game Show

Sitting in my AirBnB in Cape May last week, just chilling, channel surfing, I came upon THE WEAKEST LINK on NBC.  I had not watched that program since there was an English version hosted by Anne Robinson.  She was a rather refreshing and unique host at the time.  Acerbic, took shots at the contestants, very short hair.  To mimic that in the US version they got Jane Lynch.  But it’s so clear that so much of her put-downs and snark are scripted.  Anne's felt spontaneous. 

However, the thing that really struck me about this current version of the show was how fucking dumb the contestants were.  I don’t love THE CHASE (the host annoys the crap out of me) but the questions are tough.  For THE WEAKEST LINK some of the questions were just laughably easy and the contestants were so stupid they got them wrong.  

Example:

“Which brand of service has as their theme song ‘Wild Blue Yonder?’” The contestant said “the Navy.”  Wouldn’t wild blue yonder perhaps suggest the sky and thus maybe the Air Force?    One girl, probably in her early 30’s didn’t know Rodeo Drive was in Beverly Hills.  She had never heard of Rodeo Drive.  They tape the show in Los Angeles, by the way.  

Finally it came down to the last two.  Each had to answer a series of five questions.  The one who got the most right won.  Going into the last round, collectively they had answered 8 of the 9 questions wrong.  These were the brains who eliminated everyone else.   I was calling out the answers left and right — and trust me, I’d get crushed on JEOPARDY or THE CHASE.

Obviously these contestants are screened beforehand.  The fact that they knowingly put dim bulbs on the show begs the question, why?

Do they not want to give away much money?  Or do they think the audience is so stupid this level of intellect is about their speed?  All I can say is that as far as game shows go — this one is the Weakest Link.

from By Ken Levine