# The Weakest Link
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weakest-link/62218
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [April 17, 2001, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weakest-link/62218 "2001-04-17T00:12:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2001, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weakest-link/62218/41 "2001-04-21T13:19:50Z")
In descending order:
1. The moderator (by far)
2. The contestants
3. The show
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2001, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weakest-link/62218/42 "2001-04-21T15:12:18Z")
It’s about links & chains. Oh my, Anne needs a riding crop & some S&M outfit.
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### Author:  [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2001, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weakest-link/62218/43 "2001-04-21T17:54:32Z")
I found the show way too slow–after each round, we get this Tribal Council chit chat that goes on and on. Plus, her “put-downs” aren’t bad I suppose (though I don’t see how it could not get old after a while), but I think they tend to be water off most Americans’ backs (I haven’t seen the UK incarnation, but I suspect Brits in general embarrass more easily at such insults). I don’t like _Millionare_ either, but at least they milk the suspense, whereas _TWL_ takes forever to pare down the contestants. At least in _Survivor_, you get to know people a little better so you root for them; in _TWL_, who cares? Only the final round has some suspense (sort of like _Yambo_). If you’re going to have to answer questions fast, you might as well go with _Jeopardy_ since the questions are harder and you have to beat each other to the punch. Plus that final wink makes her look like she’s got a facial tic she’s been suppressing for the whole hour.
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### Author:  [@PlanMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlanMan)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2001, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weakest-link/62218/44 "2001-04-22T00:42:14Z")
I watched all three first-week episodes (ok, I have no life, but TV sux between sweeps). Was it just a wierd coincidence, or Is Something Going On Here? On the first night the departees were random, but on the last 2, it seemed that everyone who was voted out had been standing at one of the end podiums (podia?). Now I have to watch next week to see if a Pattern is emerging. If so, being on the end will be like wearing a red uniform in Star Trek TSO.
Anne really seems to get off when a contestant misses a question in the same general area as they are employed (for ex., a woman who works at the Motion Picture Academy missed a film question).
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### Author:  [@hazel-rah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hazel-rah)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2001, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weakest-link/62218/45 "2001-04-22T05:32:29Z")
The best thing about the show is the speed the questions get asked. Millionaire is toooo sloooow.
The show is odd though… the host’s insults have no bite, because you’re only allowed to insult somebody for being stupid if you are demonstrably more intelligent. She’s just got a stack of index cards with the answers on… that’s no position to be slinging insults from. You gotta prove you _knew_. If not, you’re just a trained seal like Pat Sajak and you’d better be polite when the contestants get one wrong.
Now Ben Stein can make fun of you and it will sting, because he has chops… he doesn’t have the answers in front of him, and he still wins most of the time on his game show. And he makes that delightful surprised face whenever he gets one wrong.
-fh, singing “bless my cotton socks, i’m in the news…”
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### Author:  [@Philosophocles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philosophocles)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2001, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weakest-link/62218/46 "2001-04-22T05:37:57Z")
If they wanted to try a show with the rude/intimidating host angle, perhaps they could have brought Inquizition to prime time.
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