Here’s a YouTube link to the first episode.
It’s a 50-minute format with 3 rounds. Much slower paced than American Jeopardy! at this point, and the monetary amounts aren’t comparable. Stephen Fry is always worth watching.
StG
Can we trade for an American version of Countdown (or, better yet, 8 Out Of Ten Cats Does Countdown), Only Connect or Taskmaster?
It sure sounds like they’re all learning (and teaching the audience) how to play the game. I suspect the pace will pick up as it gets more familiar.
I got that sense as well. He’s explaining the rules, such as about a daily double, as the game progresses.
They did try making an American Taskmaster.
OK, let me amend my request for a good version of one of those shows. Or even QI, but again, a good version.
I doubt it - i think SF only does sedate.
I know what I’m watching tonight.
Of course he is the host who doesn’t act like he knows the answers (questions) but actually does.
That guy can do anything.
Which is a good thing, because I get the impression that, in the UK, they let him do everything.
Note that the same channel has all the subsequent episodes as well. And they also cover the UK Wheel of Fortune with Graham Norton that also debuted this year.
I just saw the second episode. I watched most of the Jeopardy! round, then I fast forwarded to Final Jeopardy! ISTM part of the reason for the UK version being slower than the US version is Fry was a bit…giggly? I’m really not sure how to describe his interaction with the contestants after each response. I get that this may be a new format for a quiz show in the UK, but, c’mon, it’s not that hard to figure out the basic premise of “answer shown, then you give a question that fits the answer shown”. Also, the money amounts seem to be a bit too low. Maybe subsequent episodes, both Fry and the contestants will up their game.
Note that just as the American version of Jeopardy! is actually a U.S./Canada version (there are occasionally Canadian contestants and questions about Canada, not to mention a long-time host who was from Canada), the British version of it is actually a U.K./Ireland version.
Heh. I heard, but cannot confirm, that Alex, as a Canadian, demanded that at least one clue/response in every game had something to do with Canada. Like I said, I cannot confirm, but it seems from just watching daily that that tradition continues to this day.
I liked the UK version. Yes, slower than the American version, but not so slow as to become ploddingly slow. Given Fry’s opening remarks, I got the impression that this is something brand-new to UK viewers, and he wants to take the time to make sure that they all understand the way the game works. He’s a good host; I wonder how he would have fared as one of the guest hosts of American Jeopardy a couple of years ago.
Kind of interesting to see them copy so much, music, colors, etc., and do other things so differently. One thing I didn’t notice at first was that the value of the clues aren’t evenly spaced. In the first two rounds they’re 25, 50, 75, 100, and then jumps to 150. The last round doubles those values. No reason it can’t work that way, just struck me as odd.
I wonder if the writers will get more experienced, or if the judges will have to deal with unexpected responses. One clue was:
I jokingly wanted to say “where is Italy?” They may hve ruled that wrong, though, but would “where is Vatican City?” have been acceptable?
I’ve seen panel shows like QI with celbrities, and quizzes like Only Connect, but is this the first show in the UK with people competing to win actual money?
(Actually, it probably isn’t. The Weakest Link was a UK show, and it wouldn’t really have worked without the prize money.)
Someone I always thought would have been a good host for a smart game/quiz/panel show is Bonnie Hunt.
I just watched episode 2, and Fry is hilarious. One contestant got a degree from some college, Fry noted he got an honorary degree there, for doing nothing.
The reason that it’s slower is that there are two Jeopardy rounds, and Fry gives additional information after most questions. I got the sense that there was more time for the contestants to buzz in, so when no one did, which happened, more time was taken. I also think they play until they clear the boards, not true in the American version. (Though the PA told us during the audition that the audience likes seeing all the answers.)
I also like that one of the categories used cryptic style clues - very easy ones, but Fry said they were cryptic style.
Bring Fry over to host the American version, and I’d watch it again.
Note that this is the fourth attempt at a British version of Jeopardy!:
It reminded me of how, when you’re playing a game with people who haven’t played it before, instead of explaining everything in detail beforehand, you decide to play through a game and explain things as you go along. (In this case, my impression was that the contestants had been thoroughly briefed, but the audience had not.)
And some of the explanation is for the television audience.
I beg to differ:
Nor would “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire”, also from the UK.
We’ve had game shows for money since the days of steam radio.