The Second Annual Numbers Game Awards December
28
Set for Life and why it matters will not be seen at this time, because
frankly, we dont know when the heck Set for Life will decide to show its
face. And given the chilly reception that Show Me the Money got, they can take
their time with that.
From GSNN Studios somewhere in America, its the second annual Numbers Game
Awards, honoring the best and worst of whatever happens to be on my mind over
the past year.
Why the heck not, its the end of the year. Lets take a break from business and
just have some fun. Hell, everyone else is doing it. Why cant we? So here we
go.
Best use of a domestic product: Identity. Its one of those games that you
cant help but play in your mind. Some people found it oddly compelling, while
others only saw it as sleek set, big money, catch phrase, lather, rinse, repeat.
We call them haters.
Worst use of a domestic product: Starface. Not only did we see this before
with On the Cover, but we saw it done better with On the Cover. Nothing
against Danny Bonaduce, and he even fit the mold cast by the atmosphere of the
show, but all in all, it was the most translucent attempt at an original game
that GSN has ever fronted.
Best use of foreign product: 1 vs. 100. Sure its not exactly what the foreign
versions are. But its a perfect companion piece to Deal or No Deal, and Bob
Saget is coming into his own. And any show with Bob Eubanks and Wink Martindale
on an episode isnt all bad.
Worst use of a foreign product: any other show Endemol premiered in 2006. That
would be Midnight Money Madness, which took a really good idea and made it
horrible by a) forgetting that they werent the first one on board, b) putting
it on at the same time as the one that WAS first on board, and c) Omarosa; and
Show Me the Money, which took the Deal or No Deal structure, added trivia
questions and William Shatner, and set phasers to kill. Honorable mention goes
to another Endemol show, Big Brother All-Stars.
EVEN worse use of a foreign product: the set, producers and writers of Thats
the Question. They obviously forgot to prescreen their writers and their
questions.
Best game-show-to-Hollywood translation: Dreamgirls co-star Jennifer Hudson.
Oscar buzz and a Golden Globe nomination prove that losing American Idol can
have its upside.
Worst game-show-to-Hollywood translation: former Deal or No Deal model April
Scott. We know youre cute... and youve got a doll face... and were pretty
sure you can act if you set your mind to it. But a prequel to The Dukes of
Hazzard? Come the hell on!
Best use of hype: Mark Burnetts snare-and-trap racial divide on Survivor: Cook
Islands. The real twist? This controversial move only lasted two episodes.
Hardly enough to do any lasting damage.
Worst use of hype: GSNs topical Flash games. Whatever happened to just play?
Talk about classless.
Most Shows on the Air: voiceover artist and radio personality Joe Cipriano, who
could be heard on Deal or No Deal, 1 vs. 100, Identity, and Iron Chef
America.
Least Shows on the Air: UK-based emcee Eamonn Holmes, whose The Rich List
lasted all of one episode.
Question of the Year: Whats a rich list?
Best Up-and-Comer: Dylan Lane of GSNs Chain Reaction. First half of the
season, he was by the book pretty face hosting a game show. Then something
happened over the course of the season... He started to believe.
Worst Up-and-Comers: Tara & Amber of WGNs Play2Win. Forget for a moment that
their primary job is to talk up the camera in front of a green screen for a
solid hour. Remember that they shoot the show live at 8am local time across the
Atlantic. For an audience that, if theyre not asleep, they should be... See
where the problem is?
And I quote: Theres a group of Canadians here who have invited me to come and
be their prime minister. I think Ill do it. And whatever your problems are up
there, I promise to make them worse. -Bob Barker.
The 5-7-10 Award for a Bad Split: Brian McFayden. Why he wasnt called to do a
second season of Beauty and the Geek is beyond me.
December Surprise: the 1 vs. 100 card game.
Game Show Couples...
- IN: Bob Barker and Rich Fields
- FIVE MINUTES AGO: Tyra Banks and Jay Manuel
- OUT: Frank DeCaro and Suzanne Westenhoefer
Marriage of the Year: The CW.
Best J! Champ: a tie between Christian Haines and Steve Unite. Some people beat
their opponents. They embarrassed them.
Best British Invasion: Americas Next Top Model: British Invasion
Worst British Invasion: Mel Peachey.
And I Quote Further: Im playing for the... uh, society in Phoenix... uh, that
helps blind children. Leslie Nielsen, Game Show Marathon.
Best thing to happen to the Summer: Bianca Ryan. Pipes like those on a
12-year-old are hard to come by.
Second best thing to happen to the Summer: The pilgrimage to 33, seemingly
sponsored by Izze Soda and Endless Games.
And I Quote Further Still: I hate all of you. Will Kirby, Big Brother
All-Stars
Best Finale: Emmitt Smith vs. Mario Lopez, Dancing with the Stars. The moves
were flashy, and the vote couldve gone either way (meaning, of course, that
Emmitt was going to win this one hands down).
Worst Finale: Taylor Hicks vs. Katharine McPhee, American Idol. Sure the
singers were very talented, but the coronation songs? Come on! Who writes this
stuff?
Best Finale to a Career in Radio in 2006: I quit this b----. Inetta the Mood
Setta
My finale: All the best to you and yours in 2007, and I hope that youll stick
around as we crunch some more numbers on the games you love and the games you
dont.
Chico Alexander has had it with these
motherf'ing snakes on this motherf'ing plane. E-mail him at chico@gameshownewsnet.com |
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Previously...
2005
January 12
January 19
January 26
February 2
February 24
March 2
March 16
March 23
March 30
April 6
April 13
April 20
May 4
May 18
May 25
June 15
June 22
June 29
July 6
July 27
August 10
August 17
August 31
September 7
September 14
September 28
October 12
October 19
October 26
November 9
November 23
November 30
December 7
Opinions expressed in
The Numbers Game do not necessarily reflect those
held by Game Show Newsnet as a whole.
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