BuzzerBlog

We might be on the road to our second one-and-gone game show of the season. National Bingo Night scored a 3.7/7 on its debut. That’s about a point to a point and a half worse than Show Me the Money’s final episode. If the show survives another episode or two I will be amazed. They will do better with a rerun of Grey’s Anatomy reruns, and I can’t even stand the show. You know, I won’t gloat about how I and others were right about this show’s failure, but did ABC actually think Bingo would be popular? We expect a cancelation notice within the next few days. If not, I’ll be utterly shocked.

I know people have to get angry with me constantly mentioning this, but I will just never understand why they won’t bring back Super Millionaire. They apparently want a game show. Every single Deal or No Deal clone has bombed. Millionaire wasn’t blowing the socks off of the ratings when it came back three years ago, but it easily helds its own and would probably do better before 10PM ET. There’s a reason 1 VS 100 and Fifth Grader have been successful: they are rather different from each other. If TV executives haven’t realized it yet, I’ll say it loudly: THE CLONES AREN’T WORKING. They should have learned during the Millionaire era. If they need a game show, bring back the most reliably high rated game show around. You’ll get more praise than hell from people, trust me.

Shows like National Bingo Night come once in a lifetime. It’s one of those shows that needs to be marked in the record books. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a show that makes Deal or No Deal look like Jeopardy!. In this show, three contestants will play during the hour long show. They will play various Bingo games while the audience marks off all balls that are selected. If the udience gets a Bingo before the player, the player leaves with nothing and the audience members win the house jackpot of $5,000. In reality, all of the games are a 50/50 chance of the player being right. It’s a pick of one or the other.

I never thought I’d honestly see a show that makes Deal or No Deal look like Jeopardy!. It’s mind-blowing. This show has not a tiny bit of actual risk that causes thought. Every show should have some level of risk. Right now a player just says “Choice A!” or “Choice B!”, a total 50/50 chance, press a button, and hope it works out well. The show just seems cheap for primetime TV. You can win $50,000 or a few grand more in prize value max. The host is loud and annoying. The set and music are, to be honest, rather lousy. I never got the feeling that there was an actual contestant. They tried, but it just didn’t work. I’d love to give this a longer review but there’s nothing to continue talking about. The show is all glitz and no game; more than any show in recent memory far and away. If this show is to be successful, it will be solely on the play-at-home factor, and even I doubt that will work because Bingo does not appeal to people that are younger than 50 on average. As much as I blasted Show Me the Money, at least they had hard trivia questions as the show went on. Yes, the prizes were way too high and the game was, quite frankly stupid, but tough trivia wins to pressing a button to get a ball. I’d take a dancer for an answer any day of the week over this. This show isn’t the worst thing ever and not the worst thing in my memory of game shows, but it’s easily the poorest attempt since Millionaire came out in my eyes. Man do I miss that show.

Sorry, I fell asleep after watching the DVD again. If watching people play Bingo is your thing then you’ll get a kick out of the debut of National Bingo Night tonight at 9PM ET on ABC. At least in game one, one contestant has to guess if the next ball is higher or lower than the last one with a right answer making the number on the ball worth points added to the player’s score. If the player gets 500 points, that player wins $50,000 and possibly prizes. However, the audience will play regular Bingo with all numbers open. If an audience member gets a Bingo, the audience member gets the house jackpot of $5,000 and the contestant loses. There will be more games thrown in, but at least for me it was still one of the most boring things I’ve ever had to experience. You may enjoy printing Bingo cards out from ABC’s website here. Good luck and be sure to tell us what you think. We’ll post a full review later tonight.

ABC recently supplied me with a rough cut of the first segment of their new game show National Bingo Night, debuting May 18th at 9PM ET.  We only received the first game, but we figured you’d like to know.  First off, I will say that the set and all extra things aren’t that impressive, especially the giant Bingo hopper.  The Mob panel is more impressive on 1 VS 100.  However, we care about the gameplay.  Be happy, it’s not regular Bingo, but to be honest, it’s not much better.

In the segment we got, the game is called “The Bingo 500″.   The player has to guess whether the next ball drawn is higher or lower than the previous.  If they are right, the number on the ball is added to a point total.  The audience marks that number off their Bingo card regardless.  If the player gets 500 points before anyone in the audience gets a Bingo, the player wins $50,000.  Also in the hopper are a few prize balls, which if drawn the player will win if he/she wins the game.  There are two black balls added, but nothing is said about what they do.  An audience member that gets a Bingo wins $5,000 and knocks the player out of the game.

OK, I’ll start with something positive.  The game isn’t straight Bingo, but to be honest, it’s not much better.  There is no risk involved in the game whatsoever.  The player presses a button and says “Higher” or “Lower”.  At least players on Deal or No Deal make some pretty major decisions.  The player on National Bingo Night does not.  Also, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the show seems really cheap.  It’s on par with most syndicated shows.  I’m not usually a person that is wanting mega jackpots everywhere, especially not for games of total luck, but this show just seems horrendously cheap compared to everything else.  I didn’t get a feel that there was a true contestant either.  The audience seems more like the contestants than the actual solo one.  I did get a rough cut, but that doesn’t change the fact that the show is boring as hell.  It doesn’t offend, but it’s just not fun at all.  This may be hard based off of just a verbal description, but what do you all think?

They casted the audience already so I suppose they figured it was time to find some contestants. ABC is looking for people to participate in their newest game show National Bingo Night which debuts on Friday, May 18th, at 9PM ET. On this show, one contestant will play bingo against the audience. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? No idea on the top prize yet, but it is saying you can win cash and prizes, and I’d be shocked if it was anything less than $500,000 to be perfectly honest. Why not try? If you enjoy bingo and can stand in a studio of screaming people while watching balls flying back and forth, here’s your chance. Click here to apply.

I know I’ll get a comment about why I am bitching about this show before it airs so I’ll explain. Watching bingo is not fun: period. ABC did a smart thing by letting people print out their own bingo cards to play or else this would be a total waste of time. Judging by some early reports, there is no risk. You just sit there and hope everything works out. Now I know I’m being over dramatic and I know there will be some places in the game where the contestant will have to gamble everything to continue, but I just don’t think bingo will be fun and exciting to watch on TV. I also have issues with how they are casting some of the audience. They specifically casted female models to be audience members and to be seated in on-camera positions just so they can show that the place is a party. If you can’t get the audience excited about the show and are forced to hire models to make bingo sexy, I just think it’s a bad sign. It’s what FOX did for Fifth Grader’s contestants. I’m going to give it an honest shot and I hope I am wrong, but it’s just my early opinion that this will be boring and make me crave 1 VS 100’s return even more. What are your early opinions?

Edit: Casting link fixed. Sorry about the wrong link up there.

I know it’s not much, but look at the size of those balls.

[youtube ClzfhFGC-bA]

Thanks to Michael Hetrick for the video.

Just a quickie about “National Bingo Night.” The show will take place in the “Bingo Plex Arena,” which features a two-story tumbler. Also, the format looks to be VERY similar to 1 vs 100: one person will be pitted against the audience. If the player gets a BINGO before the audience, he or she wins the money. If ONE person in the audience gets BINGO first, the audience wins the money. More information is available on the ABC webpage.

Looks like ABC has some big balls on their hands.