*First off, we will have a full preview of Bingo America later tonight.   It’s better than How Much is Enough?, I swear.

*Second, Wink Martindale is coming back to GSN Live (which you should really check out if you haven’t, it’s a lot of fun), but not as a guest.  No, this time he will actually be hosting the show as regular host Fred Roggin takes the week of March 24th off.  Friday’s guest will be host of The Hollywood Squares Peter Marshall as well.  This is Wink’s first hosting job in quite some time, isn’t it?

*Next, I would really like to apologize, I completely misjudged How Much is Enough?.  The first episode I saw I thought it was fine and not too shabby.  As I continued to watch it leveled off into me not caring about the show.  So I really did a crappy review for that one when it first came out, and I am sorry.  However, many of you will be happy to know that the show is disappearing completely on March 31st.  A late breaking scheduling update says that it’s being replaced by Family Feud (Karn) on weekends at 3:30PM ET, Lingo on Saturday nights, and Karn Feud on Sunday nights.

I really think How Much is Enough? could have been better if they tried to include a tiny bit more game into the show.  However, it just never got fully to where it should be.  Plus seeing people constantly chickening out gets very old very quickly.

One keeping this show afloat is host Corbin Bernsen. He is absolutely fantastic. If he’s reading a teleprompter I can’t tell, and that’s what comes from a host who has TV experience and knows how to do things. With all due respect to people like Dylan Lane of Chain Reaction, if someone like him hosted the show would be terrible. Corbin keeps the game moving, can slow down the game and talk to the contestants while not making it boring, and creates a nice level of tension. Speaking of tension, watch out for the final clock where you’ll see tens of thousands of dollars available. Beyond Grand Slam, it’s the one of the more suspenseful thing I’ve seen on GSN in quite some time.

Honestly, if GSN tried to play it any more than it is, it would be bad. Admittedly, there is basically no gameplay. You’re just sitting and watching players hit buttons as money increases. However, they do a nice job of attempting a big split screen so you can see some of the body language players do to psych opponents out. Two of my biggest gripes about Duel is that you really can’t see if the contestants are bluffing, and even if they are it doesn’t seem to be doing any good. It’s doing some good here. It’s not over the heads of the contestants.

After the clock has run its course, players on How Much Is Enough? give exact details of why they buzzed in at a time, even down to seeing opponent’s eye twitches. Players jitter and shake and use as much body language as they can to convince their opponents that that they are calm and have buzzed in, making the opponent stay longer and more money available. This also comes from the fact that contestants aren’t brought in from the Endemol farm. They are normal, every day people who don’t scream every two seconds.

This isn’t to say there are issues. I really enjoyed the preview episode. However, this may have potential to get boring after the forty-episode season has run its course. This is not the type of show that’s going to rerun well also. This show is going to heavily rely on the contestants. If they don’t have interesting contestants who will attempt to psych others out, it’s going to get old quickly.

What could be changed? The stage setup is a bit odd. The set looks horrendously small because of this. Some round set would have been better, where all players can see each other at all times. GSN’s tried explaining it, but there are really weird “lighting fixtures” hanging above the audience that look like they came from the 60s and just do not blend in at all. If they serve a purpose on the set then I am missing it completely. Final note on the stage setup: how about instead of buzzers behind the backs we place the buzzers on the podiums with a casing around it and allow players to hit it from there? You can do more arm movement fake-outs like that. Also, I hate to say it, but the music is a bit crummy. They try for something suspenseful and militaristic, but it comes off overly synthesized.

Why am I not suggesting changes to the game play? Quite simply because I am taking it for what it is. If I tried to suggest game play changes, the entire thing would have to be different. They do all they can with the concept. You have to know when to hold it and, like the title says, how much is enough. If you’re expecting some gigantic spectacle of game wizardry from the people at GSN, then don’t bother because you’ll be upset. If you go in like I did knowing what it is and just expect a quick, painless, enjoyable; suspenseful half hour game of nerves of steel and some strategy; you will be happy. It has a better budget than most daily GSN shows since WinTuition, looks nice, and plays nice. Does it completely turn the genre on its head? No. Does it do what it’s supposed to do and entertain? It does so exceptionally. The show is perfectly made for short 40-episode half hour blasts. If they can keep it up and throw in more tweaks as the series goes on with time, then enough is never enough for How Much Is Enough.

How Much Is Enough? debuts on Tuesday, January 8th, at 9:00PM ET. It is not run twice. Another show will be seen at 9:30PM ET. What is it? You’ll find out soon enough…..

If you have questions about the format or anything involving the show, leave a comment and we’ll answer as soon as we can.

This game really hinges on one thing though: they need to make sure there are contestants who are going to talk and bicker with other contestants.  If it’s just absolute silence, it’s going to get very boring.  Am I the only one that’s excited for this?  I hope not.  GSN updated their photo gallery with some new pictures of game play, and we’re  the only ones that will show you as usual.  There’s a few tiny spoilers, but nothing to be worried about.  Notice that the floor also has a Money Clock.  How cool is that?

This might be one of GSN’s more high profile hosts in quite some time; probably since Chuck Woolery. He’s been on the hit TV show L.A. Law, the major movie Major League, and currently can be seen on USA’s Psych. Plus he was on my personal favorite reality show which is The Mole. Corbin was on both celebrity seasons of it. He’s become very involved in the game show industry recently; specifically GSN. Corbin had appearances on I’ve Got A Secret as well as produced a pilot called Carry Your Weight back in January of this year.

Good news about the format! It’s not a word game! It may have no trivia or real skill, but a non-word game puts a smile on my face. Quite simply, through different rounds, a giant electronic money clock will count up from $0 or a predetermined dollar value. Four players have to secretly lock in when they want the clock to stop and take whatever money is present. There is some strategy and psychology going on here, as you have to convince your opponent to play on too long, as there should be some point where you can’t take any money into the next round.

The final two contestant’s scores are combined for the end, and that’s the max the money clock can go to. It starts at a low value and continues to count up. The first player to buzz in wins whatever is on the clock. So, in short, you have to convince your opponent not to buzz in long enough so that you can take home more money. Yeah, there’s no real knowledge or skill here, but I’m still very interested. Looks like a very psychologically based game that’s going to be suspenseful and probably funny. Can’t wait to see how this turns out. GSN starts taping on Tuesday. For tickets, click here.

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? TICKETS

The Game Show Network, and BBC Worldwide the Producers of “Dancing With the Stars”, and “Grease: You’re The One That I Want” bring the new game show How Much Is Enough.

Do you have what it takes to psych out the competition and walk away victorious? Do you know just the right time to push for more and when to play it safe? –

How Much Is Enough is the new game show that tests a contestant’s ability to determine how much is enough, and when do you keep pushing for more? Four contestants are placed against one another in a high stakes game if chicken. There is no trivia or skill involved at all!

The winner will go home with the cold hard cash!

To audition for How Much is Enough you must:

• Be over 18 yrs old
• Live in Southern California, or able to get to Los Angeles for an audition and taping day.
• Send your picture, brief bio and contact info to: Howmuchisenoughcasting@gmail.com
• If you have appeared on other game shows please do not submit

If chosen for an audition, casting will contact you directly to schedule an interview.