24Sep2011
Weekend Replay: £250,000 on the Line on “Deal or No Deal”
I said this with BBC's QI not too long ago and it fits with this as well: few shows go with our sarcastically titled series "The British are Better Than Us" than Channel 4's Deal or No Deal. It's amazing how they consistently get it right. This past week featured and incredibly compelling game with contestant Tegen, a cancer survivor. I could keep discussing it, but it's best if you just watch. Spoilers are going to be after the break, so be warned. I had to include her introduction so you can be properly introduced to her. Click here to watch this exciting game. You don't want to miss it.
Read MoreView Comments (21)21Sep2011
£250,000 Question on Channel 4′s “The Million Pound Drop”
While Fox's version of The Million Pound Drop crashed and burned for a number of reasons, the British version is still living on Channel 4. Davina Mccall hosts the show where answering eight questions could win you up to £1,000,000 as long as you can hold onto it. It's rare when couples go for giant money at the end. Most of the time couples play for around £50,000 to £100,000. Seeing someone have the chance at £250,000 doesn't come often. Nick and Katie are playing for the cash. Only two answers are available and they have to place the entire £250,000 on one single drop zone. The biggest win to date is £200,000. Are they about to see £250,000 drop out of hand, or are they going to win £250,000 and be the biggest winners? Click here to watch and see what happens.
Read MoreView Comments (16)11Sep2011
Weekend Replay: “QI” Series I
Football started back up today, so we can go back to pretending baseball doesn't exist unless nothing else is on. So while I'm wrapped up in that all day today I wanted to be sure to alert fans that BBC Two's QI, what I strongly believe to be the best show on television anywhere today, recently started its new series, the "I" series. Few shows fit into our sarcastically titled "The British are Better Than Us" series than QI. It's one of the reasons it exists. I get more emails about this than any other UK show. The first episode is called I-Spy. Are you a fan but didn't get a chance to watch? It's up and you can catch it right here. Click here to watch.
Read MoreView Comments (4)03Sep2011
Weekend Replay: ITV2′s “Minute to Win It”
This past week ITV2 debuted their version of Minute to Win It, NBC's now-cancelled stunt show. Our version had an interesting history. It started as a Millionaire clone in look and feel. Then after the first few episodes it developed its own voice and actually became enjoyable. And then something happened and the show went off the deep end this year (much like Deal or No Deal did towards the end of its run), and now it's gone. ITV2 manages to fix a lot of the issues by ditching nearly everything from the original product and making it its own unique show. It ends up benefitting greatly because of it. Click here to read about the new format and see some clips.
Read MoreView Comments (9)28Aug2011
The Aussies Are Better Than Us: “Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation”
With the hurricanes, I think some of you could use a laugh. This clip has been making the rounds on Facebook, and I saw it on Bother's Bar, and I thought you'd enjoy it. We don't cover a lot of Australian ones. I'm a big fan of comedy panel quiz shows. For some reason we just can't seem to get any here unlike basically every other major country. They clearly work, but no one wants to give any a shot. This one from Australia is called Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation. The Ten show, beginning in 2009, involves three teams of celebrities placed on teams corresponding to their ages and generations. They're quizzed on various things from their generations. Click here to see an infamous and hysterical moment from the show.
Read MoreView Comments (7)21Aug2011
Weekend Replay: “Secret Fortune” Series Two Premiere
This was a very busy weekend for British game and competition shows. The big one, The X Factor, was on ITV this weekend. As was their version of Family Feud called All Star Family Fortunes. Then we had the live celebrity Who Wants to be a Millionaire which has lost a ton of its luster since changing production and getting rid of all celebrities. And finally we had one of my favorites: BBC's lottery quiz show Secret Fortune, which recently shot a pilot for CBS with Donny Osmond hosting. Secret Fortune was sadly the sacrificial lamb against Simon Cowell and The X Factor, but anyone watching caught a great dramatic episode. Click here to see what happened on Saturday's Secret Fortune.
Read MoreView Comments (15)16Aug2011
The British are Better Than Us: “Only Connect” Series Five; Submit Your Own Connecting Walls
Few shows are more enjoyable, as a whole, to watch than BBC Four's Only Connect. The show has risen over the course of its five series to a big winner for BBC Four and wide critical acclaim. It's so enjoyable because it's so different. You don't see shows so unashamedly intelligent with a sense of sarcasm and the knowledge of its own status. In a world where, for some idiotic reason, elitism has become a dirty word, it's great to see a show actually require you to know so much. Simple concept: just connect four seemingly unconnected items. It's a lot tougher than you'd figure. If you haven't seen it, check out this clip. It's a mashup of the first episode. Click here to see the clip.
Read MoreView Comments (4)19Jun2011
Who Dares Wins: Mega List
Those will remember a fortnight ago I showed how Who Dares Wins champions, Nat & Euan secure their seventh win and winning £155,000 in total, the second highest win on the show. They returned last week to face their eighth set of challengers, Abby and Gareth. The challengers won the first list by naming Sylvester Stallone films and needed to win the next list to become the new champions and knock Nat & Euan off their throne. What you will see in the clip below is something that has never been achived in any version of The Rich List in the world. Many lenghty lists contestants have tackled are usually in the low 20s but given the topic of the list has over 100 names and being under pressure in the studio. What you will see takes it t
Read MoreView Comments (18)05Jun2011
Who Dares Wins: Agony and Ecstasy
Whilst the UK viewing public was watching the final of Britain's Got Talent last night (which produced a shock result). Last night's edition of Who Dares Wins produced a very tense and extraordinary show. The current champions, Nat and Euan have won their sixth match (first match of last night) but failed to bank anything on the money list but their combined winnings from their previous five wins currently stands at £105,000. They face a seventh pair of challengers but they already won the first list by naming eleven characters from the TV show Friends. What you will see next is something rarely done on the show. Possibly, the first time it has been performed on the UK version. Check out the clip below before scrolling down to see the comme
Read MoreView Comments (13)25May2011
Better Than Us: British “Deal or No Deal” is Leaving Me Speechless
I don't know what's going on with the British version of Deal or No Deal recently. First they have Suzanne and the record breaking way she wins the £250,000. Then we have yesterday's contestant, Rob, who had possibly one of the most heart breaking moments in game show history. And today we have contestant Kerry-Anne who has a few record breaking moments of her own. This game leaves me speechless. I've never seen anyone as gutsy as her play. Take a look at the moment by clicking here. You do not want to miss this.
Read MoreView Comments (11)14May2011
The British are Better Than Us: Record Breaking “Deal or No Deal”
It takes a game like yesterday's Deal or No Deal to remind us what a great format it is. It's forgotten after you see the constant rerun cycle available on cable of the US version, where the show devolved into a three ring circus. But games like yesterday's remind you that few shows provide the tension and excitement of Deal. It also reminds me that anyone who says that the American version is better than the British version is either purposely being contrary (which isn't a big shock for certain people) or they're just flat out ignorant of what the show has to offer. On the surface it's a very dumb game. Injecting the show with special themes, risky offers, a Banker with personality, and fantastic and relatable contestants makes Deal or No Deal stand as one of the best shows around. Click here to see a clip of a recent record setting episode. You won't want to miss it.
Read MoreView Comments (16)30Apr2011
UK Weekend Replay: Who Dares Wins
Another Weekend Replay for you this weekend. This time we're featuring the UK quiz, Who Dares Wins. The title is more common around the world under the original title The Rich List or the GSN show, The Money List. For those who don't know. Who Dares Wins features two pairs of strangers who try to outbid each other by completing lists from countries in Asia to Matt Damon films. Unlike other quiz and game shows. Who Dares Wins has no limit on the number of times a pair can become champion. Therefore the sky is the limit with their winnings. The UK version returned last Saturday for their fourth series. The clip we have for you is from tonight's (Saturday) show where the current champions, Adam and Dawn have just won their fourth consecutiv
Read MoreView Comments (10)30Apr2011
German Weekend Replay: The Cube
A special Weekend Replay for this weekend as we are featuring the German version of the popular UK game show, The Cube. It was annouced earlier this year that the major broadcaster, RTL, who also airs their own local version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? and Pop Idol has picked up the local rights to produce The Cube. Rather than build their own cube set in Germany, they decided to use the UK set and production team at Fountian Studios in Wembley, London. The format is exactly the same to the original version, simply complete seven games with nine lives to win £250,000, or €250,000 in the German's case. Taken from last night's premiere (Friday), the clip we had features contestant Kerstin Smith who have just won €20,000 by complet
Read MoreView Comments (4)17Feb2011
The British are Better Than Us: “Secret Fortune”
Whenever I hear about a new lottery game show coming to America, I cringe. They are typically brain dead games of no knowledge and skill, or frankly a need for the ability to do more than say your name and say a number. England actually allows some knowledge and skill in their National Lottery shows. They aren't always winners, but many turn out to be great, such as Winning Lines. A new lottery game show debuted on BBC called Secret Fortune, and it straddles the line between a luck and quiz game show very nicely. Click here to read about how Secret Fortune works, plus see a clip of the show.
Read MoreView Comments (20)12Feb2011
This Week in UK Game Shows
The two popular game shows in the UK at the moment produced some memorable moments earlier this week. Firstly is The Chase. It has been reported in recent days the show is now hitting 3 million viewers and dominating the 5pm slot, pushing BBC One's Weakest Link to their lowest ratings for a long time. It has also given ITV's best ratings for their 5pm slot since Autumn 2005. Tuesday's show featured two contestants, Keith and Jordan who faced The Governess, Anne Hegerty. One of these contestants produced a "first" for the show. Check out the clip below to see which one created a "first" for the The Chase. The clips features both the cashbuilder and chase rounds for both contestants. [stream provider=video flv=x:/www.flashgameshows.com/wo
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