Fox’s “Our Little Genius”: Swing and a Miss
Say hello to your replacement for The Cube on Fox! In really just a few weeks we’ll be seeing the debut of Fox’s new quiz show Our Little Genius, on January 13th at 9:00PM ET which is directly after American Idol. Unless the country suddenly stops watching Idol, we’re going to see Genius back for more episodes after its initial short run no matter what. If we saw the return of The Moment of Truth, even if I liked it, we’re going to see this thing come back. The difference with Genius is that it’s not really awful. It’s just bland, boring, a direct copy of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader which itself is a direct copy of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and is just irritate confuse and infuriate people. So in other words it’ll sadly probably be popular for a tiny bit. Thanks to Hollywood Junket for the report.
If you’ve seen Fifth Grader you essentially know how this is going to work. One child genius answers questions in a particular field. Each right answer moves him or her up the money ladder. Questions aren’t multiple choice. Unlike Fifth Grader where you choose questions based on a grade level, questions on this show are based by categories like “College”, “Masters”, and “Doctorate”. A wrong answer drops you down to the safety net ($10,000) if you reached that. The only catch in the show is that the kid’s parents decide if they will continue the show, risking the money, or not. It’s kind of like a football father pushing his child so hard to play just to have the glory of it. Three experts are on set to tell the parents if the child should continue or not, judging by the difficulty of the questions left. Two lifelines can be used. One lets the parents see the question before decision. Another lets the experts preview the question. The money chain is as follows:
$1,000; $5,000; $10,000; $25,000; $50,000; $100,000; $175,000; $250,000; $350,000; $500,000
Oh look, ten questions and money levels. What does that remind you of? Hmm, that money chain is awfully familiar, too. This show bugs me for so many reasons. I just want to look at this money chain first. Are you freaking telling me that some really irresponsible parent will let a child risk $340,000; on that final question, to gain $150,000 more? Seriously? I mean just this whole project reeks of unoriginality and trying to recapture that magic that Fifth Grader caught, and it just isn’t going to. There are so many things against it.
The experts are wholly unnecessary if they are going to be there just to say, “Stop”, or “Go” the entire time. The whole grade determination of the questions is really derivative of every single Fox quiz show which isn’t a huge surprise. Hollywood Junket is also saying that host Kevin Pollak wasn’t a good fit and they’re pretty on the ball with this stuff. The good/interesting parts, for starters, are that the questions aren’t multiple choice. You have to know these things front to back. I know some others don’t like it but I actually enjoy the game mechanic of someone else determining your fate. No one’s implemented it correctly yet and this seems like a step in the right direction but still not there. But that’s it in terms of something different. If Fifth Grader is Millionaire for Dumbasses Our Little Genius is Fifth Grader for smart kids.
I just don’t see what they see in this format other than it’s going to be cheaper to produce, and I guarantee that’s why this was chosen over The Cube. But the reason Fifth Grader is popular is because they really tested adults to see if they can remember the stuff from grade school, and their kids could compete to. Say what you want about it but in retrospect it was a genius idea. Our Little Genius is quizzing us on stuff we’re flat out told we won’t know. Then why should I care to watch?
Here's a little logic equation I noticed (sorry if it doesn't make sense, it's late lol):
"If 'Fifth Grader' is 'Millionaire' for dumbasses then 'Our Little Genius' is 'Fifth Grader' for smart kids.",
Therefore:
If "Fifth Grader" is "Millionaire" for dumbasses then "Our Little Genius" is "Millionaire" for dumbasses for smart kids,
Ergo, as one extreme would logically cancel out the other, it follows that:
If "Fifth Grader" is "Millionaire" for dumbasses then "Our Little Genius" is "Millionaire".
Am I right?
Here's a little logic equation I noticed (sorry if it doesn't make sense, it's late lol):
"If 'Fifth Grader' is 'Millionaire' for dumbasses then 'Our Little Genius' is 'Fifth Grader' for smart kids.",
Therefore:
If "Fifth Grader" is "Millionaire" for dumbasses then "Our Little Genius" is "Millionaire" for dumbasses for smart kids,
Ergo, as one extreme would logically cancel out the other, it follows that:
If "Fifth Grader" is "Millionaire" for dumbasses then "Our Little Genius" is "Millionaire".
Am I right?
[quote]The only catch in the show is that the kid’s parents decide if they will continue the show, risking the money, or not.[/quote]
Oh for crying out loud. *facepalm*
Well I'll be watching this and giving it a try. It just might be alright and hey a new game show to start off the new decade. Good enough.
[quote]The only catch in the show is that the kid’s parents decide if they will continue the show, risking the money, or not.[/quote]
Oh for crying out loud. *facepalm*
Well I'll be watching this and giving it a try. It just might be alright and hey a new game show to start off the new decade. Good enough.
this show is not going to last long it sounds like a train wreck. Like i said they should just fly to England and tape a few test shows on the cube set and air them on fox and see if its worth it. The set looks like The Nbc Singing Bee and Million dollar password looks like they recycled those sets im just tired of these millionaire rip offs
I will say this- I do like the fact the questions aren't multiple choice. It takes you back to the original $64,000 Question style of questioning..which is a nice change, even though this show has "hot start, then quick downfall" all over it…
For one thing, is it even possible to make a million-dollar quiz show that ISN'T a Millionaire rip-off?
Another thing…FOX is making one seriously grievous mistake by choosing this over The Cube. I mean, NBC's going with the lame Swedish rip-off (Far From) Perfect 10, which will likely nullify any benefit it could get from the Comcast deal. The Cube is so much better.
For one thing, is it even possible to make a million-dollar quiz show that ISN'T a Millionaire rip-off?
Another thing…FOX is making one seriously grievous mistake by choosing this over The Cube. I mean, NBC's going with the lame Swedish rip-off (Far From) Perfect 10, which will likely nullify any benefit it could get from the Comcast deal. The Cube is so much better.
"I think the idea of having the parents decide whether to play or stop is a bit sleazy and bound to cause trouble."
And that is why it's on the network that brought us "The Moment of Truth." Fox has no shame. And that's why some people will watch it.
So, people are complaining about the fact that parents make the money decisions.
Can you say "Standards and Practices"? I sure can.
This condition is not the least bit new. The Children's version of "The Joker's Wild", titled "Joker, Joker, Joker" had the same rules when it came to the bonus round. The parents had to decide whether to continue or not, since the powers that be dont think that children can be responsible enough when it comes to money.
Correct me if I'm wrong…but, wasn't it the same way on Card Sharks' Kids weeks? If the kids were in control of the money, it would send a message that would get the network in a LOT of trouble. I agree with the decision.
I was there when he posted this on twitter, Alex vented out his anger.. almost in the same fury as the numerous changes to Millionaire.
I know it's too expensive to fly people to the UK to "beat the cube"
But is it really THAT MUCH money for a Plexiglass wall with some bouncy balls thrown in?
I was there when he posted this on twitter, Alex vented out his anger.. almost in the same fury as the numerous changes to Millionaire.
I know it's too expensive to fly people to the UK to "beat the cube"
But is it really THAT MUCH money for a Plexiglass wall with some bouncy balls thrown in?
So, people are complaining about the fact that parents make the money decisions.
Can you say "Standards and Practices"? I sure can.
This condition is not the least bit new. The Children's version of "The Joker's Wild", titled "Joker, Joker, Joker" had the same rules when it came to the bonus round. The parents had to decide whether to continue or not, since the powers that be dont think that children can be responsible enough when it comes to money.
" Are you freaking telling me that some really irresponsible parent will let a child risk $340,000; on that final question, to gain $150,000 more?"
Absolutely NOT! There's too much of a risk there. Even at $350K($240K/100K), the risk-reward ratio is better than 2:1 which to me is unacceptable. I'd say $100K is acceptable or even $175K is enough to stop on.
I agree that parents should be there in an advisory capacity. Absolutely. The kids should not be shouldering financial decisions with hundreds of thousands of dollars at stake.
The problem I have with it is that, as I interpret the rules, the game isn't about testing the knowledge of child geniuses as much as it is about parents wagering on their child's knowledge. With that much money at stake, that makes me a tad uncomfortable. I fear we'll see them casting families in the Deal or No Deal mold. I'm betting the children will be more mature than their obnoxious parents. This is on Fox.
I agree that parents should be there in an advisory capacity. Absolutely. The kids should not be shouldering financial decisions with hundreds of thousands of dollars at stake.
The problem I have with it is that, as I interpret the rules, the game isn't about testing the knowledge of child geniuses as much as it is about parents wagering on their child's knowledge. With that much money at stake, that makes me a tad uncomfortable. I fear we'll see them casting families in the Deal or No Deal mold. I'm betting the children will be more mature than their obnoxious parents. This is on Fox.
" Are you freaking telling me that some really irresponsible parent will let a child risk $340,000; on that final question, to gain $150,000 more?"
Absolutely NOT! There's too much of a risk there. Even at $350K($240K/100K), the risk-reward ratio is better than 2:1 which to me is unacceptable. I'd say $100K is acceptable or even $175K is enough to stop on.
My biggest problem with the money tree (and indeed WWTBAM's now) is that no one seems to know how to do it properly anymore. Somewhere along the line the risk/reward ratio goes haywire. Some of these numbers are wonky to me, too. $12,500? $175,000?
My biggest problem with the money tree (and indeed WWTBAM's now) is that no one seems to know how to do it properly anymore. Somewhere along the line the risk/reward ratio goes haywire. Some of these numbers are wonky to me, too. $12,500? $175,000?
Yeah, they may sound wonky, but when it all boils down, numbers are numbers.
(Philosophy lesson over, apologies lol)
Remember how Make the Grade on Nickelodeon had a "University Round" where kids were asked up to five questions and were allowed to risk it all or stop? Of course the top amount was $1000, a lot for a children's show, but still nothing compared to My Little Genius. But what about young intellects on 50s quiz shows, weren't they allowed to make the decision to stay or go? Still I think wagering on your children's knowledge will potentially lead to family conflict and this show is too exploitative to be taken as a serious show. FOX consistently manages to outsleaze itself again and again.
Remember how Make the Grade on Nickelodeon had a "University Round" where kids were asked up to five questions and were allowed to risk it all or stop? Of course the top amount was $1000, a lot for a children's show, but still nothing compared to My Little Genius. But what about young intellects on 50s quiz shows, weren't they allowed to make the decision to stay or go? Still I think wagering on your children's knowledge will potentially lead to family conflict and this show is too exploitative to be taken as a serious show. FOX consistently manages to outsleaze itself again and again.
Coincidentally, this is exactly Millionaire.