“Identity” Finale Tonight

27 Apr

Posted by Alex Davis as Identity, NBC, Opinion, Reader Input

If you’re a fan of the NBC game show Identity I would be sure to watch it tonight at 8PM ET. It’s the finale, but whether it’s the season or series finale is yet to be seen. For some reason, I’m guessing it’s the series finale. The show hasn’t been lighting up the ratings. Hell, it has barely made a blip, and with the amount of huge winners they have it’s hardly as cheap as Deal or No Deal or 1 VS 100 now. Last week’s ratings sunk to a rather small total of 3.3/6. If I was Reveille, I’d reformat the show, lower the prize, and pitch it to someone as a daily show. They have a decent show hiding somewhere in here. It’s just hidden by the feeling that this show is Deal or No Deal with people. Any thoughts about anything regarding this show?

12 Responses

Brandon
1
April 27th, 2007 at 3:19 pm

It has potential, but it should not be an hour-long show played for half a million dollars. I agree, pitch it for daytime syndication, with a lower jackpot, and make the money tree 1/10, maybe even 1/20 of what it is. $25,000 is a chunk of money.

I’d add to it so that the contestant gets to interrogate each panelist, along with a celebrity partner. Also, cut out the drawn-out reveals…that’s most of the reason it takes an hour to get through one episode.

Honestly, the game is an extended bonus round. I’d add a competition between two or three contestants to see who gets to go through the panel of 12.
Alex Davis
2
April 27th, 2007 at 3:27 pm

You know, here’s an interesting idea that I had just pop into my head. What if you had four contestants. Before the show each of them gives 3 or 4 approved “secrets” about themselves. The players don’t know each other’s names or occupations, like the show is not. The players have to match the different identities to their opponents. Each gives them money or a point or something. Throw in some variety. The winners gets to play the end game we have now. Again, this is just off the top of my head.
RJG
3
April 27th, 2007 at 6:04 pm

Even if they don’t want to add a play-in game, there are a couple of things (besides speeding up the reveals) that I think would improve gameplay:

1. Get rid of the “Mistaken Identity”, and get rid of the “wrong twice and win nothing” rule. Instead, the player MUST continue until all twelve are identified. Each right guess goes up one step on the money ladder; each wrong guess goes down one step. This way, someone who makes one mistake would get less than someone who plays a perfect game. It also means no more of those annoying sequences when someone quits partway through and Penn Jillette has to ask the leftover strangers what they are.
2. Allow the other two lifelines to be used on either an identity or a stranger: for example, you could either ask the experts which person they think is the sword swallower, or which identity they think #4 is.
Eric
4
April 27th, 2007 at 6:11 pm

How about have a main game of “Fame Game” style Questions?
Scott Meckley
5
April 27th, 2007 at 6:35 pm

I watched the first week when it was on back in dec and I wasn’t all that impressed. I didn’t care much for the supporters and it makes me think they were trying to copy Deal Or No Deal. I also didn’t like how the pace of the game was either about them saying is that your identity. I’m not as big on panel gameshows except maybe Match Game and To Tell The Truth. I also think there should be a point like after the 3rd or 4th correct answer you shouldn’t leave with less than that. I am missing 1 vs 100 and I hope they do a week long event of 1 vs 100 starting next season and then back to once a week. I haven’t gotten them pitched or copyrighted yet but I think NBC should considered some of my games as gameshows.
Doug Morris
6
April 27th, 2007 at 9:24 pm

Agreed with the sentiments this should be pitched to the syndie world and there should be a main game with “Fame Game” questions a la $ale of the Century — with the winner facing the dozen strangers.

Also, the money chain is *really* flawed. It should be along the lines of “double or nothing”. At $150K, why risk and try to win only another 100-grand when there’s a bit of uncertainty. (The Rich List, which I truly miss after its single airing here in the States, was guilty of something similar).

And the wait between Penn asking “Is *THAT* your identity?” and the response is *too* long.

Memo to NBC: Bring back 1 vs. 100 STAT!
Jamal
7
April 28th, 2007 at 4:47 pm

Asking people for their wishlist on the internet is always a recipe for disaster no matter what the subject.

I sort of like Identity. It is not DoND with people. I don’t get that comparison at all. DoND is pure luck. Identity has visual clues and a little audio help (”My name is Tony”, and the guy couldn’t figure out he was the pizza thrower?!). On DoND you don’t get a mistake. Pick the million dollar case and they don’t give you a mulligan. The two shows aren’t comparable.

IMO Identity’s format is not suited to an hour show. An hour is too long for 2 full games and too short to be stretching 1 contestant out to the end. When it gets so that you can predict what’s going to happen next by looking at the clock, you have a problem. DoND is guilty of this too.
Christopher Bogart
8
April 28th, 2007 at 8:18 pm

It cannot be the series finale. Rich Fields’ episode has yet to air.
JD Nole
9
April 28th, 2007 at 10:52 pm

Jamal, you are so right about being able to predict how the game is going to turn out by looking at how much time is left in the show. Another problem I have with the show, which I like, is that it’s much more fun to play along with at home if it has a number of famous Strangers…however, that also makes it easier for the contestant to go further. We’ve already had two or three people solve all the Identities, while Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader (which should be easier IMHO) has just now had people make a serious run at their top prize.

Not so much a critique, but a suggestion I have is for there to be a Dual Identity for one of the Strangers to bump the possible winnings up to the magic million mark.

Something I thought I would have a problem with has actually been a pleasant surprise: Penn as host. He seems to have traded in a measure of his trademark smart alec for sympathy for the contestant and involvement in the game. Not sure he would work in any other game, but he seems to have settled in here nicely.
FAF
10
April 28th, 2007 at 11:21 pm

Now if only DoND is canceled.
Scott Meckley
11
April 29th, 2007 at 1:24 am

why FAF do you want DOND canceled it’s probably the funnest show on TV right now that and 1 vs 100. granted the pace of DOND and the supporters but other than that DOND is a good show. Truth is people are watching DOND and not as many are watching studio 60 or the black donnellys. Also DOND and 1 vs 100 have more people that watch those than Identity.
Stephanie
12
May 1st, 2007 at 3:51 pm

I heard about that, #8. I’m a huge fan of Rich’s, so I can’t wait to see it