“It’s Worth What?” Has Decent Sampling in Debut
Last night saw the debut of NBC’s newest game show endeavor It’s Worth What?. The show asks contestants to try to assess the value of antiques or rare collectacbles to win up to $1,000,000. We’ll have more of a review of the full episode soon, but first let’s get to the ratings. Depending on if people liked the show and will stick around next week, the debut of the Cedric the Entertainer-hosted game show wasn’t bad. The show opened with 6.71 million viewers.
It’s Worth What scored a 1.8/6 share in the key demographic. It ended up doing better than its direct competition, a repeat of ABC’s Wipeout, and it did better than 101 Ways to Leave a Game Show at 9:00PM ET. It did end up losing to NCIS on CBS, but I think that was a given no matter what. Regardless, it’s a pretty decent start for the show. It just can’t afford to dip to considerably lower levels. We’ll see what happens next week. As always, week two ratings for broadcast are important because it shows if people enjoyed the show enough to come back.
However, I ended up enjoying it more than I figured. The game is sound, the concept and execution is fun, but it just feels like nothing that special. When Deal or No Deal and 1 VS 100 debuted, you felt something special. You got a feeling these were different than the garden variety game shows. You don’t get that feeling with It’s Worth What?. It feels like typical game show fodder. Having said that, it’s much better than most shows in recent time. It’s far better than NBC’s last game show effort Minute to Win It. I applaud them for staying far away from the Millionaire format. We haven’t seen a truly original show (though it was derivative of The Price is Right) in primetime in a while.
Really the only issues I had were with host Cedric the Entertainer. It was the first episode and I know he’ll get better, but he seemed very stiff and unnatural in the game show host role. He needs to loosen up and be himself more. Not to mention we don’t need three or four catch phrases a show. We had, “It’s worth WHAT?” which got very annoying; “Bank It or Bust It,” which wasn’t necessary; and the worst of all the lock-in phrase, “Sure Sure.” If it’s written in the rules that the final answer decided by the team is what is accepted, they don’t need a lock-in phrase. Not every show needs their own, “Final Answer.” But overall I was pretty impressed and we’ll see if the show can keep it up.
Given what I read on Twitter and emails and comments last night, many of you felt the same way. What did you think?
I watched the last 45 minutes of it because I forgot it was one but it’s just ok for me… The pacing of the show and the show itself is a little dry. It was interesting to see the value of the artifacts and that was about it. I agree that the “catchphrases” did get a little overused but its not like that has a major impact on gameplay… except for maybe “Are you sure sure?” I could see where that may at times get people to second guess their answers. Overall, I think it’s just one of those shows that you’d tune into if you were bored and there wasn’t much else on.
You’ve omitted such a pivotal problem – the game is WAY too sparse. Seriously, we need to start thinking about half-hour primetime game shows – this is getting absurd with having one game and a lot of crap, then a commercial. It happened with Million Dollar Money Drop, same with Minute to Win It, it’s ridiculous.
Also – the bonus round. I’ve played Risk before, I get the mechanic. But having to juggle the prices of eight items all at once is kinda weird. Either let the contestant somehow meddle with an interface or prop cards to make it easier on them, but it’s still not easy on the viewer. I understood that they were happy to check the most expensive and the least expensive ones since they were the most certain in their minds.
It’s just not there yet. We could’ve even done better with just trying to sequence them all low to high, and then the moment the chain snaps, they lose a chunk of the money. Maybe not even that.
But I think Cedric was awesome, and good on him for the awesome storytelling. I give it a B-.
I’d give it a few more episodes, but I think that the “Sure Sure” catch phrase is going to get old very quickly. BTW, when does Who’s Still Standing? start?
Probably as soon as Minute to Win It leaves the schedule. I don’t see NBC having three primetime evening game shows airing simultaneously, but I have been wrong before.
Personally, I’d get rid of the “Sure, Sure”, the “It’s worth WHAT!?” and add some background music to the game. Then you’ve got a hit. If anything, just give the contestants a button to hit to lock in their decision.
Bit unrelated, but the scoring system for Family Brainsurge is bizarre. Each question in Level 1 is now worth more than all the questions before it combined.
I thought it was funny that even the in studio audience got tired of the “It’s Worth WHAT?” because at the beginning of the show, the audience all shouted along “WHAT” but by the end, only Cedric was the one saying it.
That was pretty funny. Thought I was the only one who noticed that lol.
Review of “It’s Worth What?”
The Format: Cedric said in YouTube video “It’s like “The Price Is Right” on steroids will he right
somewhat it’s more like the pricing game “Most Expensive” on steroids
The Host: Cedric the entertainer did a very good job for his frist game show he is cool
The Catchpharses: I hate them “Are Sure are Sure, Sure?” YES I’M SURE SURE NOW SHUT UP CEDIRIC
“Let’s see id your goning bank it or bust it?”
they are cheep and annyoing catchphase just drop catchpharses ok
Time slot: Tuesday 8/7 Central on NBC I don’t like it (I don’t hate and don’t love i just don’t like it)
It’s going up against the #1 Reailty show Hell’s Kitchen on Fox
It’s going up against Wipeout on ABC (A dumb game show i don’t care about anyway so i’m not to worried)
and NCIS on CBS
it NCIS and Hell’s Kitchen that worries me so i think NBC could push it back 9/8 Central
Overall: on a scale of 0 to 10 i give “It’s Worth What? 7.75 out 10
When Cedric prompted “Sure?” at one point – I think Annabel (?) said “Sure sure” straightaway. If the contestants do that when the decision is painfully obvious, it might be tolerable.
A Prendre ou A Laisser – France’s Deal or No Deal – had something similar to that “Un fois?” “Trois fois”. Which is essentially “going once” as if an auction and the contestant pre-empting with “gone”. Or they just do “un-deux-trois” and that’s the same thing – “trois fois”.
So if a contestant just says “Sure sure” maybe even without the prompt from Cedric, we could live with that.
I also wish some of the games weren’t just “Most Expensive”.
We watched for fifteen minutes, then gave up because of the obnoxious young contestant. Sorry, but the premise of the show is a good one but the activity was too painful to watch.
Catchphrases are good in certain situations. Take 1 VS 100 if you will.
“This game is simple. Either you win, or they win.”
“Do you want the Money? Or do you want the Mob?”
Those were fine by my standards. It’s Worth What, on the other hand, doesn’t need a catchphrase.
Tonight at 8, don’t forget…it’s worth WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!
I did not like some of the comments from the host. They were sexual and racist. Would definitely replace him!!!!!