This week marks a very special event for two reasons for me:

1: FINALLY someone stands up to FOX and re-rushes a show to air.  It’s about time someone pushes FOX around, especially since 75% of their rushed ripoffs are total crap.

2: I get to see if The Singing Bee will bomb, which will give 1 VS 100 a chance for a longer season.

That’s right.  This week marks the debut of two new karaoke game shows. The Singing Bee starts Tuesday, July 10th, at 9:30PM ET to 10:00PM ET.  Yes, that means that there’s a major network that isn’t stretching a half hour game show to an hour.  FOX is getting shafted finally by getting their ripoff, Don’t Forget the Lyrics!, one day later; Wednesday, July 11th, at 9:30PM ET to 10PM ET.  Both shows have contestants singing along to a live band with lyrics appearing on the screen.  Both shows will cut the lyrics and music after a bit.  Both shows require contestants to continue to sing until told.  How are the shows different?  Read after the break to find out.

England’s Singing Bee debuted on July 7th with the name Sing It Back.  Basically, the host reads a cryptic clue about the song.  Any competitor can buzz in when they think they know the song.  Regardless if they get the song right or wrong, they have to sing it.  For the entire rule sheet, click here to see it courtesy of our good friends at UKGameshows.  The winner of the week gets an unknown prize, but we’re hearing it’s somewhere around $100,000.

FOX’s Don’t Forget the Lyrics! has just one contestant at a time.  They have to sing back lyrics as well.  However, of course there’s now a money chain and three “Helplines”.  Nice way to combine Millionaire’s  lifelines and 1 VS 100’s Helps.  It only takes 10 songs to win a million.  The first is worth $2,500; then $5,000; $10,000; $25,000; $50,000; $100,000; $200,000; $350,000; $500,000; and the million.  The rules we were given can be found here.

Which one do you think will do better?  Sadly, I think it’s going to be Don’t Forget the Lyrics! for the sole fact of $1,000,000.  I’d really prefer to have The Singing Bee be bigger for the fact that it at least seems like they aren’t making this to be some needlessly dramatic million dollar game show.  It’s a show that is basically for making fun of people.  This is exactly my issue with Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? as well.  However, I just don’t see either of these shows being that popular, but I’ve been wrong and I am often.  Be sure to tell us what you think on Tuesday and Wednesday.