The Fall Breakdown Part 2
Originally posted: October 16, 2009
Text by: Cyndi
Seidelman
As you know that last
time, I gave you the first half of my fall breakdown. This time, here's
the 2nd half of the Fall Breakdown.
The Ultimate Fighter - Heavyweights : In my mind, the best show of this
style out there right now. It delivers what people come to expect from
the series. Not only that the coaches this year are former Ultimate
Fighter 2 winner Rashad Evans and former Ultimate Fighter coach Quinton
"Rampage" Jackson, so you know you're in for some great trash talk
between the coaches. Plus, the action is great as well, which features
former IFL Champion Roy "Big Country" Nelson, former NFL player Marcus
Jones and famed internet sensation Kimbo Slice. Now, we're already
halfway through the first round of fights and Nelson beat Kimbo via Ref
Stoppage, but there's still a ton of great matches left. In short, it's
a great series where you'll see 16 people in the fight of their lives
trying to make it to the big show. Nobody does it better than Dana White
and the Ultimate Fighter crew. Top marks all around.
Grade: A-
Survivor - Samoa : Before the season started we were given promo upon
promo on Russell, who was going to be the biggest Survivor villian of
all time, and so far they haven't disappointed. Now, that aside they
went with 20 castaways on the unforgiving isle of Samoa. Already we've
seen camp depression, mental and physical anguish and a medical
evacuation from the game. Not only that, we're getting some great
one-liners from the castaways, like the one Shambo laid on us when she
accidently let a chicken loose after her tribe won it in a challenge, "I
didn't know chickens could fly." Well, it's a bird and if it's not a
Kiwi or a Penguin, they can fly. Moron. Anyways, the game is as it was
in the past, but this time around there's no Exile Island. I figure this
was eliminated when Russell found the Idol with no clues. So, instead
the winner of the Immunity challenge sends one of their tribesmen to the
other tribe for observation of the other tribe. Not only that, they are
given a clue to where the Immunity Idol is hidden. Well, enough of that.
It's the same old Survivor as before. Either way, it's still great
stuff.
Grade: A-
The Newlywed Game: In a recent interview with Buzzerblog, GSN Vice
President David Schiff said that they want to make host Carnie Wilson
one of the faces of the network. If that's the case than the network is
in bigger trouble than we thought. Not only that, she has been so syrupy
sweet on the show, if she was any more syrupy and saccharine on the
show, I'd be a diabetic right now. She doesn't have that edge on TV, or
from reports she does have the edge, but they are left on the cutting
room floor. Anyways, complaints about Carnie aside, the game is miles
ahead from last season. Thankfully, the Goldywed's Round has been axed
and in it's place is a much more pallatable 30 point 2-part bonus
question. The set is just as it was last season, and that's a good
thing. So, if you can stomach Carnie Wilson, then the show is fine. If
you can't then you won't.
Grade: C+ (Averaged from Game: A / Host: F with leeway given to the
game)
Catch 21: This is the third season for Catch 21, and in a way I'm happy
for the show, although the game isn't that great. They haven't fixed the
two biggest flaws in the show. One of them is the points system.
Basically it's saying if you win one round, you're moving on to the next
stage of the game. This is easily remedied by getting rid of the points
and after one of the three players wins the round, they move on to round
3 where the others battle it out to see who goes on to round 3 along
with the winner of round 1. Or in simplistic terms, lift the elimination
format from Top Card and you'll have a much better game. But the main
gripe for this is the same as The Newlywed Game; the hosting. Alfonso
Ribeiro is way too hyper for the show. He really comes off as a fake. To
be perfectly blunt, he looks like he graduated from the Patrick Wayne
school of hosting. He's the worst host that GSN has ever had for a
regular show (I would have said all time, but Ross The Intern gets that
award). Anyways, I'm glad they changed the prize from the second season.
I can't get excited about an Oreck Vaccum, but for a trip, that I can
get excited about. Anyways, the scoring is flawed and the hosting sucks.
Grade: C-
Brainsurge: Nick's first venture back into game shows after Double Dare
2000 doesn't disappoint whatsoever. Jeff Suthpen is very adept and makes
the kids feel very welcome and very comfortable in the game, plus some
of his one-liners are very funny, like Lew Schneider's from Make the
Grade. The game is probably the most mental game the network has had
ever since Get The Picture. The first round involves a ton of mental
puzzles which are quite cute and clever once you see them. The second
round is very reminiscent of History IQ first round from its season
where the host will read a story from "Jeff's Book of Super Fantastic
Chronicles of Truth....That are absolutely true" where the contestants
have to memorize facts about the story until 2 are eliminated where the
other 2 play a game of concentration until one messes up or they both
complete the game. The Final Round is "Memorize the Light Pattern" Where
they have to memorize a path of a 4x4, a 5x5, and finally a 6x6 grid.
The bonus round lasts for 90 seconds where completing each path wins a
prize where the 6x6 wins the contestant a trip. All and all, it's a
fantastic show. Nothing more can be said about it.
Grade: A-
Have any questions about the site? Submit them to us via our Facebook page, our Twitter, and through e-mail. We'll be sure to answer them to the very best of our ability.
(c) 2009-2017 - A CQS Production.