I watched the premiere of FOX’s new recreation present 99 To Beat final night time, and the essential premise is quite a lot of enjoyable. 100 gamers are all given a problem to do at the very same time, and whoever is available in final is eradicated. Then, through the subsequent spherical, the remaining 99 gamers are given a problem to do at the very same time, and whoever is available in final is eradicated. On and on it goes till just one particular person is left, and she or he goes house with one million {dollars}. Fairly enjoyable, proper?
Effectively, it seems that’s not precisely the way it works. A lot to my frustration and assumedly the frustration of everybody else watching, the present threw in a shock group problem. The 96 remaining gamers had been separated into eight groups to compete in a relay during which they fashioned meeting strains and dumped water into buckets. I assumed the twelve members of the dropping group must compete in opposition to one another in a subsequent problem to see who went house, however as a substitute, the present simply despatched all the group house.
99 To Beat is customized from a recreation present that originated in Belgium. I don’t know how that OG model works or if it contains challenges during which a number of members of a group go house on the similar time, however to me, sending a number of individuals house violates all the spirit of the sport. I need to see gamers go house as a result of they had been final in a selected problem. I don’t need to see them go house as a result of they had been randomly partnered with somebody uncoordinated that may’t pour water right into a bucket.
I’d think about 99 To Beat’s producers had been considering this may be a simple option to pace the present up. They had been most likely additionally intrigued by the potential drama of individuals getting mad at their companions, however I’m not on the lookout for the present to be sped up or create drama. I extremely doubt anybody watching a present like that is going to cease watching as a result of there are a couple of extra episodes. If that’s an actual concern, then they need to have referred to as the present 49 To Beat and simply began with manner much less gamers. I additionally suppose the essential truth of somebody getting despatched house after each single problem creates sufficient drama, particularly since lots of the gamers have members of the family or buddies which can be additionally taking part in.
I’m an enormous recreation present and actuality competitors present man. I take heed to Survivor podcasts. I’ve written energy rankings for Prime Chef. I watch each episode of Jeopardy, The Superb Race, The Flooring, The Nice British Bake Off, MasterChef and like a dozen others. I want competitors in my life, and I can get behind a wacky premise. I’m the precise audience for 99 To Beat, however the primary rule of placing on a contest sequence is you’ll want to comply with your individual guidelines.
Throwing in some random a-ha twist with a view to “make the sport extra thrilling” is nearly by no means a good suggestion. Survivor followers had been in full-on revolt a couple of years in the past after that silly hourglass twist. Large Brother followers are nonetheless mad weeks after that silly competitors that despatched a participant house and not using a vote. And I’m huge mad about twelve individuals going house on 99 To Beat as a result of they acquired randomly assigned unhealthy teammates.
Sadly, the preview for this season says that there are 50 complete challenges. Which means we’re going to get fairly a couple of extra moments during which a number of individuals go house on the similar time. I’d think about we’ll most likely even get some late within the competitors when there are solely a dozen or so gamers left, which goes to be infuriating.
I need to like 99 To Beat. I like dumb little video games like guessing how a lot one thing weighs or filling up buckets with water. This feels prefer it ought to be and (largely) might be an fulfilling option to spend an hour, however long-term, the producers have to eliminate these a number of eliminations. They go in opposition to the spirit of the sport, and so they’re solely going to get extra annoyed as viewers begin to get to know the contestants.
99 To Beat is hosted by Ken Jeong and Erin Andrews. It simply hit the TV schedule and airs on Sunday nights on FOX. Fingers crossed the present will get renewed and is ready to implement adjustments for Season 2.