WipeOut & I Survived a Japanese Game Show (1 Viewer)

[Hanson]

Two similarly inspired shows shown back to back on ABC (Tues 8=10pm EST), based on Japanese gameshows.

I Survived is a mash up of The Amazing Race, Big Brother, and MXC. The in game announcer is the same one from Unbeatable Banzuke, and while his commentary and contestant interaction is in English, his subtitled asides to the audience are hilariously insulting. Note that this is not an actual Japanese game show, but rather a Japanese-like game show filmed in Japan with American contestants specifically for this show.

I'm not too wild about the reality show creep, and there just isn't enough of the anarchic game show moments. The announcers are the best part of the show, but are only in about a third of the episode.

WipeOut is more like Sasuke (Ninja Warrior) except with hilariously less fit contestants. It retains the Japanese penchant for punny obstacle names as well as the rat-tat-tat pacing. They also have snarky play by play that is obviouly recorded after the fact. Fans of John Henson's run on Talk Soup can find him here.

While I liked parts of ISAJGS, I laughed my ass off at WipeOut. Maybe a bit too lowbrow for some, but it's lizard brain funny.

 

[Chuck Anstey]

Except for the final challenge of Wipeout, I thought it was much more MXC than Ninja Warrior. The just toned down the commentary quite a bit. That final set though looked exactly like Ninja Warrior but far far easier. I wonder if Wipeout will evolve into an American Ninja Warrior or head straight for MXC.

I wasn't interested in I Survived A Japanese Game Show.

 

[Hanson]

I will probably agree with you in a couple of weeks.

 

[James Lee]

I actually liked I Survived a Japanese Game Show more than Wipeout, which was a little surprising because I was looking forward to Wipeout for weeks ever since I saw the first commercials. However, I think both shows are hilarious. Wipeout is so lowbrow, Three Stooges like, pratfall funny which is something I like. I Survived is interesting to see the exposure these people get to Japan and the culture.

Wipeout is awesome though. How can you go wrong with BIG BALLS? It does remind me of Ninja Warrior, although nowhere as serious. The dizzy dummy was great. Watching people get nauseatingly dizzy then run through an obstacle course never gets old.

 

[Anthony Hom]

I thought Wipeout was lowest point in public humility on a reality show. Then I saw ISAJGS. To be fair, I thought the latter was more interesting than the former. It was fun to see how they deal with life in Japan. It pokes a little fun at Japanese culture without being un-PC, by making the players look even more foolish. It reminded me of the Simpsons in Japan on their gameshow, when the host (voiced by George Takei) said, "We reward intelligence, but we punish ignorance".

 

[Hanson]

Wow. You must not have cable. Flavor of Love? Rock of Love? Shot of Love?

Even The Bachelor/Bachelorette is more humiliating.

And how the hell can I forget:

Moment of Truth.

That's one of the signs of the apocolyse.

 

[James Lee]

Moment of Truth is proof positive that people really will screw each other over for money. Truly an abominable TV show.

 

[Nelson Au]

Yes, no cable for me either. I was working out and happen to have the Japanese Game show on in the room and found it was engrossing, I hate to admit. Not sure how I will feel in a few more episodes. I wished the girl everyone wanted out to win over the other to prove them wrong.

The Wipeout trailers looked bad, so I didn't want to see it.

 

[Dheiner]

While I did not particularly like ISAJGS, I thought that Wipeout was the funniest thing I've seen on TV in years. I was nearly in tears watching the epic amounts of fail that were on display.

 

[IanDP]

I watched Wipeout and found the commentary to be annoying and un-funny. I love MXC, and Wipeout is just a poor ripoff.
Sure I laughed because it was funny to see people fall, but I turned down the volume because the two Johns commentary was so awkward.
They even tried to steal the MXC style the entire time.
Exchanges like this made me want to throw up:
- Our next contestant is John Doe. He is a recent graduate of the police academy.
- Well, it's certainly not the fashion police academy! Just look at those shorts he has on!

It just makes me wonder why they didn't get MXC's "Vic Romano" and "Kenny Blankenship" to the do the commentary. They would have to tone down the humor a bit, but it would still be funnier than the two Johns.

 

[Hanson]

Actually, that style of commentary is very much in the vein of Ninja Warrior and Unbeatable Banzuke. There are lots of cheesy puns in those shows.

 

[TonyD]

i like henson ut the commenatary was a bore.

i'll stay with japanese game show as long as



stays on the show.

 

[Jonathan Peterson]

I agree 100%. I kept waiting for one of the John's to say "Right you are".