J the TV Critic (Game Show Edition)

The game show's have been making a comeback this year.

"1 v. 100" (NBC, on hiatus) - This is a great show (the format has been knocked off of Europe, surprise, surpise) A single contestant faces a mob of 100 people and they all have to answer multiple choice questions. When the player answers correctly he or she eliminates the members of the mob that are incorrect, and wins money for each player eliminated. If a player eliminates all 100 he or she wins $1 million.

Hosted by Bob Saget, he has the right personality for this one. He's certainly not "Danny Tanner", he's a little edgier in this show and not afraid to needle the mob members that miss questions. This is one to watch, too bad the show's last episode aired last week and is on hiatus, but I hope this one is brought back. 4 of 5

"Identity" (NBC, Friday 7c) - Giving a game show to Penn Jillette (of Penn and Teller fame) was a stroke of brilliance. He is so right as a game show host, he's funny, and he has quite a dominating stage presense. The object is for a player to judge 12 contestants based on their appearance and match each one to a series of Identities. The game itself I think has problems that hurt the show. I think it moves too slow, the players spend too much time talking out what eventually comes down to judgemental instincts. It's not like the logic patterns that put the drama in "Who Wants to be a Millionaire". I just don't think this one has staying power, but for the love of God, when this one is over, find another show for Penn! (Maybe Ben Stein's old producers could reformat for a little of win "Penn and Teller's Money", okay not the best Idea, but I'm trying to help). 2 of 5.

"Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader" (Fox, Thursday 7c) - This one is great. You'll be a little confused if you watch this assuming the 5th graders on the panel and the contestant have an adversarial relationship (a la "1 v. 100"). The contestent picks one of 5 students from a panel and they both answer questions from grade levels 1 through 5. The brilliance of this show is in the "cheats". This is how the students can help the contestant though a "peek", a "copy" (ah the classics) or a "save". By the way, Jeff Foxworthy a great game show host?, who knew. But he's just right, the man who describes being a redneck as simply "lacking a certain sophisication", is still playing the role of being not so bright, yet he isn't afraid to needle a contestant struggling with a 1st grade question. There is so much more I could write on how good this show is, but I'll leave it here. 5 of 5.

"Deal or No Deal" (NBC, Monday 7c) - I hate to blow the lid off of this one since it's such a big hit, but I find this show too simplistic. The constestant picks one suitcase from 26 at random that has an amount of money in it. Then the constestant finds out how much is in there by deduction, opening the cases that aren't selected. As the amounts are eliminated, there is a banker that is trying to buy the case from the player sight unseen based on the possible amounts remaining. If the player sells the game is over, but the player may hang on to the case until the end and win what's in there.

If you know about statistics, you've probably figured this one out. The case the constestant has picked has an expected value of the average of the remaining amounts. The bank never offers the expected value, so players that are selling are usually slightly the worst of it (though my brother Jordan, who has watch this show more than me and is better versed in stats than me, says the bank has on occiation made an offer that's in fact positive EV). So the only game is to see recognize if the bank is offering you a deal that's better than your case's EV, or if the risk is so far below the bank offer that's is worth taking slighty the worst of it to avoid a big loss. The latter question is the very human element of this show, the source of the drama, and I suppose the reason its a hit. It just doesn't do it for me. 2 of 5.