GET READY TO MATCH THE STARS! As part of a whole week devoted to game show content, our friends over at Previously.tv have given us a proposed cast for the star-studded big-money Match Game 2014, and have some pretty awesome selections.
I would watch the hell out of this with pretty much any combination of people they suggested. Retta as host is inspired, but they really could populate the entire thing with people from the Michael Schurniverse and make me very, very happy.
(By the way, if you're not watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine, you should be. It looks to be another show where the supporting cast is much more interesting than the lead character, but wow oh wow is that a stellar supporting cast. And I could watch Terry Crews all day long. )
This is so good that it makes me feel drunk. Tara had previously slipped a little in my favorite-pop-culture-commentators rankings because of being a little judgey about the whole adults-reading-YA thing but THIS, this is where I run with Tara.
(Although, in true blog commenting fashion, I'm sad she didn't mention some previous panelists that to me were iconic--Nipsy Russel and Bowser from Sha Na Na in the back left, and as much as Betty White is still The Greatest, having to choose between her, Fannie Flagg, Patti Deutsch, and Marcia Wallace as Favorite Bottom Right would be very difficult).
Her choices for new Back Left are very perceptive, and John Slattery for Front Center is SO PERFECT. To really match the way Match Game did Bottom Right, though...sad to say it would probably be reality show people. That was always the Attractive Rando from a Soap seat. Reality shows are the new soaps.
Overall I think (and I know, this is a fantasy, but) most of these choices might be too famous. Match Game originally aired before my time, so I've never been super clear about how well known the regular panelists were. Obviously some like Jack Klugman and Marcia Wallace would be familiar to viewers from their roles on hit sitcoms. But I always thought Brett, Charles, Richard, and a bunch of the other regulars were actually best known for being on Match Game. I think that's what makes it so hard to replicate. Every other celeb-based game show TRIES to get a gaggle of C-listers that'll be fun together but Match Game was just magic.
Among the great recommendations here and in previous comments, I specifically love the Neko Case idea - I've heard her on several long-form interview/chat podcasts and think she'd be great.
I would watch the hell out of this with pretty much any combination of people they suggested. Retta as host is inspired, but they really could populate the entire thing with people from the Michael Schurniverse and make me very, very happy.
ReplyDelete(By the way, if you're not watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine, you should be. It looks to be another show where the supporting cast is much more interesting than the lead character, but wow oh wow is that a stellar supporting cast. And I could watch Terry Crews all day long. )
If Riggle hosts this I'll watch every episode twice. Just don't let him rely too much on the angry voice.
ReplyDelete"I popped your pillow." Right there with you Marsha; Terry is a damn delight.
ReplyDeleteThis is so good that it makes me feel drunk. Tara had previously slipped a little in my favorite-pop-culture-commentators rankings because of being a little judgey about the whole adults-reading-YA thing but THIS, this is where I run with Tara.
ReplyDelete(Although, in true blog commenting fashion, I'm sad she didn't mention some previous panelists that to me were iconic--Nipsy Russel and Bowser from Sha Na Na in the back left, and as much as Betty White is still The Greatest, having to choose between her, Fannie Flagg, Patti Deutsch, and Marcia Wallace as Favorite Bottom Right would be very difficult).
Her choices for new Back Left are very perceptive, and John Slattery for Front Center is SO PERFECT. To really match the way Match Game did Bottom Right, though...sad to say it would probably be reality show people. That was always the Attractive Rando from a Soap seat. Reality shows are the new soaps.
Overall I think (and I know, this is a fantasy, but) most of these choices might be too famous. Match Game originally aired before my time, so I've never been super clear about how well known the regular panelists were. Obviously some like Jack Klugman and Marcia Wallace would be familiar to viewers from their roles on hit sitcoms. But I always thought Brett, Charles, Richard, and a bunch of the other regulars were actually best known for being on Match Game. I think that's what makes it so hard to replicate. Every other celeb-based game show TRIES to get a gaggle of C-listers that'll be fun together but Match Game was just magic.
Among the great recommendations here and in previous comments, I specifically love the Neko Case idea - I've heard her on several long-form interview/chat podcasts and think she'd be great.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a Betty White fan. I want more of a Fannie Flagg type in the seat -- literate and funny.
ReplyDelete