The Rich List: The Next Big Game Show?

On the heels of the recent success of NBC's "Deal Or No Deal", the networks are scrambling to capitalize on America's revived infatuation with game shows. Fox's brand new game show "The Rich List" may be their answer to Deal Or No Deal.

The basic concept of the show is to complete lists such as "Movies Tom Cruise Was In" with a partner (Who is fundamentally contrasting to your lifestyle and personality), and try to win as much money as possible. The biggest hook of the show is that there is no limit to how much money a team can win, even if they remain contestants on the show for 5 years and keep racking up cash. But the actual game in itself is kind of a pain. Sure, completing lists with a partner is not that difficult. Either you know something or you don't. But for viewers the show's slow process may be too sluggish to tolerate. While watching the show I counted about 5 minutes before the game actually started. The introduction of the contestants and then the battle between teams to actually get to the money making part of the show kept things dragging on. You have to sit through their strategy talk and watch them try to bluff eachother before someone takes the challenge and starts trying to complete a list, which doesn't pay anything, but eliminates the other team.

Watching someone just trying to qualify for the game is neither interesting or suspenseful, because no one really cares for either team before the cash gets involved. How ever, once the game gets in play, things do pick up. Sometimes it is frustrating watching the team trying to complete a list, especially when they have 3 remaining Disney animated films to complete but they back out and take their money. But it is suspenseful when they are having difficulty. It is a huge let down though when they mess up a list and whatever amount they made for that list is taken away from them. This means that a new team of two partners is brought in to compete with them to get to the next list. It has yet to be seen if a new team is brought in when a list is actually completed how ever, as it has never happened. Once the two teams try to outdo eachother it's back to boring square one, but the concept is somewhat understandable as it helps to eliminate a team that may be too successful. A better, quicker elimination round would be greatly appreciated by this particular viewer though.

The good thing about the game is that again, there is no limit to how much a team can make, and they get to keep whatever money they make if they complete a list or back out of a list with their current earnings. The only way to lose money is to mess up a list, but the previous lists' earnings remain with the team. The game is very suspenseful and exciting between the boring parts, and it might just be a major hit. The Irish host, (which I thought was English at first) Eamonn Holmes, is not particularly charismatic, but he does add a lot to the show's suspense. In the style of Regis Philbin on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, the host purposely tricks the team into thinking they have made a mistake, before giving them a shock by telling them that they actually got it right. Overall, The Rich List is very entertaining and I will try to make a point of watching it regularly.

You can catch the rich list on FOX Wednesdays at 9pm CT.