NBC in the USA is debuting its version of a BBC quiz show, "Weakest Link," tonight. Apparently the host is the big draw: one Anne Robinson, who has won fans in her native UK with her no-nonsense approach.

Can any of y'all cross-Ponders give us a review? Is it worth watching?

She is someone who will tell participants "You really are more stupid than you look", and other such jewels... If she is half as stern and harsh in the US as she is here, it is definitely worth watching at least once...

"You ARE the weakest link. Bye bye!"
Marianna

Anna

Marianna says it about right. If you find the public humiliation of others somehow horrifyingly fascinating, and can imagine it coupled with the opportunity for you to go: "Idiot! You should have banked!" every few minutes, then you'll probably enjoy the show.

Prior to her incarnation as the Quiz-show hostess with the (metaphorical) whip, Anne Robinson hosted 'Watchdog', a consumer rights programme that 'went undercover' from time to time and tried to bring recalcitrant manufacturers and retailers to book. You can see that the righteousness and sternness haven't worn off!

cheer

the sunshine warrior

Watched the first episode and found it quite interesting. The contestants were far more scathing when talking about fellow contestants than host Robinson, tho!
The "computations" as to who is weak and strong in each round are a bit confusing but that'll become clearer as the show goes on. It was a fun evening. The biggest qualification seems to be FAST RECALL of general facts.
I will watch again ... then... well, we shall see!
wow

I can't say I thought much of this new attempt at entertainment on our TVs. The moderator was rather "gentle", but I would not have liked her really reducing contestants to tears. I suppose she is the "star" and they are her "puppets". I bet she gets rougher as time goes by. Something is lacking, not sure what and I doubt if it becomes a big winner. I will be disappointed in humanity if it does. But I have been disappointed before...sooooooo, what do I know!

There was an article about the Aussie version of this programme in the Sydney Morning Herald a couple of weeks back, interviewing contestants. It looks a bit different when you have read their comments that
'some people are just eliminated because no-one likes them, it's nothing to do with how they score'
'it took ages to film because there were really long breaks between rounds while they wrote [whatever-her-name]'s lines'
'they made me do the walk of shame again because I didn't look upset enough at being voted off'

I only watched it once and I'm in no hurry to do so again.

BBC news report

NBC, the network broadcasting the show, say she is the "Cruella de Vil" of gameshows, whose cutting comments make contestants "quake before her".

cutting comments make contestants "quake before her".

Watched it for the first time last night and, although her remarks were cutting, they hardly reached "quake-producing" intensity. Wonder if any other USn's ever caught a cable program called The Inquisition? Very similar in attitude to the Weakest Link. The persona of the Inquisitor (host) was very like that of What's-her-name on TWL, only he was the one to banish (often with sarcasm) the participants on the basis of their scores. And the monetary prizes were very minimal. The details of the two programs differ, but the "hook" was the same.

We have this game in New Zealand. Only here it's called "Government" and the quizmistress is Helen Clark. The problem with the game is that she doesn't ask any questions, she just bombards you with the answers. If you can't work out the question or you don't like the answer, there are several international airports you can leave by. And regardless of how well or badly you do, you pay her. Alla time.

In US this is Jepardy-- it been on for years, It has a matrix-- top row is topics, columns increase in difficulty as you go down. The pace is fast-- but the host is amiable.. currently its Alex Trevek-- a canadian transplant- who is alwasy slightly disparaging of Cananda-- recently, a canadian airline has been a paid sponser-- and it advertizes it flies to 11 major canadian cities.. Alex mused outloud-- "are there 11 cities in canada, let alone 11 major cities?" (that should not have quotes--- since it is not exactly what he said-- but just close)

As for Weakest link-- the host almost never is directly rude-- She asks "who was lousy then, and is lousy now? Who is holding you back?" She did ask an accountant-- who got a financial question wrong--"Remind me-- what is it you do?" And the Movie studio tour guide got called to task for not knowing who won 1999 best picture emmy-- but nothing was said about the tour guides guess of 20% of $180 dollars being $60! She doesn't expect a tour guide to be good at fast math-- but does expect an accountant to have general knowledge about finances..and a movie industry employee to know about movies. fair enough.

And the Movie studio tour guide got called to task for not knowing who won 1999 best picture emmy

LOL, of troy! I know it was just a slip of the keyboard, but let's clarify: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards Oscars; Emmys are given in the TV industry.

Ooooh, ooh, oooh!

This is my excuse to spring this one on this bunch of bright people.

The choices are

1) The Rolling Stones

2) Dire Straits

3) Black Sabbath

The category is Science. Trivia question for the week of January 27th 2001 - February 2nd 2001

Which is the correct answer and what is the question? Please do not give away the question (or the answer) in the Subject Line.

Is this like three-dimensional tic-tac-toe?

I have a guess, based merely on the dates you provided, but I'll keep it to myself for now. I'd hate to spoil it by knowing only *half the answer. You can query me in private.

I'm a sucker for trivia game shows, and while I found Weakest Link to be [shrug]... eh... I do have to weigh in on Alex Trebek since Helen gave me the opening. I've always perceived an air of misogyny about him, and that's always disturbed me - he comes off as extremely condescending to his female contestants. At least the Weakest Link dominatrix is equally insulting to men *and* women.

fiberbabe writes, of Alex Trebek: I've always perceived an air of misogyny about him

how about adding misandry, euphuism and self-importance to that list?

i don't like TV much; don't watch it at all in fact, and i attribute my aversion at least in part to being forced to witness the antics of that pompous man and his affectations of intelligence.

(yes, this is the part where y'all say "Tell us how you *really* feel, bridget")

aside from that, the questions (well, answers) posed on Jeopardy were always pretty interesting.

If you want to see some really tough questions, watch "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire". My aged P's love that show, and so when visiting the capital, I must watch. I do mean must; their hearing is fine, but I can sit on the front steps (with the front door and windows shut I might add) and make out the program quite clearly. In fact, on occasion, people walking by on the sidewalk call out, "He really should have gotten that one." (ok, slight exageration)

(For those of you not familiar, you answer increasingly difficult questions until the million dollar question.) One question for $1 or $2,000: what condiment is made from soybeans? A) Mustard, B) Relish, C) Ketchup, D) Soya sauce.

Another question, in a book, what type of font is slants from the bottom left to the upper right. Contestant (claiming to have not one, but two university degrees) did not guess the correct answer from the four choices, one of which was italics.

Unlike bridget96, I do like TV, but I tape the shows and then only watch them while running on the treadmill fast forwarding through all of the commercials. I highly recommend this approach, although once I made the mistake of putting a really good movie on and had to keep running so I could see how it turned out.

According to the Saturday (UK) Times USA and UK are just about at war with each other following the comments made about Anne Robinson on the "The Weakest Link", and lists an escalation of exchanges in the press. While I personally don't like watching Anne Robinson, the Times makes the point that Anne's role in the programme is seen as a (n intended) joke by most UK viewers. In the UK Anne is best known and loved for her leading role in a consumer watchdog programme. So we just see her as somebody pretending to be wittily rude. As someone mentioned recently (too lazy to look it it up emoticon) smut is ok if the level of wit is greater than that of the smut. I feel the same way about rudeness and "The (UK) Weakest Link" fails for me on that count. Similarly with "Dog Eat Dog" and other programs of that ilk, and the interview manner of some political commentators.
One of the delights of this forum for me (a relative newcomer) is that the wit and erudition almost without exception far outweighs the smut and rudeness (I know - it's just teasing).
Rod

On further viewing I like Anne Robinson more and more ... she has a quirky smile and a subtle wit that is rare ... I think she will grow on the audience as they get used to her very distinctive style. I hope the "Suits" give the show a chance to reach its audience.
I like her. And I get enough of the questions correct to keep me interested. (My weakest link is pop/rap music groups)
Yes, I like her ... so sue me!
wow