419 replies to this topic

[AimingforYoko]

New Game Show from Fox:

Class is in session for a six-episode run of ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER?, a new quiz show from Mark Burnett. The series commences with preview episodes over three consecutive nights following AMERICAN IDOL. Special half-hour episodes will air Tuesday, Feb. 27 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Wednesday, Feb. 28 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT), and full one-hour episodes will air after AMERICAN IDOL on Thursdays, March 1 and 8 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). The show will lead off the night on Thursdays, March 15 and 22 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Unlike the typical game show that measures intelligence, ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER? tests adults’ lack of knowledge – as revealed by how much they’ve forgotten since elementary school.
Grownups will again find themselves in a classroom setting, revisiting their youth, as they tackle subjects they’ve already been taught, ranging from art to geography and math to social studies. For example, test questions, which are taken from actual textbooks from 1st grade through 5th grade, could be similar to, and as simple as, the following:

• In what state is Mount Rushmore located?

• What are the colors of a rainbow?

• What are the names of the five Great Lakes?

Have you forgotten? Are you stuck? Well, in ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER?, the players are not alone. There is a way for contestants to “cheat” in this classroom. The adults will have the opportunity to get some help from real grade-schoolers, who will offer what they think is the correct a-n-s-w-e-r.

I think this could be pretty hilarious, although the question will be: Will this make kids look smart or adults look stupid?

[alexmarsz]

Love the thread title.

Actually, just based on the samples the real question begging me is: why are we teaching kids trivia instead of skills? It does seem like common knowledge but I'd much prefer kids learn when and how to looks stuff like that up than think they have to memorize the 5 Great Lakes.

I do like the "get help from a kid" lifeline bit though. Executed well that could be fun.

[The Masses]

This show looks like it will burn out after a few weeks. Whta if the kids lose? They'll be bummed out. I'm sure they'll pick complete idiots for the adult contestants and very bright nerdy 5th graders.

[AimingforYoko]

I'm pretty sure the contestants aren't going to be competing against the kids. The kids are just there as resources and to be cute. I think you're right though, they'll pick the supersmart kids for the show.

[PopinFresh13]

Leno does this sort of thing during Jay Walkers. It seems like it might be funny, I'd probably check it out.

[mikem]

I have to say that I don't really understand this show. It would be one thing if the questions were things you learned in high school or even junior high, but fifth grade? I read an article that said that if the adult contestant gets 11 questions right, they win a million dollars. I think half of your Jeopardy contestants could probably win a million dollars. Either they have to pick not-so-smart adults (which would be very boring to watch, because who wants to watch dumb people on a trivia-related game show?), or they're going to have to give away a ton of money.

[wrikent3500]

Saw a preview on tvguide.com
Jeff Foxworthy may want to tweak that line...``You know your a has been when...an infomercial selling a Time Life Country Music CD is a step-up in your career``

[missbianca]

This show looks like it will burn out after a few weeks.

It will, it's only scheduled to run until March 22.

[LAgator77]

Why is Fox wasting the AI lead-in(not that I watch that trash) on this?

[The Masses]

I have to say that I don't really understand this show. It would be one thing if the questions were things you learned in high school or even junior high, but fifth grade? I read an article that said that if the adult contestant gets 11 questions right, they win a million dollars. I think half of your Jeopardy contestants could probably win a million dollars. Either they have to pick not-so-smart adults (which would be very boring to watch, because who wants to watch dumb people on a trivia-related game show?), or they're going to have to give away a ton of money.

I disagree. I don't think they will be giving away a million anytime soon. The show isn't, "Do you know as much as the average 5th grader?" They are taking bits of trivia they are finding from 5th grade textbooks. No 5th grader, or anyone else for that matter has memorized every factoid they put in any textbook. This show is just as hard a Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Just for insurance they'll get EXTRA stupid adults to make sure things go as badly as planned, they want to make sure you get the idea that the kids are smart and the adults are dumb...which makes no sense to me since the kids are going to someday be adults so what's the point exactly? This show is just so stupid, who the hell OK'd this idea at Fox?

[JuliJBG]

Jeebus these people are either really really extra stoopid or they are playing it up for the cameras. I can't fathom that no one can answer even one question, like the Mayflower... These are like the questions they ask as the dummy questions on Millionaire! I am incredibly disappointed that this gets the AI lead in. Boo!

[Arcticglare]

I disagree. I don't think they will be giving away a million anytime soon. The show isn't, "Do you know as much as the average 5th grader?" They are taking bits of trivia they are finding from 5th grade textbooks. No 5th grader, or anyone else for that matter has memorized every factoid they put in any textbook. This show is just as hard a Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Just for insurance they'll get EXTRA stupid adults to make sure things go as badly as planned, they want to make sure you get the idea that the kids are smart and the adults are dumb...which makes no sense to me since the kids are going to someday be adults so what's the point exactly? This show is just so stupid, who the hell OK'd this idea at Fox?

Yeah, as we just saw tonight, they most definately won't be giving away the million.

The first guy's questions were incredibly easy. Not knowing which month Columbus day is? Maybe if they asked what day, I could see him getting it wrong. They really just went all out in finding the stupidest adults, who have earned degrees from decent colleges, and then to show them losing in a subject they majored in...

[mtlchickie]

So a UCLA grad majoring in U.S. History can't get a history question right?

Geez, I'm Canadian and even I knew that answer. Along with the rest. The fact he dropped out after he couldn't rely on the kids anymore was shameful and hilarious.

[paradig_m]

Terrible show, and I am not buying it. UCLA Seth had to be fake. I know that the kids on the show are child actors, so I'm going to say that large parts of the show are entirely fabricated, even the contestants' answers. There is just no way that a US history major from a respected university (and law student) would've guessed John Quincy Adams.

They are taking bits of trivia they are finding from 5th grade textbooks. No 5th grader, or anyone else for that matter has memorized every factoid they put in any textbook.

The show wasn't really trivia or factoids in this episode, though. It was basic math, history and a little common sense.

[AimingforYoko]

What killed me was the math question. I mean it's right there in the question, square inches. And who doesn't know Mayflower, this game is rigged. I like that the kids are almost cocky about these questions.

[LolaLilaLilly]

I actualy would've missed the area of a triangle one. I forgot that the area of a triangle is .5h x w and not h x w. So my guess was 2, but when they said the answer was 4 I dope-slapped myself. But, then again, I've not been in school for 10 years. The rest of the questions I wouldn have gotten.

[Arekuru]

I was somewhat intrigued by the title, but once the rules were explained I couldn't get over the blatant copying of Millionaire, from the design of the dollar totals to the lifelines... err, "cheats." And even then, I might still have been interested (I enjoy correctly answering questions on TV game shows, and I am proud to say I got all five tonight right), but it moved. so. slooooooowly. Even Millionaire was faster paced! And it felt even faker than Deal or No Deal.

In conclusion, I was terribly disappointed even beyond my low expectations. Sigh.

[skydvr]

Yeah, I think the contestants were actors....

I still think the show has potential to be funny, but it's got to be more "real" than this premiere was. It was just dumb when no one can answer one simple question...

[ProfCrash]

I was happy to see that the kids are not really responsible for much. If the adult looses money because of a kids answer, it is the adults fault for not knowing it anyway. The kids are not on the hook to beat the adult either so there is not a ton of pressure. Hopefully the choose kids that are doing well in school so they stand to do fairly well on the show. Since the kids answers are used by the adults, I don't think the kids can be feed the correct answers in advance, maybe they are given study materials before the show to help them do well?

I can see were adults would struggle. They are grabbing questions from how many years in people's past? I was 6 in first grade so that is 29 years ago. I can see how you can forget some of that info. Add in Jeff being an ass while you are trying to retrieve older info and life could get tough. Oh, and you are stressing about looking like an ass if you lose.

My experience is that US schools do a poor job of teaching civics, history, and geography. I would not be surprised to see that those are the questions that trip people up. I had to think about Columbus Day (I knew it only because it is my last camping trip each fall). Two out of thirty-five students in my government class Senior year of High School knew what happened at Valley Forge. Twenty-five percent of the College students in the Intro to Political Science class I taught thought that there were 52 states in the US (Canada and Mexico were the last two states to join the Union). Most did not know how many stripes were on the flag.

I got the math question wrong but I was right on the rest of them.

[Catcher22]

Just out of curiosity, I really would like to know what a million dollar question on this show would be.

Why did they cast child actors? I have to say, Martin Prince would be proud of their hamming. When asked who wants to be picked to go up, their raised hands screamed "Ooh. Pick me, teacher. I'm ever so smart!"

Edited by Catcher22, Feb 28, 2007 @ 1:24 AM.

[paradig_m]

My experience is that US schools do a poor job of teaching civics, history, and geography.

YMMV of course, but in my experience, it's not that the schools do such a poor job, but that the students are apathetic or just plain dim. But I had some really good history teachers, so I am sure it depends on individual experiences.

It was just dumb when no one can answer one simple question...

Yep, the hemming and hawing and nail-biting over a question about the freaking Mayflower is so dumb and irritating. How many questions were asked in total--five or six? This show makes me want to watch Jeopardy! instead.

[CatLady]

Wow. The worst elements of Millionaire, 1 vs 100 and Show Me the Money dragged through the mud, tossed into a cement mixer and vomited up like a giant hairball.

Even the shark was embarrassed.

[trojanchick99]

Since it is a game show, aren't there rules? I mean, it can't be fixed, right? As a proud Alumna of USC, I must say that first contestant made me laugh as did Foxworthy's quip.

I will not be watching again, as I just don't have the patience for all stalling.
'

[chewingkebabs]

The first guy should give his $5000 to the kids. He didn't do jackshit but copy off their answers. I always knew UCLA was where the morons went.

This show is giving aid and comfort to the terrorists. If you didn't get 100% correct, you should be ashamed. The preview is even more embarassing. Who the fuck doesn't know what a trapezoid is?

[ThatPoshGirl]

This show combines two things I don't particularly care for; kids and idiots. I think the 5 minutes I saw was more than enough for a lifetime.

[missbianca]

I know that the kids on the show are child actors,

How do you know that? Did you see them in a movie?

[curemode]

The theme song with the screeching kids pissed me off from the start.

And I have no idea what month Columbus/Discoverer's Day is in. I never get it off, so why would I?

[SReiluJ]

The kids definitely are actors. My (game-show loving, non-SAG/AFTRA) daughter tried out for the show.

Edited by SReiluJ, Feb 28, 2007 @ 2:04 AM.

[timeoutofmind]

I don't think anyone will win a million dollars because I don't think they can fit 10 questions into a half hour show. This is still why Jeopardy>all

Actual I do think someone will, those question were easy. I would have got them all except for the Columbus Day. We never got it off from school in the ultra pc place I grew up. It was also renamed it Indigenous People's Day as Columbus didn't really discover America, there were already people here.

[The Masses]

The kids definitely are actors. My (game-show loving, non-SAG/AFTRA) daughter tried out for the show.

Not only are they actors, they are coached with the answers beforehand. Do you think 5th graders in the United States are really that well-rounded, bright, and articulate? No, sorry.