Another Japanese Game Show Ported to USA

[Ninja Chris]

Hey guys, I'm betting most of you have heard about this (Especially Arsenette! ) since not only is it on Fox, but it's been available since September '08, but ever watch youtube for the 'Human Tetris', or 'Hole in the Wall' clips?

You know, the show where 1 or 3 people face off against a moving wall with holes in it, that they have to move through to stay dry?

Well, it got ported to Fox! I couldn't believe it... but hey, cool!

Check it out on Wiki: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hole_in_the_Wall_(US_game_show)

[joemello]

It also got shelved till mid-season (ie now) because ratings were abysmal.

Why can't we get good Japanese game shows ported over here, like this one or this one or this one or, god forbid, get another show from the UK?

Addendum but not really.

[talledega7]

Me personally, I'd rather have the rest of the episodes of certain series and not American rips that take a dump on the name.

Best example of this:





EDIT: This is the Japanese version of the show when it was first brought to Food Network (and the only real Iron Chef). The new version (titled "Iron Chef: America") is the one taking a dump on the name.

[The Chief]

Every time we(America) comes up with another rip-off, I wonder "Why don't they listen to us?"

[Ninja Chris]

My issue is: I want to see Sasuke here in America. But what will happen if it comes? This exact type of thing. /frustration

[RiderLeangle]

As much as we complain about Ninja Warrior formatting, its shows like this where I feel grateful for it.

And I saw this Hole in the Wall show a couple of times when it first came out, they took alot of the fun out of it. And whats with the name, I get Nokabe might not work here but whats wrong with Brain Wall? Oh wait, America and Brain is an oxymoron. And who needs an Oxymoron when we got plenty of regular Morons already.

[supernovamaniac]

Jan 5, 2009 15:19:45 GMT -5 Ninja Chris said:

My issue is: I want to see Sasuke here in America. But what will happen if it comes? This exact type of thing. /frustration

I would rather see Monster9 actually bringing it here, just like Sportsman NO.1

Porting it would be a stupid idea unless the original creators are behind it. Without it, we won't have the good old sasuke feel.

[joemello]

"Why don't they listen to us?"

Short answer: You're not part of a Nielsen family. Or an advertiser.

The new version (titled "Iron Chef: America") is the one taking a dump on the name.

Just because everyone isn't acting like a cartoon character? Or am I missing something?

Jan 5, 2009 18:04:45 GMT -5 @supernovamaniac said:

Porting it would be a stupid idea unless the original creators are behind it. Without it, we won't have the good old sasuke feel.

Most likely, the original creators would have to sign off on a port anyway. Otherwise, you get the Wipeout issue.

I already presented a way Sasuke can be brought over as a weekly series (search for World Obstacle Challenge). Something like Sportsman No.1 can easily be presented like Ninja Warrior or older World's Strongest Man competitions (when there weren't qualifying rounds)

One last thing for the record: I thought HITW was a dumb concept even from watching the YouTube videos of Nokabe. People of our interests tend to forget that Japanese TV can lay just as massive a turd as the US can.

[2D2Will]

Actually the I have seen a US version of the game show with the dice bonus game before. I forget what it was called and I only saw it once. I don't know the time frame but I remember it looking like it aired in the 80s.

[joemello]

HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGH ROLLERS!

[talledega7]

Just because everyone isn't acting like a cartoon character? Or am I missing something?

No, its for a couple of reasons:

1: The "cartoon character" aspects were what made the show so enjoyable to watch. The american version is just flat boring. You tuned in to watch what the hell the chefs were going to do next. I wish one episode in which the Italian Iron Chef was handling live Octopus was online, as I would rather show that episode.

2: Bobby Flay (from IC:A) is a lousy human being who would keep me from a hamburger if he prepared it. And that guy is supposed to be an Iron Chef?

In general, the American version is just lower quality and simply uninteresting to watch. If you felt the Battle Pumpkin was not good, other episodes with different ingredients are available.

[lostinube]

As much as I disliked the way it was handled, I Survived a Japanese Game Show had the right idea. Things like Hole-In-The-Wall are not stand-alone concepts in Japan, they are just parts of bigger shows. There was no way that a whole show dedicated to one game, without the bonus of seeing famous people trying to attempt it, was going to be a runaway success.

Also, Sportsman No. 1 is not going to be as compelling unless you have actual pros from different disciplines doing it. Very few teams are going to sign off on letting their stars (even rising stars) do it and very few pro athletes are going to try unless they get money to do so. Japanese sports salaries are nowhere near what they are in the States. Any version of Sportsman No. 1 would probably be peppered with athletes who are no longer in the game out to make a quick buck like Pros vs. Joes and whatnot.

That being said, a Geinojin Sportsman No. 1 would be possible and may draw ratings although it would probably end up being a sort of reality show that would be dragged out over weeks and months, negating the "one night, one show, one chance" novelty of the original. It would probably end up being Battle of the Network Stars all over again with a bunch of out-of-shape stars trying to not die of heart attacks on national television.

[arsenette]

/shudder at the thought of Battle of the network stars.. being old enough to have seen it when it aired.. I don't want to see it again.. I mean.. I watched it.. but it was bad even then..

Viking on ESPN was the closest port to what I wanted to see. Only problem was you had to listen to that idiot guy talk over everything and they didn't translate a thing.. but it was a long show rather than the half hour rehashes.. God I wish people just used the JET TV set up.. same show.. slap on subtitles and cut it into 2 nights (un cut)..

[joemello]

I'm so glad this thread exists because I can put on my Game Show Nerd Hat and keep it on.

Jan 6, 2009 4:44:54 GMT -5 lostinube said:

As much as I disliked the way it was handled, I Survived a Japanese Game Show had the right idea.

Honestly, I'm not sure what the idea behind that show was other than making "Survivor: TBS" but less compelling (I guess you could say ABC wanted a companion show for Wipeout).

Greatest American Dog was the same thing, only with more interesting subject matter (to me anyway). On the bright side, they were both perfectly average shows, so I'm not unhappy that JGS2 is in the pipeline, but I digress.

It's a real shame that ABC's Wide World of Sports no longer exists, because if you were to find a home for anything spun from Monster9's titles, it would probably be the best place. It's also a shame that the standard US broadcast practice is to air programs of 30, 60, 90, or 120 minutes unless it's a movie or live sports, but that's less of an issue for me.

I'm also continuing to struggle with the concept of It's American So It Sucks, but you really don't want that diatribe from me.

[arsenette]

I have no problems with America coming up with their own stuff. Ports are not entirely a bad idea (I preferred the American "who's line is it anyway?" over the brit version). It's just that when they tap into the Japanese market they lose the feeling that made them popular. They need to sit down and analyze what made them popular and attempt to duplicate that instead IF they plan to do a port of something existing.

[madmanike]

YOu mean, TV executives actually work for their money? What you thinkin

[Ninja Chris]

No joke... Why come up with something creative when we can just copy? Jeez...

Anyway, if you could pick one Japanese Game Show (Sasuke or Not), and it would be brought to America, DONE CORRECTLY, which would you pick?

[joemello]

Well I guess Genojin #1 can come off the board.

Why come up with something creative when we can just copy?

To be honest, because they know it works, therefore, the probability that it flops is much less than an original and unknown entity.

Considering there was a writer's strike (and SAG strike pending) and precipitous ratings falloff across the board, network execs are extremely risk-averse

[supernovamaniac]

If one can be ported, I would actually prefer sportsman #1. It gives american athletes to actually go against each other, and I would like seeing that.

Of course, 2nd is SASUKE. man i hope they did what they did with sportsman going to brazil.


and seriously, I hate the 'one group is gone this week. who would that be?' makes me waste time each week to watch something until i realize its stupid. at least g4, when they air new ones, finish it in a day.