Tonight, The Science Channel will debut its first ever quiz show, the Whoopi Goldberg-produced Head Games. It’s presented in an old fashioned, three-contestant format with a glib Alex Trebek-manque host, stand-up comic, Greg Proops (anyone who survives elementary school with that last name has our condolences and respect), who reads from index cards with science-based multiple-choice questions, like “What happens when you leave an egg in vinegar overnight?” Answer: The shell gets squishy! The video clues, featuring scientists in lab coats and protective eye goggles dipping objects into steaming vats of nitroglycerin, are the coolest part of the show, recalling that awesome ’80′s prime-time series, That’s Incredible! hosted by the dreamy feathered-hair heartthrob, John Davidson.
As I got antsy about ten minutes into Head Games, it occurred to me that in a world with Wikipedia and Google-able answers to all of life’s mysteries, educational trivia shows have lost most of their “wow” factor. And without that, what’s the point? I’m clearly not alone in feeling that these shows are quickly going the way of land lines. It wasn’t so long ago that shows like Jeopardy! and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire were fun-for-the-whole-family cultural events and a regular source of water cooler conversation. Now the relevance of those shows seems to have faded to the point that they’re in line to become trivia answers to questions about TV fads of the late ’90s and early ’00s.
Maybe I’m being too dismissive of the vicarious thrill of watching some nerve-wracked nerd win a king-sized check. But I just couldn’t muster much excitement when Head Games‘ bicycle mechanic (seriously) took home a whopping $3,000 and change. I know it’s bad manners to focus on the prize and not how the game was played. But does anyone else feel like quiz shows are seriously tired? Will any of you miss them when they’re gone? And does anyone plan on checking out Head Games tonight? Edumacate me, PopWatchers.
Whoopie lost me forever with her Roman Polanski it wasn’t rape rape crap. The woman hasn’t got a prayer or a shred of credibility left in her.
Yeah, her whole explanation was weird. It’s funny that Sherri Shepard is essentially the voice of reason on that show now.
right. because sherri’s homophobic and transphobic flip flopping is better. yea. whoopi was wrong! all of the women of the view go south. not even a good comparison. apples and oranges.
thank goodness. i thought i was the only who thought that child rapist needed to go to prision. whoopi isw a woman. what is she thinking?
I also was stunned at her defense of a man raped, yes raped a 13 year girl. I don’t care how many years ago it was, he hasn’t done his time. “It wasn’t reape, rape”??? how can a womea, a mother, a grandmother say something like that?
Yeah, her whole commentary on that was truly weird. It’s funny that Sherri Shepard is pretty much the voice of reason on The View now.
And I shudder to think what that tells us about ourselves as a viewing nation.
And I posted twice. Great. Now I’m that person.
You are too funny!! It could be worse, you could be Whoopie with no prayer or credibility.
Hi Christine! The internet’s for more things than making game shows obsolete! It’s also for spell-checking the name of celebrities you write about!
ANY attempt at editing your piece would’ve resulted in you realizing that it’s spelled “Whoopi.”
Get it right!
Your overuse of the exclamation mark has made your comment obsolete.
This is what you get up set about? I realized I had misspelled several words and even messed up a sentence in my first reply. This is because this issue is very imoprtant. We all knew who Christine was refering to but thet was’nt the point. Whoopi is standing up for a RAPIST saying that because he directs good movies that we should forget that and welcome him back. I say hell no! I hope my spelling is ok with everyone.
I still like watching trivia shows like Jeopardy. While you can look up essentially anything on the internet now, game shows bring trivia tidbits to my attention that wouldn’t occur to me to look up on my own. Plus answering clues in the form of a question is always entertaining
I am a Google field, but I am still impressed with Jeopardy contestants (and may ability when I answer questions). It’s not a tv sow of poeple googling, it’s a show about people who actually have the knowledge WITHOUT having to google. And that’s why I still have quite the crush on Ken Jennings.
I will always, I repeat, ALWAYS love and regularly watch “Jeopardy!” There’s just something about playing along at home and seeing the different contestants and all the fun trivia that attracts me. (That, and I’ve tried out for the show twice, and still have yet to get on.
) It’s the same format and structure every day, but to me (and I’m sure many more people), it never gets old. The same with many great quiz shows. They’re just endless sources of fun and interest.
Ever since she stated that Polanski didn’t “rape rape” that poor 13-year old girl I’ve just been disgusted with Whoopi. For shame. I guess drugging a child and sodomizing her is okay in Whoopi’s book.
I don’t think this discussion was really about Whoopi…
I caught the show and I actually thought it was pretty cute. Of course the prizes could be any better, but if a quiz show isn’t backed by a major network in primetime, you’re not going to get much better.
I like the little cuts to the scientists doing fun little experiments inside a lab. I wonder if they could do theme days and teachers could use the little quiz shows as class aids. It’d be like a quiz show Bill Nye