Yes, it’s time to begin handing out the LAMMYs for 2022. Let’s begin with what is often the blue riband award, for the best new show of 2022. Let’s have a look at the runers and riders. In no particular order we have :-
Riddiculous
Fastest Finger First
One Question
Unlimited Win
A One and Six Zeroes
The One Percent Club
Bridge of Lies
Possibly the biggest hit of all of these new shows in terms
of audience and media buzz was The One Percent Club. Not such a
hit with many of the 100 contestants in each show if some of their online
comments are anything to go by. I like Lee Mack, but I’m afraid that this show
is a lot of things I don’t like in quiz shows. As a quiz, its pace proved to be
funereal for me.
In fact I could say
similar things about A One and Six Zeroes, One Question
and Unlimited Win. All of them have talented and popular hosts –
respectively Dara O’Briain, Claudia Winkleman and Ant and Dec. Yet as a quiz,
none of them really floated my boat at all. Guys, as a rough rule of thumb, the
more decent questions you pack into your show the better your chances of
winning a LAMMY.
I liked Ranvir Singh on Strictly a couple of years ago, but
I have to say she didn’t quite convince me on Riddiculous. The
show itself proved to be enjoyable enough, but I do think that it needs a couple
of tweaks. On a show where riddles are so important, you cannot afford to have
any riddles that could possibly permit an alternative answer to one on the
card. I also think that the end game needs work.
Well, many years in the past there’s only been one
realistic candidate to receive the LAMMY for best new shows, and indeed there
have been years when I haven’t seen anything I like enough to make an award at
all. Not so this year. In 2022 there have actually been two shows worthy of the
award.
The first of these is Bridge of Lies. I
thought that Ross Kemp did an excellent job of balancing the dreaded chatting
with contestants elements, with the actual gameplay of the show. I thought that
this gameplay was well conceived, and allowed great play at home potential for
both serious quizzers and casual viewers at home.
The other nominee is Fastest Finger First.
The prize on offer to contestants in this Millionaire spin off is a guaranteed
go in the hot seat on the parent show. I wrote a glowing review of the show
when it first aired, and I stick by what I said. I would far rather watch this
show than the revived Millionaire. Pacing – chat/gameplay ratio – question range
and level all contributed to a very good quiz.
I’m tempted to break with tradition and split the prize but
I have made the decision. The LAMMY for the best new quiz show of 2022 goes to
(drum roll )
Bridge of Lies
Yes, it just about pips Fastest Finger because of the originality
of format. I hope that both shows will be back, and that they’ll both run and
run.
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