Back in ’98, we had Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and it was a monstrous success. Regis Philbin and his monochromatic ensembles were credited with everything from bringing back the game show genre to single-handedly saving ABC, along with, I’m pretty sure, convincing the members of The Beatles to start a band and inventing ice cream or something.
The show aired three nights a week and spawned numerous copycats like The Weakest Link and Greed. The TV schedule became so congested, that in a matter of a couple of years the entire thing imploded and folks just started watching Jeopardy! again. Then in 2005, people started yelling at briefcases on Deal or No Deal, and the entire cycle began anew.
Joining Deal or No Deal, Power of 10, Identity, 1 vs. 100, etc., is a brand new game show from super-producer Mark Burnett called, Amne$ia. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Amne$ia is a “high-energy game show where contestants are challenged to answer tough questions for money and prizes. The twist is that all of the questions come from the contestant's own life.” Sounds easy enough, but as a person who routinely answers questions like, “Do you remember last week, when we…” with “I have no idea what you’re saying to me right now,” I wouldn’t count on top prizes being handed out very often.
The glut of darkly-lit game shows on the air is going to make it difficult for Amne$ia to stand out from the pack. Even having Mark Burnett attached isn’t a sure bet for success. Granted, he created Survivor and The Apprentice, but he’s also responsible for The Casino and the more recent expensive disaster, On The Lot. But who knows? The guy who was able to make Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader into a successful show isn’t somebody I would bet against.
Amne$ia is slated to premiere on NBC this season.
