Question: I have been pretty happy with ABC and the game shows that they have rebooted, especially The $100,000 Pyramid and Match Game. The only complaint I have with Pyramid is the choice of the celebrities. Some of them have been really good at playing the game, but a bad celebrity player isn’t helpful for a contestant. The main person I had an issue with was Anthony Anderson. He was very much out of his element with the game as he was a horrible player. So my question: How do these shows select the celebrities for their games? And more importantly, are the celebrities “tested” to see if they can play the game? — Tim
Matt Roush: In Anthony Anderson’s case, the only vetting being done here was by ABC’s marketing department, cross-promoting his hosting duties on the To Tell the Truth reboot and also his starring role on black-ish. Can’t say if any pre-testing was done, but you’re right that the producers should keep in mind that unlike Family Feud and Match Game, which are basically comedy shows with a game element, Pyramid actually requires a certain base level of skill and speed. And while they weren’t the best players, watching Martha Stewart square off against Snoop Dogg was so surreal, I much prefer that kind of casting to watching a constant parade of ABC stars.
To submit questions to TV Critic Matt Roush, go to: tvinsider.com