Game Changer

Edit: since half stars are not allowed i am officially updating my review to 8.5 after watching the first season. VERY hesitant to give 9 stars because it is evident that there are just combinations of guests that DO NOT WORK while certain guests can carry a whole show. Not that there's been a BAD episode so far (season 1), i fully believe that the premise of the show is entertaining enough even if the gags/bits aren't always dingers. Reich (production team) deserves credit tho for the work they put into the show. So that is enough to push closer to the 9th star.

Alright here's a brand new show (within recent times) that is catching wind on youtube/clip sites

i am only vaguely familiar with, PERHAPS, 2 of the guest stars/contestants: the creator (reich from college humor), and brennan, from other board game related things.

Its a VERY "european/british" show, a comparison that should make sense if you've seen 9/10 cats or any other game show hosted by jimmy carr. The jokes are waaaaay out there, the set design is gamey and campy, there's no real "goal" to the game other than the viewer's (and participants') entertainment. Nobody's becoming millionaires, nobody is getting voted off islands, nobody wins anything; it's a gameshow in a nutshell.

That being said, from the clips i've seen (some funny, some meh, some huh?), i did a little digging: MOST if not ALL the "contestants" are personalities in the streaming/gaming community (brennan GM's some D+D campaigns and if you look up some of HIS work then you'll start to recognize other players in the show) and it's very clear they have a rapport and know how to play off each other. In that sense, it's a very well produced show.

In another sense, the set is clearly just a few cardboard/particle board cutouts on a dark soundstage with no audience so it probably costs pennies to make. What's important though are the bits and jokes that get created on the spot, despite seeming so well planned. As with most improv, i do believe the contestants get a "brief" (>30 min) window to prepare or are at least aware of the topics/theme before hand, and that they film segments one at a time (speculation) to give them time to warm up; despite appearances, if you come in expecting the "traditional" gameshow format, Game Changer may be hard to watch.

This is a preemptive 8 from me based on clips taking into consideration a) ingenuity of answers/responses from contestants, b) the idea of the show itself (as a gameshow within a gameshow), and c) the pedigree of both creator and guests (college humor, et al).

Might change to a 9 after watching full episodes. I do not anticipate lowering my score at all.

What is it with these "improv" shows that make them get roaring reviews?

I don't get it.

It's obviously scripted, and even then the jokes fall flat, and the show host is annoying to no end.

Obviously by my rating, I'm a fan. But the entire Dropout streaming service is built on the personalities of their cast (and guests (who are usually personal friends of the cast)). If you like character-based gags and "wacky hijinks", this might be for you.

However, there's a learning curve. You must figure out who your favorite recurring cast members are. One appearance in one episode of something doesn't give a great impression.

As far as this show in particular is concerned, there are really great episodes and then there are episodes I probably won't watch again. But the premise is intriguing enough that I want to keep watching and see if my favorite cast members show up.

Yes, the game show is "scripted" to some extent in that there's always some gimmick that the crew is making sure goes as planned, but contestants are always kept in the dark. And as for the host, this is his passion project. Sam is also the CEO of the company and was insistent that he host this show.

Genuinely funny! Everyone has good personalities and they click well. The episodes are just the right length, and they also work well for background noise.

I've been watching Game Changer for a few years now and am so frustrated that a show this great isn't being watched by more people.

It's everything you could want in a game show. We've got incredible production design, hilarious contestants and hijinks, clever plot twists, in-jokes and callbacks, and a really genuine heart to it all.

Watching Dropout shows in general feels a bit like watching Buzzfeed or the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen in their primes; here are a group of interesting and funny people doing what they love well and interacting with each other in different combinations to do it.

Not every episode is a 10/10, but there are no bad episodes. And when they're good oh you better believe they're insanely good. Once you can convince someone to try an episode, they're hooked. And somehow each season they manage to outdo themselves and what they pulled off last season. It's criminal these folks haven't won some Emmys yet.

I'm so excited to see what comes next and hoping more and more people can find and appreciate the magic going on here.