Hypnotize Me

There are many UK shows that succeed once rolled out in the States, but this one I think will cause King George to lose again. I watched it because I thought it might be interesting having been hypnotized myself once, but it simply didn't work. I think because there were extreme examples of things for one or more of the people to do and it just didn't come off well. I'd expect this to die soon, or hypnotize me so I forget it.

I am unfamiliar with the uk original, and I'm not sure if it was more serious or something. I read another review here where the reviewer seems to have expected this to be very serious, and if you are going in thinking the same then this may not be for you.

However, if you want to laugh harder than you ever have before, watch this. I'm not even sure exactly what it is about it that made me laugh so hard, but I guess it speaks to the inner kid inside me and really gets it going.

Few shows get me laughing like this one. During the first episode I was laughing so much I had trouble getting a breath. The participants are all wonderful and creative and fully engaged in the activities. The scenarios are great and the hypnotists are really fun and participate with the contestants. It seems like everyone is just having a great time and there is a lot of respect for each other. Really great fun. It is rare I find a show so engaging and that much fun.

Before the show airs, Keith Barry---the hypnotist for the show---works with many candidates to determine which of them are the best subjects for hypnosis. Some people are more susceptible to hypnotic suggestion. These people are put under hypnosis about a half hour before the show is taped.

This is ostensibly a game show, and the four contestants can win up to $100,000. The object is to complete a series of rather easy tasks, but the tasks are made more complicated by the various suggestions Barry give them, such as "when you see the color red, you will think it is hysterically funny" or "you will think you are a crazy abstract artist and you will use anything to create your art". These suggestions make their tasks more difficult, but not too difficult; they actually do win substantial amounts of money.

But entertainment is the real goal of this show. Some of these people do crazy things that are totally out of character for them.

The first problem for this show is that some viewers will not believe these people are really hypnotized. I know because I asked some who have watched.

The second problem is that it can be hilarious to watch someone you know do something that they would never do if operating under their normal behavioral constraints. But when you watch strangers act up, it is not the same, because you don't know them. The producers try to overcome this issue by including short video bios of the contestants, and by having their friends or relatives in the audience to attest to the abnormality of their behavior. It works to a degree.

Personally, I find the show very interesting from an educational point of view, as an illustration of how the mind works, and the restraints imposed upon it by one's views of propriety and normality. It is also fairly funny. But there are so many shows available for viewing now and this show wears thin after a few episodes.

I love this show. I laugh at this until I start crying!! It is just the funniest thing I have ever seen. I especially like to see the contestants reactions when they see what they actually did. I think this is great!