The Bottom Line
The Money List is GSN's adaptation of the British game show Who Dares Wins, in which contestants are asked to list as many items as they can that fit into a given category. List categories can be anything from "Actors who have played James Bond," to "European Capital Cities."
Hosted by Fred Roggin, the game is fast-paced and conducive to playing along from the comfort of your living room. This is, without a word of exaggeration, the best new show GSN has produced in years. FOX tried this same game with The Rich List in 2006, but the show was pulled after one episode. GSN's attempt is infinitely better.
Pros
- The game is true to its roots, without being dumbed down or dramatically changed.
- Contestants are paired with strangers, adding an interesting dynamic.
- It's almost impossible not to play along with the game.
- Fred Roggin interacts well with the contestants, letting them and the game take center stage.
- GSN taped the show in London, so it uses the same set as 'Who Dares Wins.'
Cons
- There is a tendency towards artificial drama at times, but this is true of almost all game shows.
- The screen behind the contestants when the pods are blue tends to cause strange visual effects.
Description
- Two teams of two total strangers are placed in sound-proof pods. The sound proofing can be turned on (red) and off (blue).
- The topic of the first list is announced, and both teams place wagers on how many items they can correctly name.
- Teams take turns making wagers until one decides to let the other team play. There are two rounds played this way.
- The tie-breaker round, if necessary, consists of teams taking turns guessing list items until one gets an item wrong.
- The winning team moves on to the bonus round. One list with 15 answer slots is revealed, as well as the list topic.
- In the bonus round, three correct items form a rung in the money ladder, which begins at $5,000 and goes up to $50,000.
- Teams can walk away and keep their money after any three correct answers. Choosing to continue puts all earnings at risk.
- 'The Money List' is part of GSN's Big Saturday Night, a three-hour block of programming that also includes '20Q.'
- There are nine episodes completed for the first season of 'The Money List.'
Guide Review - 'The Money List' Could be GSN's Best New Game Show in Years
The Money List takes a solid, proven game show format and gives it a North American spin. There's always a sense of fear involved when you hear that an existing game show, past or present, is about to be remade, because no one wants to see a game that they love get mangled in translation. Fortunately for us, the powers that be decided to stay true to the roots of this show, and what we end up with is extremely fun and watchable.
Fred Roggin is an excellent host, allowing his personality to shine through while still giving the game itself the spotlight. His banter with contestants provides viewers with a sense of who they are beyond their brief introductions, and he seems to have a great deal of respect for the decisions they're faced with during the course of the game.
The Money List has a lot going for it. The contestants come from all walks of life, and there's an interesting dynamic in watching strangers team up to play the game, being forced to trust each other as the stakes grow higher and higher. The list topics run the gamut from pop culture to world geography. There's an added element of game play as teams must wager how many items from any given list they think they can guess correctly, then decide whether or not to attempt the list or pass it to the other team.
The strongest draw, however, is the play along at home factor. Once Roggin announces the topic of a list, your mind immediately starts to think up all of the items that would apply, and you find yourself shouting out answers as they pop into your head. Whether you're watching alone, with your family, or a group of friends, it becomes a challenge to see if you can fare better than the contestants on the television. This is the true test of a great game show, and The Money List passes with flying colors.
