Tipping Point - Episode 1
Tipping Point is the latest teatime quiz show from ITV and it all kicked off tonight with the very first episode in a 4 week run. I had heard very little about Tipping Point prior to it commencing other than the fact that it is based on 2p machines from the Arcades and is hosted by Ben Shepherd.
The game has a very simple format, something which ITV have not always adhered to in some recent shows. 4 players start and there is £10,000 up for grabs. By answering questions in the first round you earn tokens to slot into the giant slot machine and whatever you manage to push out you win.
By the way just in case I am not making sense about the "2p machines" this is what I am referring to...
There are a few other little parts of the round that aren't worth mentioning and the game continues into a third round where 30 seconds of questions earns each player tokens to use. Following a head to head the winner plays for up to £10,000.
You might already have gathered I lost some enthusiasm in describing the game as I found this show to be very dull indeed. I have seen a few comments online too after the show and during it which expressed similar sentiments. The fact of the matter is that Tipping Point, in my opinion, is boring and at 5pm on an evening after a hard days work the last thing I want is a boring game show dragging on for an hour. Don't get me wrong their were positive comments I notice and I would love to hear your views but for me Tipping Point on ITV does very little!
First and foremost is the questions. The actual Tipping Point questions are dull, old chestnuts and plain boring. Even when they select the "medium" and "hard" questions in the final round they are painfully easy. Shepherd does very little to bring any life to things and for anyone watching this, like me, for the quizzing value it becomes clear pretty early on that this is not only dull but also not the focus of the game.
The focus of the game is the second problem.....the machine. This is the selling point of the show and the questions merely serve a limited purpose of ensuring they can build a TV show around a gigantic 2p Machine. After the first set of coins have went in the fascination wears off. By the time you get to round 2 and the contestants are having 5 or 6 goes each, back to back the tedium clicks in.
I imagine playing this game as a contestant is fun but the way I see it is simple.....we all enjoy an odd game on the 2p machines in arcades, but we wouldn't spend an hour watching someone else play would we? It is a very odd occasion when a quiz/gameshow is so boring on screen but would be so much fun to play in reality!
If you watched Tipping Point tonight I hope you enjoyed it, but I don't see myself spending much more time with it as I really cannot see what else it has to offer other than what was on show tonight.
I know at least one reader has been on Tipping Point and would love to hear how contestants found it to play.
Will it do well? Tipping Point will have that initial interest from people who liken it to the popular arcade machine but I cannot see it lasting.
Roll on the return of The Chase!
I welcome any comments below as to how anyone reading this felt about the show?
I welcome any comments below as to how anyone reading this felt about the show?
Caught up with this on the ITV Player last night - It's by no means the nadir of TV quizzes, but it was a poor watch. No tension and buckets of tedium. The questions were all very easy for a seasoned quizzer - but obviously not for the contestants. I won't be watching again.
ReplyDeleteIt was great to play.I had a wonderful time,but i have to admit it's not a thrilling watch.
ReplyDeleteHi Ben and Cockney_Celt,
ReplyDeleteHope all is well!
Cockney, has your episode been aired yet?
absolute horrific quiz show hosted by the midget dullard.that guy would do anything to stay on Tv
ReplyDeleteWow, that’s a bit harsh!
Deletecockney_celt maybe you could tell me if the players who go out in the first three rounds keep the money they have won so far. It does not explain this on the show.
ReplyDeleteSome answers of questions are wrong. 7/9/16 , question when did the British Empire Games become the Commonwealth Games. Answer wanted by tipping point was in the 50s. That time is was in Canada and it was still the British Empire Games and for the first time Commonwealth was added. In the 60s it became just the Commonwealth Games.And that was the answer given. He lost out on his last three chances. Today the 9th the question from animals do you get bacon. Answer a pig. Wrong it is made from chicken and turkey as well
ReplyDelete"Something described as lemony tastes like what citrus fruit?"
ReplyDeleteWhy do you say the questions are easy?
After all these years, people still don't seem to have figured out that to get the coins not to ride, you have to press the button just before the platform stops moving in so that the platform is still moving out when the coin lands. If the platform is moving in when the coin lands, the coin hangs for while, then rides when it finally comes out (unless there's already a rider to prevent it riding).