MovieChat Forums > Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (2007) Discussion > I liked this show more in the original f...

I liked this show more in the original form

posted 9 years ago by EstaQ
3 replies | jump to latest

Im sorry, but this version of the show, being re-started 4-5 years after the original version, just isn't the same. I love quiz shows, and trivia shows, and I liked this one too. I can't really put my finger on exactly what seems different, but one thing that stands out is the theme song, sung by children. Before, it sounded like a class-full of little kids, SINGING! (untrained, off-key in some cases, both boys and girls). New version is too homogenized (maybe synthesized?), or at least a trained gifted-children's choir of all girls. It just bugs me. Too perfect. Plus everything on-set is digital everything. Seems like someone asked their computer-wiz kid to "fix up whatever can be improved" and they over-improved everything visual, until it became distracting. The old way was just perfect in terms of visual appearance.

And now that it has been revealed that the kids may be shills/ringers, well, it does leave me a bit disillusioned. Enough to watch America's Got Talent, DVR Fifth Grader, and watch it if I get around to it. Too bad, because I am a fan of Jeff Foxworthy, just not loving this iteration of the show. And yes, it does seem a bit dragged out, as another comment said.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Zippy B 9 years ago

Ringers?

The first set were kids that had actors guild cards already, mostly from commercials and things. The only one with anything on her resume was Laura (Marano) mostly because of thigns she did with her sister. (Though not entirely.)

Later series involced regular kids. They have some refresher lessons before, to be sure. They do get things wrong. If they were flat out told what to write and say it would come out eventually, though the degree to which having the kids available for cheats being manipulated is somewhat open for interpretation however, having them manipulate who wins by manipulating the kids would in fact be illegal and virtually impossible to keep a secret forever.

As for the format, it is basically the same as the original show (the syndicated version was simpler, had fewer kids and gave away less money).

The only substantial change from the original season is the COPY allowing the kids to get together to offer suggestions to the kid at the podium. I guess they determined that the success rate of copies was too low and / or that people didn't tend to use it. (Or that not using it with a specific kid might hurt their feelings.)

[–] MrNobody97 9 years ago

I'm inclined to agree, though the new set doesn't bother me. It HAS been "modernized," though perhaps this was necessary -- I don't think it would be very creative to see an exact replica of the original set, after all these years). I do prefer the original, though, as it's become kind of "busy." For me, probably the least-appealing of the set changes was the addition of the tall "digital column" that constantly scrolls the show's name (or money when it's won). Something about the set overall seems like it's become overly widened, like a big misshapen rectangle.

The original had a bit more of a "real" classroom feel -- like the fishbowl (with live goldfish) on the teacher's desk, and a row of screens that only ever showed a "blue sky and clouds" graphic -- a clear imitation of the rows of windows inside real classrooms.

Probably the biggest letdown for me, though, is not just the theme song (which now does sound very odd), but the rest of the music too. It's like someone told the composer to produce a much more mellow, bland version of the original. A case in point is the Million-Dollar Question. I literally couldn't even make out any background music at all in the new version; the earlier version used a dramatic, very distinctive cue there.

Well, hopefully we'll see some tweaks to the show's aesthetics over time.

Nostalgie d'un passé inventé