The first network for kids has had some cult classics on their hands. Recently, however, they really haven't released anything remotely memorable, even in the minds of our easily amused, sugared-up youngins. That's because they have really strayed from the genre that made them so great: game shows. Strayed really isn't a strong enough word. Replace strayed with "shunned with the fervor of an Amish elder who spots a member of his ordnung waiting in line for the new Palm Pre."
Thankfully, the network has learned from their mistakes and re-animated the ghosts of their most classic game shows with Brainsurge.
This colorful and vibrant looking show seems to feature a mix of the network's most beloved game shows, some of which I worshiped as if they were religions when I was a kid. I wonder if the Vatican ever answered that letter I sent asking them to canonize Marc Summers as the patron saint of bad ties?
It's got a big heaping scoop of Double Dare insane sloppiness, some physically demanding Legends of the Hidden Temple-like challenges, a generous helping of Think Fast's cognitive testers, and just the right amount of You Don't Know Jack smarminess. (No, I don't currently have a girlfriend, why do you ask?)
It's also brought back a TV tradition that Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick, Nickelodeon seems to have put in the back seat: green slime! I can't remember the last time I saw some random schlub get slimed on television, not counting Pay-Per-View or late night Cinemax.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-13-2009 @ 12:42PM
Midnight13 said...
I remember when the green silme was a Nickelodeon staple, it was even apart of thier logo. Then they replaced it with a zepplin or something resembling it, never understood that.
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9-14-2009 @ 2:04PM
M-D said...
The green slime (and it's "I don't know" trigger) goes all the way back to early-80s Canadian import (co-production?) "You Can't Do That On Television". Nick later exported the green slime gag to their Kid's Choice Awards, where it became a staple long after YCDTOT went off the air.
As for its use in the logo, the Nick logo has, for the better part of 2 decades, been of variable shape - the only consistent elements have been the orange color and the "Nickelodeon" (or "Nick") logotype. The shape of the logo usually referenced the show being promoted, but the 'general use' logo was that of a slime splat.
9-13-2009 @ 3:39PM
charles said...
this is my 8 year olds fav. past time she use to watch this alot and now its a remake great more nick in the livingroom and bedroom. But hey its going to be worth it.
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9-14-2009 @ 3:26AM
Bob said...
Nick's game shows were the best. Double Dare, Think Fast and Make The Grade were awesome. Why did they kill Nick Gas? How many more tween networks do we need?
We get it; 10-year olds' lives are so complicated yet they know still more than their parents. And every episode is "very special" Ugh!
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