Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this is a game show, which means contestants compete against each other for big money -- and sometimes the competition gets a little catty. Players are identified by their occupations, which can lead to some stereotyping about their relative intelligence. The show includes two minidress-wearing "chip girls" whose only role is to distribute and confiscate contestants' playing chips. Players will occasionally use mild profanity like "I'm screwed."
Families can talk about book smarts versus street smarts. Which is more useful in a game like this? Is it better to be book smart than street smart? Does the game make a judgment about which kind of intelligence is better? What kind of stereotyping happens when a person is identified by their occupation? Does someone's occupation always reveal something about their intelligence or personality?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Sierra Filucci
DUEL is a game show that pits contestants against one another in a test of knowledge and strategy. Starting with a pool of 24 contestants, the game pits them against each other in a series of one-on-one battles -- in which they answer trivia questions about the color of national flags, celebrity marriages, the speed of light, and so on -- until a sole winner is left.
While the questions are slightly more difficult than the average query on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, contestants on Duel don't need to know the answers to win. Players each begin a round with 10 chips. They can use these chips to answer questions, and to hedge their bets. For instance, if they're not sure if the answer is "Cuba" or "Iran," they can place a chip on both answers. But they'll lose each chip placed on a wrong answer; the more chips they lose, the worse position they're in down the road. Ultimately, whoever wins the most contests will have a shot to win the big bucks.
Duel doesn't boast a unique style, instead blending a handful of familiar formats into a generally innocuous, if slow-going show. Still, questions are tough enough that trivia buffs will be challenged, and they cover a wide range of topics -- from politics to celebrity facts -- offering a little something for everyone. And the fact that one person will win the huge final jackpot (more than $1.5 million) gives the show a real sense of something at stake.
The contestants come from a wide array of backgrounds, but the characterization of each tends toward the stereotypical. There's the used car salesman with an awkward haircut who identifies himself as a hillbilly, the Internet censor in nerdy glasses with a nervous laugh, the ATM technician from "the 'hood" who says things like "I was born ready," and so on. Host Mike Greenberg is surprisingly bland for a game show emcee, and the inclusion of the "chip girls" -- whose sole job is to remove contestants' chips from the playing table while wearing slinky minidresses -- is predictably sexist.
Fans might also enjoy Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Deal or No Deal. For more family-friendly game show fare, check out Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentThe "chip girls" are tall, slinky models who hand out and pick up playing chips -- and that's it. |
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LanguageOccasional "I'm screwed" or "crap." |
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Social BehaviorCustomary game show greed and mild cattiness between contestants. Contestants are stereotyped by their professions, such as used car salesman or belly dancer. |
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CommercialismCommercials for Diet Pepsi Max -- the series' overall sponsor -- appear within the show. |
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