Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this game show proudly and prominently features 13 female dancers wearing very little clothing. They shake their bodies provocatively and in unison, and host William Shatner frequently refers to them as "girls." And then, of course, there's the greed factor inherent in all game shows.
Families can talk about gender roles. Can kids imagine what the show would look like with 13 men dancing on stage? What's the point of having the women stand in boxes and unroll the money scrolls? How would the show be different if it had a female host? Do you notice the host trying to get the contestant involved in objectifying the dancers? Do kids know who Shatner is?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Sierra Filucci
SHOW ME THE MONEY transports primetime back to the game show heyday of the 1980s, when Vanna White turned the wheel and swimsuit models smiled when the price was right. Thirteen dancing showgirls cavort onstage at the behest of the captain of ceremonies, William Shatner, whose energy cannot be denied. "Let's salsa!" he cries, and the mini-dress-wearing women shake while he tries to match their shimmy.
The format is similar to other modern game shows. An ebullient contestant chatters with Shatner before answering rather dull -- and often poorly worded -- trivia questions that usually have to do with pop culture (such as, "The last female recording artist to have an album sell 20 million copies was what singer?").
Once they "lock in" the answer, contestants choose one of the Million-Dollar Dancers to seal their fate. The chosen dancer then performs the important task of unrolling the scroll that reveals a dollar amount -- the amount that will be added or subtracted to the contestant's pot depending on whether the answer is right or wrong. If the answer is right, fist pumping and hopping about ensues; if it's wrong, groans and pouting. What maintains the otherwise slow-moving game's tension is the ease with which the giant sum of money is won -- and can also be lost.
With so much focus on the scantily clad dancers, Show Me the Money does nothing for the feminist movement -- but at least it's unabashed in its retro stylings. And the addition of Shatner to the mix just ups the camp quotient. In a funny (sort of) meeting of then-and-now, Shatner's first guest is an obviously gay man; when it comes time to introduce the "group of gorgeous girls," Shatner pauses to say, "I don't know if you're interested. …" Though it feels like Shatner could make an inappropriate comment about his gay guest or one of the "girls" at any moment, it (thankfully) never happens.
Fans might also enjoy Deal or No Deal or 1 vs 100, but for more tasteful game show fare, check out Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Jeopardy, or replays of VH1's The World Series of Pop Culture.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentA main element of the show is group of female dancers dressed in slinky outfits who dance in a semi-provocative fashion. |
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Language"Oh my god!" is as bad as it gets. |
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Social BehaviorDefinite and unabashed sexual objectification of female dancers. Host Shatner refers to the dancers as "girls." Greed is part of the game-show formula. |
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CommercialismQuestions refer to pop culture and, therefore, recording artists or movie titles, which get some roundabout promotion. |
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