Don't Forget the Lyrics!

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Fill-in-the-blank karaoke is in tune for families.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this game show features a fair amount of greed among contestants as they ponder whether to wager the thousands of dollars they've earned for a chance to win more. As the stakes grow, the host (Wayne Brady in the original version of the show; Mark McGrath in the syndicated version) builds suspense by forcing players to wait before finding out whether they've won. But overall the show's tone is light, and there's nothing here to stop parents from sharing the fun (and some friendly competition) with tweens and teens.

  • A fair amount of contestant greed.
  • Not applicable.
  • Occasionally lyrics or contestants' comments are interpreted suggestively by the host, but the insinuations are very playful and mild.

What's the story?

In DON'T FORGET THE LYRICS!, contestants must recall lines from popular songs word for word in order to have a shot at the coveted cash prize. In each turn, they choose from nine different musical genres (and two songs within each genre) to better their chances of victory. When the band starts to play, contestants sings along, karaoke-style, with the lyrics on the screen -- that is, until the words disappear and they're forced to fill in the next handful of words to win the round. At any point after giving a correct answer, players can also decide to run with the money they've won so far -- though between adrenaline and mild doses of greed, that's not too common.


Is it any good?

 

The premise is simple: Fill in a handful of missing words from a few well-known songs, and walk away richer. But when you're standing front and center on a giant, televised karaoke stage, the challenge is considerably more difficult. The toe-tapping game show hosted by improv master Wayne Brady (Mark McGrath hosts the syndicated version of the show) takes a page from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire by granting contestants three so-called "back-ups," which can help rescue them when they stumble over the words. They can opt to have a family member or friend back them up by checking over their lyrics; choose to have two words in the phrase checked by the judges; or be given three possible line choices to select from. But once the back-ups are used, it's just them and a microphone at center stage.

Fast-paced and full of fun, Don't Forget the Lyrics! is a great incentive for families with tweens and teens to warm up their vocal chords and test their lyrical expertise against each other. With musical genres that range from pop to country to classic rock, there's something here for everyone -- and the whole thing is sure to give your memory skills a workout. Just don't expect American Idol-quality vocal talents among the contestants. There's good reason these folks are on a karaoke-style show rather than in an actual singing competition.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about how game shows reflect society's view of money. Is it important to have a lot of money? Why or why not? How important is money to you? How do the decisions you make in life (marriage, family, career) affect your chances of having a lot of money? Do contestants on shows like this compete for fun, for the winnings, or both? If you won on a game show, what would you do with the money?


This review was written by Emily Ashby
Adult
April 9, 2008
 
funny
great for kids who love music

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
The only way you're going to like this show is if you stand up and compete along with the people on the TV. See if you know the lyrics!

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Great show
I really liked this show. More than I thought I would. It's 100 times better than the signing bee and is great for all ages. Wayne Brady makes it more entertaining!!

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Takes Me Back!
Fun show, good variety of pop and rock songs, but the contestants are very annoying. Clearly, they have not only been screened for knowledge of material (I agree with that), but also for wearing revealing clothing, silly or sexy dancing, and too much pride (I strongly disagree with that)!

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Kid, 10 years old
April 9, 2008
 
i love it
i watch it once

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
So much fun!!!
My 6 year old son and I have so much fun with this show! He loves music and it's one of the few places I can still impress him as he gets older!!

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Kid, 13 years old
May 19, 2011
 
A great show with only mild problems.
Well, it is a good show. Sometimes it is boring because they give songs that you do not know or like. In one episode, there was a reference to the song I Kissed a Girl by which will make some kids want to hear it. And since it is a song that has references to being gay, it might be bad for kids.

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This review was written by Emily Ashby
TV rating:TV-PG
Networks:Fox, Syndicated
Cast:Mark McGrath, Wayne Brady
Genre:Game Shows

This review was written by Emily Ashby
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

 

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