TV Details
Starring
Genre
More details

Duel (ABC)

common sense media says

Dull host + confusing rules = bad game show.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

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."

Positive messages: Customary game show greed and mild cattiness between contestants. Contestants are stereotyped by their professions, such as used car salesman or belly dancer.
Violence: Not applicable.
Sex: The "chip girls" are tall, slinky models who hand out and pick up playing chips -- and that's it.
Language: Occasional "I'm screwed" or "crap."
Consumerism: Commercials for Diet Pepsi Max -- the series' overall sponsor -- appear within the show.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on Duel

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
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?

What's the story?

What's the story?
DUEL is a game show that matches contestants against one another in a test of knowledge and strategy. A pool of 24 contestants answer trivia questions 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, and they can use these chips to answer questions or 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. Ultimately, whoever wins the most contests will have a shot to win the big bucks.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

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 that there's 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.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-PG
Network: ABC
Cast: Mike Greenberg
Genre: Game Shows
Where to watch: ABC

This review was written by Sierra Filucci
 
 

Review It

 

Review Duel





Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.
 

What parents & educators say

Most useful reviews by all members

clair247
teen, 15 years old
 
I LOVE IT. IT IS AWSOME

jbb1962
adult
 
This takes two hours to watch an hour
It is slow moving, and it sucks. It took them 10 minutes of real time to ask three questions. It's boring and I'll not watch it again.

 
Move over, "Jeopardy!"
If you want your whole family to be entertained and educated, watch "Duel"! It has all the fun of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and the educational value of "Jeopardy!"

An independent voice for families
Age-appropriate reviews
 

vote now

Will you see Duel?


Already seen it? What do you think?

 

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors


About our rating system
ON: Content is 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