Common Sense Media Review
Zany, star-studded game show spotlights kids' wacky talents.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
FIGURE IT OUT is a kids' game show that challenges a panel of four celebrities (typically Nickelodeon stars like Victoria Justice) to guess a young contestant's special talent or unique trait by asking yes-or-no questions in rapid-fire succession through three minute-long rounds. Gleaning clues from the kids' responses and from visual hints from the studio audience and the "Charade Brigade," the panelists race to solve the puzzle before time runs out. With each round that passes without a correct answer, the contestant racks up prizes. This show originally aired in the '90s, hosted by Summer Sanders, and was revived in 2012 with Jeff Sutphen at the helm.
Is It Any Good?
Like most game shows in the Nickelodeon family, Figure It Out is off-the-wall zany and iced by the channel's trademark green slime, which douses the celebs at various times during the show. For kids, the only thing better than watching their favorite TV stars in an unrehearsed setting like a game show is seeing them caught unawares by buckets of green goo, so this is sure to be a hit feature. Plus, the fact that the contestants are selected for the strangeness of their talents or traits (a boy with a Big Dipper of freckles on his back, or one who can milk a goat with his feet, for instance) helps with the silly factor, too.
As for the game itself, it's hardly a cerebral workout, but it does encourage players and viewers at home to think outside of the box and imagine scenarios beyond what they're used to. What's more, it's good, clean fun (well, except for the slime), and its basic premise can be replicated at home with family and friends when you host your own screen-free game night. Of course, the show's best quality just might be the fact that it celebrates kids' uniqueness in a very fun way.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about sportsmanship. What does it mean to be a good sport? Are there any displays of sportsmanship among the players in this game? Does wanting to win automatically mean you're not a good sport?
What games does your family enjoy together? What qualities does competing with others teach us? Families can use this game show as inspiration to stage your own game night with your family.
TV Details
- Premiere date : July 7, 1997
- Cast : Jeff Sutphen , Summer Sanders
- Network : Nickelodeon
- Genre : Game Shows
- TV rating :
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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