Common Sense Media Review
By Jenny Nixon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Reboot of '80s game show is glitzy fun, if a bit too long.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Press Your Luck
What's the Story?
PRESS YOUR LUCK revamps the popular 1980s game show of the same name, this time hosted and produced by actress Elizabeth Banks. Each episode features three contestants who compete for the chance to win up to $1,000,000 by answering trivia questions and earning spins on the "Big Board": a game board that's full of cash and prizes including cars, electronics, and vacations. It won't be so easy, though, as they may also land on a dreaded "Whammy" square, which results in an animated devil-type imp character swooping down and erasing all their winnings. Once contestants earn four Whammies, they're out, leaving the winner to compete in a four-level bonus round that involves more spins on the board (and more potential Whammies to hit) but no additional trivia questions.
Is It Any Good?
Ultimately, there's nothing particularly exciting about this game (original or rebooted version); we're just watching contestants spin over and over and waiting to see if they lose all their money. That said, Press Your Luck looks great, with a flashy modernized set and an amiable host who does a nice job interacting with contestants and keeping things moving. They've kept the wisecracking, roughly animated "Whammy" characters from the original series, which may push some happy nostalgia buttons for old-school fans, but added an all-new bonus round, which lengthens the episodes to a full hour -- which seems a bit long for this particular game, and may test some viewers' attention spans. Overall, though, it's harmless fun the whole family can enjoy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the recent trend in rebooting 1970s and '80s game shows. What is so appealing about bringing these shows back?
This new version of Press Your Luck features a bonus round, making the show a full hour as compared to the 1980s version's 30 minutes. Do you think it was necessary to do this in order to adapt the show for modern audiences?
Would you ever want to compete on a game show? Why or why not?
TV Details
- Premiere date : June 12, 2019
- Cast : Elizabeth Banks
- Network : ABC
- Genre : Game Shows
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 21, 2019
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