The Final Straw
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The Final Straw
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Final Straw is a game show that features people competing in a life-sized Jenga-like game for cash. Items come crashing down, but no one gets hurt, and there's some spirited competitive banter, but people are overall good sports. There's some strong words (like "damn"), and occasionally the host's humor features innuendo that will go over kids' heads.
What's the Story?
Executive produced by Peyton Manning, THE FINAL STRAW features teams of contestants competing in Jenga-like contest of balance and skill in hopes of winning up to $250K. Hosted by Abbott Elementary's Janelle James, each episode spotlights four teams of two players who compete in a series of rounds where they must pull items that have been stacked on top of each other. During the first two rounds, teams must successfully remove items from a stack without knocking it over to win $5K and advance in the game. Making the process more interesting are traps set to make removals more difficult, and teams get to sabotage each other during the process. The team that keeps things balanced until the end gets the chance to work on the Mega Stack, where each tier or "level" is worth a specific sum of money. If the team successfully removes blocks without knocking the tower over within a set amount of time, it can choose to stop and keep the cash already won or buy more time to attempt to win more money. But if the stack topples, the team gets pushed back a level and walks away with a reduced amount of winnings.
Is It Any Good?
The simple, high-spirited game features teams of folks trying to remove items from big stacks of items for cash. Some of the fun is the suspense that comes with the removal of items, which can result in dramatic moments when towers of strange things crash to the floor. But most of the show's appeal comes from the teams' silly banter, strange sabotage efforts, and Janelle James' humor. It's not the most intellectual of games, but if you're looking for some mindless entertainment, The Final Straw will fit the bill.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the appeal of game shows. What makes them fun to watch? Is there a game show that you would be willing to compete on if you had a chance?
Is there any skill associated with how The Final Straw is played? Or is it just about gravity and luck?
TV Details
- Premiere date: July 10, 2022
- Cast: Janelle James
- Network: ABC
- Genre: Game Shows
- Character Strengths: Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: December 21, 2022
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