The Big Music Quiz made its debut on Australian television this week. Based on a French series of the same name and format, the show brought together various celebrities and quizzed them about music.
It’s kind of like Spicks & Specks, only without the likability of Adam Hills, Myf Warhurst, and Alan Brough. Instead, we’ve got Darren McMullen, best known for his stint hosting The Voice.
The first review of The Big Music Quiz has just made its way out into the interwebs and the verdict is… well, not good. For one thing, the show cops it for being a pale, charmless imitation of Spicks & Specks.
“The vibe for The Big Music Quiz is a cross between those late night, cheap as chips, dial-in shows the networks tried around the turn of the century and a pub quiz when everyone’s had their fifth wine cooler,” writes Bernard Zuel in the Yass Tribune.
The Big Music Quiz tries to nail the formula that made Spicks & Specks a success and continues to make RockWiz a much-loved Saturday night staple for so many Australians, but falls flat.
This is mostly due to the fact that instead of relying on the chemistry between hosts and panelists and unique segments, the show just goes for ‘maximum fun’ appeal by making everything big, loud, and over the top.
“Get an answer right? Get up and dance with a beaming smile that says my cheque from Channel 7 has been cashed already and who will be watching anyway? Got an answer wrong? Get up and dance with a sad face that says my cheque from Channel 7 has been cashed already but I’ve got a sneaky feeling my agent can’t keep this out of the resume,” Zuel writes.
“The problem is though when you start at the pain threshold of hysteria, your audience is going to tire long before the hour is up. Yes, an hour. That’s a very long time to spend without gags in a packed, day-glo pub with the Shoutiest. Shouty. People. Ever.”
Whilst the ratings aren’t out yet (and they may be spectacular for all we know), The Big Music Quiz looks like another limp attempt by TV producers to recreate a successful overseas show whilst totally disregarding all the cultural nuances that make it work in a given market.
Kind of like when they took Rove over to America to try and do the UK’s The Big Fat Quiz of the Year – ugh.
