More Drew

The GSN boards continue in denial over Drew Carey's new non-game, non-competition, non-everything show Improv-a-Ganza. This is the biggest threat yet to traditional game shows on GSN, but the boards mostly ignore the threat with blissful nonchalance. The latest head-in-the-sand post, and my reply...

Other poster: While Improv-a-Ganza is not a game show, it's very closely related to the genre in a couple ways. First, Drew is one of the hottest, most well-known current game show hosts in the country. And second, Improv-a-Ganza is (as you said) essentially a remake of Whose Line, which has largely been embraced by the game show community as a something of pseudo-game show.

The only genuine relationship is Drew Carey. This improv comedy show has nothing else to do with game shows or even competition shows. Talent contests like American Idol are much more closely related to game shows than this improv project.

I will say that GSN has been really smart to get Drew. If they had announced, say, a non-game comedy show with Sherri Shepherd as the host, these boards would be ringing with the usual denunciations of "reality crap" infecting GSN.

Anyway, I think it's naive to believe that if (probably when) Drew succeeds, GSN won't try other non-game comedy projects. Why wouldn't they? Improv-a-Ganza will probably bring in comedy fans (and non-game-show viewers) who might well enjoy more comedy shows. Hey, I'll probably enjoy Drew's show myself.

By the way, Alex Davis has posted that all the regulars from Whose Line will show up on Improv-a-Ganza with the notable exception of Wayne Brady. Also, Rich Fields will be the announcer - a parting gift from Drew for his firing from The Price is Right? The show debuts Monday, March 28 with a daily run of forty episodes.