Canucks match up

Rules are made to be broken. This blog normally confines itself to U.S. game shows. But I've been bending the rules for a few items about the Canadian revival of Match Game. After all, the Canucks are our close relatives, right down to the accent of English used...except for that weird "ou" sound.

So I might as well give the show a full-scale review. In a word, it's okay. Yep, that's the word I kept thinking of as I watched an episode on YouTube. Now okay is not terrible or bad or anything negative at all. Okay is kind of good when you think about it. I wouldn't mind people saying that I've led an okay life when I finish up. I can think of lot worse things they could say.

The gameplay was familiar, with the borrowing of a speed round from the Match Game '90 revival. The panelists - all Canadian except for token USA-nian Caroline Rhea - were funny enough. Host Darrin Rose kept things moving. The contestants weren't brilliant but they weren't idiots, either. The slightly off-color humor was in keeping with the original's spirit.

Like I said, everything was okay. Was it dazzling, unforgettable, light-years ahead of the 1970s classic? Well, no. But it was not a waste of twenty-two YouTube minutes.

UPDATE: A commenter points out that Caroline Rhea is Canadian, too. Well, darned if she isn't. I stand corrected.