A well-run chase

Although it barely made a ripple in the general entertainment media, GSN's version of The Chase has generated a lot of noise in the game show blogosphere. That's because a lot of the British show's U.S. fanbase hangs out on, you guessed it, game show blogs. So there was intense interest in how well our little game show network would import the challenging quizzer.

Well, Chase fans, you can rest easy. GSN didn't screw this one up at all. Their version, which debuted last night, is fast-paced, entertaining, often witty, and thoroughly competent.

Lots of worries centered on host Brooke Burns, not known for game show chops, at least on a show that requires intense, blitz-speed questioning. Brooke did fine, even if her repartee isn't Cullen-level. She got in a few jabs at the hulking Beast, Mark Labbett, who responded with astringent comments about everybody else on the show.

Without plodding through a tedious explanation of the format, The Chase comes down to a nuclear-level (slight exaggeration) trivia war between the Beast and three civvie contestants. On the debut episode the Beast ultimately triumphed. Like Ben Stein, he's a tough guy to beat. But a good time was had by all as the confrontation played out.

Douglas Pucci delivers the review which means everything, from the Nielsen Company. The Chase debuted with 511K total viewers and 168K 18-49 folks. More than acceptable by GSN standards. The second run didn't do quite as well but still performed decently. And GSN's Minute To Win It really romped and stomped last night.