Substitution effect

Hollywood Reporter has written up MTV's quizzer The Substitute, debuting September 12. There's also a bit of footage pitting two suitably cute high school girls against each other.

Sort of looks like the Terminator showdowns in Greed, only without Chuck Woolery looming over the grim proceedings. Instead, everything is bright and bouncy in a high school classroom. Too bad the girl in the picture had no clue about primary colors. She is a cheerleader, though.

Comic Jon Gabrus plays the ersatz substitute teacher. In the story he mouths some platitudes about how "it's cool to be playing a teacher in a positive light." What is this, redeeming social value on MTV? M-fricking-TV??

In fact, the show may be almost elegant compared to the network's usual crud. Top prize is five grand, enough to be credible but not enough to make things too serious. The show taped some eps in colleges to "catch the eye of a slightly older crowd."

Speaking of age, Hollywood Reporter kicks off the story with a snide reference to game shows' usual demos. Will the MTV crowd tolerate a fairly straightforward quizzer?