The White Room
In the premiere of Seven's new game show, everybody was trying hard to get the laughs. Very, very hard...
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under Programming, Reviews
“If you are glued to the TV right now, you either have great taste, or ar the victim of a terrible prank,” said Tony Moclair.
I’m picking the second, Tony.
And I’d like to buy a vowel, please.
The White Room, Seven’s answer to Spicks and Specks and Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation and Good News Week has arrived following rapid promos and no previews. It’s simple format sees comedians divided into two teams answering television trivia questions and games to the two hosts, Tony Moclair and Julian Schiller.
The genre is one Seven has been hungry to become a player in since the demise of Todd McKenney’s You May Be Right and Celebrity Spelling Bee and Glenn Robbins’ Out of the Question. Andrew O’Keefe also dabbled briefly with a more variety-driven vehicle with This is Your Laugh.
Dwarfed by a huge white-filled studio, the panellists and guests included Dave Thornton, Felicity Ward, George McEncroe, Lawrence Mooney, Fifi Box and Luke Jacobz. All were trying hard to get the laughs in the premiere episode. Very hard…
Aiding and abetting the game play were television clips, mostly nostalgic, providing a visual support to the static studio presentation. While it wasn’t all Seven shows, much of the other footage appeared to be either ABC shows or YouTube quality clips of rival network shows. SBS didn’t appear to crack a look in at all, while Foxtel shows were only referenced for footage of international titles such as The Wonder Years and Blue Heelers (a Hallmark rather than a Seven logo here).
Like rival shows, games were built around singing, linking objects (wearing a blindfold, the panellists correctly felt their way around a bunch of bones must be the answer to Bones) and even interpreting a dodgy dance quartet.
So if Spicks and Specks can be so damned successful at an entire game show built around music, where’s the harm in another show around TV itself?
There were several problems here. The cold set is so big as to leave the players shouting at one another. Everybody felt the need to come up with a punchline. And 60 minutes is just far, far too long. Why do commercial networks always feel the need to stretch a 22 minute idea to 44? Generation gets away with it thanks to its acerbic host, who is brilliantly deriding the game at the same time as celebrating it. Were Micallef sincere it would be a whole different ball game.
The cast also seemed so busy amongst themselves to play to the studio audience.
The White Room has also taken a risk in casting largely unknowns in the show. But in the 7:30 slot it may have benefitted from a little star power and more development of its gameplay. Humility goes a long way in this genre, too.
The real key to the success of Spicks and Specks is its charming host and the good company of its players. You’d be happy to have them around for a dinner party and reminisce about music.
If I invited this lot around I reckon I’d be lucky to get a word in anywhere. And I actually like telly…
The White Room airs 7:30pm Thursdays on Seven.
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101 Responses
Too many egos in the one room.
wat happened 2 this show?? is it eva gonna come bak?? this show was awsum i want it bak. it was on 4 like 2 eps. boo..bring it bak 🙁
No…show ended.
I really enjoyed the show. I thought the different games they had were fun. It was something the whole family could watch and enjoy. Bring it back.
I really liked this show. Boo too channel 7 for replacing it with the ghost whisperer. I found it funny and at least i could answer the questions unlike other quiz shows. Hopefully they put it on another time slot or another day.
Canned forever!!! The self-professed “highly intelligent” hosts have been replaced by Ghost Whisperer. Our world has forever lost the joy of watching these humble geniuses in action. hahahaha Hilarious!
Watched the 2 aired eps and found it quite likeable-though I can’t stand having 2 hosts (1 is enough).
We had 3 generations watching and we all agreed that 7 is on a winner – give it a go and judge the show after a couple of more episodes and you will eat your words
Please do everyone a favour and axe this show! Its a good format show which wouldve done better with real celebrities. I’ve got no idea where they got these panelists from, but they are painful to watch. Everyone seems to be up themselves all fighting for the most air time ….
Watch the show the first night, turned off after 10 minutes. Second week didn’t even tune in.
Who are those 4 hilarious dancing guys? The only redeeming feature of the show. Absolutely brilliant!
that auctioneer guy was awesome
The second episode was as painful as the first.
Channel 7 please get rid of this show it stands out like you know what with all your other quality shows, i think i sat through the whoe show without a smile more like a cringe … wrong people hosting the show and the panel very weak. It has already been on way too long !!!
I think that why Spicks and Specks works is because its a totally stolen format from the UK (Never mind the Buzzcocks).
The reason the White Room fails, and lets face it 7 has been developing this since it’s appalling executives couldn’t get their collective heads around 8 out ten cats, is because the people doing it wouldn’t know something funny if they fell over it.
The litany of programs that this network has branded as comedy and have failed miserably is a testament to the above mentioned executives being able to play politics but not make tv.
From a previous comment:
“It has two hosts become Tony Moclair & Jullian Schiller come as a package… Both are highly intelligent…”
ROTFLMAO!!!!! Highly intelligent? In their dreams!!!
@ Bazza, I fully agree with you !
Gosh, Fifi Box made me shudder she was so overpowering. she was always terrible on TGYH and is not a comedian.
I was looking forward to a fun show but it failed miserably, plus I had a feeling that much of it was rehearsed and the panel already knew the answers especially in the touch and feel section.
Not for me.
Wow, what a dog. The hosts are charisma-challenged nobodies, and the b-grade celeb contestants are very ordinary. I agree with Bazza, this show needs cancellation asap. Will not be wasting time watching the 2nd episode.
There are better shows on TEN and the ABC. Even SBS makes a better quiz show.
not everyone watches this warren.Most of us work Thursday Nights or are out at our local shopping centre or watch Nines Getaway or the Biggest Loser on Ten.
that ironing board segment at the end was stupid!!!!
“It’s simple format sees comedians divided into two teams ”
Since when is Fifi Box a comedian? She’s insanely annoying, is that the primary criterion now?
I sincerely hope this show dies a sudden death, it is painful to behold in the extreme. It’s list of redeeming features is a blank sheet, perhaps that’s where the name came from?
geez, why doesn’t someone screen rob brydon’s annually retentive instead, makes a mockery of these sorts of shows.
TV Burp was such a better show… this one sucks eggs.
wowo, popular topic… All I have to add is ‘what is with that guy next to Tony’s hair?’… lol
One of the segments was called “So You Think You Can Guess”. I mean, there have been many many jokes using the “So You Think You Can” prefix, but ‘Guess’ is so vague it could be applied to *any* of the segments since they all involve guessing. Seems like they were just looking for an excuse to use SYTYC.
The show’s biggest problem is definitely the personalities. None of them are funny. I’m a regular watcher of Spicks and Specks, GNW, TBYG, etc but I always took them for granted until I saw The White Room. With the others, you might get one boring person but they’re offset by a number of witty panellists. With this, you’ve just got boring and lame. The hosts are especially lame.