hooked on David Tennant’s ‘Impossible’ Game Show — Critics Be Damned!

Everything David Tennant Touches often turn to gold.

Since gaining recognition as The Doctor in Doctor Who , he’s been unavoidable – Broadchurch , to Rivals and even presenting the Baftas . Unless you’re Kemi Badenoch , the 54-year-old Scottish actor consistently hits his marks perfectly.

That is, until ITV ’s The Genius Game – a fresh game show that has been labeled as the channel’s ‘most expensive flop’ However, out of all the high points in Tennant’s career, this is when I have found him most enjoyable.

Nobody else may be captivated, but after four episodes, there hasn’t been another show to compete with this one. The Traitors where I am counting down the days to get my fix.

The basic idea... well, it’s really rather complex – which is partly what draws so much critique.

The television show initially debuted in South Korea, spanning four seasons from 2013 to 2015. Participants were typically well-known personalities competing against each other through different tasks designed to assess their tactical and interpersonal abilities.

In its first British adaptation (which I fear will only last for one series on the basis of its grim critical response and abysmal viewing figures) a group of self-proclaimed geniuses are pitted against each other in Squid Game -esque challenges that were reserved for some of the most brilliant minds Britain had to offer.

Contestants include a philosophical poker player, a crime writer, a forensic scientist, and a doctor.

Each episode, they play a game footed equally in strategy and manipulation. At the end of each game, one player is declared the loser and enters the death match, where they select a rival of their choice to play another game, which will decide who gets eliminated.

The victor of the contest gets the Amulet of Life, providing them with immunity against the mentioned death match, along with garnet stones valued at £1,000 apiece.

Over the course of the show, their aim is to accumulate as many garnets as they can, with the participant ending up with the highest number of garnets walking away with a top prize of up to £50,000.

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In this competition, their smarts undergo scrutiny like none else – with no specific topic to focus on, broad knowledge won’t be of much use here.

However, I have to confess, I've had to pause Tennant as he explains the rules every episode far too many times for me to recall willingly.

This happens because sometimes I come across games where even after repeatedly reviewing the instructions, I find myself confused. Although this might be discouraging for spectators who prefer having a clear understanding of what’s happening, I actually enjoy this aspect.

The gameplay takes precedence over the rules, making The Genius Game particularly intriguing for me. As an avid follower of The Traitors and nearly all subsequent series that emphasize trickery and deception, this game stands out.

The main issue I had with The Traitors is addressed in The Genius Game. In The Traitors, the finalists often end up there despite being relatively ineffective throughout the show, failing to identify the villains around them.

In The Genius Game, it is the best players and master manipulators who come out on top. Granted, if you’re too good at the game, you become a target – but everyone is essentially a traitor and they’re all very good at it.

Essentially, these individuals aren’t merely the brightest minds in Britain; they're also top-notch gamers. Being a devoted watcher of reality TV, I find it utterly fascinating to see a show where each participant is an exceptionally skilled competitor, employing strategies and logical reasoning that most people can hardly grasp.

In Layman’s terms, when I watch football I don’t want a bunch of amateurs you’d find at any five-aside tournament. You want the top players, the best of the best. The Genius Game is essentially The Premier League of reality game show contestants.

That said, there are clear problems that need fixing.

Tennant is hardly present at all. We’re four episodes in and he’s yet to meet the contestants face-to-face, only communicating via pre-recorded videos.

That means it lacks the type of enthusiasm a host like Claudia Winkleman brings to The Traitors, which played a much bigger part of its success than she gets credit for.

I still thoroughly enjoy The Genius Game even though I don't completely grasp all of it, but I understand why others might have concerns about this. It’s surprising that ITV didn’t anticipate these issues as well.

The challenges have been branded ‘impossible’ Consequently, The Genius Game’s original plan to broadcast twice weekly at 9 pm on ITV was abandoned in favor of just one evening per week when the ratings dropped significantly.

However, being difficult doesn’t necessarily mean it’s unenjoyable to watch. Viewers of University Challenge often struggle to answer questions, yet it remains an entertaining show due to its straightforward rules.

Anyway, I'm completely hooked on 'ITV’s priciest failure'.

I doubt it will endure as long as previous seasons, but I strongly encourage everybody to give it a shot. Who knows? With some adjustments, it might just fulfill its promise and truly become a brilliant move.

Would you like to share your story? Reach out via email for more details. jess.austin@.co.uk .

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