Henry Winkler and Michael Levitt made some nice changes to the Hollywood Squares. It's hard to compare it with the popular Peter Marshall version, but this version is more entertaining than the version's run by Whoopi Goldberg or Orion (1986-89).
Thumbs up:
Tom Bergeron as host. Whoopi Goldberg made the perfect call for Bergeron to take the reigns. His amicable and occasionally sarcastic style blends well with the straight man that one needs to be as a Squares host. He should be around for more shows to come.
The new end game. Facts about stars climaxing with a one-in-x chance to win a car/trip/cash jackpot. It moves well and stays entertaining to the end.
The question writing. It's a nice mix of pop culture, truly ridiculous facts (that might be false), and historical references. In the end, it's all about the questions.
Audience input. The producers actually ask for it. Granted, some of the recorded calls are used as amusement more than advice, but at least these are producers that listen.
Nice array of celebrities. The center square has had a decent mix of leading entertainers, such as Alec Baldwin, Ted Danson, Reba McIntyre and even Gloria Estefan. The remaining eight squares are filled with entertainers from all different facets and age groups. It's an eclectic mix where contemporary actors mixed in with comedy legends such as Rich Little, David Brenner, and Buddy Hackett. This edition is not afraid to honor squares of the past, and even granted Peter Marshall a December week as center square (hosting one show).
Thumbs down:
Audience direction. Does the audience need to applaud EVERY SINGLE TIME a contestant calls upon a star? This is over the top, and slows down the game.
Teena Marie (yes, the 1980's one-hit wonder) on theme song vocals. The music itself is quite good, but her vocals are a little screechy and annoying.
Ellen DeGeneres as center square. Mixing up the center square from week to week is a decent idea, but Ellen chooses to slow down the game by trying too hard to be funny. H2 would be wise to edit out her comments (quips?) and go straight to her answer.
H2 is guaranteed to run though 2003-04, but it's uncertain if the show will be shelved after that.
