Game Changer

I discovered this show on a torrent site and had never heard of it before then. I went into it with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised.

The core cast of recurring players is a likeable group of people who seem to be very comfortable with each other, which makes for good improv. Their comedy is relatively safe and left-leaning with an emphasis on queerness and women's empowerment, but it feels more funny than preachy most of the time.

The only thing I don't like about it is how it panders so much to social media culture. They mention clips, screenshots, followers, going viral, etc. Way more than necessary and I roll my eyes every time. They have an entire streaming service that is successful enough to have a dedicated fan base - they don't need to play for the low-hanging fruit that is social media engagement. Just make fun games and have funny people play them, and people will keep watching.

Overall I give it an 8/10, and highly recommend it to anyone who likes improv comedy.

Now that's what I call, "Damn good television!"

This show's concept is absolutely brilliant: simultaneously it's own animal and a laboratory with near perfect conditions to workshop other gameshow ideas. But that would mean nothing if the host and contestants didn't provide engaging follow through with charm, cheek, and wit. Luckily, everyone has that, not only in spades, but all the other suits as well. They act like they're not playing with a full deck, but they know exactly what they're doing, and by that, I mean they lean into not knowing what they're doing. It's incredibly refreshing.

Sam Reich (native to Cambridge, Massachusetts) is a genius. He's this whimsical wizard that is a hybrid between a well-dressed teddy bear (probably a descendant of much more posh Winnie the Pooh) and a mad scientist close to perfecting chewing gum that explodes in the mouths of unsuspecting children.

The Dropout writers/usual suspects are also a hoot to watch swing on the pendulum of winning generous gifts from their glorious benefactor and perform Diet Fear Factor tasks, with a twist of lemon.

The show is inconceivably preposterous: warm and well meaning with its gifts, diabolical and fiendish with its punishments, but always tempestuous and hysterical.

Turn on your TV and tune into Dropout, you won't regret it.

Genuinely funny! Everyone has good personalities and they click well. The episodes are just the right length, and they also work well for background noise.

I've been watching Game Changer for a few years now and am so frustrated that a show this great isn't being watched by more people.

It's everything you could want in a game show. We've got incredible production design, hilarious contestants and hijinks, clever plot twists, in-jokes and callbacks, and a really genuine heart to it all.

Watching Dropout shows in general feels a bit like watching Buzzfeed or the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen in their primes; here are a group of interesting and funny people doing what they love well and interacting with each other in different combinations to do it.

Not every episode is a 10/10, but there are no bad episodes. And when they're good oh you better believe they're insanely good. Once you can convince someone to try an episode, they're hooked. And somehow each season they manage to outdo themselves and what they pulled off last season. It's criminal these folks haven't won some Emmys yet.

I'm so excited to see what comes next and hoping more and more people can find and appreciate the magic going on here.

Obviously by my rating, I'm a fan. But the entire Dropout streaming service is built on the personalities of their cast (and guests (who are usually personal friends of the cast)). If you like character-based gags and "wacky hijinks", this might be for you.

However, there's a learning curve. You must figure out who your favorite recurring cast members are. One appearance in one episode of something doesn't give a great impression.

As far as this show in particular is concerned, there are really great episodes and then there are episodes I probably won't watch again. But the premise is intriguing enough that I want to keep watching and see if my favorite cast members show up.

Yes, the game show is "scripted" to some extent in that there's always some gimmick that the crew is making sure goes as planned, but contestants are always kept in the dark. And as for the host, this is his passion project. Sam is also the CEO of the company and was insistent that he host this show.