Card Sharks

To be honest, I mainly didn't know what the heck Card Sharks even was and frankly, I only watched it for Joel McHale. The show didn't have the same "it-factor" that the original show has and it is slow and missing a whole lot. I will give it praise for the contestants they bring on as they have color and personality. Other than that, Card Sharks can improve greatly and I think that they can do better.

I love this new show and watched it in the 70s as well. It's a game show not rocket science.

I surprised myself by really enjoying this show after catching one episode. It's (mostly) wholesome and the two sidekicks Jerry and Alexis are as charming as the host, Joel. With so many violent and vulgar shows out there - zero interest in faith-based - we appreciate being able to enjoy this reboot (which is better than orig. IMO)

Joel McHale is one of my favorite comedians, but his deadpan snark falls flat in Card Sharks. It almost reminds me of David Letterman hosting The Riddlers for one episode. McHale looks bored and that this whole thing is a waste of time.

I appreciate that the show returns to the original 1978 format, up to the poems to start each episode. Answer numerical survey questions and guess if the answer is higher or lower.

Doing one long row of ten cards vs. best out of three of five cards is an interesting choice. I get it that they want to fit two full games in every episode and not straddle like the original show did, but ten cards is a lot. It slows the game at times to a halt.

The money cards bonus round is back and in a similar format. However, now we have unnecessary "chips" to bet for each turn. Why?

The set is fine. The models do what they should do.

The contestants? More L.A. local actors trying to get "noticed." I miss shows where the contestants seemed like regular people. Why is it not that way anymore?

Overall, the potential is blunted by some questionable choices.

After CS debuted in the late 70s with Jim Perry and returned in the mid 80s with Bob Eubanks on CBS and Bill Rafferty in syndication, followed by a dastardly short-lived revival in 2001 with Pat Bullard, ABC decided to bring CS back, with a new set, new look, new host and higher money at stake.

The host of this version of CS is Joel McHale, who I'm a fan of after knowing him as Jeff on Community, and he's pretty decent as a host, but although the show itself is not terrible, it is slow at times, and occasionally it felt too slick for a show about cards.

Either way, it's not as bad, but it's not as great either, it's a mixed bag at best.