Really enjoy this program.
2 biggest factors for its success is 1. The host, and 2. The Chasers.
1. The host and how he hosts are a huge factor. He never says too much, but is brilliant at being a common man and playing off the contestants. I've seen other international versions where the host makes it about themselves instead of the contestants. He doesn't move around much, either, so the focus remains on the contestants. Just standing there, arms across your chest, as you read the questions is an underappreciated ability. He'll always be on the contestants side, where the rapport is evident, but still remains jovial with the chasers without taking much of the spotlight.
Bradley Walsh can be polarizing due to his personality being that of a non-actor, but for this show, it fits perfectly.
2. The Chasers, as Mark Liebett has said in an interview, are not the best quizzers in the UK. The producers won't look for the best either, because the best can be boring. They look for good quizzers who have a personality and can play a villainous role. All their vollainous roles and nicknames suit their personality.
Mark 'The Beast' - Aggressively competitive while being tall and girthy. All the characteristics of a beast in chase mode.
Anne 'Frosty Knickers' - Cold and emotionless, which fits perfectly with an ASD sufferer who almost always struggle to react with and to emotions.
Shaun 'Dark Destroyer' - While the 'dark' part could be a racial issue, I think it's more to do with being a lawyer and lawyers have a dark soul. He will destroy contestants when he's on, like when he got 17 questions right in 1:15.
Paul 'The Smiling Assassin' - He's a comedian and is the most friendly of the chasers. He'll often crack jokes and make sarcastic remarks while winning.
All the Chasers, bar Shaun to an extent, are acting to their natural personality, and it fits the show's premise, which is why this show is so effective even though it's often predictable.
Well produced and well cast.
