GAMES: GameSpot | GameFAQs MUSIC: Last.fm | MP3.com MOVIES: Metacritic | Movietome TV: TV.com
Home | About Metacritic | About Metascores | What's New | Wireless Versions | Discussion Forums | Advertising Inquiries | Contact Us | RSS
Metacritic.com: We Deal With Criticism
     Help
> Switch to Advanced Search  
Film Video/DVD Music Games TV

Television

2008-09 Midseason
2008 Fall Season
2008 Summer Season
2007-08 Midseason
2007 Fall Season
2007 Summer Season
2006-07 Midseason
2006 Fall Season
2006 Summer Season
2005-06 Midseason
2005 Fall Season
Best Of 2008
Best Of 2007
Best Of 2006
Best Of 2005
How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss TV In Our Forums

 

 

Upcoming & Recent Series Premieres

Damages Season Two 80
FX, Wednesday

13: Fear Is Real 33
CW, Wednesday

Game Show in My Head 34
CBS, Saturday

 



Printer-Friendly Version Email This Page Discuss In Our Forums

I Survived a Japanese Game Show
SERIES: ABC, Tuesday 9:00p (60 minutes)

I Survived a Japanese Game Show
Critic Score
Metascore: 28 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
7.5 out of 10
based on 5 reviews
read critic reviews
how did we calculate this?
based on 7 votes
read user comments
rate this tv show

Starring Tony Sano, and Romu Kanda

Contestants are flown to Japan to compete in a variety of competitions based on real Japanese game shows.

GENRE(S): Reality (Competitive)
CREATED BY: Karsten Bartholin
Tim Crescenti
Arthur Barradell-Smith
FIRST AIR DATE: June 24, 2008

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

60
Newark Star-Ledger Alan Sepinwall
There's plenty of humiliation in I Survived a Japanese Game Show as well, but there it's so varied and strange--and very much in keeping with what I understand of those shows--that it doesn't get repetitive or annoying.
Read Full Review
30
Hollywood Reporter Barry Garron
It’s rather like a “Saturday Night Live” skit that should have stayed a skit and not wound up on the big screen.
Read Full Review
30
Time James Poniewozik
I Survived a Japanese Game Show took a simple enough concept—importing Americans to compete on a bizarre game show in Tokyo—and turned it into a boring, American-style reality show, complete with confessional segments and backstage scenes.
10
Slate Troy Patterson
In the light of summer television, civilization does not seem to have a pulse. It looks quite dead indeed.
Read Full Review
10
Variety Brian Lowry
The Japanese fascination with absurd stunts (dressing two players as huge bugs and having them splat against a wall, for example) and public humiliation as good TV fun has a rather acrid taste stripped of cultural context.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now!The average user rating for this tv show is 7.5 (out of 10) based on 7 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Kev T. gave it an8:
Reality TV without so much of sleaze found on other reality shows. There was no false love stories like "I Love NY" and the other VH-1 reality shows. This show did show slices of Japanese culture. Outside of the blonde gal running around the house is a towel for one episode, there was not nearly as much forced drama or over produced dirty drama. I have quit watching "Big Brother" because of it is the same old thing every time. At least this show feels like someone tried to be creative and the drama felt more natural. In the end all of these shows are produced to do certain things, but this one just seemed more fun then slime. Those who say it is boring have a point if they are talking about the games. I was hoping for more outrageous spills and messy falls like Japanese shows found on G4 or Spike. If they can make the games truly crazy, like bigger falls into nastier stuff than cold water or flour, the show should come back.

Jean L. gave it a10:
this is the most hilarious thing on TV. if you have ever watched a Japanese game show, this follows true to form!

Katie J. gave it an8:
I don't like some of the humiliating things the contestants have to do, but some of them you just have to laugh at. I also like it because you learn a lot about the Japanese culture.

James M. gave it a7:
This is an ok show, but the best is Wipe Out.

Discuss this tv show in our forums

Return to top of page
Home | FILM | DVD/VIDEO | MUSIC | GAMES | TV | Forums | About Metacritic metacritic.com

Popular on CBS sites: MLB | Spore | iPhone 3G | Paris Hilton | Antivirus Software | GPS | Recipes | Shwayze | NFL

About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use