The primary teaser for NBC’s Password did this revival zero favors, edited because it was to make a sport in regards to the quiet, thought of trade of clues and guesses appear amped up, madcap and rife with Jimmy Fallon antics.
However having now screened a number of installments of the eight-episode summertime revival (which kicks off tonight at 10/9c, adopted by a Wednesday-at-9 outing), I can report — with greater than a little bit of shock, I admit — that the brand new Password is… not unhealthy? And even quite a lot of enjoyable at instances.
No, I’m nonetheless not a fan of the set, which has not one of the coziness from the (deep lower alert!) Allen Ludden-hosted period, however as a substitute appears dictated by the regulation that each primetime sport present since 1999 has to evoke Who Desires to Be a Millionaire. (Is ABC the one community that is aware of lovingly emulate basic sport present units?) And for some purpose, the off-camera voice whispering the password to us at house has opted for a supply finest described as “Hmm, Kinda Creepy.”
However the gameplay is devoted to that which everyone knows (save for a flourish or two), and the proceedings are overseen by a reasonably excellent host. Keke Palmer clearly is well-schooled on the foundations/scorekeeping and thus retains the sport transferring alongside, however most significantly she is solely “Keke Palmer internet hosting Password.” She isn’t right here to attract consideration to herself (fabulous as her rotation of eyewear is) or rummage for a catchphrase, although she is going to sometimes let slip a pointed statement or response — reminiscent of when Heidi Klum makes use of “urination” as a clue for… effectively, you’ll see.
The acquainted format is that this: Fallon (who has sometimes resurrected Password on The Tonight Present) every evening serves as a star participant alongside the likes of Jon Hamm (within the premiere), the aforementioned Klum (Night time 2), Yvette Nicole Brown, Tony Hale, Chelsea Handler, Joel McHale, Chrissy Metz, Martin Quick, J.B. Smoove and Meghan Trainor. The celebs proudly introduce their civilian companions, secret passwords are handed out, and the groups take turns providing up one-word clues to hopefully immediate an accurate guess.
After one spherical, the celebs change sides, and the primary contestant to win two out of three advances to a bonus spherical. There, the contestant speed-feeds clues to each celebs to hopefully coax out 10 out of 10 passwords inside 60 seconds, and declare a $25,000 grand prize. However even when they fall brief, there’s a one-password “Redemption Spherical” that may double their winnings for the evening.
As a lot because the trailer performs up Fallon’s “vitality” (specifically, a clap-along that he initiates in an early episode, earlier than unleashing his appropriate guess), he places himself on equal footing with the opposite movie star visitors. Additionally, the banter Fallon enjoys with every movie star, presumably based in preexisting friendships/Tonight Present visits, serves the present effectively, particularly when it results in playful taunting. Jon Hamm, for one, is a superb choose to guide off issues, being extremely genial, witty, and unafraid to make a humorous face whereas repeatedly saying the clue “bonessss.” Klum, in the meantime, jokes about English not being her first language, however her accent does appear to derail her supply of not less than one clue (when “Victoria’s” is mistakenly heard as “victorious”). Oh, and she or he appears to suppose Jimmy Buffet sings a sing known as “Tequilaville.” That, the aforementioned “urination” clue, and a little bit dance Klum does all through the fast-paced bonus rounds add as much as some charming moments.
Lastly, primetime sport reveals as of late are susceptible to overtly “casting” the civilian gamers — that means, subjecting us to an outsized persona who appears to be auditioning for a nasty sitcom as a substitute of casting John Q. Public. Fortunately, that (just about) wasn’t the case within the episodes I watched. And whereas one contestant at first seemed to be not one of the best match for this present, the switching of movie star companions led to a immediate turnaround of their fortune.
THE TVLINE BOTTOM LINE: “This Password is… fantastic.”
