"The only way to learn is by playing, the only way to win is by learning, and the only way to begin is by beginning. So let's... begin."
"Game Changer" is a game show airing on the comedy streaming service Dropout (formerly CollegeHumor). The show was created in 2019 by Dropout CEO Sam Reich, who also serves as the program's host. The show's premise is that every episode is different and has different rules that are not revealed to the players until the game begins. Contestants on the show aren't civilians from the general population -- they are coming from a fairly small pool of improv comics, most of whom are frequent collaborators on Dropout's various programs, and most of them have been on the show more than once.
Sometimes, the players are told the game they'll be playing at the beginning of the game, and sometimes, they have to figure out the rules through trial and error. Some of the featured games rely on puzzle solving, some on improv comedy, some on intellectual endurance -- and all tend to feature contestants who absolutely love competition with each other.
A few quick examples:
- In the first episode, three contestants are asked deeply personal questions, and they earn points when a mysterious lie detector reveals whether they have told the truth. Eventually, the lie detector's secret is revealed -- the contestants' significant others are operating the machine from backstage, based on their knowledge of their partners.
- Players try to underbid each other in order to win money -- and to perform extremely unpleasant assignments, including drinking from a toilet, eating a Post-It note, and making out with their own hand.
- Players have to make sales pitches for weird items, including a computer keyboard with only P's, a plate of lemons covered in melted Parmesan cheese, and strawberry flavored toilet paper.
- A game of Simon Says with extremely tricky and sometimes sadistic prompts.
- Players must try to keep their heart rates low while completing difficult prompts and challenges.
- The contestants find themselves locked in the studio's green room, which has been converted into an escape room, and must escape in less than an hour.
- Players must complete challenges, but only the person who finishes second scores any points.
- Contestants answer simple trivia questions, but must find buzzers scattered throughout the building in order to give their answers.
There have also been games based on "Survivor," "The Bachelor," "The Newlywed Game," and "The Circle." And several of the games on the show have been spun off into their own Dropout programs, including improv challenge game "Make Some Noise," secret bluffing game "Dirty Laundry," and musical improv contest "Play It by Ear."
"Game Changer" isn't Dropout's most popular program -- that, far and away, is the D&D Let's Play show "Dimension 20" -- but it's very well-liked, with a dedicated fan base. A lot of what makes it popular is the contestants, who are very smart, very funny, and very personable comics who all seem to love puzzling out each episode's mysteries. The fact that nearly all of the contestants have been working together in various improv groups and theater groups and writing groups really helps improve the way they all work together; they know their own strengths, they know how to play off each other comedically, they know when to stand back and let a performer cook.
Another big part of the success of "Game Changer" is Reich himself. Part of this is because he's credited as creator, producer, writer, and sometimes as director. He puts lots of work into creating new games and puzzles and getting them to work. But his work as the host is also very important. He's a gleeful imp, hilariously trolling his players, particularly frequent contestant Brennan Lee Mulligan, who is extremely smart, extremely funny, and extremely competitive -- Reich devotes at least one episode per season to trolling him, since his ensuing rants are very funny and guaranteed viral content. (The best examples of the Reich-vs.-Mulligan faux-rivalry are probably "Yes or No" in Season 2 and "Second Place" in Season 6.) But Reich is also his players' biggest fan, joyfully cackling along with their jokes and zingers and celebrating their successes.
One also has to credit Dropout's art department, which often has to make significant changes to the set and props. They've created specialty podiums for bingo games, art contests, and couples competitions, built lie detectors, weird chattering spider machines, nesting Sam Reich matryoshka dolls, and giant hungry mouths, constructed a mirror maze backstage, secretly transformed the players' familiar green room into a complex escape room, outfitted a bunch of hotel rooms with unique and player-specific decorations, and allowed contestant Jacob Wysocki to realize his fantasies of going full Super Saiyan.
If the show has a weakness, it's that fans have started expecting every season to one-up the previous seasons. Season 4 was very good, Season 5 was even better, and Season 6 was the best yet -- but can the Dropout crews keep that record going?
So if you like game shows -- and especially if you like good game shows -- and if you enjoy excellent comedy, "Game Changer" should be on your watchlist. Dropout is just $6 a month, which is pretty cheap for good streaming services...