Guest Author - Dani M. Sanders

On TV, we seem to be in the midst of the game show era with new shows cropping up all the time. The latest offering is Amne$ia, hosted by Dennis Miller. It premiered on NBC on February 22, 2008 at 9p EST. Unlike more modern shows like Deal or No Deal that rely mainly on luck, Amne$ia hearkens back to the earlier quiz-show format where you needed a good memory. It is a refreshing change.

The basic premise of Amne$ia is that a contestant wins money for answering questions about small details of his own life. For example, the contestant (Will) in the premiere was asked to remember a slogan he used when he ran for school treasurer, his wife's ring size, and the actress who played the lead in a movie he watched on a special date. Some of the questions were even more interactive, as Will tried to identify the sound of the bells played on his honeymoon or pick out his actual front door mat from a pile of mats on the stage.

There were many aspects of Amne$ia that made me think of game shows I enjoyed as a kid. One was the variety. Even though the whole game was about answering questions, the show held my attention by having separate rounds with different rules. There was a speed round at the very beginning, followed by a segment where family members were questioned while Will was in a soundproof booth. Then in the last round, penalties were added -- the possibility of losing money if he got the questions wrong. Too many of today's shows, like Don't Forget the Lyrics, play the same basic game for an hour. Compared to perennial favorites like The Price is Right, that approach bores me.

Another thing I liked about Amne$ia was the quick pace. Modern game shows have taken a cue from other reality shows like The Bachelor or The Biggest Loser where they try to build suspense by making the contestant slow down and talk through his thought process before giving an answer. Then they drag things out even further by making you wait for the answer with doom-and-gloom music playing in the background (Moment of Truth, I'm talking to you). Very little of that was present with Amne$ia.

The real surprise was Dennis Miller as a game show host. From his beginnings as a sarcastic stand-up comedian, I never would have expected him to be a host similar to Wink Martindale . Miller told jokes to keep things fun, but he was never cruel. Also, he seemed genuine in his desire to see Will go home with some cash. I read a review of Moment of Truth that said the host, Mark Wahlberg , wishes that some of the contestants on his show would take the money and run rather than pressing their luck with another question. Wahlberg may be thinking that, but it never shows in his face. With Miller, it is obvious. In the last round of the premiere, Miller stopped just short of begging contestant Will to skip the last question and go home with his $60,000.

Game shows are not must-see TV for me. During the prime-time hours, I would rather watch a comedy or a drama. However, Amne$ia is perfect for those times when my 11-year-olds want to skip Disney and watch a "grown-up show" with me. It is light, fun, and clean.