Dropout is bringing back game shows
Photo courtesy of Sela Shiloni / Wikimedia Commons
Game shows are finally making a comeback! Dropout, in particular, is taking over the media as one of the better game shows to hit the network in quite a long, long time.
For the unaware, Dropout, derived from what used to be known as CollegeHumor, is a comedy entertainment company with a handful of shows/episodes available for watching on YouTube. Even so, it primarily exists as an independent streaming service. The company has gained popularity in the past few years and has become what former Lamron member Ella Pearcy would describe as “Dropout: The streaming service worth every penny,” While the service is host to a plethora of programming worth your time, today, I want to express how I feel Dropout is working to bring back and modernize the game show format.
Game shows are a staple of cable television nationwide, with many titles and hosts, including Jeopardy! (1984– ), Wheel of Fortune (1983– ), and Family Feud (1976– ), with icons George “Alex” Trebek, Vanna White, and Steve Harvey, respectively, holding special places in our homes; however, in the modern era of streaming, game shows have largely been reduced to what you watch when you visit grandma for dinner or to pop on in a hotel room. Dropout, though, has seemed to pull off what very few Hollywood studios could: game shows that appeal to the younger generations.
So, what is it that makes Dropout shows like Game Changer (2019– ) (currently airing its seventh season), Um, Actually (2018– ), and Dirty Laundry (2022– ) so true to the spirit of the game show format, while still being refreshing enough for younger audiences and others alike? To this, I would like to venture into the idea that it is a mixture of how their game shows borrow from while pushing existing game formats with cast and hosting choices that more naturally build community.
To begin, there is no denying that the talent pulled into these shows is electric! Unlike many game shows that rely on the participation of “random” members of the public, Dropout’s shows pull its participants from members of the Dropout/CollegeHumor cast (with smart variety in places, such as often featuring members from Smosh, fellow comedic entertainment company, drag queens, and Critical Role, an entertainment company focused largely on gaming content)— new and old —who are all professional entertainers and comedians. This is an astute decision given the format for a plethora of reasons, such as it allows for episodes, questions, and formats to be tailored in a way much less possible in the typical game show realm.
For example, in Um, Actually (2018– ), the show relies on individuals having “pedantic” knowledge or knowledge focusing on small errors of “the things you know and love,” as host/creator Michael Trapp (now hosted by Ify Nwadiwe) explains at the top of each episode— with an emphasis on nerd culture and topics. Having question writers and showrunners who know their participants makes creating questions easier, as they are more likely to be familiar with fandoms, franchises, or hobbies people they work with daily are invested in, versus strangers just submitting a vague list of interests. Interestingly enough, though, it also results in moments of confusion or being flat-out wrong being less high-stakes; the host and other participants can poke fun at one another in a way that feels more natural, casual, and “friendly-fire-like” because there isn’t pressure to make yourself seem knowledgeable or impressive in front of strangers (except the audience, of course).
Having a central cast participating in the game shows alongside other programming is also a smart move. It leaves audiences more familiar with who is playing, getting excited to see cast members who work with one another often in other ways interact in another format or have the ability for “crossovers,” if you will, between cast members who often work on different shows/areas. It centralizes its talent and creates an audience that not only gets excited to watch an episode because of its format, questions, or twist but also because it includes friendly faces and fan favorites that audiences love to return to.
On the subject of format, I feel Dropout also thrives in creating ones that feel both classic and familiar yet innovative. This is most clearly seen with the iconic Game Changer (2019– ), which is introduced at the top of episodes as “the only show where the game changes each show.” Having this idea as the core of a game show, where it ends up being more about the discovery of what the show and its episode’s gimmick is rather than a tried-and-true format, naturally pushes its creators, writers, artists, and other producing bodies to stay thinking, experimenting, pushing, and innovating. Each season, the question seems to be: Can this get even wilder and more elaborate? And every season, the answer to audiences just seems to be: yes!
Ultimately, Dropout’s strength seems to be that it never stops playing and is a company that knows what it is at its core: something that doesn’t take itself too seriously while valuing the quality of what it produces, which requires audiences to be willing to invest. Because it is centered around a streaming service as its main output and not a different social media site like YouTube or TikTok, it has more of a drive to keep things contemporary and focus on audience/fan return, but also growth. This requires the company to be competitive and innovative in ways many streaming services don’t have to be because they can rely on Hollywood movies and shows to keep them afloat, alongside some original productions that can be more hit-or-miss because they have a cushion.
To make a long-story short, get Dropout! It is a great way to get familiar with big names in internet culture and enjoy some contemporary and timeless programming!