DATA HARD

Thursday, October 03, 2024

COMING TO AMERICA'S MR. MCDOWELL,JOHN AMOS GETS RICH MAN'S FAMILY PENTHOUSE AND POOL, IN UPTOWN HEAVENLY HIGHRISE. JESUS MAY VISIT ONCE A MONTH.

The Floor- FOX.com

First Contact: Captain

Final Rank: Commander

The Floor returned this week with star Rob Lowe (911:Austin.) The players have been upped,officially making 1 host surrounded by 100 combatants. The show takes a if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it approach. A bunch of pictures are shown in a certain category and two players take turns guessing until one has used up all their time (45 sec.) on bad guesses or passes (losing a hard 3 seconds off their timer) before the next pictogram appears.

Lowe continues to take a professional,yet mischievous tone, as MC. He’s Serious when needs to be and childishly playful with the contestants-when it counts. It would be nice if got a suit sponsor,so it doesn’t look like he’s wearing the same one week-after-week or taped a bunch of shows at once,as most game shows are prone to do.

Despite being a big hit last season,payoffs are the same.The players get $20K cash,if they're the best player of the night and if there’s a tie on duel wins, that money is split evenly. The sole survivor wins $250,000.

This continues the main problem with the show,even if you’re doing well, that player may not have much to show for it.Then one bad duel & that player leave penniless. These players should get $1,000 per duel,if they win. That’s only another $100K from FOX,in the show’s meager prize budget.

Next,a sponsored parting gift for $0 contenders,would help. The Millionaire type music could have different versions of “The Randomizer” song,to keep viewers/players spirits up. Also, it wouldn’t kill Lowe to wear a tie on the grand prize show and spice himself up a little.

IS LADY GAGA TRULY READY TO PLAY HARLEY QUINN?

IF Margot Robbie could sing,she would have been in this project. That could've created a DC sub universe where Joker & Suicide Squad reign. However, Lady's best work has been the Star Is Born remake & is too consumed with her burgeoning career.

The rest of her film work is fine,but Sin City 2 flopped,Machete KIlls:

she was a part of a role

played better by other more prominent actors.

House of Gucci was her

second best performance,but

played like an extended satire of TV’s Dynasty.

The trailer shows her- giving it her all,but lacks the clever,sleazy flair

of the comic books and what Robbie does well

about the persona in droves. Feminist sadist rage at war with bubbly personality,that just wants to be desperately loved.

She doesn't fight (so far) or wear those trashy elegant costumes that Gaga herself is known for wearing. Except, in Chicago-like dance numbers that play like media parody,which means this playing out in the villains’ minds,as a coping mechanism for being stuck in Arkham Asylum. So far that’s the really cool & sad part of the epic. Since that’s what most real people do, to escape the ho hum data of their lives.

This will probably work at the box office,but unless Oscar comes a calling and shows up for Gaga, Robbie won't be replaced any time, as the sexy court jester for crime.