Better Luck Than Chuck invites horror fans to test their genre knowledge on the first-ever horror gameshow
Ever wanted to be on a gameshow where all the questions were about horror? If you were one of the lucky contestants on the first season of Better Luck Than Chuck, congrats – you got your wish. The first-of-its-kind, old-style gameshow poses trivia questions about scary movies along with more hands-on events like spooky scavenger hunts. Creative formats like identifying the film a 911 call originates from keep the competitors on their toes (and the viewers yelling at the screen). Not to mention, big names like Mike Flanagan and Chad Villella took notice of the show, and a few of the questions are posed by these masters of horror themselves. The prizes are nothing to sneeze at either, including an all-expenses-paid trip to Universal’s Halloween Horror nights.
Better Luck Than Chuck blends plot, traditional gameshow format, and a retro atmosphere
But the gameplay is only half the fun. The hosts are closer to Steve Harvey on Family Feud than the inscrutable interlocutors of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The costumes and set create a comedic, retro atmosphere, and the banter in between rounds keeps watchers hooked. The show blends an overarching plot with the traditional question-and-answer format, in a way the creators compare to a “mix of Bewitched and Married with Children meets the pop culture, comedic quirkiness of genre-focused game shows like MTV’s Remote Control and Comedy Central’s Win Ben Stein’s Money.” If that sounds like a whole heck of a lot going on – well, that’s because it is. But it’s absolutely the right amount of chaos - creators Meredith Tummillo and Tony Wash, alongside producers Sarah Sharp and Robert Patrick Stern have delivered a genuinely unique and fun experience.
In hilarious, campy glory, the dysfunctional marriage of The Widow (Alexis Allotta) and Charlie, her undead husband (Adam Michaels) is the backdrop for the competition. The show occurs in the couple’s basement (since that’s where she’s been keeping Charlie ever since the…er…poisoning incident), and they trade barbs in between quizzing their guests. Contestants can expect to get razzed a little, particularly by the merciless Widow. We start to form a connection with the hosts and become as invested in their story as we are the competition.
The first season's episodes are available on YouTube, and we’re hoping for many more!
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