When I first saw ads for the Weakest Link, I was hooked on the show almost instantly and as soon as the first episode came on, I said, "I LOVE IT!!!". At that point, I knew why they chose Anne to host. It was obviously because the people at NBC watched a clip of the British version and they said something like, "Okay, she's obviously the perfect choice to host the U.S. version," most likely alluding to the fact that we Americans love a bit of British insulting.
The show is quite revolution at that time, because none of the show like weakest link will encourage people not need to be nice to anyone and just being competitive. And try to win the game with any cost. Anne really made a history as she is one of few female quiz show host, when most of other are men only. Also she is former journalist and "mature" than most other host. Those thing are taking as example when other country bough the show format and finding their "Anne Robinson" host. However.One thing quite sad about is the current cancel culture and reality show flooded cause the reboot just taking like typical reality tv show and other gameshow . it really lost its charm.not only to the show procedure and those amazing track and camera + set lighting. Also the host being too "nice" not to try being a bit pushy.the new producer never think to follow the tradition. Just typical american thinking,they must twist the format to be called making change for the show... Nowaday even Anne admit she can't host again because she can't being brutal like old days with current TV culture.with BBC also want others forget the original formate(they set the content ID to claim any weakest link show even with other language. One of the thing I hate is some people just accuse her being bulled now when former show clip appear online and they never speak in old days,which is disgusting why you don't say anything with 10 years so on and speak like that....
Grace Sweeney I think Anne should have more herself instead of acting like an evil headmistress. That's where they went wrong I'm afraid. TBH not many quiz shows make it in America. Plus Anne got a nice few million.
+Loyalmoonie Exactly this. The US lost almost all appetite for this kind of thing after 9/11. In fact this docu is a nice reminder of how stupid the news in the US had become by 2001, where it was possible for a hype machine to create an artificial frenzy over some new product; where something like a new game show on NBC was headline-dominating. 9/11 put an end to that.
I am surprised it wasn't successful in a lot of countries. Most countries only lasted for one year or two. The only other successful countries I can think of off the bat are France (2001-2007), Malaysia (2003-3009) and Moldova (2002-2009)
I doubt that's what did it. Of anything, that's what made if more popular than Who Wants to be a Millionaire? for a while. The reasons why could be because of 9/11, NBA games running so long, and so many celebrity specials which were mostly celebrities people don't remember and did even worst than regular contestants.
8:48 - Studio 1 at NBC Burbank is FAMOUS beyond anything, something British viewers would not know. It was the home of the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson from when he moved the show to LA in May 1972 until he retired in May 1992. Carson, a legend in American television. Gold standard. I would love to work in his former studio.
Great to see this. I was on the first run of the U.S. show, and I won $80,500. We shot nearly two months after 9/11, and it finally aired on GSN in January 2003.
I remember when she hosted the first prime time version in the us back in 2000/2001. I think the hosting style was ahead of its time which was why it didn’t last long. It’s been revived with Jane Lynch and she’s doing a decent job of mimicking Anne, but with a softer touch and it’s doing decently well.
I enjoyed seeing the behind the scenes of the show. It was interesting how much work the production put into making the promo videos with Anne Robinson.
One problem could have been that they tried airing too many celebrity episodes, which made already slipping ratings even worse. At the time, NBC still had the broadcast rights to NBA basketball, and there were a couple of cases where a game ran a bit long, causing those on the east coast to miss the beginning of the program. I caught it on CTV in Canada, and I loved the show. I just wish it could have had a longer run on this side of the pond.
Anne Robinson today Monday 15th February 2021 has been revealed as the next host of the British Channel 4 long running quiz show Countdown, as she will be the first female host of that show since it started in November 1982.
I seen in this video that Anne Robinson got to meet Sisqo. Does anybody remember who he is? He had a huge top ten hit with the Thong Song back in 1999. It's hard to believe that was 21 years ago already. I remember when it first came out. It seems like yesterday.
9:16 - I recognise that corridor on the right here. That was where Johnny Carsom famously one night left the studio with a camera to go the studio next door and confront Don Rickles who was making a sitcom there, Don had broken Carson's cigarette box the night before in 1976. Here is the clip: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7-SgzpginL0.html
I liked this show when it first came out in the US, but I stopped watching it when week after week it was just "celebrity specials" rather than just ordinary contestants.
It happened in Britain with Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. When it launched in 1998 it became a mega success, however come 2003 it went into a lot of celebrity specials, which saw ratings plummet. The new version of Millionaire in Britain is now hosted by the male version of Anne, Jeremy Clarkson, who is fantastic at it.
The Weakest Link UK with Anne Robinson on 14th of August 2000 and 31st of March 2012, but it's celebrity special of BBC Children in Need in November 2017.
It really is too bad it didn't have as long of a run in primetime on NBC as it should have. There were times when it started a few minutes late due to NBA basketball games running a little long. Also, too many celebrity and themed shows were other factors in killing it. There was also a daily daytime version in syndication with current announcer of "The Price is Right" George Gray as host. It did okay at first, but as soon as "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" moved to syndication, a lot of stations either dropped the show or moved it to late night time slots, eventually leading to its cancellation.
No offense to George Gray, but the reason the syndicated version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (or one of the reasons) it did better was because Meredith Vieira was a better host for that show than George was for the Weakest Link. They needed a host like Anne Robinson to host the show and not a comedic. Also, the primetime version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? was cancelled around the same time as the primetime version of the Weakest Link. I guess you can say game shows just lost popularity all of a sudden like that.
Agreed. I can think of plenty of actresses that could be good hosts like Anne Robinson. Katie Cassidy, Lauren Holly, Rachel Nichols, Lauren German, A.J. Cook, or Caity Lotz to name a few. If they can find a great host for the U.S., they should also consider having her host a version of the Weakest Link in Canada.
@@mitchellries256 Primetime Millionaire was dropped purely due to fatigue. ABC was insanely greedy in capitalizing on its success by airing episodes through the entire week. People got sick of it.
After the 911.NBC really gone so far to air lost celebrity episode than feature any regular contestant.which is sad and just adding fuel to the downfall of rating...
+Andrew Hain There were two sets, one which was small with no studio audience, and a much larger set with a studio audience sitting behind the contestants.
OK, remember the set used is in a 10,000 Sq Ft studio. So I assume it was a large set. The UK version had two sets as I said before. The US version always had a studio audience, the UK version had both.
They were trying to impress you see. The studio in which they taped it was Johnny Carson's studio, and I saw the side door when the famous 1976 bit happened when Johnny went to interrupt Don Rickles taping his sitcom next door.
The show is quite a revolutionary at that time, because none of the show like weakest link will encourage people，Don't need to be nice to anyone and just being competitive. And try to win the game with any cost. Anne really made a history as she is one of few female quiz show host, when most of other are men only. Also she is former journalist and "mature" than most other host. Those thing are taking as example when other country bough the show format and finding their "Anne Robinson" host. However.One thing quite sad about is the current cancel culture and reality show flooded cause the reboot just taking like typical reality tv show and other gameshow . it really lost its charm.not only to the show procedure and those amazing track and camera + set lighting.also the host being too "nice" not to try being a bit pushy. Nowaday even Anne admit she can't host again because she can't being brutal like old days with current TV culture.with BBC also want others forget the original formate(they set the content ID to claim any weakest link show even with other language. One of the thing I hate is some people just accuse her being bulled now when former show clip appear online and they never speak in old days,which is disgusting why you don't say anything with 10 years and so on and speak like that....
Please, please, please bring this show back to the United States. I am sure they can find the perfect host who could have the same Anne Robinson attitude people loved to see on the show.
9:17 - Isn't the door shown here on the right, the door Johnny Carson in 1976 went to go and interrupt his good friend Don Rickles who was taping the sitcom CPO Sharkey in the adjacent studio? He went to confront him for breaking his cigarette box on the Tonight Show the previous night. I think it is.
Maybe there weren't many who wanted to participate because the chance of winning anything is so small because you can be voted off for being too good.@@mitchellries256
Much like the US version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,“ the downfall of “The Weakest Link“ can largely be attributed to over exposure, if you ask me. NBC aired it on several nights a week from the beginning, if I remember correctly. had they actually picked a night for it to air and just stuck with that and not relied so much on celebrity players/special episodes later in the run, it might have lasted.
I agree as much as I really love both Millionaire & Weakest Link for different reasons the one big reason faded so fast after soaring so well in the beginning is because it was over doing with so many episodes each week 🥲🙌🔥💚
Remember this documentary originally, the shoe shop scene and how she was on her way to being this mega star haha! All went down the pan pretty quick, all cringing to watch now - she became so big headed it was unreal in a very short space of time
The Irish version of The Weakest Link was hosted by a man, football pundit Eamonn Dunphy. It lasted one series and was a ratings flop for Ireland's commercial channel TV3 in 2001/2002.
I didn't think Eamonn Dunphy was that bad. But if it were me, I would've considered reviving that version of the show with Anne Robinson as host (provided the U.S. version was cancelled at the time). I would also consider doing the exact same thing with the Australian version of the show to (no offense to Cornelia Frances in anyway).
Anne had said in interview she is so exhaust when hosting both US and UK version at the same time.she need to flying first class between US and UK,it is so hard for most host.If she came to australia would be puting more pressure and hard for her.I doubt Anne will done. But Australia also got a legendary Actress Conelia France who is amazing for the host role. Just sad she passaway because of Cancer.everyone in australia know her just being character not any mean person in real life. Channel 9 Had bring back the show with Magda Szubanski but it is not work.she is can't host like Anne or Cornelia,She never like the same level as them.Moreover many viewer disgus about Magda as she is making fun to innocent people (Making fun to the Prime Minister Wife).People really want her out.but Channel 9 don't listern.when there had other good choice of host...
How is it racist for making fun of Welsh people? White people originated from there just as much as white people originated from Britain, so therefore how is it racist? It just doesn’t make sense.
I often thought Anne Robinson stole SNL's Danna Carvery's wardrobe from SNL's character The Church Lady. {Weakest Link} Was Great ! Could It Be Satan ? 👿👹😈💔🐞🌹🌹🌹 LOL !🌹
Lol that Welsh-American bloke made me laugh. If anyone actually takes it seriously they need to get a life. PS, what for the love of God is a Welsh-American anyway? One or the other, people!
