Genius Game viewers make same complaint about David Tennant’s new show

ITV’s new game show, Genius Game, premiered on Wednesday night and while many viewers praised the opening episode, others complained about one aspect of the game. 

The eight-part reality show, which is based on a South Korean series, is hosted by David Tennant and sees a group of the country’s greatest minds compete in games and puzzles based on strategy and social manipulation.

The synopsis reads: “Genius Game is a brand-new reality game show that will see strategically minded players, chosen not just for their high intellectual prowess but also their social IQ, face the ultimate battle of survival. 

“To win, contestants will participate in a host of never-before-seen games all designed to not only test their intellectual acumen, but encourage them to carefully and creatively use the art of manipulation to outfox their opponents and win a cash prize.”

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While many viewers “loved” the first episode, others were left baffled by the rules of the game. Taking to social media, one person wrote: “I can’t be a genius because I haven’t a clue what is going on. Completely baffled and I thought I was clever because I can get the 1% question right sometimes! #geniusgame,” while another asked: “#GeniusGame, anyone else confused? Or is it just me?”

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A third viewer penned: “I’m there for reality TV evolving and all that, but not at the expense of compromising entertainment value for overly complicated rules. This feels like hard work,” while another added: “Is anybody else really confused with this game?”

However, not all viewers were left baffled by the rules, with others praising the show. One person wrote: “SO SO GOOD! Can’t wait for tomorrow’s episode #GeniusGame,” while another penned: “Big fan of the premiere, and extremely confused as to why a decent chunk of people are rushing to twitter to say that a game with extremely clear and patiently explained rules is nonsensical.”

What is Genius Game? 

Genius Game invites some of the greatest minds in the country to participate in games and puzzles designed to test their intellect and manipulation skills. 

Host David Tennant takes on the role of ‘The Creator’, guiding players as they attempt to navigate each uniquely crafted challenge.

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The contestants face 12 rounds, with one player eliminated after each game, which consists of a main match and a death match.

Winners of the main match are given a Token of Life, granting them immunity from the death match. The contestant who comes last in the main match then chooses another player to go up against in the death match, which determines which player will be going home.

Genius Game continues on Thursday, 1 May at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.