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[Pieter]

Before you'll understand what's happening, there's something you need to know. On the 6th of December, people from Belgium and The Netherlands celebrate something called Sinterklaas^(Wikipedia). This is somewhat similar to what you all know as Santa Claus. Sinterklaas has helpers too and they're called Zwarte Pieten (translation: Black Piets). One of them is the leader of the Zwarte Pieten and we refer to him as Zwarte Piet (translation: Black Piet). Zwarte Piet accompanies Sinterklaas on his journey when he hands out presents to all childeren during the night of December 6th.

A few months ago, this happened on national television at 4pm:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/U6xpM2FtsvI" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/U6xpM2FtsvI</a>
(the video has no sound)

The presenter - who is dressed like a Zwarte Piet himself - implies that Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet... you know. But that's not the only thing about game shows that caused controversy in our little country. There have been many stories (and proof!) of these shows ripping their viewers off by switching the envelope with the correct answer, changing the rules of the game while playing and handing out prices that are way lower than they announce at the beginning of a game. Terrible. Absolutely terrible.

[Richard]

That's nothing. There's been many shows on ITV and Channel 4 (Both commercial) with many of there shows getting checked into as they have chosen the winner long ago but been telling people to all ring in on a premium number. Some paper has said callers over 4 years have lost as much as 40Million Pounds

Sketch on ITV Play Show on British sketch show called Dead Ringers taking the mick out of them

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Sgyj4IRLuos" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/Sgyj4IRLuos</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/60eGi_ZCo70" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/60eGi_ZCo70</a>

Must Read what goes across the screen - Very funny

[Pieter]

Yeah, I'm familiar with ITV Play because I read about it on the Wikipedia. There's one thing I don't understand though. They shut down ITV Play because it was some sort of scam, right? But why does it still air at night on ITV1? And what about Five and Channel 4? Do they still air live game shows after they shut down that game show on Five (Brainteaser, I believe)?

Sketch on ITV Play Show on British sketch show called Dead Ringers taking the mick out of them

When is this sketch show on air and on what channel? (Judging from what I saw in the second clip, it's probably BBC2.) We can only get BBC1, BBC2 and BBC World over here (and ITV1 too when I'm staying near the Belgian coast).

[Richard]

Yeah, I'm familiar with ITV Play because I read about it on the Wikipedia. There's one thing I don't understand though. They shut down ITV Play because it was some sort of scam, right? But why does it still air at night on ITV1? And what about Five and Channel 4? Do they still air live game shows after they shut down that game show on Five (Brainteaser, I believe)?

Sketch on ITV Play Show on British sketch show called Dead Ringers taking the mick out of them

When is this sketch show on air and on what channel? (Judging from what I saw in the second clip, it's probably BBC2.) We can only get BBC1, BBC2 and BBC World over here (and ITV1 too when I'm staying near the Belgian coast).

Correct BBC 2 - but its finished for now. Channel 4 got found on "you say we pay" on Richard & Judy Show by doing same making callers ring when they have picked there caller.

Channel Five - never watch it as its got nothing but re-runs and old shows

[Pieter]

Five had some nice station idents until they replaced it with new ones in January of 2006. Some Channel Four idents aren't bad either.



Too bad I can't watch Channel Four online, they got this stupid UK-only DRM thing going on...

[MetaMan]

Dead Ringers seemed a lot like the show Saturday Night Live (SNL) in America.  Those sketches were very funny, and the scrolling text was a nice touch.  It was much funnier than the half-baked garbage that SNL has become (though in its Golden Days, SNL was the untouchable standard of comedy in America).  Unfortunately, BBC America doesn't seem to air this show, but BBC and C4 have deals with other stations, so I can still watch Da Ali G Show and Extras in addition to the regular BBCA programming.

Personally, I've never found game shows interesting, and it is obvious that many of them are fraudulent.  As such, I don't watch them (ever).  The same goes for reality shows.  So much American TV is garbage, it's a miracle that shows like Lost even exist.

[Ryan Wagner]

I'm sure a lot of game shows are scams because they are also out to make a lot of money. Reality TV seems to be taking over the television which is why I find myself spending more time on the Internet now reading news and real things rather than watching those shows.

[Pieter]

I don't spend much time watching television either. Heroes (season 1, two episodes every Monday) and The Simpsons are the only TV shows that I watch on occasion.