CBC just proved that Facebook ads work.
When a few sponsored posts popped up in my feed about their upcoming game show series Canada’s Smartest Person, I quickly signed up to join the studio audience. It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of co-host Jessi Cruickshank and Canadian entertainment, so attending a live taping was a no-brainer.
Canada’s Smartest Person tests participants’ knowledge and skills in a unique way that makes it like a hybrid of The Apprentice, Survivor and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. All of the participants are challenged to prove they deserve to earn the coveted title through tasks that range from ordinary to geeky.
Spending five hours on a Saturday in a TV studio seemed like a very long time; however, it made me appreciate the amount of labour needed to produce a game show. The set changes are much more elaborate than on other shows I’ve seen taped like The Social and it’s interesting to witness what kind of errors warrant re-tapings.
As the day went on, the audience’s enthusiasm for clapping and cheering waned. I’d advise the CBC to invest more in recruiting audience members who genuinely want to be at a TV taping and will look happy to be there. Thankfully, an audience coordinator who moonlights as a YTV host maintained a positive vibe and awarded SUBWAY gift cards to a few lucky audience members.
It’s been two months since I watched an episode come together and now it’s finally time for the series premiere! Canada’s Smartest Person debuts tonight on CBC at 8 PM.
Get ready for an interactive second (or third!) screen experience that will test your intelligence as you watch from your couch and play along on a cell phone or tablet. Download the app before the show starts and let me know what you think!
Canada’s Smartest Person airs Sundays on CBC at 8 PM.