Wheel of Fortune viewers have slammed Ryan Seacrest’s new season for its ‘over the top’ contestants and for desperately trying to ‘appeal to millennials,’ describing the popular ABC game show as ‘unnaturally extra.’
American Idol host Ryan, 49, officially took over from long-serving host Pat Sajak, 77, on Monday night and was quickly called out for not mentioning the former presenter by name.
Now, viewers are complaining of ‘overproduction’ and ‘fake emotion’ from contestants, with some going as far as questioning if the players are ‘paid actors.’
One disgruntled viewer on Reddit asked: ‘Is it me, or are they using more over the top characters as contestants this season?
‘I know 3 days is a small sample, but between their outfits and over the top enthusiasm it seems like it is being a prerequisite to be picked as a contestant.’
Ryan Seacrest slammed for lack of empathy on ‘Wheel of Fortune’
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Wheel of Fortune viewers have slammed Ryan Seacrest’s new season, describing it as ‘unnaturally extra’
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The American Idol host, 49, made his debut alongside returning letters whiz Vanna White, 67, on Monday
Replying in the thread, another added: ‘The other thing I’ve noticed are the puzzles and some prizes are more geared to millennials or a younger demographic.
‘Kombucha prize, I heart radio event, IYKYK puzzle answer, Dua Lipa song answer. I’ve just noticed more than usual.’
A third replied: ‘They’re targeting younger I think, and that’s gonna come with some annoyances.’
In a separate thread, another Reddit user bashed the contestants’ behavior.
They asked: ‘Does anyone besides me feel like the entire new WoF is just over the top?
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‘From the set, to the contestants outfits, and even the contestants behavior. Especially the male contestant tonight.
‘To me, it’s almost like they are actors. It feels unnaturally “extra”.’
Agreeing, one said: ‘Yes for sure. I was afraid this would happen after Pat retired. Wheel of Fortune is following the trend of overproduction and fake emotion.
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Viewers haven’t held back their criticism on social media, with many branding the new series ‘over the top’
‘Tonight’s episode especially, you feel dizzy and overwhelmed from all the cuts and noises from contestants. You can barely follow the puzzle.
‘Maybe the ratings don’t support this, but I’ve always preferred authentic emotions. You don’t want snoozefest contestants, but authenticity is nice.’
Others compared the new look to Family Feud and Press My Luck.
‘Seems like they are Family Feuding the show up,’ said one fan.
‘Used to love Family Feud, but now the show is just set up for people to answer with a dumb answer so Steve Harvey can react and make a joke with an over-the-top contestant.’
A fourth added: ‘Came here to see if anyone mentioned this.
‘It seems like a fake game show. It’s like an episode of Black Mirror. I’m not going to continue watching of it keeps like this.’
The new season of Wheel of Fortune began on Monday, introducing Ryan as host following Pat’s exit after 40 years at the helm.
With a new presenter came a sparkling new set, which features an upgraded puzzle board that is bigger and has a new, gold tiled border. Previously, the board had a teal blue screen.
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The fifth season of Wheel Of Fortune on ABC featured a brand new set with lots of wheels
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Wheel of Fortune’s original host Pat Sajak, 77, left the show in June after 40 years at the helm
Since the show’s return, Health-Ade Kombucha has been featured heavily on the program, which fans has left fans fuming.
Wheel of Fortune has also been accused of appealing to a younger crowd after revealing a competition which gives away tickets to the 2024 Jingle Ball.
Ryan failed to pay tribute to his predecessor during his introduction in the season’s first episode, prompting an outcry from viewers.
He said: ‘Welcome to Wheel of Fortune. I am your host, Ryan Seacrest.
‘I still can’t believe my luck being here with you tonight to continue this legacy of this incredible show with all of you.
‘And, of course my good friend, Vanna White.’
Vanna White cries in Wheel Of Fortune video for Pat Sajak
Ryan continued: ‘Thank you for the very warm welcome. Hosting Wheel of Fortune is a dream job.
‘I’ve been a fan of this job since I was a kid watching it in Atlanta with my family, and I know how special it is that Wheel has been in your living rooms for the past 40 years.
‘And I’m just so grateful to be invited in. I also know I’ve got some very big shoes to fill. So, let’s play Wheel of Fortune.’
Following his debut, a source told DailyMail.com that Ryan didn’t feel the need to mention Pat because he believes he lavished enough praise on the former host in the months leading up to his big moment.
The source added that he wanted to focus on taking Wheel of Fortune in ‘a new direction.’
