Cheap Cheap Cheap

Revision as of 10:02, 27 August 2017

Host

Broadcast

Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4, 14 August 2017 to present

Synopsis

Pairs of contestants are asked a simple question: which of these three items is cheapest? Correct answers allow the pair to climb up a money tree; a single incorrect answer removes them from the game with no prize.

To help, three "tools" are offered. The team can remove the most expensive item, they can reveal the price of a single item, or they can see a question and elect not to play it. Normally, the team would commit to play the question without seeing the items.

Noel and Marijana put some items before the contestants (right).

The result is a lot of small wins (£1000 the most common amount), a lot of losers, and only rarely does anyone chase after the big money. There's a nominal prize of £25,000 available.

An additional twist was on offer for the £5000 level - if only one of the pair played, and was correct, Noel would up the prize to £6000. With the next prize only worth £7500, here was a thinly-disguised offer to take the money and run.

The shop set.

Noel is assisted by a small comedy troupe. In the world of Cheap Cheap Cheap, Noel owns a general store, managed by Barry. He employs Kelly as a sales assistant, and Marijana is a health and happiness guru. The company is completed by Keith, an odd job man.

Marketed as a cross between a game show and a sitcom, Cheap Cheap Cheap fell into an uncanny valley between the two forms. As a game, it's weak, creating small winners and small losers, and having players come and go at speed.

This show has gone to the dogs. Ho ho ho.

As a sitcom, Cheap Cheap Cheap went over the audience's head. Subtle humour, a little smutty, a little surreal, and many new characters to get to know. Daytime audiences have grown to expect clear direction - here comes the Tipping Point machine, prepare to cheer. Without a laugh track, Cheap Cheap Cheap left its audience floundering.

Channel 4 had no confidence in its show, and put out the episodes during August 2017, some months after they were filmed. The 3pm slot during the school summer holidays can be a graveyard, and audience figures fell to 100,000 on some days. Press reaction was also more negative than usual.

Trivia

The supporting cast was Gabby Best as Marijana, Emily Lloyd-Saini as Kelly, Alex Lowe as Barry, and Kiell Smith-Bynoe as Keith.

Inventor

Noel Edmonds

Theme music

Dan McGrath & Josh Phillips

Web links

Official site

Feedback

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+[[File:Cheap cheap cheap title.jpg|300px]]
 <div class="box">
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 == Synopsis ==
-Contestants try and win £25,000 by correctly identifying which item is the cheapest. It's a sort of attempt to combine [[The Price is Right]] and [[Supermarket Sweep]] mixed with [[Noel's House Party]] humor.
+Pairs of contestants are asked a simple question: which of these three items is cheapest? Correct answers allow the pair to climb up a money tree; a single incorrect answer removes them from the game with no prize.
-{{notaired}}
+To help, three "tools" are offered. The team can remove the most expensive item, they can reveal the price of a single item, or they can see a question and elect not to play it. Normally, the team would commit to play the question ''without'' seeing the items.
+<div class=image>
+[[File:Cheap cheap cheap marijana by money board.jpg|400px]]
+''Noel and Marijana put some items before the contestants (right).''
+</div>
+The result is a lot of small wins (£1000 the most common amount), a lot of losers, and only rarely does anyone chase after the big money. There's a nominal prize of £25,000 available.
+An additional twist was on offer for the £5000 level - if only one of the pair played, and was correct, Noel would up the prize to £6000. With the next prize only worth £7500, here was a thinly-disguised offer to take the money and run.
+<div class=image>
+[[File:Cheap cheap cheap set.jpg|400px]]
+''The shop set.''
+</div>
+Noel is assisted by a small comedy troupe. In the world of ''Cheap Cheap Cheap'', Noel owns a general store, managed by Barry. He employs Kelly as a sales assistant, and Marijana is a health and happiness guru. The company is completed by Keith, an odd job man.
+Marketed as a cross between a game show and a sitcom, ''Cheap Cheap Cheap'' fell into an uncanny valley between the two forms. As a game, it's weak, creating small winners and small losers, and having players come and go at speed.
+<div class=image>
+[[File:Cheap cheap cheap dogs.jpg|400px]]
+''This show has gone to the dogs. Ho ho ho.''
+</div>
+As a sitcom, ''Cheap Cheap Cheap'' went over the audience's head. Subtle humour, a little smutty, a little surreal, and many new characters to get to know. Daytime audiences have grown to expect clear direction - here comes the [[Tipping Point]] machine, prepare to cheer. Without a laugh track, ''Cheap Cheap Cheap'' left its audience floundering.
+Channel 4 had no confidence in its show, and put out the episodes during August 2017, some months after they were filmed. The 3pm slot during the school summer holidays can be a graveyard, and audience figures fell to 100,000 on some days. Press reaction was also more negative than usual.
 ==Trivia==
-The supporting cast for the first series consisted of Gabby Best as Marijana, Emily Lloyd-Saini as Kelly, Alex Lowe as Barry From Watford and Kiell Smith-Bynoe as Keith.
+The supporting cast was Gabby Best as Marijana, Emily Lloyd-Saini as Kelly, Alex Lowe as Barry, and Kiell Smith-Bynoe as Keith.
 == Inventor ==
@@ Line 32: / Line 61: @@
 [http://www.channel4.com/programmes/cheap-cheap-cheap Official site]
+== See also ==
+[[Weaver's Week 2017-08-27|Weaver's Week review]]
 [[Category:Hat Trick Productions]]
 [[Category:Channel 4 Programmes]]
-[[Category:Awaiting Review]]
 [[Category:Current]]