Sometimes the "Truth" Hurts

Because I consider it my sworn duty as a TV blogger to watch the biggest new shows and give you my opinion, I tried to watch the first 15 minutes of the new FOX game show, “Moment of Truth.”

I think I made it through the first 10. I hope you can all find it in your hearts to forgive me…

FOX called it “the most anticipated show in the country.” I would call it a sad commentary on the state of TV today.

But the saddest thing is that this show was in development WAY before the writers’ strike began.

That’s FOX for you…

If you missed it, “Truth” is a “game show” where a person must answer personal questions truthfully in order to earn money. The contestant is asked a variety of questions while strapped to a polygraph off camera and then 21 of those questions are chosen to be asked on camera. The given while on the polygraph is used to determine if the on-camera answer is true or false. The more true answers, the further the contestant moves up the pyramid. The top prize is $500,000.

Of course, the questions get more personal and controversial as the game goes on (or so I’m told) and the contestant must decide whether to take the money and run or risk embarrassment (or worse) in front of his loved ones. The loved ones can replace a question if they don’t want to hear the answer, but they can only do that once.

As is the case with most TV shows these days, the concept comes from a show that aired in another country—in this case, Colombia. That show was cancelled last year, however, when a woman won $25,000 after confessing that she had hired a hitman to kill her husband.

So how could FOX possibly resist it then?

Maybe for some people the show is scintillating and scandalous TV; but for me it was just annoying. That computerized voice saying whether the answer is true or false, the annoying music…

And here’s my question for the producers. How long do they work with those contestants to perfect those dramatic pauses before they answer? It’s not like the question is a surprise. They’ve already answered it!

I feel quite certain that the ratings for last night’s premiere were pretty strong, but I’ve got to believe that good sense will eventually prevail and people will stop watching…

“Moment of Truth” airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on FOX…