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‘The Challenge’ is understanding why this ‘Squid Game’ game show was green-lit

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‘The Challenge’ is understanding why this ‘Squid Game’ game show was green-lit

Squid Game: The Challenge is a reality game show based on the sensational 2021 South Korean drama series. But this gruesome, creatively misbegotten concept should never have made it past the first meeting.

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Squid Game: The Challenge is a reality game show based on the sensational 2021 South Korean drama series. But this gruesome, creatively misbegotten concept should never have made it past the first meeting.

Netflix

It is one thing to extend a successful television series in a way that drains its meaning and dilutes its impact. It is another to drown it in greed and to gleefully embrace what it diagnoses as economically and spiritually catastrophic.

Squid Game, the South Korean drama series that was a sensation on Netflix in September 2021, is a work of despair. In it, hundreds of players who are deeply in debt are invited to participate in a secretive competition with an enormous cash prize for those who successfully complete a series of games. What they don’t realize until the first game is underway is that as they are eliminated from each game, they will be murdered.

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The first episode, “Red Light Green Light,” finds 456 people in an enormous open space playing the childhood game in which, if you are caught moving after you’re told to freeze, you are out. But in this case, when you are out, you are shot dead by enormous guns embedded in the walls. Shot in the head, the neck, the back. As the group realizes what’s happening, many panic and run for the exit, but of course, this violates the rules as well, so they are massacred as they try to escape. They end as a pile of dead bodies against the doors, their identical green sweatsuits drenched in blood. Those who survive, owing to their desperate circumstances, eventually play on. How inhuman it is to conduct this game, to have to play it, and especially to watch it, those are the things that give the scene and the series such weight.

At some point, some person, some fool, somewhere, in some office, flush with the success of the series both critically and commercially, decided it would be entertaining to create a game show — a real game show — that imitated this scenario as closely as possible without actually murdering anyone. And so you have Squid Game: The Challenge.

What makes The Challenge so bad is that outside of the simulated killings and their shock value, it’s dull.

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It brings 456 real people to a vast dormitory designed to look as much as possible like the one in the show. And it begins, too, with the game of “Red Light Green Light.” It would have been easy to design The Challenge such that if you are caught moving, your number is called and you are simply out of the game. Had they stopped there, this effort would be empty and pointless, but perhaps only that. Instead, when a player is caught moving, a squib inside their shirt explodes, splattering their chest and neck with black fluid, and they fall over and play dead. It is meant to look as much like a true massacre by gunfire as they could manage, although someone seems to have drawn the line at fake red blood in a meaningless gesture toward, one can only assume, some simulacrum of good taste.

The original Squid Game indicts, above all, anyone who would find such a competition entertaining. The villains are the people who watch, who plan, and who enjoy this spectacle. So what makes The Challenge so creatively misbegotten is that it suggests at best (or worst?) a cynical effort to exploit the most superficial elements of Squid Game while entirely missing its point, and at worst (or best?) an ignorant failure to understand what the show is even supposed to be about. These games are not particularly exciting, in and of themselves. The murders are the story; the brutality is the one thing that makes it compelling. And the only reason the fictional game has been designed by its evil creators is that they want to watch people scramble to save their very lives. The deaths are not a decoration; they are the fabric of the thing.

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And so what makes The Challenge so bad is that outside of the simulated killings and their shock value, it’s dull. There are too many contestants to get to know and no central characters to grab onto like the ones in Squid Game.

What makes The Challenge feel wrong is that a competition where the first episode is a whimsical game of “mass shooting and panic,” complete with squibs, complete with splatter, should never have made it past the very first meeting. That nobody said no, that nobody said “there’s an excellent chance that we will be dropping these episodes in the aftermath of a real mass shooting, and simulating one for entertainment will seem like an extraordinary violation of bare-bones decency” is an indictment of everyone involved. Someone — everyone — has lost the plot. (Not to mention what some contestants claim were, in real life, apparently atrocious conditions.)

Yep, this pretty much sums it up.

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Yep, this pretty much sums it up.

Pete Dadds/Netflix

In a media environment in which creative people manage, against all odds, to do work that is daring and interesting — like Squid Game was — it is brutal to see the same company that drove that work’s success turn around and treat it so carelessly. It’s not the first time Netflix has tried to have its cake and eat it too; recent seasons of Black Mirror that aired on Netflix have skewered formats and practices straight out of the service’s own playbook, to the point where a Netflix clone called Streamberry was one of the primary villains of the sixth season. But at least in that one, as far as we know, nobody got hurt.

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This piece also appeared in NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter so you don’t miss the next one, plus get weekly recommendations about what’s making us happy.

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'Wait Wait' for August 31, 2024: Live in Minnesota with Nate Berkus

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'Wait Wait' for August 31, 2024: Live in Minnesota with Nate Berkus

Nate Berkus speaks onstage during the Celebrity Cruises newest and most luxurious ship, Celebrity Beyond, makes north American debut in NYC on October 25, 2022 in Bayonne, New Jersey. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Celebrity Cruises)

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This week’s show was recorded at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis with host Peter Sagal, judge and scorekeeper Bill Kurtis, Not My Job guest Nate Berkus and panelists Joyelle Nicole Johnson, Bobcat Goldthwait, and Josh Gondelman. Click the audio link above to hear the whole show.

Who’s Bill This Time

Beware of Babies; Coffee Conundrum; Even Killer Whales Need Practice

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Panel Questions

The Buddy System Fails

Bluff The Listener

Our panelists tell three stories about someone saying “I told you so,” only one of which is true.

Not My Job: We quiz celebrity designer Nate Berkus on tattoos

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Interior Designer Nate Berkus plays our game called “Try Some Exterior Decorating.” Three questions about tattoos.

Panel Questions

A Suspicious Promotion; Chicken Fried Television; Out Of Office/Out of Patience

Limericks

Bill Kurtis reads three news-related limericks: Pizza Face; Eau de Crayola; Caffeinated Commerce

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Lightning Fill In The Blank

All the news we couldn’t fit anywhere else

Predictions

Our panelists predict what surprising thing Starbucks will add to its menu next.

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Tony Gonzalez

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Tony Gonzalez

When NFL Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez was growing up in Torrance, he remembers spending Sundays watching the Los Angeles Raiders on television. After all, “they had Bo Jackson,” Gonzalez says of the famous running back. (The Rams, led by quarterback Jim Everett, were a close second.)

Like Jackson, the 48-year-old grew up to be a multisport athlete, playing basketball and football at Huntington Beach High School and UC Berkeley and later playing 17 seasons in the NFL as a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons.

He may have retired from playing football, but Gonzalez is back on television as an analyst for Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football,” a job that requires considerable travel during the NFL football season.

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In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.

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During the offseason, however, Gonzalez cherishes his time at home with his family. Now that he, his wife, October, and their three kids have returned to Los Angeles after living in Texas, Gonzalez is happy to be back in L.A. (Gonzalez also has a son from a previous relationship with Lauren Sanchez, Amazon founder Jeff Bezo’s fiancée.) “When I left, I thought, ‘Why did I ever leave California?’” Gonzalez says. “I missed my family — my mother and my brother who live here. I also missed the ocean.”

When the NFL season kicks off on Sept. 5, Gonzalez will have to forfeit his Sundays — a day he describes as his “sacred day” — because he will watch football all day to prepare for his halftime and postgame analysis for “Thursday Night Football.” Until then, Gonzalez can be found cruising the tree-lined streets of Montana Avenue in Santa Monica on foot and bicycle as he enjoys a car-free day.

Accustomed to doing play-by-plays, Gonzalez offers the following commentary on his perfect Sunday in L.A. when he’s not on the road.

This interview has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

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7 a.m.: Meditate before starting the day
The first thing I do when I wake up is meditate. I pray, sit there, think and close my eyes. I don’t get out of bed; I take time to be alone and get my thoughts right. It’s a sacred moment for me and lasts about 10 minutes.

9 a.m.: Grab a coffee at Sweet Lady Jane while walking the dogs
Midmorning, I’ll take my two dogs, Chica and Bronx, a standard black poodle and labradoodle, for a walk. During our walk, I’ll stop at Sweet Lady Jane off Montana Avenue in Santa Monica for coffee. Montana is where I will concentrate my day. I’m used to traveling for “Thursday Night Football” and am always on a plane. So Sunday is my sacred day. If I need to go somewhere, I’m walking; I’m walking everywhere. I’m not getting in the car.

10 a.m.: Shop local at the Santa Monica Farmers Market
After coffee and cake, my next stop is the Santa Monica Farmers Market, where I’ll do a little shopping. I like the local farmers’ eggs, cheese and meats, and they have the best yogurt I have ever tasted. I love going up and down the aisles and trying new things. It’s such a cool spot.

11 a.m.: Enjoy the ocean views at Palisades Park
If I don’t go home, I’ll walk over to Palisades Park, north of the Santa Monica Pier. I’ll pick a street, say Marguerita or Montana, and walk until it ends. After sampling some things at the Farmers Market, I’ll walk over to the cliffs overlooking the water. It’s so peaceful and beautiful there; it’s like you’re in a different country. That’s California at its best. You can sit on a bench and look out over the water. Anytime people come in from out of town, we’ll take them there and have a picnic. The ocean is one of the reasons I wanted to move back to Los Angeles.

Noon: Afternoon workout
Jogging to Palisades Park from where I live is a good workout. It’s about a mile from my house. I love walking to the ocean from my home and seeing the water. So after I take in the ocean views, I’ll walk or jog back to the house and take a shower.

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1 p.m.: Take a bike ride over to Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery
After showering, I’ll bike to Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery. Their sandwiches are the best. I usually customize my sandwich and order turkey, roast beef, avocado, provolone, tomatoes, pickles, onions and mayonnaise. And the bread is outstanding. That’s what makes a good sandwich — the bread.

3 p.m.: Grab a craft beer at Father’s Office gastropub
Later in the afternoon, I might head to Father’s Office, Sang Yoon’s gastropub in Santa Monica, where they have a great beer selection. It’s an excellent place to grab a beer on Montana Avenue, which is my favorite area. Father’s is small, but they have a nice outdoor area and terrific burgers. I might grab a beer and then head back to the house to relax.

7 p.m.: Enjoy an Italian meal at La Condo Portofino
At the end of the day, I’ll have dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, La Condo Portofino on Montana Avenue. It’s an unassuming Italian place near 11th Street and located next to a cleaners, which I love. They have some of the best Italian food in L.A., and the staff is so nice. After the COVID-19 pandemic, they expanded and created seating in the parking lot. So now you can sit outside if you prefer and finish the day with a nice plate of pasta, a veal chop and a glass of wine.

10 p.m.: Read a book, catch up on TV and appreciate the day
After dinner, I’ll go home and read a book or try to find something to watch on Amazon Prime before I go to bed. That is my perfect day. The billion-dollar stadiums around the NFL are all centered around the fan experience. At home, this is my ultimate experience. In fact, I want to go do this right now.

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Court orders a new hearing for Adnan Syed in 'Serial' case. Here's what to know

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Court orders a new hearing for Adnan Syed in 'Serial' case. Here's what to know

Adnan Syed, standing with his mother Shamim Rahman, talks with reporters outside Maryland’s Supreme Court in Annapolis, Md., on Oct. 5, 2023.

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Less than two years after Adnan Syed was released from prison, Maryland’s top court has ordered a redo on the very hearing that freed him.

On Friday, the Maryland Supreme Court upheld an appellate court’s decision from 2023 to reinstate Syed’s conviction. That ruling was based on the argument that the murder victim’s family did not receive adequate notice about the hearing that led to Syed’s release.

Now, the case will head to a new lower court judge, who will determine the fate of Syed’s conviction. The Maryland Supreme Court said Syed can remain free in the meantime.

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The 43-year-old spent 23 years in prison for the murder of his former high school girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. His case drew national attention after being the main focus of the Serial podcast’s first season. The episodes raised doubts about some of the case’s evidence and led to calls for a new trial. Syed was originally facing life in prison until a Baltimore judge vacated his conviction in 2022.

Syed went on to work for Georgetown University’s Prisons and Justice Initiative. But his case is far from settled. Here’s what to know.

A recap of Syed’s criminal case

In 1999, Baltimore high school student Hae Min Lee’s body was discovered in a city park, a few weeks after she had gone missing. Her autopsy determined that she had been strangled to death.

Syed, who had previously dated Lee, was charged with her murder and in 2000, he was sentenced to life in prison. At the time, he was 18 years old.

Syed had long maintained that he was innocent but his case received renewed attention in 2014 after it was chronicled in the debut season of the Serial podcast. Over the course of 12 episodes, Serial probed at the details in Syed’s case and exposed flaws in the legal system. One poignant question from the podcast was about the reliability of cellphone tower evidence.

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Syed’s lawyers raised similar concerns and in 2016, Syed was granted a new trial. The state appealed the ruling and his case went through various courts. In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his case.

Things took a turn in 2022 after a year-long investigation resulted in new information about two possible, alternative suspects. In September of that year, Syed was released from prison and prosecutors later decided to drop all cases against him.

Why Syed’s murder conviction got reinstated

In 2023, Lee’s family urged the Appellate Court of Maryland for a redo of the hearing that won Syed his freedom. The family argued that Lee’s brother, who lived in California, received about three days notice about the hearing and therefore, was unable to attend in person — violating Maryland victims’ rights, the Associated Press reported at the time.

“We’re not on a campaign to have Adnan Syed put back in jail,” attorney David Sanford, representing Lee’s family, said in 2023. “This is about respecting victims and their representatives.”

The appellate court ruled in favor of Lee’s family and reinstated Syed’s murder conviction. The court also a ordered a new hearing in the case. That ruling was upheld by Maryland’s highest court on Friday.

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“In an effort to remedy what they perceived to be an injustice to Mr. Syed, the prosecutor and the circuit court worked an injustice against Mr. Lee,” Maryland’s Supreme Court wrote in an opinion on Friday.

What’s next

Baltimore’s state attorney’s office said it was reviewing the high court’s decision and had no further details about next steps forward.

In a statement, Lee’s family’s attorney, Sanford, applauded the court for reaffirming crime victims’ rights and giving the family the chance to be heard properly in court.

“If there is compelling evidence to support vacating the conviction of Adnan Syed, we will be the first to agree,” Sanford said.

Syed’s attorney, Erica Suter, said she disagreed with the court’s decision, adding that it will put an emotional toll on both Lee and Syed’s family.

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“Though this latest ruling is a roadblock in the way of Adnan’s exoneration, we have faith that justice will prevail, and will work tirelessly to clear his name once and for all,” Suter said in a statement.

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