NBC's "Poker After Dark"
Anyone else watch this? You have to PVR it... it's on at a weird time. My thoughts:
1) What is this? Would you call it a cash game or a winner-take-all tournament? The blinds escalate, but there's cash on the table... weird.
2) My PVR will only start recording this at X:35 because that's when it's listed as starting. In fact, it starts at X:30 so I will always miss the first five minutes of the show.
3) The show needs more Shana Hiatt. What show doesn't. I mean, they've got her, she looks great... let's see her. Really.
4) The "hook" for this show is that it's all about the players. The commentators say very little, if anything at all, and I never saw them, and I have no idea who they might be. The commentators don't comment on the action at all, beyond saying that so-and-so needs a queen, etc. and making the occasional one-liner smart-ass remark. I think they should stop with the one-liners... they're pretty lame. And, the lameness (lameitude?) is only magnified by the fact that they let the players talk for three minutes uninterrupted, and then this voice comes over everything and says: "You tell him, Phil" or some such nonsense.
5) On the heels of that, this show is obviously trying to be unique because the players do all of the talking, and there is consequently no analysis. The danger with this concept is that the players might not have much to say, and then all you have is dead air. Not here, though... the players are CHATTY. ALL of them. They don't shut up. They have clearly been paid handsomely to keep the chatter going, and this fact is so overwhelmingly obvious that the chatter seems REALLY contrived. I would expect that each player has had at least the 20K buy-in paid for, if not more. This is, after all, NBC, and these players are talking as if they're getting paid by the word.
6) Shana's wrap at the end of the show has her walking up behind the table, right next to the players. The players are talking to each other and carrying on as if nothing's happening, but she's RIGHT BEHIND THEM, talking ABOUT them. They ignore her completely. OK, it looks good, it's a nice shot, a nice idea, but again, it feels so fake. When I watched it all I could think of was a producer saying to the players: "So Shana's going to come and do her extro right here behind you at the table, but you all just pretend like she's not even there, OK? Maybe you can play with your chips, laugh a little, Annie maybe you can talk to Phil..."
7) The show looks weird... too contrasty, too much detail. The lighting concept seems to have been along the lines of: "We want you to make it all shady and dark with your lights. Here's three million dollars. Make it happen. Think dark."
1) What is this? Would you call it a cash game or a winner-take-all tournament? The blinds escalate, but there's cash on the table... weird.
2) My PVR will only start recording this at X:35 because that's when it's listed as starting. In fact, it starts at X:30 so I will always miss the first five minutes of the show.
3) The show needs more Shana Hiatt. What show doesn't. I mean, they've got her, she looks great... let's see her. Really.
4) The "hook" for this show is that it's all about the players. The commentators say very little, if anything at all, and I never saw them, and I have no idea who they might be. The commentators don't comment on the action at all, beyond saying that so-and-so needs a queen, etc. and making the occasional one-liner smart-ass remark. I think they should stop with the one-liners... they're pretty lame. And, the lameness (lameitude?) is only magnified by the fact that they let the players talk for three minutes uninterrupted, and then this voice comes over everything and says: "You tell him, Phil" or some such nonsense.
5) On the heels of that, this show is obviously trying to be unique because the players do all of the talking, and there is consequently no analysis. The danger with this concept is that the players might not have much to say, and then all you have is dead air. Not here, though... the players are CHATTY. ALL of them. They don't shut up. They have clearly been paid handsomely to keep the chatter going, and this fact is so overwhelmingly obvious that the chatter seems REALLY contrived. I would expect that each player has had at least the 20K buy-in paid for, if not more. This is, after all, NBC, and these players are talking as if they're getting paid by the word.
6) Shana's wrap at the end of the show has her walking up behind the table, right next to the players. The players are talking to each other and carrying on as if nothing's happening, but she's RIGHT BEHIND THEM, talking ABOUT them. They ignore her completely. OK, it looks good, it's a nice shot, a nice idea, but again, it feels so fake. When I watched it all I could think of was a producer saying to the players: "So Shana's going to come and do her extro right here behind you at the table, but you all just pretend like she's not even there, OK? Maybe you can play with your chips, laugh a little, Annie maybe you can talk to Phil..."
7) The show looks weird... too contrasty, too much detail. The lighting concept seems to have been along the lines of: "We want you to make it all shady and dark with your lights. Here's three million dollars. Make it happen. Think dark."
Comments
I caught a little bit (10 mins. worth) of it this morning while working out. (Showing on the West coast 7am our time).
It was kind of bizarre when watching because Annie Duke and Shawn Sheikhan were talking about Phil Hellmuth's marriage while he was in a hand and they were talking about it for like 3 minutes. It really doesn’t make for interesting TV.
It reminded me a lot of poker super stars but with out all the “All-ins”.
I have set up the PVR to record it too and will see how it is over the next little while.
I thought it was softcore porn. It sure SOUNDS like cheap porno.
Ok, I'll PVR it.
Johnnie
Day and Time??
When and where's she on?
silly me thought it was airing at 1:30am not 6:30.
Although now that I look at 6:30am, this is during the morning news.
This is soo frustrating and I really, really hate Cogeco.
Im still waiting for A&E HD which was scheduled to start a month ago for us.
Found it on KING, which must be an NBC west coast affilliate.
Why wouldn't it be on at the proper time or on HD, that'd be too easy.
Judging by the comments, I think this show is going to be like TILT...remember that dumb show? 9 Episodes, and was never heard from again!
I think they are trying to rip off High Stakes poker.
They play it as a SnG but have real money (I would assume the chips have real value as well) on the table and they say winner takes all.
Also, why are they starting with $20,000 in chips in a 6 handed game winner take all. Blinds started at 50/100.
B-O-R-I-N-G.....they are trying to make this into a soap opera....
TUNE IN TOMMOROW, AND FIND OUT HOW LONG PHIL HAS BEEN MARRIED, SEE IF GUS PLAYS LOOSER.....
Hellmuth freak out at all the talk at the table and left for a short time.
it was an ok show but it seems you have to watch all week to see who wins Week 1. New set of 6 Pros for Week 2.
I am just not sure what the Bundles of Cash are for that each player has. They bet with it and also bet with chips, Just wondering why have both??
LMFAO and spilled Guiness on my lap.
ps if anyone wants the details let me know ill have a check back and sort them out.
Probably because they have wads of cash on High Stakes Poker.
UR THINKING OF THE MANSION POKER DOME....UNLESS UR A PROFESSIONAL YOU WON'T EVER BE ON THIS SHOW!
I agree with Devo, more Shana!
No more ghost voices who seem to come out of nowhere.
Gus vs Huck Seed will be good to watch tonight!
Actually you can win a seat on the show on FullTilt.
http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/promotions/play-on-tv-on-poker-after-dark.php
Also, Shana and Mr. Voice stop saying earlier in the week, yesterday, and tommrow. This tourney is a one day event split up into 6 episodes! You sound really dumb when your interviewing the players. "Annie, yesterday you played great out there, today you just couldn't keep up with the blinds"
Were not dumb, just say last episode....
The announcer is awful, chimes in at the worst times (stating the blatantly obvious, but ignoring things that might actually help some people know what is occurring)
That was the longest, boringest head to head I've ever seen in my life. Seed didn't help but geez. I really thought NBC would have done a better job at creating entertaining poker, but it's about as bad as they come so far (granted I didn't see the earlier shows but the head to head action was painful). Even the players looked like they just wanted to end, not win, just end.
It was like Hanson and Seed were forcing themselves to carry on awkward conversations to kill the dead air.
I don't know about if it was just my station either, but they were advertising every 4 minutes!!! I think Shana Hiatt is hot as hell, but if this is any indication on how this show is going to continue, it may have been more beneficial to her career to stay at the WPT because this little stint is going to be short lived.
The fact that they need to fill 5 hours of television minus commercials is a little much too. Sorry, but some editing is needed from the start to the finish to cut out the extremely boring parts. What happens when the 6 player game is done in 3 hours? The dragging head to head tonight and last made me almost think they were stretching. That was awful. Did I mention that was bad.....lol.
I knew they would kill TV poker sooner or later, but this is sooner than I thought it would be.
I even think Phil is just playing it up at this point. He knows what the public wants to see.
Watching cards on TV can only be sold if it is entertaining. The two last shows I saw weren't entertaining in the least. I actually recorded the final half hour to show my girlfriend (who also enjoys watching poker) just so she could see how bad it was. She couldn't believe it. Even the audio was horrible. NBC you failed miserably, Shana, call me...maybe I can hook you up. I'm thinking you will be needing a job within a couple of weeks.
(I already posted my opinion of the show on an american forum before I found this one, but just had to repeat myself here. WORST POKER SHOW......EVER!!!!)
Idea's for the show...have Shana deal the heads up match naked.
Have this tourney a HORSE tourney instead
It has been really interesting, Mike the Mouth, David Grey, Gabe Kaplin, Daniel Negreanu, Doyal Brunson and Jerry Buss.
They have talked a lot about the Corportation against Andy Beal and some of hands from High Stakes poker season 3 with David Benyamine.
It has been so much better this week then last, however the one liners from the commentators have to go.
What really is going to make or break this show is players as long as they have an interesting mix of players for the show it should be good.
Last week was brutal Annie Duke, Gus Hansen, Huck Seed, Steve Z, those guys are all dead air, Shawn Sheiken is boring if he has no one to antagonize. As soon as Phil Hellmuth was gone the show tanked. (No one for the table to bug)
Next week may be interesting:
World Champions' Week: Begins on Jan. 15
Seat 1: Chris Moneymaker
Seat 2: Jamie Gold
Seat 3: Johnny Chan
Seat 4: Chris Ferguson
Seat 5: Doyle Brunson
Seat 6: Carlos Mortensen
And also the Week of the 22nd.
Week of Jan. 22
Seat 1: Sam Farha
Seat 2: Tony G
Seat 3: Mike Matusow
Seat 4: Phil Hellmuth
Seat 5: Phil Ivey
Seat 6: Andy Bloch
LOL This one may turn into a bench brawl! The dealer will be Kerry Frasier.
I can visualize them all talking and no body listening:
Tony G tells everyone that he is the best poker player in the world and that he would even make a better woman than Shana Hiatt. He then grabs Andy Bloch who is wearing his Full Tilt hockey shirt and jerseys him before dropping him with one shot.
Matusow cracks from not being the center or attention and agrees to bet coin flips with Farha for $100,000 a throw as long as he gets to call it and immediately wins 4 in a row:
"Heads I win and tails you lose."
"Heads, I win!"
"Heads I win and tails you lose."
"Heads, I win!"
"Heads I win and tails you lose."
"Tails, You Lose!"
"Heads I win and tails you lose."
"Heads, I win!"
Sam Farha finally snaps and lights his ciggy, take one puff and butts it in Matusow's eye.
As all of this goes on Hellmuth is walking around oblivious and talking to himself about the fist hand of the night that he lost to Tony G, "...so he limps Under the Gun with 2-7 offsuit, check raises the flop, and pushes the river...I couldn't put him on that hand....I'm the best player in the world and I..."
Meanwhile Ivey will be silently raking in every other pot (as he simultaneously 4 tables $1000-$2000 NL at Full Tilt on his lap top.) His eyes will be spinning in his head 10X more than usual as he attempts to maintain his sanity.
Oh...I cant wait for this!
Caddy