When I first heard that there was going to be a Canadian version of Mark Burnett’s latest reality show, Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?, I wasn’t quite sure what to think. Truth be told, I had seen a few episodes of the American version that was hosted by Jeff Foxworthy, and while I was entertained, it certainly wasn’t appointment television for me. As a result, I was kind of ho-hum about Are You Smarter Than A Canadian 5th Grader? which airs its finale tonight on Global. I just figured the show would be another Northern knock-off that lacked the spark and production value of the “real thing,” but after seeing a taping live, I certainly was impressed with what Global and Insight Productions had put together.
The set was spectacular and looked decidedly different than it’s U.S. counterpart as it featured all kinds of Canadian paraphernalia around. There was the Canadian map on stage, a canoe, fish, and of course, the host… Colin Mochrie (of Whose Line Is It Anyway? fame).
The concept of the show remains the same. Adult contestants are asked to answer elementary-school questions along with the help of their 5th grade classmates. The “helps” are the equivalent of the “lifelines” on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?. The contestants can peek at the child’s answer or even copy their answer without looking at it. There’s even the automatic save where if a contestant gets an answer wrong and his kid partner gets it right, he can go on. The questions range from 2nd Grade Math to 5th Grade Social Studies.
There are also more kids on the Canadian show than the American one and they include:
Isiah, 10 – Mississauga, ON
Rachel, 9 – Winnipeg, MB
Taylor, 10 – Toronto, ON
Michael, 9 – Vancouver, BC
Katherine, 10 – Halifax, NS
Nathan, 10 – Calgary, AB
Jacob, 9 – Bedford, NS.
You have no idea how badly I want to make a joke about the absence of any kids from a certain province, but I will resist the temptation.
While the million dollar prize hasn’t been awarded on any of the four episodes yet, my reality opinion is that it is definitely more possible for it to be awarded on this show than on something like Deal Or No Deal, because on 5th Grader success or failure ultimately depends on the contestant’s performance rather than luck (although one could argue that the questions each contestant receives are also based on random luck as well).
One of the aspects that I have enjoyed the most about the show so far is the interaction between the host and the kids. I liked seeing Taylor give Mochrie a quick tap-dancing lesson or the host asking Michael to tell a joke.
And let me make one thing clear. It is always fun to revel in the misery of others. When the cocky Ian Clarke, a 30-year old lawyer from Lindsay, Ontario with three degrees selected a Grade 1 Math question to start off to “get the confidence going,” I was especially amused. The question that he received was:
Nathan and his 4 friends are going skating on the Rideau Canal. How many ice skates will they need all together?
When Clarke confidently said “8,” the laughter was difficult to contain. While he could not escape the embarrassment of answering the question incorrectly, he was saved by Nathan (ironically also the name of his kid partner) with the automatic free pass.
While it’s easy to laugh, believe it or not the questions got much harder.
Other tough ones have included:
What is the term for two lines that intersect at a right angle? (Grade 5 Geometry)
Who was the female artist from the West Coast of Canada is most often associated with the Group of Seven? (Grade 3 Art)
What is the French translation of “I am tired?” (Grade 4 French)
On what island is Iqaluit located? (Grade 3 Canadian Geography)
Correctly complete this sentence:
The roots of a Douglas Fir Tree:
A. Are always green.
B. Produce Seeds.
C. Absorb water and nutrients
(Grade 3 Life Systems)
Did you know the answers to all? I certainly didn’t.
Will anyone walk away from the show as a millionaire? Tonight is your last chance to find out.
I also hope it is the last time I have to hear Mochrie say that the million dollar prize is “tax free.”
Oh and for those of you who haven’t read it yet, definitely check out Roxanne Wilson’s interview with Colin Mochrie.
– The Are You Smarter Than A Canadian 5th Grader? airs tonight on the Global network in Canada at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
