Fox made some big changes to its lineup for the 2018-2019 season with moves like the cancellation of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and the pick-up of Last Man Standing. Now, the network is adding more new shows to its programming slate, and they reveal that Fox is going hard on game shows for the upcoming season. Three new game shows will premiere in Fox's 2018-2019 season, and there are already some big names attached. Here's what you need to know.
First up is a show called Mental Samurai, which will be hosted and produced by Rob Lowe in his first regular role on Fox since the cancellation of The Grinder back in 2016. Mental Samurai is described as the "first-ever obstacle course for the mind." Contestants will be tested on their intelligence and mental agility, which makes it sound like an intelligence-based version of American Ninja Warrior. Each episode will see contestants pitted against the boundaries of their own minds in the fight to answer questions quickly, correctly, and precisely. The topics won't be limited to one subject, as questions will cover knowledge, memory, numbers, and sequencing.
If that sounds kind of uneventful to you, fear not. Contestants will face some physical challenges on top of the mental tests. They'll be transported around the set in a capsule that can rotate them 360 degrees. As if that's not enough, the capsule will also travel them at high speed. Mental Samurai is for competitors who can boast a combination of skill, focus, and stamina. It will air during the 2018-2019 season, although no premiere date has been announced.
Next up we have Spin the Wheel. Justin Timberlake is on board as executive producer, with Dax Shepard set to host. Spin the Wheel will offer contestants the chance to win a huge sum of money each episode: $20 million. Who needs Who Wants to Be a Millionaire when you have Spin the Wheel? Unfortunately, people playing the game won't get a whole lot of control over how they play the game. The wins and losses are determined by a 40-foot wheel that is far from predictable.
Episodes of Spin the Wheel will test players on pop culture trivia, strategy, and luck in pursuit of the $20 million prize. The 40-foot wheel contains sums of cash in its rotation, and correct answers to trivia questions will result in the addition of more money in the wheel's wedges. Contestants will have some choice in the location of the wedges, but their fate lies in the spinning of the wheel. Spin the Wheel will air at some point during the 2018-2019 season on Fox.
Finally, we have The Masked Singer. Nick Cannon will host in a big return to the TV competition circuit after his departure from America's Got Talent. Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger, and Robin Thicke are on board as studio panelists. The premise is that celebrities will face off against each other in musical battles, but their identities will be concealed from their opponent (as well as the in-studio audience and viewers) with elaborate costumes. As you probably guessed from the title of the show, full face masks will be involved.
The Masked Singer will air in January 2019, so it may amass an audience simply based on the fact that many other network shows will be on their winter hiatus. Since Fox already announced its fall TV lineup, we shouldn't expect any of these game shows to premiere right away when the next TV season kicks off. If you need some series to watch in the not-too-distant future, check out our premiere schedule.
