Warning! The following may contain spoilers for The Masked Dancer's "Group A Playoffs." Read at your own risk!
The Masked Dancer has a few episodes under its belt in Season 1, and one thing is remarkably clear to me to this point. The greatest move this show has made to date is putting actor and comedian Craig Robinson as the host of the show. He's the real winner of this show in my opinion because he's showing a side of himself that may soon make him one of the best television hosts out there.
Craig Robinson really brings an energy to The Masked Dancer that complements this bizarre premise in the best way possible. Usually, if a host is practically invisible or merely moving the show along with their commentary, they're doing exactly what they should be doing. Robinson doesn't only do that, but he also finds a way to blend himself into the show's goofiness while still performing the expected duties of corralling the show.
I think the best example of this is the way he opens up the show. For me, this moment of the episode is nearing The Simpsons couch gag levels of anticipation because Craig Robinson is always mixing it up with each outing. In one opening, he may be striking a pose amidst a crowd of the show's bodyguards, or he's strutting out with some quick and snappy dance routine. I hate to compare it to Nick Cannon walking out on stage wearing a random mask on The Masked Singer because there really is no comparing how much better Robinson is doing it.
And I know I should've known from The Office and Hot Tub Time Machine that Craig Robinson is a funny guy, but the subtle humor he injects into his hosting duties really elevates the show that much more. It's not too much, nor does it need to be with Ken Jeong usually filling the role of the class clown on the program, but Robinson's humor always comes at the time you least expect it.
The best example I can think of is the latest episode when he was doing some bizarre serenade of The Cricket as the crowd chanted for him to remove his mask. It was a moment that The Masked Dancer didn't even call attention to, really, with just a quick random shot of Robinson in between the crowd and panel shots. The moment, however, was noticed by me, and now I'm convinced we need Robinson hosting all the award shows in addition to The Masked Dancer.
The Masked Dancer airs on Fox Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Sound off on your thoughts on Craig Robinson as a host in our poll, and let us know in the comments whether you think his talents are award-show worthy.
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