Who needs the Super Bowl as a lead-in when you've got American Idol? The folks at Fox are putting their ratings-raking juggernaut to good use by spreading the wealth to their new, fast-tracked prime time quiz show. Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, will debut with two half-hour episodes on February 27th and 28th at 9:30 pm--- immediately following Idol on both nights.
Then, Mark Burnett's showcase will go to full-hour shows on March 1st and 8th at 9 pm--also immediately after Idol. By then, 5th Grader should have gained a following or not, so it will be sent off on its own, to 8 pm on March 15th and 22nd.
And what a show. You think Fox was mean to Bush Baby and Fat Jon?
5th Grader promises humiliation squared, measuring contestants' lack of knowledge and pointing out what they've forgotten since elementary school. One average adult will share a classroom set with a pack of average fifth grade kids. The contestant will start out with $100,000 and gamble by answering a series of questions from fifth grade--and lower--textbooks.
The only sign of mercy is that the grownups won't compete against the kids. The fifth graders are there to help. And taunt. And laugh. As are all of us.