The game already feels like a relic – so I suspect the TV gameshow will be very annoying indeed. But perhaps this is what newspapers need to stay afloat
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nyone who has watched television knows that late-night talkshow hosts have a habit of pulling entertainment formats from the barest of inspirations. James Corden got Carpool Karaoke from the act of singing songs in the car. Jimmy Fallon got Lip Sync Battle from the act of mouthing along to songs in the mirror. And now Fallon has struck again. He’s making a Wordle gameshow. It’s based on Wordle, that puzzle you used to do while sitting on the toilet.
Fallon’s production company, Electric Hot Dog, has acquired the rights to Wordle and will turn it into a show where teams compete to solve puzzles for cash. The show will film in Manchester, England, this summer and debut on NBC next year.
On one hand, this makes a lot of sense. Wordle is a brand with global recognition, which means the TV adaptation won’t have to go through the messy business of explaining the rules to viewers every episode. Wordle’s success is down to its intuitiveness. Unless you happen to be red-green colour-blind, Wordle is easy enough that even children can pick it up in a couple of seconds.
