Minute to Win It on NBC  

By Ally Matteodo

NBC's Minute to Win It offered family-friendly entertainment earning it the title of Best TV Show of the Week. Aired on Tuesday, September 7th, at 8:00 p.m. ET, the program is a great viewing choice for those interested in a clean, fun show. Hosted by Guy Fieri, a notable All-American chef and television personality who appears frequently on the Food Network, this game show picks contestants who compete in a series of 60-second tasks in an attempt to win a $1 million prize. Each contestant faces 10 challenges that increase in difficulty, and failure to complete the task results in a loss of a "life." Each contestant receives three "lives," but once all "lives" are gone the game is over. At different junctures the contestants are able to leave the competition with the money won up to that point, but the crowd usually encourages them to keep going, and the prospect of winning a million dollars is often too great an opportunity for the contestants to pass up. The games are simple and can be played by anyone at home with standard household items. For example, in one called “Bottoms Up,” the contestant must knock six cans off of counters with a yo-yo tied around their waist. In another, called “Mega Bubble,” the contestant must blow a soap bubble, and then use the power in their lungs to blow this bubble through a hoop.

During this episode two athletes competed. One, Bernard Berrian, wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, worked to win money for his charity, “Second Harvest Heartland,” which aims to end hunger in America. His teammate, Amber Wright, a cheerleader for the San Francisco 49ers, strove to win money for her charity, “Bay Area Women’s Sport Initiative,” which enables female athletes to inspire young girls. In a tag-team type structure, the contestants decided who would undertake the challenge each time a task presented itself. On some, like “Office Tennis” the two worked in concert to hit a crumbled piece of paper back and forth over a red line and into a wastebasket in under sixty seconds. Egg Zone took two of their "lives" as Berrian struggled to balance four eggs on four upright footballs. He passed on the third though, and the game continues into the next episode, the two completing an astounding seven levels and winning $125,000 for their respective charities so far. Not only can the family enjoy watching these games, they can also play them at home with minimal materials, fostering the friendly spirit of competition and rivalry. Who knows? From these family-bonding moments, one could become so skilled at the tasks that they could become a contestant on the show, and eventually earn some money to help make their own dreams come to fruition.            

Best TV Show of the Week

The Parents Television Council - www.parentstv.org