by The Cowl Editor on February 7, 2019
Film and Television
by Grace Whitman ’22 A&E Staff
Based on the popular South Korean TV show, King of Mask Singer, The Masked Singer aired on Jan. 2 on Fox where 9.4 million people tuned in to watch. The show set the record for the highest number of viewers for a variety program in seven years and proved to be Fox’s most-watched unscripted debut in 11 years.
The contestants are not average individuals; they are celebrities who have 65 Grammy nominations, 16 multi-platinum albums, 16 Emmy nominations, nine Broadway shows, four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and four Super Bowl titles combined, singing their hearts out in extremely elaborate and obscure costumes.
Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy, Ken Jeong, and Nicole Scherzinger serve as judges with Nick Cannon as the host. They do not play an essential role regarding the outcome of The Masked Singer, as they watch the pre-recorded clue packages and the performances while shouting crazy non-possibilities. The judges’ mostly unhelpful commentary, such as “I liked your liveliness!” provides additional entertainment for viewers.
After the competitors sing and reveal their clues, the live crowd eliminates one singer who then takes off their mask and reveals who they are. Unlike other competitive talent shows, such as American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, and The Voice, viewers at home do not determine who the winner will be.
In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Tonight, Thicke stated, “My 90-year-old grandfather is watching and guessing, and my 8-year-old son, so we‘ve got four generations. As an entertainer, it‘s really nice to have something the whole family can enjoy and be a part of.”
Living in a world where people obsess over celebrities, individuals from all generations can bond over the mystery of The Masked Singer. Every Wednesday, #maskedsingerfox trends on Twitter as fans all over the country tweet about who they think is under the mask or about how terrible the judge’s guesses are.
The Masked Singer captivates the audience and those watching at home, leaving them with many questions that motivate them to tune into the show the following week and the week after that. Since viewers do not know who is under the mask until they are eliminated, The Masked Singer creates a genius season-long cliffhanger.
Get ready for more mystery, celebrities, and crazy costumes because Fox just renewed The Masked Singer for a second season.