Run for the Money Season 1 Review – Sprinting to game show success

Episode Guide

Japan is a master at making good gameshows! Takeshi’s Castle is among the most well-known imports from Japan that includes English dubbing by Craig Charles, but dive further and you’ll discover a myriad of other shows equally outrageous and crazy. From Sentosa and the impromptu Dodgeball contests to the always-popular Dero!, it’s perhaps odd to not see other shows that make the leap to Western viewers, particularly considering the amount of fun and awe-inspiring these shows are.

Don’t worry, because Netflix is on the way to changing everything. Although Disney continues to insist to lock all its content into a region, its content, and its most recent game show may be the most exciting gameshow available on the platform this year, offering a mixture of thrilling tension, nail-biting chases, and a constantly evolving play space.

Run for the Money does exactly what’s stated on the label. 29 participants (in this case, famous people) come together to take on an area of that covers 26 hectares. That’s approximately 0.26km. The site of the contest can be found in Huis Ten Bosch, and it’s divided into five distinct regions.

The timer is constantly counting down and adds 100 yen each second. There are also cash prizes awarded to the player who has the longest time but only if they get through the timer. If they are caught prior to the time limit the prize is forfeited. Naturally, the more contestants lose their spots, the more difficult it gets to live.

In their way of success are twenty Hunters and a Gamemaster who plans ingenious missions and throws curveballs all throughout the four episodes.

In one instance it is at this point that the Gamemaster brings a traitor into the mix, stopping participants from joining forces and working in tandem, thus sowing seeds of distrust within the group. Then, the Gamemaster decides to increase the stakes and bring 100 hunters to the group in the event that a task isn’t completed on time. These tiny additions aren’t tricks, they actually alter the way that this sport is conducted. The pressure to get out of hiding and continuously move around is among the best aspects of the game, and it’s working very well.

In addition to the mix is the Surrender Booths that are situated in two locations around the globe. If a contestant is lucky enough money, they can call the booth and get whatever prize money they won at the moment. Of course, Hunters are lurking about making it easier to say than done.

In terms of aesthetics, the show seems quite extravagant, yet it does a great job. The dramatic voiceovers feel like it’s taken from an anime, complete with high-pitched, loud retorts that snarl like “The Hunters are coming!” The show also includes maps that show where the Hunters as well as other contestants are hiding in the background, and the constant timer in the lower right-hand corner helps reveal how the contestants are doing in order to make it through.

The most enjoyable gameshows include an appropriate mix of skills thrilling and thrills. Run for the Money offers all of these in abundance and you’ll be wanting to watch them all in succession. If you do it, you’ll not be dissatisfied. It is highly recommended!