Under the influence: Beast Games and the YouTube-ification of television
Amazon’s hugely successful extreme competition series is the latest attempt to lure younger online viewers to TV
Beast Games, Amazon Prime Video’s reality competition series hosted by the YouTuber known as MrBeast, is not a well-made show. It is certainly an expensive show, something Mr Beast, the alter ego for 26-year-old Jimmy Donaldson of Greenville, North Carolina, likes to frequently remind viewers. The series is a feat of scale shocking to audiences outside the realm of YouTube, and especially Donaldson’s fiefdom: 1,000 contestants, filmed by a system of 1,107 cameras, battling each other for a $5m cash prize – the largest in entertainment history, according to Donaldson. For the competition, Donaldson and his posse designed a warehouse war zone modeled on the Netflix dystopian series Squid Game, constructed a bespoke city and purchased a private island (also to be given away, along with a Lamborghini and other lavish prizes). Contestants eliminated in the first episode are dropped through trap doors to unseen depths; there is a pirate ship with cannons.
Yet for all the ostentatious displays of wealth, the show still looks terrible – garishly lit, frenetically edited, poorly structured, annoyingly loud and tackily designed. Many have pointed out that the show’s central conceit – broke Americans duking it out and playing psychological warfare for luxury prizes, many in the name of paying their bills – is as dystopian as the Netflix series it’s based on, a depressing spectacle of aggro-capitalism for our neo-Gilded Age times, with Donaldson as a self-styled Willy Wonka figure.
Continue reading...Topics
-
Jordan defends DOGE, Musk influence under Trump
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a close ally of President Trump’s, defended tech billionaire Elon Musk’s efforts to reshape the government through the inaugural Department of Government Efficiency ...The Hill - Feb. 9 -
It's the Beast Games finale, and Bridget Jones is back: What to watch this week
This week also brings a new Rizzle Kicks album, the release of Civilization VII, and the launch of Clueless the Musical.BBC News - Feb. 9 -
Shocking James Bond Changes Announced, Could Influence Future Games
In a shocking announcement , Amazon MGM Studios has announced that it is taking over creative control of the James Bond series as part of a deal with series stewards Barbara Broccoli and Michael ...GameSpot - 4h -
In This Trump Presidency, the Domination Will Be Televised
From the Super Bowl to a self-produced version of “Cops,” the second Trump administration is using imagery to project an air of authority and invincibility.The New York Times - Feb. 13 -
Trump takes laps on Daytona 500 speedway in the Beast
President Trump took laps on the Daytona 500 speedway in his motorcade nicknamed “The Beast.” Trump addressed the drivers before the race, driving inside the racetrack’s interior. “This is your ...The Hill - 3d -
Super Bowl 2025: Chiefs' biggest under-the-radar moves that propelled them to yet another championship game
These moves helped propel the Chiefs to New OrleansCBS Sports - Feb. 9 -
NBA All-Star Game: Team Shaq cruises to victory as new tournament format comes under fire
In an All-Star tournament that was met with pushback for its format and its coverage, Team Shaq prevailed on Sunday when the basketball was all said and done.Yahoo Sports - 3d -
Would 1-on-1 tournament fix NBA All-Star Game? Unrivaled showed it can work... under certain conditions
The NBA is reportedly considering adding a 1-on-1 event, but the league would need to make sure stars buy inCBS Sports - 1d -
Waltz defends USAID funding freeze, Musk influence
President Trump’s National Security Adviser Mike Waltz defended the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funding freeze and tech billionaire Elon Musk’s influence over the federal ...The Hill - Feb. 9
More from The Guardian
-
Trump ‘very frustrated’ with Zelenskyy for allegedly failing to ‘take opportunity’ of US-brokered peace – live
US national security adviser claims Ukrainian president has failed to ‘come to the table’ despite not being invited to Russia-US talks this week. Vance poses immigrants as ‘greatest threat’ to US ...The Guardian - 39m -
‘One of the hardest days’ in Israel as Hamas hands over hostages’ bodies
Remains of two young children, their mother and an elderly man arrive in Tel Aviv after ‘cruel’ handover in Gaza. The remains of two young children, their mother, and an elderly man taken hostage ...The Guardian - 2h -
Trump appears to agree to cut checks to Americans to share portion of savings from Doge cost-cutting
‘Department of government efficiency’ head Elon Musk suggested $5,000 checks to US households if targets met. Donald Trump has appeared to embrace a proposal to share a portion of the cuts in US ...The Guardian - 2h -
Americans’ confidence in air travel falls after string of plane crashes, poll shows
Survey indicates 64% of Americans believe flying is safe, down from 71% who said so last year. Americans’ confidence in aviation has slipped following a string of plane crashes in 2025, according ...The Guardian - 1h -
US Senate narrowly confirms Kash Patel as next FBI director
Patel, who was confirmed along party lines, aligns with Donald Trump on a range of issues. The US Senate has confirmed Kash Patel as the next FBI director, handing oversight of the nation’s premier ...The Guardian - 30m
More in World
-
Europa League playoffs: Roma v Porto, Galatasaray v AZ and more – live
Europa League updates from around the grounds Live scoreboard | Read Football Daily | And mail Rob 45 min: Roma 2-1 Porto (agg: 3-2) Roma almost scored a third a moment ago, with a shot ...The Guardian - 24m -
US Senate narrowly confirms Kash Patel as next FBI director
Patel, who was confirmed along party lines, aligns with Donald Trump on a range of issues. The US Senate has confirmed Kash Patel as the next FBI director, handing oversight of the nation’s premier ...The Guardian - 30m -
Trump ‘very frustrated’ with Zelenskyy for allegedly failing to ‘take opportunity’ of US-brokered peace – live
US national security adviser claims Ukrainian president has failed to ‘come to the table’ despite not being invited to Russia-US talks this week. Vance poses immigrants as ‘greatest threat’ to US ...The Guardian - 39m -
Senators applaud McConnell as Republican vows to keep working until end of term in 2026 – live
Republican senator announces he won’t seek re-election in 2026, capping a decadeslong career in Congress. Mitch McConnell won’t seek Senate re-election in 2026 Donald Trump signed another ...The Guardian - 41m -
Nigel Farage dissents from Trump’s Zelenskyy ‘dictator’ claim
Reform leader contradicts Trump rant, saying ‘you shouldn’t always take things Donald Trump says absolutely literally’. Nigel Farage has contradicted his ally Donald Trump, saying Volodymyr ...The Guardian - 59m