Get ready to cram, Australia.
Peter Helliar is about to take over prime time TV with a hilarious new quiz show that’ll make you put down your goddamn phone and, erm, actually talk to your family.
You know, those people you occasionally pass in the hallway?
CRAM sees Helliar guide two teams of comedians and celebrities as they test their memories across a bunch of general knowledge categories.
Basically, each category will be introduced with a brief “cram” video of a subject like ‘five fun facts about dogs’ or ‘famous Peters’. The teams will then try to remember what they just crammed into their heads.
“CRAM is all about recall so anyone can play it,” Helliar told Mamamia.
“The thing that attracted me to the show is that it’s very family friendly – the whole family can sit down together and play along.”
Helliar explained that when he was first approached about the show, Channel Ten gave him a test game to take home and play with his family.
“So I got the family around the dinner table – something that happens less and less in our house – and we all played the game,” Helliar explained.
The dad-of-three said the best thing about the game was the fact his nine-year-old son, Oscar, was able to play along.
“If Oscar was watching Who Wants To Be a Millionaire he’d probably be out after the $200 round, but he did quite well playing this because it’s all just about recall,” the comedian explained.
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“He was able to answer questions I’m sure he wouldn’t have been able to if it was a straight game show.”
Helliar believes that kind of interaction will make CRAM a hit with Australian families.
“It’s the kind of show that the family can watch and actually engage with each other – it’s not like ‘everyone be quiet, we’re watching TV’,” Helliar said. “It invites you to participate and interact and shout out the answer… and hopefully laugh.”
“Shows like CRAM, Have You Been Paying Attention and Little Big Shots are all very different but what they have in common is they’re all very easy for families to watch together and they’re just pure entertainment.
“It’s something that the streaming services aren’t doing and it’s probably harder for them to do.”
Helliar hopes CRAM will bring about a return to the good ole’ days when families would sit down together and watch shows like Hey Hey It’s Saturday and Gladiator.
“TV used to be almost a little bit demonised when I was growing up, but now it’s almost a nice alternative to staring at your iPads or your laptops.” Helliar laughed. “I said to my kids recently ‘Get off your iPads and go and watch some TV’.
“TV’s become like the equivalent of swinging on the tyre on the tree or catching yabbies.”
The first episode of CRAM will air on TEN this Thursday November 2 at 7:30pm.