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Episodes
Unique performers demonstrate their artistry in this update of the kitschy '70s talent show, which features the worst performances being cut short by bangs on the titular gong. In the premiere, Will Arnett, Ken Jeong, Zach Galifianakis are the judges; and acts include a unicycler, clad in a yeti suit, playing flaming bagpipes; a married couple performing a choreographed banana-spitting routine; a woman playing the harmonica with a tarantula in her mouth; and a scary wrestler singing a lullaby.
Acts include flesh-eating zombies performing ballet; a classically trained opera singer stuffing her face with cake while singing; dinosaurs re-enacting the first Olympic games; and giant robots performing a choreographed dance-off. Fred Armisen, Elizabeth Banks and Will Forte are the judges.
Dana Carvey, Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson judge a contortionist who artistically impersonates a tree; a girl who performs an upside-down handstand while chasing host Tommy Maitland around the stage; and a crazy cat lady who performs a cat song. Also: bug exterminators play the song "Toxic" on violin while spraying human cockroaches with CO2 guns.
Ed Helms, Alison Brie and Will Arnett judge a roller skater who limbos under a flaming bar; butt puppets who lip-synch to opera; a pair of wild unicyclists who slam-dunk basketballs; and a crazy comic who plays the guitar.
Rob Riggle, Ken Jeong and Regina Hall judge a fortune-telling mystic who can channel flatulence; a motley crew of burlesque-style dancers; a pianist who can balance a cello on his chin; and a woman who spins in a giant ring. Also: David Arquette performs with his band.
Chelsea Handler, Will Arnett and Ken Marino judge a musician who plays a song on PVC pipes; a man dressed as a snake who swallows a man whole; a performer who whistles opera; and two men who do a striptease.
Megan Fox, Andy Samberg and Maya Rudolph judge three men performing a comedic choreographed slap routine; a singing mermaid; a man playing the national anthem with a bodysuit of horns; and an Elvis impersonator with an Asian flair.
Will Arnett, Jennifer Aniston and Jack Black judge a pole-dancing dinosaur; a flaming Hula-Hoop dancer; a young contortionist; and a man making animal noises while singing a holiday song alongside his stuffed animals.
Joel McHale, Priyanka Chopra and Wendi McLendon-Covey judge a human-bowling act; teenage twins who impersonate President Trump and Vice President Pence; a competitive cupcake eater; and acrobatics who play the ukulele.
Isla Fisher, Will Arnett and Courteney Cox judge a man performing pizza dough acrobatics; an unconventional 80s-style cover band; a rat attempting to navigate an obstacle course; and women performing an illuminated whip routine. Season finale.
The Gong Show: Season 1 Photos
Tv Season Info
Critic Reviews for The Gong Show Season 1
All Critics (11) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (9) | Rotten (2)
They're probably going to take away my TV critic credentials for saying this, but I actually liked the first episode in ABC's revival of The Gong Show.
The show isn't much different from the 1970s original, which means it's perfect for those who think a couple spitting banana pieces into each other's mouth is just as entertaining as some teenager belting out a Whitney Houston song.
Welcome all cheeky monkeys, and hairy apes as well, to ABC's very live-wire remake of The Gong Show.
The contestants on the pilot episode mostly do what one would want Gong Show contestants to do. Some are funny. Some are awful. And there's laughing to be done.
For viewers who preferred the days of William Hung's lambasted American Idol audition, Gong might be a breath of cynically fresh air.
If generating a few laughs is the show's goal, it occasionally succeeds. Anything beyond that and it needs to gong itself.
I found The Gong Show much more amusing to watch than NBC's America's Got Talent. Where Arnett has done well as a producer is in booking many engagingly eccentric acts.
The overall ridiculousness wears thin at times, but viewers looking to see something "different" will definitely hit paydirt.
Their rating system is unpredictable; what some score as 10, others rate as zero. Not that any of it matters, which is why this may be fun: at least they realize it too.
It's actually too big. The original Gong Show was 30 minutes; at an hour, it's a bit much to sit through.
Audience Reviews for The Gong Show: Season 1
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Sep 09, 2017Very good. It's weird, but that's kinda the point. Great guest celebrity judges, Mike Myers kills it, and there's enough good acts that you love it, and enough bad acts that you can get into the show and root for them to get gonged! I really hope this is renewed, and we get more episodes. But I hope it stays as good, and I hope it stays in the summer, because it'd be nice to know there was something I knew would be good in the summer! I had started writing this review, then I went to check something, and it was gone. Luckily, I hadn't finished it yet!
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Sep 07, 2017Despite the show's outrageous acts, it became boring, tedious, and unwatchable.
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Sep 05, 2017Love the show. DVR every episode. Really enjoy Mike Meyers portrayal of a game show host. Look forward to singing shaving cream every night.
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Aug 03, 2017Hard to believe anything could be worse than the original.
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Jul 18, 2017Great silly fun. Exactly as advertised. I thought Myers did a great job in Ep 1. Keeping the tone wacky and self depracating. The celeb judges are relaxed and silly as well. It has a good feel about it.
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Jul 13, 2017The gong show is pretty funny and satisfying.
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Jul 06, 2017I was a huge fan of the original Gong Show when it was on the air (yes, I'm old). When I heard they were going to remake this show, I was immediately against it, figuring there was no way they can make the show as good as it was when Chuck Barris ran it! however, I was pleasantly surprised when i watched the first episode! it is actually pretty good! of course, not as good as the original (remake seldom are)... and after watching the second episode, I set my DVR to record every show. however, I think Mike Myers AKA "Tommy Maitland" makes the show! he is brilliant! without him, I don't think the show would be as good as it is.
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Jul 01, 2017A great show, I was really surprised how good. If you like edgy bizarre comedy, then you will like this.
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Jul 01, 2017With a terrific comeback performance for host Mike Myers, The Gong Show delivers a massive bucket load of laughs with some incredibly impressive acts and a talented panel of celebs including Will Arnett and Zach Galifianakis.
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Jun 30, 2017Weird and not very entertaining.
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