In this form, this is a rarity for television – and one might think that since there is no connection to the individual candidates, there is no tension. But “99” works precisely because of its conscious openness. Not only does everyone speculate in front of the television at home how well they would have done in the individual games and how long they could hold out themselves. You also discover characters that you like to follow all by yourself. Whether it’s the farmer, who is one of the first to finish in every game, or the bakery saleswoman, who just barely manages not to finish in last place in each round. If you watch the program on the sofa with the whole family, everyone will identify a different person who you keep a special eye on.
“99” has something conceptually that so many TV shows never do well: drop height. Most game shows compensate for this with money: if you win, you become a millionaire, or at least get a nice sum of money. If you lose, then don’t. In “99” money may be the end goal, but the longer the show runs, the stronger the excitement with the candidates. Whether you are eliminated at “99” right at the beginning or end up in the last four: only one can really win. And that means: The tighter it gets, the more you fear and feel with each onewho failed so close to the goal.
Good television does not need artificial emotions and artificial moments of tension. All that good television needs is an exciting concept and a station that trusts in it. It’s nice that such formats still exist, at least from time to time.
