Squid Game is one of the biggest shows that Netflix has ever released, but the streaming service’s new Squid Game game show entirely misses the point of the record-breaking streaming hit. Upon the show’s release, Squid Game was a massive success, with fans from all across the globe praising the series. One of the most beloved aspects of Squid Game is its social commentary, but in its attempt to capitalize on the franchise, Netflix has completely ignored the series’ message.
Squid Game: The Challenge is an upcoming reality TV show based on the narrative series hit, with it being one of the highest-profile shows that Netflix still has to release in 2023. Squid Game: The Challenge will allow contestants to compete in a real-life version of the games from the show, albeit without the slaughter of the losing players. For a prize of $4.56 million, the stakes are high in Squid Game: The Challenge, but the series has been the subject of some criticism that compares it to the original show.
Squid Game Wasn’t A Hit Just Because Of The Games
While the various games are a staple of Squid Game, they aren’t the reason that the show was such a hit. People mainly loved Squid Game for its characters, with Gi-hun, Sae-byeok, Ali, and the rest of the gang using their personalities and arc to carry the story. The games are cool, but if the exact same concept was done with more boring characters, Squid Game wouldn’t be a good show.
The games are only entertaining insofar as they play into the show’s themes. Squid Game‘s anti-capitalist message is clear throughout, and the games act as a perfect allegory for the story that Squid Game is trying to tell. On their own, the games aren’t all that interesting. Paired with strong characters and a thematic purpose ripe for exploration, however, and it leads to the show becoming one of Netflix’s biggest hits.
A Squid Game Reality Show Can Be Fun (But It Misses The Point Entirely)
Although Squid Game: The Challenge seems to miss the point of the original series entirely, that doesn’t mean that the show will be bad. The challenges could be pretty fun to watch, and viewers unfamiliar with the original series may not see anything wrong. However, the existence of Squid Game: The Challenge shows that Netflix has failed to get the point.
The games in Squid Game are allegorical for the capitalist system, in which a large underclass has to compete against each other for money by working for a small, wealthy upper class. If they fail or choose not to participate, they die. The games in Squid Game are meant to be a horrifying parallel of reality, not a fun game show in which real people participate. Squid Game: The Challenge could end up being a lot of fun, but when comparing it to Squid Game, this problem will always be present.
