No way out

There’s something almost re-assuring abut a tension-building game show based on simple questions or tasks, played for large amounts of money by ordinary folk. Especially so if there happens to be some dark blue lighting adding dramatic effect. The Exit List joins the ranks of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, The Cube and The Weakest Link in this elite group, as the latest in a vaguely elaborate format framing the basic quiz show with some extra hoops to jump through to win the money.

In this case, our lovely salt-of-the-earth couple David and Jenny from Merseyside have to enter the 26-room Memory Maze. Each room holds a question with four possible answers. Plenty of opportunity for couples banter and disagreements within the 30-second countdown. Guess the answer correctly and add it to the Exit List you have to remember to get out again. Answer incorrectly and add all four answers to your Exit List. Just what you don’t want if you have already demonstrated a patent ignorance of, say, decathlon sports. The further into the maze you go the higher the stakes. Oh, and there are some nasty red rooms that ambush you – five in total in the maze – that result in a code instead of a word to remember. At any point you can turn around and try and remember your Exit List and the route you took to get where you are. Do both correctly and you get to keep the money you’ve won going so deeply into the maze. Pretty simple. Plus an all-important twist that could feasibly break friendships/relationships that felt strong enough to face the nation together.

“It’s a memory quiz which can tie you up better than a boy scout with a ‘badge lust’”

Essentially it’s a memory quiz which can tie you up better than a boy scout with a ‘badge lust’ on him. The kind of game that grandmas the world over would’ve loved had they ever run out of trays scattered with a variety of objects and a tea towel to cover them up with after three minutes of study. Admittedly that was always the least exciting birthday party game in our house, but somehow The Exit List avoids this brain freeze tedium. Chiefly because if you’re not good at memory games you might be good at quiz games and if you’re not good at either you may simply invest in the Schadenfreude of it all. Like The Cube, this drew me in much more than I really thought it would, and I found myself having rather a jolly time watching it. A little too like The Cube, is host Matt Allwright’s delivery and demeanour. Yes, we all know that Philip Schofield is going to have to stop at some point, but Allwright’s hosting (a change from his usual ‘solider for the little man’ persona on Watchdog and the like) almost mimics the Silver Fox himself. Maybe it’s an homage but really Matt, you may want to develop your own style a little more.

All in all, a fine way to relax of a Tuesday evening. And feel clever. That’s what these games are really about, isn’t it? Because that’s what’ll sell the board game next Christmas.

The Exit List, ITV1, Tuesday 10 January
Victoria Nangle