TBS’s The Misery Index might seem like a weird idea for a game show. Take the British star of a popular network sitcom (The Good Place’s Jameela Jamil), throw in the very Staten Island comedians from the Candid Camera-style prank show Impractical Jokers, and devise a game that’s part Hollywood Squares and part @midnight. If feels very old-fashioned in 2019, but also has a self-aware kitschiness that makes it almost kind of timeless. Your reaction to it will depend heavily on how you feel about the comedy of the four Impractical Jokers stars; if you like their stuff, you’ll probably like this show.
If you haven’t caught an episode yet, here’s a brief snippet that’ll give you an idea of what to expect. In this clip the contestants have to weigh two videos of children in distress against each other in terms of how much pain and trauma those children must have felt. Once involves a sea lion with boundary issues, and another stars parents who might take a prank a little too far. Watch the video below to see both ridiculous videos and how the show’s stars react to each of them. If you enjoy it, check out The Misery Index on TBS on Tuesday nights at 10:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 p.m. CT.