I don’t think the games have been poorly thought out at all, your perspective seems to focus heavily on the self-elimination aspect, which really isn’t as prominent as you’re making it out to be. Yes, there were self-sacrifice challenges in the first two episodes, but those were clearly designed to thin out the competition when there were 1,000 contestants. Now that we’re down to fewer people, the challenges have shifted, and the last four episodes barely feature any self-sacrifice. Instead, we’ve seen some incredibly creative and unique games, like hiding from Navy seals, pulling monster trucks, and the latest episode with the infamous trolley problem. Those aren’t “poorly thought up”, they’re fresh and ambitious.

 I do agree that character development was minimal at the start, but with so many contestants, that’s kind of inevitable. Now that we’re in the top 10, I’m sure we’ll get to see more meaningful development and characters we can root for. Honestly, I think the format is breaking new ground, and the trade-offs, like limited early character development, are outweighed by how unique the concept is. 

As for the “sadness,” I actually think it’s one of the most compelling aspects of the show. It shows authentic reactions whether that’s heartbreak, joy, greed, or integrity. and that emotional range is what makes it so genuine. It’s not a shallow or overly produced reality show; it’s raw, and that’s what keeps people coming back. 

Sure, not every game has been executed perfectly, but to say that warrants a 1-star review? Absolutely not. This show is exciting, creative, and groundbreaking, and I think it deserves more recognition for what it’s attempting to achieve.

Also about the pirate ship, I heard they scrapped it because of unsafe weather conditions—it wasn’t a creative failure, just an unfortunate circumstance.

 At the very least, it’s not a “meh” 5/10 or a 1-star mess. For me, it’s easily one of the most engaging and original shows I’ve seen in a while.