The Masked Singer (American TV series)
| The Masked Singer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Reality television Game show |
| Directed by | Alex Rudzinski |
| Presented by | Nick Cannon |
| Judges | |
| Opening theme | "Who Are You" by The Who |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 7 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Production location | CBS Television City |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Fox |
| Release | January 2, 2019 – present |
| Related | |
| Masked Singer franchise I Am a Singer franchise | |
The Masked Singer is an American reality singing competition television series. The series premiered on Fox on January 2, 2019. It is based on the South Korean format King of Mask Singer.[1][2][3][4]
The show is hosted by Nick Cannon and features celebrities singing in head-to-toe costumes and face masks which conceal their identities from other contestants, the panelists, and the audience. The costumes were designed by Marina Toybina, a four-time Emmy Award winner.[5]
On January 30, 2019, Fox announced it had renewed the series for a second season.[6]
Format
Twelve celebrities compete on the show anonymously in costumes over ten episodes. Each episode, a portion of the competitors are paired off into face-off competitions, in which each will perform a song of his or her choice. From each face-off, the panelists and live audience vote; the winner is safe for the week, while the loser is put up for elimination. At the end of the episode, the losers of the face-offs are then subjected to the earlier votes of the panelists to determine who will not continue; the eliminated singer then takes off their mask to reveal their identity.
In addition to the singing competition, hints to each masked singer's identity are offered during the show. The panelists are given time to speculate the identity of the singer after the performance and ask them a single question to try to determine their identity. The competitors in the first season were said to have a combined 65 Grammy nominations, 16 multi-Platinum albums, 16 Emmy nominations, 9 Broadway shows, 4 Super Bowl titles, and 4 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[7]
Panelists and host
Following the announcement of the series, it was confirmed by Fox that the judging panel would consist of singer-songwriter Robin Thicke, television personality Jenny McCarthy, actor and comedian Ken Jeong, and recording artist Nicole Scherzinger. It was also confirmed that Nick Cannon would host the show.[7]
Throughout the series, various guest panelists appeared in the judging panel for one or two episodes. These guest panelists included actor and comedian Joel McHale (episodes 3–4), actor and comedian J. B. Smoove (episode 7), and comedian Kenan Thompson (episodes 8–9).[8][9][10]
Contestants
| Stage name[11] | Celebrity | Notability | Episodes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||||
| Bee | TBA | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | TBA | |||||
| Lion | TBA | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | TBA | |||||
| Monster | TBA | RISK | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | TBA | |||||
| Peacock | TBA | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | TBA | |||||
| Rabbit | TBA | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | TBA | |||||
| Alien | La Toya Jackson | Singer | RISK | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||
| Raven | Ricki Lake | Talk show host | WIN | SAFE | OUT | ||||||
| Unicorn | Tori Spelling | Actress | WIN | SAFE | OUT | ||||||
| Poodle | Margaret Cho | Comedian | RISK | OUT | |||||||
| Deer | Terry Bradshaw | NFL Hall of Famer | RISK | OUT | |||||||
| Pineapple | Tommy Chong | Comedian | OUT | ||||||||
| Hippo | Antonio Brown | NFL player | OUT | ||||||||
Week 1 (January 2)
| # | Stage name | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peacock | "The Greatest Show" by Hugh Jackman | WIN |
| 2 | Hippo (Revealed as Antonio Brown) | "My Prerogative" by Bobby Brown | OUT |
| 3 | Monster | "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen | RISK |
| 4 | Unicorn | "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten | WIN |
| 5 | Deer | "Thunder" by Imagine Dragons | RISK |
| 6 | Lion | "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)" by Fergie | WIN |
Week 2 (January 9)
| # | Stage name | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rabbit | "Livin' la Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin | WIN |
| 2 | Alien | “Feel It Still” by Portugal. The Man | RISK |
| 3 | Raven | “Rainbow” by Kesha | WIN |
| 4 | Pineapple (Revealed as Tommy Chong) | “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor | OUT |
| 5 | Poodle | "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar | RISK |
| 6 | Bee | "Chandelier" by Sia | WIN |
Week 3 (January 16)
| # | Stage name | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lion | "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone | SAFE |
| 2 | Deer (Revealed as Terry Bradshaw) | "Get Your Shine On" by Florida Georgia Line | OUT |
| 3 | Peacock | "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic | SAFE |
| 4 | Unicorn | "Oops!... I Did It Again" by Britney Spears | SAFE |
| 5 | Monster | "I Don't Want to Be" by Gavin Degraw | SAFE |
Week 4 (January 23)
| # | Stage name | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rabbit | "Wake Me Up" by Avicii ft. Aloe Blacc | SAFE |
| 2 | Alien | "Lovefool" by The Cardigans | SAFE |
| 3 | Raven | "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga | SAFE |
| 4 | Poodle (Revealed as Margaret Cho) | "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper | OUT |
| 5 | Bee | "Locked Out of Heaven" by Bruno Mars | SAFE |
Week 5 (January 30)
- Group number: "On Top of the World" by Imagine Dragons
| # | Stage name | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rabbit | "Poison" by Bell Biv DeVoe | SAFE |
| 2 | Unicorn (Revealed as Tori Spelling) | "I Love It" by Icona Pop ft. Charli XCX | OUT |
| 3 | Alien | "Happy" by Pharrell Williams | SAFE |
| 4 | Lion | "California Dreamin'" by Sia | SAFE |
Week 6 (February 6)
- Group number: "I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas
| # | Stage name | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bee | "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus | SAFE |
| 2 | Peacock | "All of Me" by John Legend | SAFE |
| 3 | Raven (Revealed as Ricki Lake) | "Brave" by Sara Bareilles | OUT |
| 4 | Monster | "American Woman" by Lenny Kravitz | SAFE |
Week 7 (February 13)
| # | Stage name | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monster | "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts | SAFE |
| 2 | Lion | "Diamond Heart" by Lady Gaga | SAFE |
| 3 | Alien (Revealed as La Toya Jackson) | "Ex's & Oh's" by Elle King | OUT |
| 4 | Bee | "What's Love Got to Do with It" by Tina Turner | SAFE |
| 5 | Rabbit | "Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder | SAFE |
| 6 | Peacock | "Can't Feel My Face" by The Weeknd | SAFE |
Week 8 (February 20)
| # | Stage name | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peacock | "Let's Go" by Calvin Harris ft. Ne-Yo | |
| 2 | Monster | "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith | |
| 3 | Lion | ||
| 4 | Rabbit | ||
| 5 | Bee |
Reception
Critical response
The premiere episode received mixed reviews. Vulture felt that the series was more entertaining, yet "weirder, sillier, and stupider" than other U.S. music competition programs, and described the format as having the "vibe" of "what if [Philadelphia Flyers mascot] Gritty walked out on a soundstage made to look like an arena concert, belted out Sam Smith's 'Stay With Me,' was described as 'a professional' by Jenny McCarthy, took off his head to reveal he was Joey Fatone, and the entire experience felt three clicks away from an episode of Black Mirror?"[13] The judges were considered to be "weak" and "[approaching] their jobs with all the insight and acumen of an America's Next Top Model contestant trying to decipher the Tyra Mail",[13] and that the performances were "underwhelming" (using Ryan Reynolds' surprise appearance on the Korean version singing "Tomorrow" in a "low-rent" unicorn mask as a benchmark) due to the contestants not always being singers.[13] However, the format was deemed to have depth for being "a pretty fascinating examination of celebrity culture, mass appeal, performance, image, and fame."[13]
Emily Yahr of The Washington Post described the premiere episode as "one of the craziest reality shows of our time", acknowledging other similar reactions to the series.[14]
Ratings
It was reported that the series premiere was Fox's highest-rated for an unscripted series, outside of NFL lead-outs, since The X Factor in 2011.[15] It also set a record for the greatest viewership and 18–49 rating increase for an unscripted series debut after seven days of DVR playback.[16]
| Episode | Original airdate | Time slot (ET) | Live + SD ratings | Live + 7 DVR ratings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viewers (in millions) |
Adults (18–49) | Source | Viewers (in millions) |
Adults (18–49) | Source | |||||
| Rating | Share | Rating | ||||||||
| 1 | "Season Premiere: Mask On Face Off" | January 2, 2019 | Wednesday 9:00 p.m. | 9.36 | 3.0 | 12 | [17] | 12.97 | 4.2 | [18] |
| 2 | "New Masks on the Block" | January 9, 2019 | 7.07 | 2.3 | 10 | [19] | 10.89 | 3.7 | [20] | |
| 3 | "Five Masks No More" | January 16, 2019 | 6.94 | 2.2 | 9 | [21] | 10.56 | 3.5 | [22] | |
| 4 | "Another Mask Bites the Dust" | January 23, 2019 | 7.14 | 2.3 | 9 | [23] | 11.01 | 3.7 | [24] | |
| 5 | "Mix and Masks" | January 30, 2019 | 7.87 | 2.6 | 11 | [25] | TBA | TBA | ||
| 6 | "Touchy Feely Clues" | February 6, 2019 | 7.13 | 2.2 | 9 | [26] | TBA | TBA | ||
| 7 | "All Together Now" | February 13, 2019 | 7.84 | 2.4 | 11 | [27] | TBA | TBA | ||
| 8 | "Semi Finals: Double Unmasking" | February 20, 2019 | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | |||
| 9 | "Road to the Finals" | February 27, 2019 | Wednesday 8:00 p.m. | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | ||
| 10 | "Season Finale: The Final Mask is Lifted" | February 27, 2019 | Wednesday 9:00 p.m. | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | ||
References
- ^ "FOX Unveils "The Masked Singer," A New Celebrity Competition Series with a Groundbreaking Twist". The Futon Critic. August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
- ^ Birnbaum, Debra (August 2, 2018). "Fox Orders 'Masked Singer' Reality Series; Nick Cannon to Host". Variety. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
- ^ Lynch, Jason (August 3, 2018). "Celebs Are Disguised as Monsters and Animals in Fox's Bonkers Trailer for The Masked Singer". Adweek. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
- ^ Piester, Lauren (August 2, 2018). "Fox's New Show The Masked Singer Is Very Mysterious and Totally Bonkers". E!. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
- ^ Zarum, Lara (2019-01-17). "Those Wild 'Masked Singer' Costumes? She Designed Them". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (January 30, 2019). "`Masked Singer' Renewed for Season 2 at Fox". Variety.com. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
- ^ a b Jones, Adrienne (12 November 2018). "Fox's The Masked Singer Looks Like The Weirdest Singing Competition Yet". CINEMABLEND. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ "All Together Now". Retrieved January 28, 2019.
- ^ "Singing Competition `The Masked Singer' Premieres Wednesday evening on Fox". MyNewsLA.com. 2019-01-02. Retrieved 2019-01-28.
- ^ "Road to the Finals / Season Finale: The Final Mask is Lifted". Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- ^ "The Masked Singer Official Trailer". YouTube. September 28, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
- ^ Roots, KImberly (January 2, 2019). "The Masked Singer Premiere: Grade It!". TVLine. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- ^ a b c d "The Masked Singer Is a Reality-TV Fever Dream". Vulture. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
- ^ Yahr, Emily (January 3, 2019). "Yes, that was real life: 'The Masked Singer' premiered and was even weirder than you imagined". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ de Moraes, Lisa. "'The Masked Singer' Hippo Reveal Marks Best Unscripted Series Launch In 7 Years". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
- ^ Welch, Alex (January 30, 2019). "'The Masked Singer' renewed for season 2 by FOX". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
- ^ Welch, Alex (January 4, 2019). "'The Masked Singer' adjusts up, 'SEAL Team' adjusts down: Wednesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
- ^ Welch, Alex (January 16, 2019). "'The Masked Singer' and 'Big Bang Theory' score biggest 18-49 gains in broadcast Live +7 ratings for Dec. 31, 2018 – Jan. 6, 2019". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
- ^ Welch, Alex (January 10, 2019). "'Chicago Fire' adjusts down: Wednesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
- ^ Welch, Alex (January 28, 2019). "'Manifest' and 'Big Bang Theory' reign supreme in broadcast Live +7 ratings for Jan. 7-13, 2019". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
- ^ Welch, Alex (January 17, 2019). "'Riverdale,' 'Schooled,' 'Chicago Med,' all other shows hold: Wednesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- ^ Pucci, Douglas (February 1, 2019). "Live+7 Weekly Ratings: 'A Million Little Things' Just One Percent Shy of Season-High Among Adults 18-49 in its Thursday Debut". Programming Insider. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ Welch, Alex (January 25, 2019). "'Chicago Med,' 'Masked Singer,' 'Riverdale,' all other shows hold: Wednesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ Welch, Alex (February 8, 2019). "'Manifest' doubles in viewers and 18-49, 'This is Us' scores biggest demo gain in broadcast Live +7 ratings for Jan. 21-27". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
- ^ Welch, Alex (January 31, 2019). "'Chicago Med' and 'Chicago Fire' reruns adjust down: Wednesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- ^ Welch, Alex (February 7, 2019). "'The World's Best,' 'Riverdale,' 'Chicago Fire,' all other shows hold: Wednesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
- ^ Welch, Alex (February 14, 2019). "'Chicago Fire' adjusts down: Wednesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved February 14, 2019.