It’s Squid Game versus James Bond as Netflix and Prime Video prepare for a reality game-show duel

Interesting reality TV experiments or mere cash grabs?

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As a genre, reality TV has never appealed to me – but an upcoming game show-based duel between Netflix and Prime Video might change that.

Two of the world’sbest streaming servicesare set for a reality TV showdown in the near future asNetflixandPrime Videoprepare to release game shows within weeks of one another. And, based on the trailers for each series, I don’t think Netflix is a shoo-in to land this particular streaming platform crown.

Before I dig into the reasons why Prime Video might ahem give Netflix a run for its money, let’s take a look at those aforementioned trailers. First up is007: Road to a Million, aJames Bond-inspired ‘race around the world’ competitionthat’ll debut onAmazon’s main streaming service beginning Friday, November 10:

007: Road to a Million’s premise is a simple one: nine pairs of people, from all walks of life, are set to compete for £1,000,000 (circa $1,225,000). The catch?Succession’s Brian Cox, who’s been installed as ‘The Controller’, and his batch of physically and mentally demanding Bond-inspired challenges stand in their way. Once a duo completes a task, they must also answer a tricky question to stay in the race. Answer incorrectly and they’re eliminated. No pressure, then.

But hey, the pressure to perform could be more intense than that – and Netflix’sSquid Game: The Challengeproves it. Inspired by one of thebest Netflix showsof all time, the forthcoming reality TV show brings Hwang Dong-hyuk’s survival drama series to life in stunningly accurate fashion.

Like the show it’s based on,Squid Game: The Challengepits 456 people against one another in games pulled directly from the original series, such as ‘Red Light, Green Light’, for the chance to win an eye-popping $4.56 million (around £3.78 million). As viewers witnessed in the thriller series, contestants will be forced to form alliances – and decide when to betray their newfound friends – in the pursuit of glory. Check outSquid Game: The Challenge’s trailer below:

Given its unprecedented success, you might thinkSquid Game: The Challengeis a dead cert to win its duel with Prime Video’sJames Bondreality TV show. Sure, 007 is a legendary spy with decades of history behind him, but few can argue againstSquid Game’s popularity as a franchise.

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That said, I’m not so sure that Netflix’s next reality game show is the clear favorite. For one, Prime Video’s combination of Bond, Cox (who’s still riding high afterSuccession’s hugely successful four-season run onMax), and ‘race around the world’ premise have all the ingredients of an intriguing watch.

Then there’s the fact that007: Road to a Millionwill have a potentially vital head-start over its rival.Squid Game: The Challengewon’t launch on Netflix until Wednesday, November 22, a whole 12 days after its competitor, meaning Netflix’s real-worldSquid Gamespin-off will be playing catch-up from the outset.

But there’s a far bigger issue surroundingSquid Game: The Challenge. The game show made the headlines for the wrong reasons in January, with reports that contestants were subjected to terrible conditions during filming. According toThe Sun, “exhausted” participants were made to film in freezing conditions, with one individual even taken to hospital. Speaking toDeadline, Netflix was forced to defend itself, with a spokesperson saying “any claims of serious injury are untrue”.

It’s unclear how much of The Sun’s account is genuine, and nor do we know if007: Road to a Million’s contestants faced similar issues that have simply gone unreported. It’s not my place to speculate on either front – but one thing I can theorize is thatSquid Game: The Challengewon’t be the runaway winner of this particular bout. Based on the footage I’ve seen, Prime Video’sJames Bondreality show is coming out swinging – and Netflix better be prepared for an almighty tussle.

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As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.

An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as thisMoon Knight TV spot.

Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.

Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.

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