TV4's "The Traitors" is the big viewer success on TV in recent years. This fall, both TV4 and SVT are investing in new similar programs.
In TV4's "Fortune Hotel", which premieres on August 22, participants in pairs compete for one million kronor in an intricate format that involves the contestants swapping suitcases with each other. It's about having the best strategy. As well as being ruthless.
SVT is investing in "The Game", which premieres on September 14, where well-known people, including former Miss Messy, Julia Franzén, Jan Emanuel, and Håkan Juholt, are isolated in a skyscraper to play a social game where cunning and cooperation are rewarded. As well as maneuvering out the others.
"New and Forbidden"
In short, it's a popular theme in the TV world right now.
What has been noticed is that TV viewers apparently like this genre. Even though reality TV has existed for a long time, these moments of lies and betrayal may feel a little new and forbidden, says Renée Nyberg.
For the first time, she and her husband David Hellenius are leading an entertainment effort together.
On the other hand, we have always worked together behind the scenes over the years. We have always had close cooperation - without getting paid for it, we have helped and supported each other, says Renée Nyberg.
SVT's program buyer Anton Glanzelius doesn't hide the fact that they have taken a look at "The Traitors" when they purchased "The Game", whose idea comes from South Korea.
"Old Trend"
But he notes that SVT launched "Expedition: Robinson" as early as 1997.
It's an old trend from 30 years ago that's growing stronger now all over the world. And where SVT is now stepping in with the same force as when they stepped in with "Robinson" back in the day.
But Glanzelius thinks that "The Game" still differs a bit from "The Traitors" and is not as much of a game show as "The Traitors".
No matter how much I love "The Traitors", I'm glad we're not working with pranks and that sort of thing. That game is fantastic TV. But when we do it, we want it to be even more of a social experiment where the participants can more influence their way forward.
One of the participants in "The Game" is former S-leader Håkan Juholt. He liked the social experiment and doing something he hadn't dared to do before.
I'm 62 years old and I'm not looking for more TV time. I'm not a fun uncle who should jump and frolic, but when they described "The Game" to me, I felt that this is the skydiving I've never dared to do.
Mikael Forsell/TT
Facts: "Fortune Hotel" and "The Game"
TT
In "Fortune Hotel", ten pairs check into a luxury hotel in Greece to compete for 1 million kronor. Each pair gets their own suitcase. All are worthless except one that contains the million in cash and one that has a "check-out card". At the end of each episode, the pairs can choose to swap suitcases with each other. The goal is to avoid check-out and to have the suitcase with the cash at the end of the series.
In "The Game", twelve well-known Swedes gather in a skyscraper in Stockholm without knowing what they've gotten themselves into. The game becomes clear over time, and the one who navigates best in the power struggle stands as the final winner. The well-known participants are Hanna Friberg, Håkan Juholt, Ikenna "Ike" Abika, Marcus Dübois, Miss Messy (the original), Christian Bauer, Ayan Ahmed, Jan Emanuel, Zeina Mourtada, Dominika Peczynski, Julia Franzén, and Daniel Paris.
