Kumari Shreya
Presented by Damon Wayans Jr and Jeannie Mai, ‘Raid the Cage’ is a CBS show meant to give participants the chance to grab victory with their own two hands by making use of the show’s tried and tested formula. Given the high stakes that are often involved when two teams clash on this exciting reality series, it is only natural that fans watch with bated breath to see who will emerge as the champion. However, many in the public also cannot help but wonder how much of the show is as unscripted as it seems. Is it indeed an impartial competition between two shows, and just how did it come to be? Well, here is what we know about the same!
Is Raid the Cage Scripted?
No, we do not believe ‘Raid the Cage’ to be scripted. As it turns out, the CBS show is actually based on the similarly named series (‘Kluv Hazahav’) that first aired in Israel in early 2013 and ran for four seasons. The original game has been adapted into different versions by no less than seventeen countries, including the US. Despite the fact that the show stopped airing in Israel in 2014 after four seasons, its adaptation continues to air in countries like Mexico and China even today.
In fact, in the Spring of 2016 and 2019, NBC tried to create its own take on the beloved format called ‘Perfect Escape,’ but the pilot for that show never aired. As such, the successful premiere of the CBS version of the competition series certainly is a good indication of the care that the showrunners have put into accomplishing their goals. The input shared by hosts Damon Wayans Jr and Jeannie Mai regarding the production process has also allowed the public to not only be enamored with the show but also to understand just how the show works.
“It happens so quickly,” Mai told Entertainment Tonight. “And it takes a little bit of brains, a whole lot of strategy, and just like bam, bam, bam, you gotta go for it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a show [where] somebody can just increase their bank account by $50,000 in like 38 seconds.” Her co-host, Wayanns, also shared just how crucial both the trivia and physical parts of the whole challenge are. “You got the trivia portion, then you have the physical challenge portion, right? Because you gotta get a certain amount of trivia to get time in the cage for your partner. The grabber does the trivia, and the grabber does the grabbing [in the cage].”
Given his role as the show’s host as well as executive producer, Wayans also seems to be in love with the creative independence that the CBS series provides him with. “They sent me the blueprints for the sets and stuff like that. It was very, very collaborative. I felt very involved,” he explained to Parade prior to the airing of the show’s first season. “They walked me through every step of the way. And I feel like if we were ever to get a second season, I feel like I want even more involvement. It’s my first time actually helping to put together a game show. So I was very excited.”
Overall, it seems obvious that while ‘Raid the Cage’ does indeed have a set format, it does not mean that results are pre-determined or skewed in some manner. From all accounts, it seems like the show is meant to allow participants to have ample fun while trying to win valuable prizes. Given the unpredictable nature of the game itself, it is hard to imagine that show might be faking the moments that we so enjoy on our screens.
Read More: Where is CBS’ Raid the Cage Filmed?
