The Draw Something App Is Getting Turned Into A Reality Show By CBS

You’ve probably heard of the Draw Something app by now. You know, the one no one’s playing anymore? Well anyway, CBS has decided to turn the Pictionary-like game into a reality show. What in the what? 

Originally developed by OMGPOP, Draw Something was bought by Zynga for $180 million just this past March. You may remember our post that involved all-Batman drawings from the game but if you aren’t familiar, it’s quite like Pictionary in my mind. The difference being you’re not sitting with other people who are guessing in real time (unless you’re me and my boyfriend who used to play each other, sitting on the couch). You have a choice of a few words to draw. Using your finger or a stylus, you create an image that will be sent electronically to a friend or stranger. They then get to guess what the word is as your drawing is replayed on their phone or tablet. The person guessing has blank spaces andt a selection of jumbled letters to choose from to figure it out as well. There’s a few more details but that’s the basic premise.

So how (and dare I say why?) is CBS making an unscripted television show out of it? I’d say because they can, but here are the details. The project is going to be executive produced by Ryan Seacrest and Michael Davies.

According to CBS, “Each week, teams of celebrities and everyday users will test their skills in front of a studio audience to earn money and big laughs. Viewers can also play along at home for a chance to win prizes and compete with the celebrities.”

Sounds more like a game show to me but perhaps the difference is negligible in Hollywood these days. For history’s sake, there was a Pictionary game show for kids in 1989, one for adults in 1997, and Win, Lose or Draw (a similar concept) began in 1987 on NBC.

Let’s not forget, CBS are the ones who made a Twitter feed into a scripted TV show ($#*! My Dad Says) so anything is possible. Do you think this will work?

(via Deadline, image via PocketLint)

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Jill Pantozzi

Jill Pantozzi is a pop-culture journalist and host who writes about all things nerdy and beyond! She’s Editor in Chief of the geek girl culture site The Mary Sue (Abrams Media Network), and hosts her own blog “Has Boobs, Reads Comics” (TheNerdyBird.com). She co-hosts the Crazy Sexy Geeks podcast along with superhero historian Alan Kistler, contributed to a book of essays titled “Chicks Read Comics,” (Mad Norwegian Press) and had her first comic book story in the IDW anthology, “Womanthology.” In 2012, she was featured on National Geographic’s "Comic Store Heroes," a documentary on the lives of comic book fans and the following year she was one of many Batman fans profiled in the documentary, "Legends of the Knight."

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