Attack of the Show!

Last updated
Attack of the Show!
Attack of the Show! 2021 Logo.png
Directed byAlan Wu
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes2,042
Production
Executive producer Vincent Rutherford (2008–12)
Running time60–120 minutes
Production company G4 Media, LLC
Original release
Network G4
ReleaseMarch 28, 2005 (2005-03-28) 
October 21, 2022 (2022-10-21)

Attack of the Show! (AOTS) is an American live television program that aired on G4. AOTS features segments on pop culture, video games, and movies. After an initial run from 2005 to 2013 (which originally aired from 2005 until 2013, weeknights on G4, G4 Canada, Fuel TV, HOW TO Channel, and Maxxx), the show was revived in 2021 and canceled again when the network closed in 2022. [1] The second incarnation of the program featured an ensemble cast, including returning original host Kevin Pereira, Kassem G, Fiona Nova, Gina Darling, Will Neff, and Austin Creed.

Contents

History

First logo used from March 28, 2005 to May 4, 2006. AOTS logo 2005.webp
First logo used from March 28, 2005 to May 4, 2006.

The show premiered on March 28, 2005, as a replacement for The Screen Savers .[ citation needed ] The show originally aired live five days a week; the week of January 2, 2006, the show was truncated to air for only four days a week. Fridays featured a "Mash Up" that compiled segments from the week's four live shows. These segments often include skits, reviews, and general discussions. [2] The show returned to live shows five days a week in September 2008, but G4 announced as of March 2, 2009, Attack of the Show! would go to four days a week with a "best of" show running in the Friday time-slot. Attack of the Show! aired its 1,000th episode in July 2009. [3] Attack of the Show! upgraded to high-definition on April 5, 2010, to coincide with its first-ever "Epic April" event of new premieres and stunts. Along with the addition of Candace Bailey, on January 1, 2011, Attack of the Show "respawned" with new graphics and a new set. [4]

On October 26, 2012, G4 canceled Attack of the Show! due to low ratings, five months after Kevin Pereira canceled his contract. The series taped its final scenes on December 21, 2012.

On January 23, 2013, the final episode from the original run of Attack of the Show! aired. After a brief montage of clips from AOTS history and final goodbyes from the show's hosts and staff, the series ended with former Screen Savers hosts Patrick Norton and Leo Laporte in a coffee shop, acting as if the entire run of AOTS had been a dream. They then don "rocket packs" and fly off to work in a skyscraper adorned with the old TechTV logo, as the theme song of The Screen Savers plays. Afterwards, text came up on the screen against a gray background that read, "To our fans, our haters, and the Internet, thanks for seven kick-ass years. TTYL, Attack of the Show," with the Attack of the Show! theme playing at the end. [5]

On February 8, 2013, the first run of Attack of the Show! aired for the final time as a scheduled program on G4, with the final original episode being re-aired.

On December 29, 2019, NBC's San Francisco-owned station KNTV aired a 30-minute special titled Best of Attack of the Show at 2:00am. [6] While a slate at the top of the special said "This program originally aired on May 31, 2012," the special itself did not air on G4 that day, and it contained various clips from episodes past this date. NBC.com later put this special online, incorrectly citing that the special first aired on December 26, 2019. [7]

On January 28, 2021, a relaunching G4 announced that Attack of the Show! would be returning as well. [8] Kevin Pereira was announced to be returning as host in February. [9] The new incarnation of Attack of the Show! premiered on the network on November 18, 2021. [10] A long-form-interview-only version called Attack of the Show: The Loop premiered on November 17, 2021, featuring Adam Savage as guest. [11] This version of the show was streamed on Wednesdays. Another version called Attack of the Show: Vibe Check premiered on November 23, 2021, which featured a rotating selection of hosts sitting at a table discussing various topics and answering viewer questions; this edition was streamed live on Tuesdays.

The revival was canceled with G4's closure less than a year later. [12]

Personnel

Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira on a panel for Attack of the Show! at the 2008 Comic Con in San Diego, California. Attack of the Show at Comic Con by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira on a panel for Attack of the Show! at the 2008 Comic Con in San Diego, California.

The original hosts of Attack of the Show! were Kevin Pereira, Kevin Rose, Sarah Lane, and Brendan Moran, who were carried over from their roles on The Screen Savers. Kevin Rose left G4 and AOTS on May 27, 2005. The show announced a search for a new host among the show's audience to replace Rose, and for several months various candidates auditioned on the air. In the end none of the candidates were actually selected, although this was never actually announced on the air. Sarah Lane, who had previously been a co-host and segment contributor, gradually took the role previously held by Rose alongside Pereira. She continued in this capacity until April 6, 2006, when she and Moran announced their engagement and stated that they would be leaving the show. [13] Lane and Moran appeared on the show, via satellite, on July 13, 2006, to talk about their adventures.

Olivia Munn was hired to replace Lane and began hosting with Pereira on April 10, 2006. Zach Selwyn, the runner up on ESPN's Dream Job , was hired to replace Moran and started his hosting duties a week later on April 17, 2006. In 2006, Layla Kayleigh also joined the show as a correspondent for The Feed, a daily news segment. At this time, the hosts of AOTS were Pereira, Munn, Selwyn, and Kayleigh. Kayleigh left AOTS in 2009. At Comic-Con 2010, Munn said that she would not be leaving AOTS, though she only occasionally appeared on the show for the rest of that year. She was still featured in the opening credits and other AOTS set pieces and transitions until December 6, 2010.

Candace Bailey in the production of an Attack of the Show! episode in January 2011. Candace Bailey in AOTS taping.jpg
Candace Bailey in the production of an Attack of the Show! episode in January 2011.
Candace Bailey and Sara Jean Underwood with a fan Dual 2.jpg
Candace Bailey and Sara Jean Underwood with a fan

After the departure of Munn, AOTS featured several guest co-hosts including: Candace Bailey, Jessica Chobot, Alison Haislip, Carrie Keagan, Alessandra Torresani, Sara Underwood, Milynn Sarley, and Morgan Webb. Bailey became the new co-host with Pereira on January 11, 2011. [14]

AOTS has also featured Chris Hardwick, Chris Gore, and Blair Herter in the occasional absence of Pereira. In addition to the interim cohosts, Grace Helbig has also filled in for Bailey.

On May 9, 2012, Pereira announced on-air that he was officially leaving AOTS to pursue work in television production. He stated, "I plan to turn my attention to full-time with my production company Super Creative and live touring nerd-carnival leetUP." His last day on AOTS was May 31. [15] Beginning August 28, 2012, the show debuted a final new opening credit, with no reference to permanent or guest hosts. Kevin Pereira would host the game show Let's Ask America , which premiered on September 17, 2012. The final regular hosts of the first run of AOTS were Candace Bailey and Sara Underwood.

Pereira was announced to be returning to host the second run of Attack of the Show! on February 12, 2021. [16] Kassem G, Fiona Nova, Gina Darling, and Will Neff were announced as co-hosts on November 11, 2021. [17] [18] They are regularly joined by Austin Creed, with other network hosts like Ovilee May, Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez, Jirard "The Completionist" Khalil, and AustinShow occasionally making appearances.

As Attack of the Show was a Weekday show in its original incarnation, and thus never split into seasons, the current incarnation's Season 1 ended on August 11, 2022, announced as a Season Finale, with the new season beginning on August 31. Kevin Pereira's last day as a full-time host of Attack of the Show was on September 22, 2022, with an official handoff to new main host, Austin Creed. That run ended October 21, 2022.

Hosts and Correspondents

First Run (2005 – 2013)

Second Run (2021 – 2022)

  • Austin Creed (a.k.a. Xavier Woods)
  • Gina Darling
  • Kassem G, host of "Fresh Ink"
  • Will Neff, host of "What's Will Watching"
  • Fiona Nova, anchor of "The Feed"
  • Kevin Pereira

Segments

Related Research Articles

The Screen Savers is an American TV show that aired on TechTV from 1998 to 2005. The show launched concurrently with the channel ZDTV on May 11, 1998. The Screen Savers originally centered on computers, new technologies, and their adaptations in the world. However, after it was taken over by G4, the show became more general-interest oriented and focused somewhat less on technology. The final episode of The Screen Savers aired on March 18, 2005. Repeat episodes continued to air until March 25, 2005 when its replacement program Attack of the Show! began 3 days later on March 28, 2005. Two spiritual successors to The Screen Savers, This Week in Tech on the TWiT Network with Leo Laporte and Tekzilla on Revision3 with Patrick Norton, were started after the original show concluded. On April 19, 2015, Leo Laporte announced The New Screen Savers, which began airing on TWiT network May 2, 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morgan Webb</span> American television presenter and producer

Morgan Ailis Webb is a former co-host and senior segment producer of the G4 show X-Play. She was previously the host of the podcast WebbAlert and a monthly columnist for the United States edition of FHM, where she contributed a monthly video game column titled "Tips from the Gaming Goddess". She began working at independent game studio Bonfire Studios in March 2017 in a production role.

TechTV was a 24-hour cable and satellite channel based in San Francisco featuring news and shows about computers, technology, and the Internet. In 2004, it merged with the G4 gaming channel which ultimately dissolved TechTV programming. At the height of its six-year run, TechTV was broadcast in 70 countries, reached 43 million households, and claimed 1.9 million unique visitors monthly to its website. A focus on personality-driven product reviews and technical support made it a cultural hub for technology information worldwide, still existing today online through its former hosts' webcasts, most notably the TWiT Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Sargent</span> American television host (b. 1975)

Martin Sargent is an American television personality and was co-host of the This WEEK in FUN podcast with Sarah Lane. He is most well known from his time as a Segment Producer on TechTV's The Screen Savers and later as the host of his own late night talk show Unscrewed with Martin Sargent.

<i>Xplay</i> Television program

Xplay was a TV program about video games. The program, known for its reviews and comedy skits, aired on G4 in the United States and had aired on G4 Canada in Canada, FUEL TV in Australia, Ego in Israel, GXT in Italy, MTV Russia & Rambler TV in Russia, NET 25 & Solar Sports in the Philippines, and Adult Swim and MuchMusic in Latin America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Sessler</span> American television personality

Adam Sessler is an American video game journalist, television personality and consultant. He is best known as the host for the video game review series Xplay and the editor-in-chief for G4's video game section. Upon his departure from G4 in April 2012, Sessler was its longest-tenured television personality, having originally been hired by its predecessor ZDTV in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">G4 (American TV network)</span> American television channel

G4 was an American pay television and digital network owned by NBCUniversal and later Comcast Spectacor that primarily focused on video games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">G4techTV</span> Former American television channel

G4techTV was an American cable and satellite channel resulting from a merger between Comcast-owned G4 and TechTV. The network officially launched on May 28, 2004.

G4tv.com, also known as G4tv: The Show or simply G4tv, was a weekly video game talk show that aired on G4 and was produced by Laura Foy. The questions and polls used on the show were from the G4tv.com discussion forums live chatroom and were on any topic concerning games or the technology of gaming. At least one person who has worked in the video game industry was usually interviewed in each episode.

G4 Media, LLC is an in-name only unit of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming which maintains the programming of G4, a defunct 24-hour cable and satellite channel dedicated to video games, along with its former competitor, TechTV/ZDTV. NBCUniversal holds a controlling interest in G4 Media, with Dish Network holding a minority interest of approximately 12% because its former parent company held a minority interest in TechTV and owned Dish Network. Prior to the Comcast/NBCUniversal merger, Comcast owned the network, previously named G4 Media, Inc.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blair Butler</span>

Blair Butler is an American stand-up comic, television host and screenwriter, known for her work on the "Fresh Ink" and other segments on the G4 program Attack of the Show!.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candace Bailey</span> American actress and television personality (born 1982)

Candace Kaye Bailey is an American actress and television personality best known as a co-host of the former television programs U-Pick Live on Nickelodeon and Attack of the Show! on G4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olivia Munn</span> American actress (born 1980)

Lisa Olivia Munn is an American actress. After an internship at a news station in Tulsa, she moved to Los Angeles where she began her professional career as a television host for the gaming network G4, primarily on the series Attack of the Show! from 2006 until 2010. Munn appeared as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart from 2010 to 2011. She is known for her three-season-long portrayal of Sloan Sabbith in Aaron Sorkin's HBO political drama series The Newsroom (2012–2014).

Layla Kayleigh is a British-American television personality. She used to host The Feed segment of G4's Attack of the Show! and co-hosted MTV's America's Best Dance Crew where she was the backstage correspondent. She also hosted the MTV reunion shows such as Teen Mom and Teen Wolf. She has been featured in several magazines including Maxim magazine to promote her projects and the shows she was hosting. Layla was voted as one of the most beautiful women in the world by Askmen.com and their readers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Pereira</span> American game show host and TV personality

Kevin Elder Pereira is an American television personality and host.

The Post Show is an interactive television aftershow on G4, covering the NBC series Heroes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alison Haislip</span> American actress

Alison Fesq Haislip is an American actress and former television personality for Attack of the Show! on the first incarnation of the G4 network and the NBC reality singing competition show The Voice.

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References

  1. "Xplay Host Frosk Out At G4 A Week After Layoffs [Update: Pereira Departs]". Kotaku. 20 September 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  2. Bennett-Cohen, Justin (December 6, 2021). "G4 Is Back! How to Watch the Relaunched Gaming TV Network". MUO. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  3. Stelter, Brian (October 16, 2009). "Guy Magnet: Giant Pies and Viral Videos". The New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  4. Convserations with Ross: Featuring Candace Bailey
  5. A Final Goodbye From "Attack of the Show" on YouTube (uploaded January 24, 2013)
  6. @AttackoftheDoc (December 29, 2019). "Well, the "best of" aired and here's what one fan said about it. "It was really bizarre. A slate at the top said 'T…" (Tweet). Retrieved 2019-12-30 via Twitter.
  7. @AttackoftheDoc (December 29, 2019). "Well, the "best of" aired and here's what one fan said about it. "It was really bizarre. A slate at the top said 'T…" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  8. @G4TV (January 28, 2021). "[Video]" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  9. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : "HUGE G4 TALENT ANNOUNCEMENTS! HOSTS CONFIRMED!". YouTube .
  10. Pereira, Kevin [@Attack] (November 19, 2021). "That was special. I have too many feelings for this character limit, but @aots is officially back" (Tweet). Retrieved November 18, 2021 via Twitter.
  11. G4TV (17 November 2021). Adam Savage is Here with Kevin Pereira! All Myths Will Be Busted!. YouTube. Retrieved 18 November 2021.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. Hayes, Dade (16 October 2022). "Comcast Pulls Plug On G4 TV, Ending Comeback Try For Gamer-Focused Network". Deadline. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  13. "Sarah Lane Gettin' Hitched And Leaving AOTS!". DFH News. 3 April 2006. Archived from the original on 27 May 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2010.
  14. Newsarama.com Candace Baily Is the New Permanent Co-Host of Attack of the Show
  15. Kevin's Announcement
  16. "X-Play's Adam Sessler and Attack of the Show's Kevin Pereira Are Officially Returning to G4". 12 February 2021.
  17. G4TV [@G4TV] (November 11, 2021). "Attack of the Show will finally be back in all of its chaotic chaos (are we sure we want this on television?) The answer is yes" (Tweet). Retrieved February 3, 2022 via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. "Attack of the Show!". Archived from the original on 2022-01-23. Retrieved 2022-02-03.