The Masked Singer ( abbreviated as TMS [ 2 ] ) is an american reality singing rival television series that premiered on Fox on January 2, 2019. It is part of the Masked Singer franchise which began in South Korea and features celebrities singing songs while wearing head-to-toe costumes and face masks concealing their identities. Hosted by Nick Cannon, the program employs panelists who guess the celebrities ‘ identities by interpreting clues provided to them throughout each season. Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Nicole Scherzinger, and Robin Thicke appear in each episode and vote alongside an consultation for their favorite singer after all perform. The least popular is eliminated, taking off their mask to reveal their identity. The winners of the first six seasons were T-Pain as “ Monster ”, Wayne Brady as “ Fox ”, Kandi Burruss as “ Night Angel ”, LeAnn Rimes as “ Sun ”, Nick Lachey as “ Piglet ”, and Jewel as “ Queen of Hearts ”, respectively. To prevent their identities from being revealed before each prerecord episode is broadcast, the broadcast makes extensive use of code names, disguises, non-disclosure agreements, and a team of security guards. While considering it more positive than other reality television receiver shows, television receiver critics have had mixed reviews for the series and peculiarly veto opinions of its panelists. The costumes, however, have attracted praise. Inspired by haute couture, they are designed by Marina Toybina and custom-made by a team ensuring the celebrities can sing distinctly while wearing them. In recognition of the costume design, Toybina won a Costume Designers Guild Award and a creative Arts Emmy Award. other production staff have won or been nominated for assorted labor marriage awards, and the picture received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Competition Program.
The series has received the highest nielsen ratings for a non-sports plan in the adults 18–49 key demographic each television receiver season it has aired. Two spin-offs—an aftershow and a dance version, The Masked Dancer —have followed as a result. The increase of the Masked Singer franchise has been credited to the picture ‘s achiever, as has an sake in adapting alike south korean reality television receiver series and other television receiver formats centered on costumes. In May 2021, Fox renewed the usher for a sixth temper which premiered on September 22 and 23, 2021 .
format [edit ]
Each season of The Masked Singer features a group of celebrity contestants. In a typical sequence, four to six contestants each sing a 90-second [ 3 ] cover for panelists and an hearing anonymously in costume. Hints to their identities—known as the “ clue package ” —are given before and occasionally after each performs. The perennial format is a tap interview with a fame ‘s electronically masked articulation narrating a video recording showing cryptic allusions to what they are known for. During screenings of the clue packages, after performances, and before an elimination, the panelists are given time to speculate each singer ‘s identity out forte and spell comments in bill binders. They may ask questions and the host may offer extra clues. After performances conclude, the audience and panelists vote for their favorite singer using an electronic device. The show uses a leaden vote system ; panelists ‘ and audience members ‘ votes are worth 50 percentage each and combined to form a grudge. [ 4 ] The least democratic dissenter then takes off their mask to reveal their identity. This summons of elimination continues for a set number of episodes until three contestants remain in the season finale, and one is declared the winner after they perform again. The “ aureate mask ” trophy is awarded as a trophy. vote does not occur for certain performances ; contestants in an episode occasionally sing as a group, and each sequence ( except the doubly unmask episodes and the finals ) concludes with the obviate fame singing an encore unmask. To continue attracting viewers, producers much modify the format each season. [ 5 ] [ 6 ] Except in the first and fifth seasons, a “ smackdown ” circle is featured in blue-ribbon episodes in which the two least popular competitors from their first performances sing one after another on the same stage, and a second, eliminating vote occurs. Since the second temper, the contestants are initially divided and only compete in a designate subgroup. A “ golden ear ” trophy awarded to the panelist with the most correct first impression guesses at the end of a season was introduced for the fourth, as was a reduction of performances and the audience view and vote remotely. [ 7 ] [ 8 ] These elements continued in the fifth seasons, and “ wildcard ” contestants who perform at the conclusion of certain episodes competed for the inaugural time. [ 6 ]
Panelists and host [edit ]
The permanent gore consists of actor and comedian Ken Jeong, television personality Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, recording artist Nicole Scherzinger, and singer-songwriter Robin Thicke. [ 9 ] [ 10 ] A guest occasionally appears as a fifth panelist during an sequence ; [ 11 ] Joel McHale has served as a guest panelist in every season [ 12 ] and previous seasons ‘ winners have appeared. [ 13 ] Nick Cannon hosts the read ; his role was considered unclear in July 2020 after making anti-semitic statements Fox said “ unwittingly promoted hate ”. [ 9 ] [ 14 ] The network accepted Cannon ‘s apology, [ 9 ] [ 14 ] and he pledged to donate his beginning paycheck from the fourth temper to the Simon Wiesenthal Center after visiting with its officials. [ 15 ] [ 16 ] Niecy Nash acted as guest host for the first five episodes of the fifth season after Cannon tested positive for COVID-19. [ 5 ]
production [edit ]
conception and development [edit ]
I turned about and all the diners were watching the television sieve. I saw a kangaroo in black pleather singing a pop song. At that moment I said, oh my gosh, I love this ! It was bizarre … and it was still working. I found out that it was a shoot format in Korea, it was a hit indicate in Thailand. And no one had the [ U.S. ] rights .
—Plestis on the creation of The Masked Singer. [ 17 ]
The Masked Singer is based on the 2015 South korean television series King of Mask Singer, which is the originator of the Masked Singer franchise. executive manufacturer Craig Plestis noticed the format in October 2017 at a Thai restaurant in Los Angeles. [ 18 ] [ 19 ] While waiting for dinner, he observed the other patrons staring at a television playing an sequence of the Thai version of the prove. Intrigued, Plestis researched the series on-line and contacted an executive of MBC America, a subsidiary company of the manufacturer and broadcaster of the south korean course of study, Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation ( MBC ). [ 20 ] With the aid of his agent, Steve Wohl of Paradigm Talent Agency, Plestis secured the rights to produce an american english adaptation from the company. [ 17 ] Following the creation of a showreel, he pitched the series to several outlets, all of whom rejected the idea. [ 20 ] Plestis then met with Fox executive Rob Wade who said he “ responded … right away ” to the concept and considered its singularity among celebrity singing competitions a military capability. [ 17 ] [ 20 ] After successfully pitching the program under the condition A-list celebrities participate, [ 21 ] [ 19 ] Plestis began developing it in November. [ 22 ] In January 2018, executive producer and showrunner Izzie Pick Ibarra became involved to help cast celebrities and Americanize the format. [ 21 ] [ 23 ] While The Masked Singer retains elements of the south korean version, the structure and style are different. [ 24 ] Rather than follow a tournament procedure in which singers perform against each other in multiple rounds, with the achiever of the final round facing the former episode ‘s supporter in an attempt to become the newly “ Mask King ”, Pick Ibarra opted to produce one elimination per episode, emphasize the clue software and guessing components, and have the celebrities wear more excessive costumes. [ 21 ] [ 25 ] Plestis agreed, wanting to create a narrative arch throughout the episodes and—unlike the south korean show—reuse the costumes. [ 17 ] During performances, the production value is emphasized rather than panelists guessing which celebrity is singing. [ 24 ] On August 2, 2018, Fox ordered the series and released a trailer. [ 26 ] [ 27 ] Endemol Shine North America produced the first season ascribable to Plestis ‘ kinship with the studio apartment. Following it, production transitioned to a new in-house studio, Fox Alternative Entertainment, which is more financially favorable for the network. [ 28 ] [ 29 ] Since the second and third seasons, respectively, Rosie Seitchik and Cannon have served as executive producers aboard Plestis. Pick Ibarra exited the series following the third base and James Breen assumed her roles in subsequent seasons. [ 30 ] [ 31 ] Numerous production and format changes were implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and testing and safety requirements increased the read ‘s budget. [ 7 ] [ 32 ]
Casting [edit ]
Since signing a softwood with him in 2018, Fox offered Cannon multiple opportunities to host or produce other television receiver programs, though none concern him. After being fascinated by the Masked Singer concept when presented with it, Cannon joined the picture, believing it was “ either going to be a huge bankruptcy or a huge hit ”. [ 33 ] Pick Ibarra cited him as her act one choice for the function because of his personality and experience. Regarding the panelists, she said the product team was less refer with selecting those with an ability to critique participants ‘ singing abilities than creating a comedic tone for the series as one of their goals was to reassure celebrities they would not be ridiculed for appearing. [ 34 ] Jeong was the first panelist to be signed on ascribable to his humor and preexistent cognition of the confederacy korean version, followed by McCarthy Wahlberg and Thicke because of their enthusiasm regarding the concept, and Scherzinger for her positivity and experience as a singer. According to Plestis, he “ merely wanted [ to cast ] people who loved the program, not people who wanted to work on [ it ] ”. [ 19 ] [ 34 ] Thicke late questioned whether he would have taken the function “ if [ he had ] still been No. 1 on the radio ” [ 35 ] and Scherzinger said she signed on to the picture the day before filming began. [ 36 ] diffident whether it would final more than one temper, Jeong primitively considered The Masked Singer a impermanent job while he looked for a permanent character following the cancellation of his situation comedy Dr. Ken. [ 5 ] In March 2019, Sharon Osbourne stated she was supposed to be signed on as a panelist, claiming those plans fell through when she was being contractually obligated to appear as a judge on The X Factor. [ 37 ] The picture ‘s producers reach out to celebrities via agents or frailty versa. [ 38 ] [ 39 ] Wade said producers ‘ goal is to cast celebrities of varying ages, genders, and backgrounds to appeal to as wide an audience as potential. In addition to “ super big names ”, they prefer lesser-known celebrities because it is harder to guess them. [ 40 ] To surprise viewers with an stranger endowment when unmask, those who are not professional singers are desired, [ 41 ] though some must send producers recordings of them singing as a quasi-audition. [ 42 ] All are given questionnaires before competing and asked if they have claustrophobia. [ 43 ] Due to her strategy of sending potential participants sketches of costumes that might be featured, Pick Ibarra said cast for the first season “ was not about arsenic hard as [ she ] predict ”, though respective celebrities were loath to compete. [ 34 ] Following its success, an increased number were concerned in participating in the moment. [ 4 ] By the third, Plestis said roll became “ a fortune easier ”. [ 44 ]
security [edit ]
Before each participant is unmask, the read ‘s staff undertake significant security precautions to prevent the release of their identities. [ 21 ] According to Plestis, the series has two bibles : one related to the format and a second base, larger one for security measures. Everyone involve signs a non-disclosure agreement which prevents them from releasing information about the testify until its air. After a fame is confirmed to appear, they are allowed to inform a few others who besides sign one. [ 45 ] [ 46 ] Outside of those, approximately 25 people know the contestants ‘ very names during a season, though they never refer to them as such. [ 47 ] Most are from Fox and the show ‘s legal department ; Cannon, the director, and the majority of the broadcast ‘s 150-person crowd do not know who the celebrities are until they are unmask. To prevent identities from being revealed in the event of a leak or hack, all documents except the contract lone list participants ‘ costume names. Although the contracts do give their real names, the series ‘ identify is unlisted. [ 47 ] [ 48 ] [ 49 ]
Before arriving on the show ‘s set, celebrities and their family, friends, and agents are disguised and typically driven from a inert localization. [ 45 ] If driven from their houses, chauffeurs are instructed to “ take long, circuitous routes … to throw off any manque tails ”. [ 50 ] The coach of Joey Fatone, “ rabbit ” in the first temper, said he was picked up at a 7-Eleven near Television City, given a disguise, and compulsive inside the gate. [ 34 ] “ Flamingo ” in the irregular season, Adrienne Bailon, stated she was taken to the dress inside of an unmarked black car and entirely discussed her involvement on the show with producers in a “ privy warehouse ”. [ 21 ] When contestants arrive on the studio apartment bunch, personnel at the gate are not their given names. [ 42 ] Each participant is escorted to and from their trailers outside of the set by security guards while disguised with a disguise, visor, gloves, pants, and a hoodie to prevent their peel from showing. [ 45 ] [ 50 ] According to Scherzinger, they besides escort panelists directly to their dress rooms after arriving. [ 51 ] due to the usher ‘s security, celebrities said they never encountered another masked participant on bent, or if they did, could not speak to them. [ 52 ] [ 53 ] They are only allowed to communicate with those who wear a special fabric on the back of their dress which is changed each season to prevent replication or those who wear a shirt with the words “ talk to Me ”. [ 42 ] [ 54 ] To do then, they use a portable voice changer or write on a whiteboard. [ 54 ] Before performing, they are trained to use different body language and mannerisms than their own. [ 47 ] The production gang is discouraged from using their phones during filming [ 42 ] and the studio audience walks through a alloy detector and has their phones placed in a Yondr magnetic pouch before entering the set. [ 21 ] The panelists besides forfeit their phones during tapings, and their note binders are placed “ in a vault ” after each to keep them private. [ 55 ]
blueprint [edit ]
Costumes [edit ]
The series ‘ costumes are designed by Marina Toybina. In accession to her ideas, she considers celebrities ‘ and producers ‘ requests to formulate initial concepts. [ 58 ] [ 59 ] Each is designed to be unalike from those featured in previous seasons and other versions of the Masked Singer franchise by using unlike sewing and lying techniques. [ 59 ] [ 60 ] After researching “ fur and skin textures, historical wardrobe, [ and ] anything that might be relevant to each quality ”, [ 59 ] Toybina sketches each concept with a pencil and works with an illustrator to create a digital version with a 3D consequence. [ 61 ] [ 62 ] Producers review each design and bill adjustments to be made. As a resultant role, Toybina may sketch multiple versions before they collectively decide which will be featured during a temper. Based on their background and what might suit them well, participants are presented with several to select from. [ 59 ] [ 61 ] Their reason for choosing a costume can differ ; some have an aroused connection [ 42 ] [ 63 ] while others want to move about freely during performances. [ 52 ] After handpicking which fabrics and materials to use based on celebrities ‘ mobility and performing abilities, [ 60 ] Toybina collaborates with manufacturers and a team of about 15 people to custom-make each costume. [ 61 ] [ 62 ] They are created concurrently over two to three months, taking about two to four weeks per dissemble, and two to four weeks per costume. [ 62 ] [ 64 ] Beginning as a wire, foam is gradually added around each disguise to create an easy-to-wear helmet shape for the performers [ 65 ] [ 66 ] and a chinstrap much accompanies each to prevent movement. [ 59 ] As production clock is limited, the team has no opportunity to experiment with different materials— ” all garments are … cut right aside on the original framework ”. [ 61 ] Since “ the clothe and the handicraft [ are ] all done the previous school way ”, [ 67 ] she cited couturiers such as Alexander McQueen, Thierry Mugler, and Hussein Chalayan as inspirations. [ 58 ] [ 68 ] 3D printing was used for the first time in the one-fourth temper, and the first two-person costume, the first with animatronics, and the first puppet costume were featured. [ 7 ] [ 10 ] Although adjustments may be made to customize them to celebrities ‘ likings, most costumes turn out identical to her sketches. [ 62 ] [ 68 ] A maximum of two fittings are conducted with each celebrity [ 60 ] [ 69 ] at either the costume denounce or Toybina ‘s studio apartment [ 68 ] in which a “ limited numeral of people ” are introduce. [ 62 ] Before filming occurs, Toybina conducts creative meetings with “ every individual department ” of the appearance to discuss how to perfect the costumes ‘ looks on camera. [ 60 ] Contestants are in costume for no more than 30 minutes at once. [ 54 ] During this time, they may wear cooling vests to limit inflame exposure and hoods to absorb sweat. [ 70 ] [ 71 ] Hidden screens inside each mask help them breathe and sing clearly. [ 59 ] For those who wear a mask detached from their costume ‘s consistency, a confront stocking, key, or makeup is used to disguise their hide color. [ 4 ] [ 54 ] Costumes are sanitized between tapings and repaired if needed as no backups exist. [ 67 ] [ 69 ]
dress [edit ]
The stage as it appeared in the one-third temper According to its designer James Pearse Connelly, the set is based on the Thai translation of the show and is inspired by the stage designs of electronic dance music festivals. The front is X-shaped and features an moderate inside ( allowing for video to be played ) enclosed with fume, tint glass, while the back is made of glistening blacken laminate and contains space for trap doors and limited effects underneath. The performance floor is two-dimensional to prevent lilting hazards and is bordered upstage by two 25-foot-tall ( 7.6 thousand ) polygon faces with wide mouths as entrances and exits. A curved LED sieve spans the space between the faces and a big logo of the indicate is hung above it. [ 72 ] The stage is surrounded by seats for about 300 audience members [ 7 ] and the panelists are seated behind them on a raised platform at a mask-shaped desk. [ 72 ] The panelists ‘ placement away from the stage allows them to move around during performances, helping the director tell a narrative. [ 54 ] Rather than sitting and speaking into a microphone attached to the desk which would limit their mobility, the panelists wear miniature headsets made by Shure. [ 73 ] many on-stage set pieces were replaced with virtual world elements and the panelists ‘ desk was lengthened ascribable to social distance requirements during filming in the COVID-19 pandemic. [ 7 ] Backstage, a Batcave -inspired area contains costumes displayed like mannequins in a museum. [ 72 ]
Song choice and rehearsals [edit ]
Pick Ibarra said selecting which songs they sing is a collaborative process ; both the performers and producers submit “ ideas [ which ] unite as [ the songs ] go through the headroom process ”. [ 42 ] While music publishers were reluctant to grant licenses for use in the first season as they were not told who would be performing their songs, this procedure became easier by the second gear. [ 74 ] Producers gravitate towards songs “ that help tell the overall history ” of one ‘s costume [ 48 ] and ask those who are celebrated singers to select songs of a writing style they are not known for so viewers will be surprised when they are revealed. [ 41 ] Tyler “ Ninja ” Blevins, “ Ice Cream ” in the second season, stated he “ decidedly got to pick the songs ”, but producers wanted them to be mainstream so viewers would connect to them. [ 75 ] early contestants remarked they sometimes disagreed with producers ‘ song choices. [ 76 ] [ 77 ] Multiple songs are chosen and practiced at the lapp clock time ; some will not be performed if a dissenter is eliminated. [ 78 ] Before the contest, vocal coaches and choreographers work with the celebrities for multiple days to determine their strengths and help improve their technique. [ 47 ] [ 75 ] Tori Spelling, “ unicorn ” in the first gear season, said contestants are given three weeks to drill before their first performance, although merely a pair of rehearsals are conducted before then, and the amount of rehearse time becomes unretentive as the season progresses. [ 79 ] According to director Alex Rudzinski, contestants by and large exercise in the workweek leading up to their performances. Their first rehearsals on stage occur for about half an hour the day before a videotape, and a 10–15 moment “ television camera dress rehearsal succession ” is conducted several hours before filming. [ 48 ] Celebrities may train on their own time to better compete and do cardio exercises to prepare for performances. [ 80 ] [ 81 ]
Filming [edit ]
Clue packages [edit ]
Each fame attends one or two voice-over sessions to record audio for their respective hint packages. Due to the length and varying film locations of the television component, stand-ins are used to give them extra performance practice clock time. [ 34 ] In describing their creation, Wade said “ you have to plan stuff and at least drive people down avenues ”. They may reveal a contestant is an athlete, but not the sport they compete in. [ 82 ] McCartney said contestants are interviewed every workweek of the rival and have their answers fact-checked by producers. [ 83 ] Producers listen to podcasts and read contestants ‘ books ; if a fact is on Wikipedia, they try to avoid mentioning it. [ 84 ] No physical filming occurred in the fourth season ; producers worked with Fox-owned Bento Box Entertainment to create inspire videos. [ 7 ]
Performances [edit ]
Filming of the foremost three seasons took station at Television City in Los Angeles. For the one-fourth, production moved to Red Studios Hollywood, which is in the lapp city. [ 7 ] With three episodes often filmed per workweek, the read has a much shorter filming schedule than others. [ 50 ] [ 85 ] Dates are selected to accommodate celebrities ‘ other activities. [ 45 ] Choosing to tape the series rather than broadcast it exist was a difficult decisiveness, Pick Ibarra said, but a necessity one because the time commitment would have prevented celebrities from participating. [ 4 ] Following the one-third season, Rudzinski said while an entire season would unlikely be aired populate as “ being able to edit helps us tell [ a ] report ”, a alive circulate remains possible. [ 48 ] Before performances occur, Rudzinski receives detail musical breakdowns of the songs contestants will sing. Based on their beat and structure, he creates a storyboard for each performance. [ 54 ] Brad Duns has besides acted as film director. [ 86 ] Except for the fourth and fifth seasons, during which the consultation was virtual, a tap begins with them seated next to the degree and a warm-up comedian telling jokes to loosen them up. They are encouraged to act excited by clapping, cheering, and chanting the names of costumes while the output crew records their reactions for late manipulation. concisely thereafter, the panelists arrive, and the master of ceremonies introduces the first base contestant. The hint software plays on the big sieve in the studio apartment, and the fame enters and performs with at least one backdrop singer accompanying them offstage. [ 21 ] [ 34 ] [ 87 ] They wear in-ear monitors [ 48 ] and may use a headset inside of their mask to sing alternatively of a hand-held microphone, opting to use one only as a property on stage. [ 88 ] A teleprompter displays song lyrics as an aid. [ 52 ] According to Plestis, the contestants have one choose to sing exist. [ 4 ] [ 45 ] Rob Gronkowski, “ White Tiger ” in the third season, said this was true ; after missing lyrics during a performance, he never received an offer from producers to re-record them afterwards. [ 89 ] The contestants ‘ vocals are intended to sound like the songs ‘ master artists ; if they used Auto-Tune process, then such effects are applied in post-production. [ 90 ] After a celebrity sings, their performance is conducted again with background singers lone, allowing producers extra audience reactions to film. [ 87 ] During this prison term, they are allowed to cool down in one of the air-cool rooms backstage. [ 91 ] After all performances and guesses conclude, the panelists and consultation vote for their favorite singer. Except during the one-fourth and fifth seasons, the producers movie the studio audience acting out how they would react to one ‘s elimination, with less than two twelve “ highly well-vetted ” people ( either friends and family of the celebrity or the prove ‘s production gang ) remaining on set during the actual reveal. [ 21 ] [ 19 ] [ 50 ] The fame is allowed to have their hair and makeup fixed backstage before they are unmasked on television camera. [ 4 ] [ 92 ] As they reveal themselves, the panelists and consultation chant “ take ! it ! off ! ” and “ Who Are You “ by the Who —which is besides the prove ‘s open theme song —plays in the background. [ 93 ] [ 94 ] Afterward, panelists are discouraged from researching possible answers to the clues presented to them for contestants remaining in the contest between sequence tapings. [ 95 ]
Series overview [edit ]
- ^ There was no third finalist in the sixth season .
Broadcast history and exhaust [edit ]
The Masked Singer debuted on January 2, 2019, as a mid-season refilling to Star. [ 102 ] A month before the season finale on February 27, 2019, [ 96 ] Fox renewed the usher for a second temper. [ 103 ] During its upfronts for the 2019–2020 United States television season in May 2019, the network renewed the series for a third season to launch as the lead-out of Super Bowl LIV. [ 28 ] The moment season premiered on September 25, 2019, and was preceded by a “ Super Sneak Peek ” sequence which aired two Sundays anterior. Before concluding on December 18, 2019, it was pre-empted for two weeks by the circulate of the 2019 World Series. [ 96 ] [ 104 ] On February 2, 2020, the third season premiered following Super Bowl LIV. After a “ Road to the Finals ” episode aired the previous day, it culminated on May 20, 2020. [ 96 ] [ 105 ] Two weeks prior, the series was renewed for a fourthly season to atmosphere during the 2020–2021 television season. [ 106 ] [ 107 ] Following a preview episode on September 13, it premiered on September 23, 2020. [ 108 ] One workweek of the season was pre-empted due to the 2020 World Series. [ 109 ] Two weeks before the stopping point on December 16, 2020, the series was renewed for a fifth season, [ 110 ] which premiered on March 10, 2021. [ 31 ] On May 17, 2021, Fox renewed the serial for a sixth season a workweek before the fifth season ‘s finale on May 26. [ 111 ] The one-sixth season began airing starting with a two-night premiere on September 22 and 23, 2021. [ 112 ] The program is aired by Fox in the United States and has been simulcasted by CTV in Canada since the second season. [ 113 ] [ 114 ] Fox Entertainment distributes the series in those countries while Propagate Content does indeed elsewhere. [ 115 ] [ 116 ] Outside of North America, it has aired on ITV in the United Kingdom, [ 117 ] Network 10 in Australia, [ 118 ] Three in New Zealand, [ 119 ] M-Net in South Africa, [ 120 ] and Channel 5 in Singapore, among others. [ 121 ] aside from double-length episodes, most run for about 43 minutes. [ 122 ] They are available for streaming in the United States on Hulu, Fox ‘s web site, and the Fox now mobile app through video on demand. [ 123 ] [ 124 ] The Masked Singer is besides available on the american ad-supported military service Tubi, [ 123 ] [ 124 ] where it became the most-watched series less than two months after its April 2020 debut and is used to attract new viewers to the chopine. [ 125 ] [ 126 ] Episodes are available internationally on localized pour services. [ 127 ] [ 128 ]
reception [edit ]
television receiver viewership and ratings [edit ]
| Season | Timeslot (ET) | Episodes | First aired | Last aired | TV season | Viewership rank |
Avg. viewers (millions) |
18–49 rank |
Avg. 18–49 rating |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Viewers (millions) |
Date | Viewers (millions) |
||||||||
| 1 | Wednesday 9:00p.m. | 10 | January 2, 2019 ( ) | 9.37[129] | February 27, 2019 (
2019-02-27 ) |
11.48[130] | 2018–2019 | 13 | 11.57 | 3 | 3.8[131] |
| 2 | Wednesday 8:00p.m. | 13 | September 25, 2019 ( ) | 8.03[132] | December 18, 2019 (
2019-12-18 ) |
8.36[133] | 2019–2020 | 12 | 10.73 | 3 | 3.2[134] |
| 3 | 17 | February 2, 2020 ( ) | 23.70[135] | May 20, 2020 (
2020-05-20 ) |
9.01[136] | ||||||
| 4 | 12 | September 23, 2020 ( ) | 5.92[137] | December 16, 2020 (
2020-12-16 ) |
7.41[138] | 2020–2021 | 23 | 7.56 | 3 | 2.0[139] | |
| 5 | 11 | March 10, 2021 ( ) | 5.66[140] | May 26, 2021 (
2021-05-26 Read more: สรุปเหรียญโอลิมปิกฤดูร้อน 2016 – วิกิพีเดีย ) |
5.51[141] | ||||||
| 6 | TBA | September 22, 2021 ( ) | 4.74[142] | December 15, 2021 (
2021-12-15 ) |
5.08[143] | 2021–2022 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | |
In both 2019 and 2020, the show was named the “ Hottest Reality/Competition Series ” in the United States by Adweek. [ 144 ] [ 145 ] Excluding post- NFL game debuts, the plan ‘s premiere was the highest- rated for an unscripted television series in the country since The X Factor in 2011. [ 146 ] Ratings grew toward the end of the first season, [ 95 ] and The Masked Singer concluded the 2018–2019 american television season as the highest-rated new series in the adults 18–49 key demographic [ 131 ] and the first unscripted serial to rank number one in the writing style in its first season since Joe Millionaire in 2003. [ 147 ] TV Guide named it the television season ‘s “ most lowball appearance ”. [ 148 ] During the keep up television season, the series was one of two non-NFL programs to charge over $ 200,000 per 30 seconds of advertise. [ 149 ] Deadline Hollywood cited the second season as a major reason Fox—for the foremost time in the network ‘s history—ranked number one in fall entertainment program. [ 150 ] The premier of the third base temper following Super Bowl LIV became the series ‘ most-watched sequence. [ 135 ] Throughout the temper ‘s latter half which aired amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, episodes experienced a advance in viewership compared to those broadcast before the outbreak. [ 85 ] [ 151 ] Although the 18–49 evaluation was lower than the first ‘s, the show remained the acme non-sports program in the demographic. [ 152 ] During the 2020–2021 United States television receiver season, ad prices for the show increased 12 percentage to about $ 226,000 per 30 seconds. [ 153 ] While the highest-rated entertainment broadcast since the third base season ‘s finale, [ 144 ] the first episode of the fourth season tied for the series ‘ lowest at the time. [ 154 ] A circulate following a Thanksgiving NFL game was the most-watched and highest-rated of the series excluding the post-Super Bowl episode since the first gear season ‘s stopping point. [ 155 ] [ 156 ] With the fourth and fifth season ‘s ratings, The Masked Singer remained the highest-rated entertainment program among adults 18–49 for the third straight television receiver season. [ 131 ] [ 157 ] Simulcasts of the read are democratic in Canada ; all of the premieres and finales have ranked within the top 10 most-watched programs in the weeks they aired according to consultation measurement company Numeris. [ 158 ] [ 159 ] The post-Super Bowl LIV premier of the third gear season was viewed by 2.35 million—the most for a Super Bowl lead-out in the state since 2012. [ 159 ] [ 160 ] It concluded the 2019–2020 canadian television receiver season as the one-eighth most-watched series overall. [ 161 ] In Australia, The Masked Singer debuted on September 30, 2020, to ratings importantly smaller than others in its timeslot. With 285,000 viewers, The Music attributed its low viewership to a culture barrier and that reveals are well-publicized by the fourth dimension the series air. [ 162 ] After viewership fell to 125,000 a calendar month late, the program was moved to a less golden timeslot. [ 163 ]
critical reply [edit ]
The display received a mix reception from television critics ; their critiques were classified as “ befuddled “ by The Hollywood Reporter. [ 164 ] Review collection web site Rotten Tomatoes reported a 52 percentage approval rate for the first temper, with an average rat of 4 out of 10, based on 25 reviews. Its critical consensus states : “ Defying all tropes of the reality rival writing style, The Masked Singer manages to be both magnetically apocalyptic and inexplicably boring. ” [ 165 ] Metacritic, which uses a leaden median, assigned the series a score of 36 out of 100 based on 10 critics reviewing the first season, indicating “ broadly unfavorable reviews ”. [ 166 ]
Concept and entreaty [edit ]
Critics contrasted the series to other reality television receiver programs in the United States. Entertainment Weekly ‘s Joseph Longo considered it the most capture contest series since The Voice premiered in 2011, [ 92 ] and Stuart Heritage of The Guardian called it one of the best singing contest shows in a ten. [ 167 ] Writing for NBC News ‘ Think, Ani Bundel thought the series has an advantage over Dancing with the Stars and The Voice because voting bias is less probably when competitors are unknown. [ 168 ] Kelly Lawler of USA Today agreed, praising the avoidance of overproduce backstories, harsh criticisms, and results episodes. [ 169 ] The Daily Beast ‘s Laura Bradley felt it was better than Dancing with the Stars because costumes can be used to generate concern rather of casting those “ who seek to overplay their 15 minutes of fame “. [ 170 ] As she considered its format more complex than Top Chef or Dancing with the Stars, Erin Schwartz of The Nation considered The Masked Singer ‘s success surprise. [ 171 ] The show received comparisons to the original version of the franchise. Despite its potent viewership indicating the “ changes [ between it and the south korean version ] seem to have worked ”, [ 172 ] some felt the contest duration is excessively dull in comparison and makes reveals occur long after established consensuses about who the celebrities are have formed, nullifying the agitation surrounding them. [ 25 ] [ 50 ] [ 173 ] While contestants on the confederacy korean series sing the lapp songs during a duet round, producers ‘ decision not to do then in the american adaptation was besides thought of as an “ ill-advised ” decision by critics as they felt it inhibits fair comparisons. [ 25 ] [ 173 ] [ 174 ] Conversely, for V ‘s Hannah Hightman, the series “ retains the outlandishness of King of Mask Singer but adds a distinctly american vogue, creating an contagiously fun reality television receiver classic ”. [ 175 ] According to Drew Millard of The Outline, the show is better than former american adaptations of asian television receiver series because it is “ even crazier than the original ”. [ 176 ] Critics regarded the program as having a positivist nature. John Doyle of The Globe and Mail cited it as a cultural change in the United States away from the competitive and frequently exploitative effect of world shows like American Idol. [ 177 ] Opining in The Washington Post, Sonia Rao thought the series ‘ ethos is its patronize of eccentricity. [ 178 ] Matt Zoller Seitz of Vulture named it the best exemplar of escape on television, [ 179 ] and Variety ‘s Daniel D’Addario called it a refund to form for the medium as he thought it possesses the now-rare ability to uplift and unite people. [ 180 ] Lawler agreed, remarking it was possibly “ the only world television show that does n’t manufacture its fun ”. [ 169 ] Schwartz considered it “ the rare show on television receiver that allows viewers to turn off their brains, baby-sit back, and enjoy ” and felt panelists complement competitors despite the quality of their performances. [ 171 ] The way contestants are eliminated has garnered praise for being dignified, [ 181 ] [ 182 ] though those of “ vocal music caption [ south ] ” such as LaBelle, Dionne Warwick, and Chaka Khan have been criticized for being premature. [ 183 ] [ 184 ] [ 185 ]
performance and production [edit ]
The costume designs have received praise for being imaginative, [ 186 ] intricate, [ 25 ] and impressive. [ 93 ] [ 187 ] Opinions of the performances have differed ; Variety ‘s Caroline Framke described them as mediocre, [ 187 ] The New Yorker ‘s Emily Nussbaum thought the choreography was elaborate, [ 188 ] and Entertainment Weekly ‘s Kristen Baldwin said some celebrities sound professional while others are more karaoke -like. [ 189 ] The way the show is edited has attracted criticism ; guesses have been called repetitive, [ 179 ] episodes excessive in length, [ 167 ] and unmaskings slow. [ 190 ] Writing for Decider, Joel Keller found the platform ‘s pacing overwhelm. [ 191 ] To fix the “ manufacture ” feel, Hanh Nguyen of IndieWire felt a live broadcast would add excitation, [ 192 ] as did those from Gold Derby and E! Online. [ 193 ] [ 194 ] Los Angeles Times ‘ television receiver critic Lorraine Ali noted viewers on the West Coast detect which fame is unmask later than those on the East Coast do because the appearance is not aired live across all time zones. [ 94 ]
Reviewers referred to the status of celebrities competing. Rob Harvilla of The Ringer wrote that they are either stars of decades past or lone have thin connections to actual celebrities [ 195 ] and Ali stated the usher ‘s “ theme of fame is reasonably elastic ”. [ 94 ] According to Hannah Hightman, the series is “ a seaport for B-list celebs ”. [ 175 ] Similarly, Alison de Souza of The Straits Times said the series has never featured an A-lister. [ 121 ] With both traditional Hollywood celebrities and world show stars participating, some indicated the hierarchies of fame are no retentive american samoa defined as they once were. [ 186 ] [ 196 ] Conversely, Adam White of The Daily Telegraph attributed the picture ‘s success in separate to the “ relative starriness of its participants ” [ 197 ] and BBC News ‘ Neil Smith considered it a “ particularly starry ” adaptation of the franchise. [ 198 ] In her koran Transnational Korean Television, the scholar Hyejung Ju argued about all of the contestants are well-known. [ 24 ] In contrast to the New Zealand version, Jenni Mortimer of The New Zealand Herald said “ the celebrity wrench on the US interpretation is huge ”. [ 199 ]
Critics felt the panelists undermined the program with pointless statements and awkward interactions. [ 188 ] [ 190 ] [ 200 ] Describing McCarthy Wahlberg as inexperienced, Scherzinger as dull, Jeong as extraordinary, and Thicke as besides serious, Kelly Lawler named them the worst control panel in reality television history. [ 169 ] [ 201 ] Rachel Desantis of the New York Daily News thought all except Jeong were unfunny ; [ 181 ] Miles Surrey of The Ringer disagree, stating Jeong was annoying. [ 202 ] Quartz ‘s Adam Epstein predicted the panelists could be the show ‘s precipitation. [ 203 ] Their guesses have been called stupid, [ 204 ] absurd, [ 196 ] worthless, [ 187 ] and “ the worst depart of the [ show ] ” [ 205 ] by those who viewed them as farfetched. [ 195 ] In dissentient, The Daily Beast ‘s Jordan Julian felt they made the panelists “ amazingly entertaining ” [ 206 ] and D’Addario compared the panelists favorably to the original American Idol judges who he perceived as non-experts in their fields. [ 180 ] Cannon ‘s function on the series has divided critics. The Washington Post ‘s Emily Yahr felt he “ was made for ” the show ascribable to his years of have in the same character “ seeing oddities ” on America’s Got Talent, [ 207 ] and Keller thought he “ learned his lesson ” from that broadcast by being less distracting. [ 191 ] Conversely, Doyle called Cannon “ vitamin a inarticulate as a three-year-old ” [ 177 ] and Longo remarked he was overshadowed by the presence and comment of McCarthy Wahlberg. [ 92 ] The panelist ‘s role on the picture was criticized by Seitz and Sam Barsanti of The A.V. Club due to her views on vaccines. [ 179 ] [ 204 ]
cultural affect [edit ]
The series ‘ success is attributed to subsequent local adaptations of the Masked Singer franchise. [ 21 ] [ 208 ] It is part of the Korean Wave and follows chap late 2010s american television receiver shows Better Late Than Never and The Good Doctor, which are besides based on confederacy korean programs. [ 209 ] International pastime in adapting other costume-centered formats such as Wild Things and Sexy Beasts has been credited to the series ‘ success, [ 18 ] as has the debut of early guessing game shows on Fox. [ 210 ] [ 211 ] An american interpretation of the south korean game appearance I Can See Your Voice, which features contestants guessing whether singers are dependable or bad without hearing them sing for a casual to win money, began airing on the network in 2020. Jeong hosts along with a panel and a “ musical ace ” who aid the contestant. It followed episodes of The Masked Singer ‘s fourth season, creating a two-hour program block based on south korean formats and featuring Jeong. [ 210 ] [ 212 ] Game of Talents, another international guess game adaptation, is hosted by season two achiever Wayne Brady and aired after episodes of The Masked Singer ‘s fifth season. [ 211 ] In April 2021, an unofficial on-line fundraiser version of the read featuring Broadway performers titled Broadway’s Masked Singer was held in subscribe of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. [ 213 ] The plan has played a major function in Fox ‘s achiever as an mugwump network and in-house production company Fox Alternative Entertainment. [ 214 ] [ 215 ] As a result, Wade described an increased receptiveness to new ideas when shows are pitched. [ 147 ] He besides predicted more target relationships between asian production companies and american english television networks would form. [ 216 ] Masked Singer was MBC ‘s first format sold to the United States market. [ 27 ] Plestis subsequently signed a conduct with Tokyo Broadcasting System to develop new television receiver formats and launched an american edition of the south korean game prove My Little Television for TBS. [ 217 ] [ 218 ] Due in separate to her success with The Masked Singer, british product company Studio Lambert signed a alike deal with Pick Ibarra. [ 23 ]
Awards and nominations [edit ]
The Masked Singer: After the Mask [edit ]
due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on television receiver, Fox postponed the premieres of some script series to late 2020 and opted to create The Masked Singer: After the Mask as one of two shows that could be produced remotely to fill the scheduling break. [ 241 ] Cannon hosts the aftershow ; it aired on Wednesdays at 9:00 post meridiem ( ET ) for four weeks following episodes of the third base season during which he discusses the result of the preceding Masked Singer episode from a “ virtual degree ” with guests appearing via videotelephony. [ 242 ] [ 243 ] A performance from the eliminated fame is featured at the end of each episode, which are directed by Tom Sullivan and executive produced by Breen, Plestis, and Cannon. [ 244 ] CTV broadcast the series in Canada. [ 245 ] The series premier received a 1.4 denounce in the adults 18–49 demographic and about 5.5 million viewers, a “ reasonably significant improvement ” over the average ratings of the previous lead-out, Lego Masters. [ 246 ] Subsequent episodes continued to retain about half of The Masked Singer ‘s viewers, which is considered above average for an aftershow. [ 85 ] Including DVR, the program concluded the 2019–2020 United States television season with an average viewership of 5.29 million ( ranking sixty-eighth among all series broadcast ), and an average 18–49 military rank of 1.4 ( ranking twenty-seventh ). [ 134 ] According to Variety, it received higher ratings “ than shows that probably cost ten times to produce ”. [ 247 ]
The Masked Dancer [edit ]
Following the premier of The Masked Singer in January 2019, Ellen DeGeneres began conducting a parody, “ The Masked Dancer ”, as a recurring segment on her day speak show. On January 7, 2020, Fox Alternative Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television announced plans to broadcast The Masked Dancer as a television receiver series. [ 248 ] [ 249 ] Craig Robinson hosts the show, and Jeong, Brian Austin Green, Paula Abdul, and Ashley Tisdale act as panelists. Like The Masked Singer ‘s format, fame contestants wear head-to-toe costumes and grimace masks concealing their identities, but perform different dance styles. [ 250 ] [ 251 ] It premiered on Fox on December 27, 2020. [ 252 ]
early media [edit ]
After being tire during a season, the costumes are placed in repositing and occasionally displayed. [ 91 ] In mid-2019, some from the beginning temper were accompanied by television and Toybina ‘s master sketches in an exhibit, “ Fashion & Fantasy : The Art of The Masked Singer “, at the Los Angeles Paley Center for Media. [ 253 ] Selections were besides present at the annual “ Art of Television Costume Design ” display at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Museum in Los Angeles from August to October 2019. [ 254 ] [ 255 ] On February 1, 2020, two costumes were displayed at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County as depart of a meet-and-greet promotion. [ 256 ] For a week in May 2021, costumes from the fifth season were shown in a West Hollywood, California shopfront as part of a For Your Consideration campaign for the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards. [ 257 ] Hoodies, coffee mugs, call cases, and other merchandise using the show ‘s brand are purchasable on the series ‘ on-line store. [ 258 ] “ Family fun packs ” consisting of coloring pages, a discussion search, and a do it yourself mask were once downloadable on its web site, [ 259 ] as were official Giphy stickers, hint notebooks, Bingo cards, and earphone wallpapers. [ 260 ] Images of the series were made available to users on Microsoft Teams and Zoom as customs backgrounds. [ 261 ] [ 262 ] In October 2020, the prove launched an official weekly podcast hosted by Bow Wow. In addition to a post-elimination fame interview, it features guests and extra clues. [ 263 ] [ 264 ] During the fifth season, viewers could use the Fox Bet Super 6 app to answer questions about each sequence and be entered into weekly draw to win money, including a grand piano respect of $ 100,000. [ 6 ] In February 2020, it was announced that the program would be getting a bouncy enlistment with shows in over forty american cities featuring two celebrity hosts and a local anesthetic mystery celebrity who would be unmasked at the end of each. [ 265 ] Originally scheduled for mid-2020, the go was former postponed to the trace year ascribable to the COVID-19 pandemic and finally delayed indefinitely. [ 266 ] [ 267 ] In June 2021, Plestis said plans were being materialized and that he hoped it would occur in 2022. [ 268 ] On November 1, 2021, the tour was reannounced for 2022, scheduled to begin on May 28. [ 269 ]
Notes [edit ]
- ^ Indicates the class of ceremony
- ^ For “ The Season Premiere – The Masks Return ”
- ^ For “ Season Finale : And The Winner Takes It All and Takes It Off ”
- ^ For “ The Semi Finals – The Super Six ”
- ^ For season three
- ^ Competed as “ Monster ” in the first base temper
- ^ Competed as “ Night Angel ” in the third season
- ^ Competed as “ White Tiger ” in the third base season
- ^ Competed as “ Black Swan ” in the fifth season
- ^ Competed as “ Chameleon ” in the fifth temper
- ^ For “ Season Finale : The Final Mask is Lifted ”
- ^ For “ The Season Kick off Mask Off : Group A ”
- ^ For “ Super 8 – The Plot Chickens ! character 2 ”
- ^ For “ The Spicy 6 – The competition Heats Up ! ”
- ^ For “ The Season Premiere – The Masks Return ”
- ^ For season one
- ^ For seasons three and four
References [edit ]
Read more: Chord (music) – Wikipedia