Night Shift – Game Changer S8 Review

I don't know why I am only starting this now, but I've decided that while Season 8 of Game Changer is going, I might as well write my full thoughts on the episodes as they come out, as I usually have a lot to say about them! Much more than I can on a small section on my weekly updates at least. I'll be doing them about a week after each episode comes out, specifically after the behind the scenes videos come out, as they provide a lot more insight into each episode.

That means this week I'll be talking about Night Shift! The third episode of the season. If you wish to watch it and haven't already, I highly suggest you do, especially as the rest of this post will contain spoilers, though I'll try to avoid anything too big. Also, I am assuming that if you're reading this post you're at least a bit familiar with the general format of the show and the people involved, so I might not go into full detail on everything. This will apply to all of my other posts on Game Changer Season 8.

For a general summary of the episode, it was all about a day and night cycle. The set was decorated to look like a factory setting, and it featured Rekha, Siobhan, and Lily to start, and they got 3 minutes to complete a specific task Sam gave them; after their 3 minutes were done, they clocked out and they switched into the Night Shift, composed of Katie, Grant, and Raph, who were given 3 more minutes to do the task, but they weren't told what it was. After those three minutes were up the Day shift switches back, and so on, and so on. They only moved on to the next task when the previous one was complete, with the winners being the pair who completed all nine tasks first.

The real fun of half the episode was the Night Shift trying to figure out what the task was and often failing to do so, and then the other half was the Day Shift trying to sort out the mess the Night Shift often created, but also help set them up for success.

As the game went on, the shifts found ways to communicate between each other. This started during Task 6 when they were given some Oreos to sort through, and the Day Shift ended up using the cream to write on the table to try and help the Night Shift. They also communicated via some Ransom Notes-like word tiles, markers they were given for Task 4, and even hair products they were given for the final task.

Also, as it continued, the Night Shift were actually given access to a shop ran by Chris Grace (which just appeared as a creepy shed during the day shift) where they could buy dodgy items at the price of their Day Shift partner's time, and the mysterious man played by Demi Adejuyigbe who could answer yes or no questions for them, but also at the cost of time (and often at their annoyance).

This was a very good episode, probably my favourite of the season so far, as it was both an extremely fun game by itself, but was made even better with the amazing double cast. The banter between the shifts individually, their occasional frustration towards the other shift, and them constantly poking fun at both Sam and Paul Foremanlino was amazing to see.

As for the game itself, not only was it super fun, but after reflecting on it a bit I noticed that this game actually struck a very good balance between the two shifts. The Day Shift had the information on how to actually progress through the game, but the Night Shift were sometimes given access to more resources, especially the shop, which despite being a joke at first actually became more and more useful as it went on, being almost mandatory for the final task. (Those last two tasks were wild, by the way)

Also, I definitely have to talk about that set. I always love when they decorate the standard set to fit the theme better, and this is definitely my favourite makeover they've done so far. I love the tubes and the steam whistle, but I especially love all the bits of it that change when it turns to night. The lights above the contestants turning on, the lighting changing to be colder with the harsher shadows that look like windows, and — of course — the super cool clock Sam has behind him, which was made by Ash, and that I appreciate much more after watching all the care put into it in the behind the scenes.

I really like the episodes with a game the contestants have to fully figure out. My favourite episode (at least of the first 7 seasons), Deja Vu, does something similar, so it was no surprise to me I would love this one. With that, the amazing cast, and all the care put by/into the props, the set, the guests, and everything else, this is an amazing episode that I think will stand out to me for a long time! My favourite of the season so far, and honestly a contender for my favourite episode of the entire show, but let's see if the rest of the season changes that!

By the way, it totally isn't, but I am still saying that the clock going to 6 is a reference to Mario Party 6, the one with the day/night mechanic! Also they used a lot of Arial Bold this episode, which surprisingly worked for me, so that's fun.