Rise and Fallcontinues tonight... and if you thought they'd set the bar high by ELECTROCUTING HALF OF THE CONTESTANTS FOR THE PROFIT OF THE OTHER HALF, then you'd be wrong... it seems like it was just a bit of an opening gambit.
The show, fronted by Greg James, was compared extensively to BBC mega-hit The Traitors before last night's launch, understandable, given it's created by the same team. But last night seemed to be more Big Brother early days, with some of the contestants placed in the plush penthouse and the rest in the basement, eating potato skin soup while the powers that be supped champagne and downed caviar.
And it took things to whole new reality TV show levels as it went on. It was revealed the grafters in the basement had to work to build the prize fund and only a ruler in the Penthouse could win it at the end of the series. And to make the money, the rulers could submit the grafters to longer and longer 'shifts' which involved them holding onto metal without letting go as they sent electric shocks to them.
Then it all got a bit Apprentice as the rulers all spouted dodgier and dodgier management techniques to justify lining their pockets. Stand-out was Ramona, submitting the workers to an extra shift of ELECTROCUTION, then crying at how proud she was of them and then claiming complete management guru status when she deigned/was able to feed the grafters because of HER decision to make THEM do more work/electrocution. If you didn't see if then it's worth catching up on All4. Warning though - it all might feel a bit existentially familiar during a punishing cost of living crisis...
But if you were intrigued by the first episode's big Cliffhanger, here's what you can expect to see tonight...
What Ruler leaves the penthouse tonight?
Channel 4 are keeping tight-lipped after last night's cliffhanger vote, but we do know one of the is voted to fall from the Penthouse and be eliminated from the competition.
But time is money people, so soon enough, the latest challenge is set.
Tonight, two rulers have their leadership skills put to the test when they must choose four grafters to take on some overtime to add more money to the prize fund. The rulers each select a team of two and set targets for them to squeeze oranges to fill bottles with juice. The rulers must find the balance between an achievable target and pushing the grafters hard enough to bank money for the prize fund.
Or they could just run them into the ground for profit like in the real world! Who knows!
Which Grafter gets sent up to the penthouse?
Nature hates a vacuum, and TV loves a power-struggle, so as a ruler leaves, the grafters are told that one of them can rise up from the basement to the penthouse, following a secret ballot.
Care home manager Connor, receptionist Marina and entrepreneur Jeff are keen and as they lobby for votes, Connor says: 'Whoever we’re sending up, we need to think influential, someone that’s compassionate. We’re making decisions now, they made their decision last night, now our decision is being made today.'
Marina adds: 'It’s about giving people down here some power and we can only do that by having an alliance between down here and up there.'
Jeff says: 'I would feel very comfortable in there because I have a job to do. In the nicest possible way, I’m good at manipulation. Would I step on people? They won’t know they’ve been stepped on.'
In the orange juicing challenge, Connor and interior designer Joanna in one team, with builder Jack and delivery driver Sydney in the other. Will they meet the target in the designated time to add vital funds to the prize money?
Then it's time for another shock when the Rise and Fall lift delivers another grafter to the basement to join them...
Rise and Fall continues Monday to Friday at 10pm on Channel 4 and All 4.