One of the producers said he takes issue “over the notion that Squid Game has just one point”.
Following the announcement that a reality TV version of the hit drama Squid Game was in the works, many people were unsure what to think, given the series focused on socioeconomic divides and the exploitation of the poor by the rich.
As per The Hollywood Reporter’s review of Squid Game: The Challenge, the publication noted that the original Squid Game series served as “an extreme example of the dehumanisation of capitalism”, while the reality series “builds on the most superficial aspects” of the show.
However, the executive producers of Squid Game: The Challenge, Stephen Lambert, Tim Harcourt and John Hay, have denied that the show “misses the point” of what Squid Game is about.
Harcourt told The Hollywood Reporter that he takes issue “over the notion that Squid Game has just one point”.
He explained: “One of the important strands was the capitalist critique. But it’s also a critique of how we are ingrained from childhood to be ultra competitive via these childhood games. It’s also about how people behave under pressure — and that’s what makes reality shows interesting.
“Even if it’s an artificial or conceited situation, how do people behave? It was also about camaraderie. Also, the drama was about people fending off their desperate circumstances to win a huge prize. Our show isn’t about people in need. It’s about people being presented with an opportunity. So we flip that on its head.”
He noted that there is an element of the original series that “people have latched on to” that they believe isn’t being served, but he believe that is “a very small part of the original Squid Game”.
Much like the original show, 456 people take part in various children’s games, all in the hopes of winning a whopping $4.56 million cash prize. However, if you fail in any of the games, you will subsequently be eliminated from the competition.
The first five episodes of Squid Game: The Challenge is available to stream on now. Sign up for Netflix from £6.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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