The Squid Game: Showrunner Responds to Fan Backlash, Defending the Series

The producer of The Squid Game: The Challenge on Netflix has vehemently refuted accusations that the reality show completely deviates from the original, despite facing widespread criticism from fans upon its release. The reality remake of the streaming platform's most popular show has been met with significant backlash ever since it was first announced.

Fans were quick to criticize the creation of Squid Game, claiming that it goes against the original show's focus on economic exploitation between the rich and the poor. Netflix has been accused of taking advantage of everyday people by using them as contestants in Squid Game: The Challenge, with producers defending the show against these claims.

Squid Game: The Challenge producer responds to criticism

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, executive producers of the Squid Game reality show Stephen Lambert, Tim Harcourt, and John Hay answered a series of questions.

In response to whether the show "misses the point" of the "anti-capitalism" story, Harcourt disagreed, stating that Squid Game has more than one point. He explained that while the capitalist critique is important, the show also criticizes how competitiveness is ingrained in people from childhood through childhood games, and how people behave under pressure.

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He finished by adding: “Our show isn’t about people in need. It’s about people being presented with an opportunity. So we flip that on its head.

“So, while some people have focused on one element they believe is being neglected in a reality show, I believe it only represents a small part of the original Squid Game.”

They also addressed criticisms regarding welfare and safety during filming, with Hay stating: “The specific criticism you mentioned was related to the filming of Red Light, Green Light. It was a challenging and lengthy shoot on a cold day, but everyone was well-prepared and taken care of.”

Squid Game: The Challenge Batch 1 (Episodes 1-5) is on Netflix now, while Batch 2 (Episodes 6-9) arrives on November 29. You can find more about the show below:

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z netizen, I have mixed feelings about the Squid Game: The Challenge. On the one hand, I understand why fans are upset that the reality show doesn't capture the true essence of the original series. The original Squid Game was a powerful critique of capitalism and economic inequality, and the reality show seems to miss the point by focusing on the individual contestants rather than the systemic issues that the original show addressed.

On the other hand, I can also see why the producers of the reality show made the changes they did. A reality show based on the original Squid Game would be incredibly controversial and potentially dangerous. The producers likely wanted to avoid these risks by making the show more lighthearted and fun.

Ultimately, I think the Squid Game: The Challenge is a missed opportunity. It could have been a powerful statement about the dangers of capitalism and economic inequality, but instead, it's just a shallow and forgettable reality show. I hope that future seasons of the show will do a better job of capturing the true essence of the original series.