Wheel of Fortune returned on Monday, September 9, for season 42, with Ryan Seacrest making his debut as host, and the show proved to be a huge success, at least in terms of ratings.

Accordingly DeadlineMonday’s episode drew a 4.62 household rating, up 57% from last year’s premiere, which drew a 2.94 household rating in the same 44 overnight markets.

Please note that these are only preliminary numbers for the first episode, and more detailed ratings for the first week of season 42 episodes will be released next week.

wheelLegendary host Pat Sajak officially retired in June and Seacrest took over as host. Longtime bestselling author Vanna White will continue as co-host.

The first three episodes of Seacrest’s series received mixed reactions. Some praised the American Idol host for his enthusiasm and obvious fanbase for the show, while others said he is not yet comfortable in the role.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUcMVIDADHg

However, it is not just the change of presenter that is a sticking point for some viewers. Wheel of Fortune On the Reddit forum, some users claimed that the new season was “over the top,” especially in terms of the selection of contestants.

“Does anyone else think the entire new WoF is just over the top? From the set to the contestants’ outfits to their behavior. Especially the male contestant tonight. To me it’s almost like they’re actors. It feels unnaturally ‘extra,'” wrote one Reddit user on Wednesday, September 11.

Others agreed, with one fan responding, “Yes, definitely. I was afraid this would happen after Pat retired. Wheel of Fortune follows the trend of overproduction and false emotions.”

They continued: “In today’s episode in particular, you feel dizzy and overwhelmed by all the cuts and noises from the contestants. You can hardly follow the mystery. Maybe the ratings don’t support it, but I’ve always preferred authentic emotions. You don’t want boring contestants, but authenticity is nice.”

Another added: “That’s why Jeopardy stayed great after Alex (Trebek) died and Ken (Jennings) finally took over. It’s not an ultra-pretentious show and has maintained the same demeanor as it always has.”

They further noted that Wheel has always been “flasher” and “more energetic” than Jeopardy, “but this season they’ve upped the ante and it feels like I’m watching one of those new shows that comes out every season with an actor who used to be big, and now you’re like, ‘Why the hell are they hosting this show?'”

“It looks like a fake game show. It’s like an episode of Black Mirror. I won’t watch it anymore if it keeps up,” said another.

Another added: “That’s too many changes at once.”

“Looks like they’re allowing contestants to be crazier and louder. This is annoying,” wrote one commenter.

“Another thing I noticed is the puzzles and some of the prizes are geared more towards millennials or a younger demographic. Kombucha prize, I Heart radio event, IYKYK puzzle solution, Dua Lipa song solution. I just noticed more than usual,” added another.

Another wrote: “You’ve changed too much. Just change the moderator. That should have been it. Leave everything else as it is. Change things over time, like next year – little by little.”

What do you think of the new Wheel of Fortune so far? Is this too much change all at once? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.