Why did Holey Moley succeed where others failed?

reality blurred

Stephen Curry's ABC extreme mini-golf competition -- whose premiere episode now has 10 million viewers with delayed viewing -- contains elements of Big Brother, Wipeout and American Ninja Warrior, yet it feels like a breath of fresh air. Holey Moley, says Andy Dehnart, "has genuinely surprising and intense competition: people come from behind, hit impossible shots, and sink or miss putts. Of course, it’s also ridiculous. Contestant interviews are backdropped by a lodge with plaid wallpaper and a large portrait of a squirrel holding a golf club behind them. It doesn’t just stop with one idea, but takes each one three steps beyond where it’s necessary. While ABC’s one-season revival of Battle of the Network Stars had just one layer—reality stars and C-list celebrities competing in basic games—Holey Moley has developed each component into something rich. And that’s what works so well."