{{Short description|2024 reality television show}} {{use mdy dates|date=November 2024}} {{Infobox television | genre = Game show | creator = | director = | presenter = Sarah Sherman, Kyle Brandt | country = United States | language = English | num_seasons = 1 | num_episodes = 8 | list_episodes = | producer = {{Plainlist| * Chip Gaines * Joanna Gaines * Allison Page }} | editor = | runtime = 38–45 minutes | company = A. Smith & Co., Magnolia Network | network = Max | first_aired = {{Start date|2024|11|21}} | last_aired = | image = Human_vs_Hamster_(2024).jpg }}
'''''Human vs Hamster''''' is a reality competition show on the streaming service Max, produced by Chip and Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Network. The eight episodes of its first season were released on November 21, 2024. It is hosted by Sarah Sherman and Kyle Brandt and features Brian Balthazar as the show's "resident hamster enthusiast".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wenger |first1=Stephanie |title=Teams of Humans Compete Against the 'World's Most Remarkable' Hamsters in New Show 'Human vs. Hamster': See the Trailer! |url=https://people.com/human-vs-hamster-trailer-humans-compete-against-hamsters-max-show-8744190 |access-date=29 November 2024 |work=People |date=November 12, 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hailu |first1=Selome |title=‘Flip or Flop’: Tarek El Moussa and Christina Hall Reunite for Post-Divorce Spinoff, WBD Also Sets John Cena to Host Shark Week and More |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/flip-or-flop-tarek-el-moussa-christina-hall-divorce-spinoff-1236003765/ |access-date=29 November 2024 |work=Variety |date=15 May 2024}}</ref>
==Game play== Each episode features two pairs of humans, each grouped by a shared profession (nurses, firefighters, flight attendants) or hobby (pub trivia competitors, beauty pageant entrants, magicians). The human pairs compete in a series of challenges — some against one another, but most against one of the "Hamstars", a group of 10 hamsters with ''American Gladiator''-style identities. The physical challenges are timed and scaled to both human and hamster sizes. The Hamstars are named Ham, Warrior, the Professor, Shadow, Gnasher, Romeo, Lightning, Kevin, Diamond, and Astro.
Human teams receive $1,000 for winning a challenge, and the team that wins the most money advances to the Habitrail-inspired finale, Escape the Cage, which pits a team member against a hamster in a multistage obstacle course.
==Production== ''Human vs Hamster'' was one of four unscripted series sold by Magnolia Network to Max, described as "ambitious large-scale competitions" and "out-of-the-box social experiments".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Maas |first1=Jennifer |title=Chip and Joanna Gaines’s Magnolia Network Sets Four Family-Friendly Unscripted Series at Max, Including Competition ‘Human vs Hamster’ |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/chip-joanna-gaines-family-shows-max-magnolia-network-1235776691/ |access-date=29 November 2024 |work=Variety |date=2 November 2023}}</ref> Chip Gaines said the show was inspired by seeing Jason Kelce celebrating shirtless after a touchdown scored by his brother Travis Kelce in a January 2024 NFL playoff game.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vallone |first1=Sara |title=Chip Gaines shares the unlikely person who inspired his new show ‘Human vs Hamster’ |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/chip-gaines-shares-unlikely-person-170331093.html |access-date=29 November 2024 |work=Yahoo News |date=24 October 2024}}</ref> However, the show was already casting contestants more than a month before the game.<ref>{{cite web |title=MAX's "Human vs Hamster" Show Casting Talent {{!}} Casting Calls at allcasting |url=https://allcasting.com/castingcall/251236 |website=allcasting.com |access-date=29 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
The show was packaged by A. Smith & Co., known for similar reality competition shows such as ''Floor Is Lava'' and ''American Ninja Warrior''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Human vs. Hamster - A. Smith & Co. Productions |url=https://asmithco.com/current-programs/human-vs-hamster/ |website=asmithco.com |access-date=29 November 2024}}</ref> Episodes were taped in the Scarborough district of Toronto.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Balint |first1=Ed |title=Wacky and wild. GlenOak grad competes on new HBO Max game show, 'Human vs Hamster' |url=https://www.cantonrep.com/story/entertainment/2024/11/22/stark-county-ohio-man-competes-max-game-show-human-vs-hamster-nick-popa-magician-glenoak-high/76449851007/ |access-date=29 November 2024 |work=Canton Repository}}</ref>
==Episodes== {{Episode table|total_width=|background=#000000|overall=|title=|titleR=|airdate=|airdateR= |episodes= {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 1 |Title = Teachers and Nurses |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|11|21}} |ShortSummary = |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 2 |Title = Trivia Kings and Volunteer Queens |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|11|21}} |ShortSummary = |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 3 |Title = Weekend Warriors and Theater Kids |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|11|21}} |ShortSummary = |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 4 |Title = Wrestlers and Lawyers |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|11|21}} |ShortSummary = |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 5 |Title = Rhode Island Firefighters and New Jersey Firefighters |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|11|21}} |ShortSummary = |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 6 |Title = Magicians and Dancers |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|11|21}} |ShortSummary = |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 7 |Title = Flight Attendants and Tooth Fairies |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|11|21}} |ShortSummary = |LineColor = 000000 }} {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber = 8 |Title = Caroling Elves and Christmas Candy Clerks |OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|11|21}} |ShortSummary = |LineColor = 000000 }} }}
==Reception== ''Human vs Hamster'' received positive reviews. ''Decider'''s Joel Keller rated the show a "Stream It" (as opposed to a "Skip It"): "Don’t get us wrong: Human Vs. Hamster is silly as hell. But it’s fun to watch, and host Sarah Sherman takes the show just as seriously as it deserves to be taken."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Keller |first1=Joel |title='Human Vs. Hamster' HBO Max Review: Stream It Or Skip It? |url=https://decider.com/2024/11/22/human-vs-hamster-max-review/ |access-date=29 November 2024 |work=Decider |date=22 November 2024}}</ref> The critic Andy Dehnart called it "a seriously silly throwback to ’80s and ’90s game shows" that "consistently delivers a solid mix of comedy and challenges".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dehnart |first1=Andy |title=Human vs. Hamster is a seriously silly throwback to ’80s and ’90s game shows |url=https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2024/11/human-vs-hamster-max-review/ |access-date=29 November 2024 |work=reality blurred |date=22 November 2024}}</ref>
Tara Ariano from ''Cracked'' said the show "delivers exactly what you would probably hope from such a goofy title": "There are lots of reasons to root against humans at this point in history. ''Human vs. Hamster'' is arguably the most socially acceptable and low-stakes reason to do it, ''and'' offers the fuzziest alternative to root ''for''".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ariano |first1=Tara |title=‘Human vs. Hamster’ Will Make You Root Against Humanity (But in A Fun Way, for A Change) |url=https://www.cracked.com/article_44476_human-vs-hamster-will-make-you-root-against-humanity-but-in-a-fun-way-for-a-change.html |access-date=29 November 2024 |work=Cracked |date=21 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref> As Gail Sherman of ''Boing Boing'' put it, "Everything is terrible right now, and humans trash-talking hamsters about a hamster-ball bowling competition is just hilarious".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sherman |first1=Gail |title=Humans Vs. Hamsters is an actual show |url=https://boingboing.net/2024/11/25/humans-vs-hamsters-is-an-actual-show.html |access-date=29 November 2024 |work=Boing Boing |date=25 November 2024}}</ref>
==External links== *[https://play.max.com/show/4b5bfb90-64ab-492a-af27-4ecf0acd5186 ''Human vs Hamster''] *{{Rotten Tomatoes | tv/human_vs_hamster | Human vs Hamster }} *{{IMDb title|29958453}}
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
Category:Game shows Category:HBO Max original programming Category:2024 American television series debuts Category:2024 American television series endings Category:2020s American game shows Category:English-language American television shows Category:Magnolia Network