Watching: Martin Short hosts

In the latest revival of a classic celebrity game show

All Newsletters Read online For subscribers July 21, 2025 A classic game show, now hosted by Martin Short Martin Short (left, with Anthony Anderson) hosts the latest revival of the game show "Match Game." Disney/Jan Thijs By Esther Zuckerman Dear Watchers, Martin Short is a man who was made to be in front of a camera. The latest evidence: the most recent revival (among many) of the celebrity game show "Match Game," which premieres on Wednesday at 9 p.m., on ABC. There's something almost charming about the fact that the network is once again reviving this staple, which first premiered on NBC in 1962 with Gene Rayburn as the host. More recently, Alec Baldwin took up the mantle for an ABC edition that ended in 2021. The concept of this new version remains utterly familiar. Contestants are given fill-in-the-blank prompts that range from the banal to the utterly silly, and they earn points when their answers match those from a celebrity guest panel. There is a cash prize, but that's almost more of an afterthought. The goal here is laughter, and Short provides, waltzing into the studio with jokes that would be at home in a Jiminy Glick routine. "I'm your host, Timothée Chalamet, and I know what you're thinking," he says. "Someone used Kris Jenner's plastic surgeon." Short brings joy to this latest incarnation with his boundless charisma and his needling rapport with the celebrity guests. In the premiere, he is joined by his "Only Murders in the Building" co-star Selena Gomez, who treats him like her daffy grandpa; by Anthony Anderson, who gamely allows Short to make him the butt of jokes; and by BD Wong, who appeared with Short in "Father of the Bride," prompting Short to launch into an impression of his heavily accented wedding planner character from that movie. The more convoluted the clue, the funnier the guesses. In one, another guest, the model and actress Cara Delevingne, becomes part of the gameplay: "Cara Delevingne is ridiculously famous and so are her eyebrows," the prompt begins. "They are so famous they've been seen walking the red carpet at the [blank]." Wong's answer: "international threading convention." (It wasn't a match.) Short's mix of showmanship and self-deprecation makes him the ideal person for the role. One of the first contestants positively swoons over him, calling him a "cutie pie" and announcing that he has been in her dreams. Short gives a sly grin, milking it for all it's worth. Also this week Sterling K. Brown in a scene from "Washington Black." Chris Reardon/Disney, via Associated Press The British series "Red Eye," about intrigue on a flight to Beijing, debuts Tuesday on Hulu. The fourth season of the comedy "Acapulco," starring Eugenio Derbez, arrives Wednesday, on Apple TV+. The limited series "Washington Black," based on the novel by Esi Edugyan, begins streaming Wednesday, on Hulu. The pop songwriting reality series "Hitmakers" premieres Thursday, on Netflix. EXTRA-CREDIT READING Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Theo Huxtable on 'The Cosby Show,' Dies at 54 Warner, who played the only son of Bill Cosby's character on the beloved 1980s sitcom, drowned in Costa Rica. By Derrick Bryson Taylor Critic's Notebook How TV Trained Us to Be Conspiracy Theorists Pop culture didn't create the real-world mythologies roiling our politics, but it helped write the scripts. By James Poniewozik On Comedy Canceling 'The Late Show' Is Bad News for Late-Night TV, Not for Stephen Colbert The art form was already in decline; this may hasten its demise. But don't fret about the host. His talents are better showcased elsewhere. By Jason Zinoman The Interview Sandra Oh Knows What's Great About Middle Age The actress discusses discrimination in Hollywood, what she's learned about herself in her 50s and her iconic role on "Grey's Anatomy." 41 MIN LISTEN Taye Diggs Can't Resist a Good Rom-Com "There is the element of love, which can be so serious and so complicated, but when you add the dynamic of humor, it makes it so much more real and exciting and fun to watch." By Elisabeth Vincentelli If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Watching from The New York Times. To stop receiving Watching, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. Explore more subscriber-only newsletters.Get The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018