Raab has to censor in new RTL show, but candidate calls a spade a spade

Can Stefan Raab still do shows? This question preoccupied almost all of Germany's television audience on Wednesday evening. After the 57-year-old received a “slap in the face” during his big comeback last Saturday, many predicted a similar fate for his new show.

Many critics felt that the TV legend's (self-)staging of the boxing match against Regina Halmich (47) was extremely exaggerated and the humor was dismissed as long outdated. Stefan Raab made people wait almost ten years for his return, then immediately after his defeat in the ring he announced a new format on RTL+ – and it has a lot planned. Because “Du gewinnst hier nicht die Million” turns out to be a show that tries to combine several classics with one another in the first episode. But can it really work?

In the video: “I’m really angry!”: Stefan Raab rages behind the scenes because of Elton

Stefan Raab makes audience murmur with saying

Anyone who needs a little more nostalgia for the big Stefan Raab comeback can definitely look forward to “Du gewinnst hier nicht die Million” (You won't win the million here). The entertainer has brought along some one-player clips again – like in his good old “TV Total” days. This time, it's very modern and is on a so-called “meme pad”, where pop singer Florian Silbereisen in particular gets his fair share.

And speaking of “TV Total”: The first half hour of the new format really feels like a trip into the past. Stefan Raab, with his charming art and a broad grin, cracks one joke after another as always. All events from the world of media are mocked and of course the presenter also looks back on the “scandal of the weekend”: his fight against Regina Halmich.

With the help of a compiled “highlight” clip, Raab wants to clearly show once again how undeservedly he lost in his opinion. Of course, the video only shows his own hits. What the ambitious amateur boxer also cannot leave uncommented: a statement after the fight by Natascha Ochsenknecht (60), who had merely portrayed Stefan Raab's body as good (“When he relaxed a bit, you thought: 'Well, okay, that's a bit less now.'”).

“I have to hear that from Judas' mother,” Raab replies cheekily. A murmur goes through the audience. In the film “The Passion”, Jimi Blue Ochsenknecht (32) actually played the role of Judas, as the showmaster explains.

Stefan Raab censors song title – candidate still hits it out

During a televised church service on ZDF, Stefan Raab will have recognized the song “Alles aus Liebe” by the Toten Hosen in the church music. There are other suggestions for possible church service songs. Among them is the “A..schf..cksong” by Sido, whose title the TV veteran always censors. Very TV-friendly: “I won't say what it is. It's too hot for me. I'm just hinting at it.”

But Raab definitely didn't count on one candidate. When the presenter asked five people what the Toten Hosen song that was played during the service was called, one of them answered without censorship: “A..schf..cksong.” The answer is not correct, but this participant immediately secured the laugh of the evening. Raab can hardly contain his anger: “You can't say that here.” Ultimately, it is Oliver (31) from Karlsruhe who qualifies for the quiz for the one million euro prize.

Up to this point, the question has been answered, as the title of the show is in an appropriate state. For over half an hour, a new version of “TV Total” at its finest was shown. But that was only a third of the full concept.

Stefan Raab finally presents the prize tree, at the end of which there is a million euros. This consists of several multiple-choice questions that must be answered correctly. Otherwise, the candidate is replaced by another. So far, so normal, but there are also intermediate stages: Here the participant has to beat Stefan Raab in a game – in the end even in three duels in a row to be able to win the top prize. For each winning game, however, the candidate at least gets some money that he can no longer lose.

A mixture of “TV Total”, “Schlag den Raab” and “Who wants to be a millionaire?” too? What sounds ambitious turns out to be a bit too much of a good thing, at least in the first episode of “You won’t win the million here”.

Stefan Raab defeats his opponents at the “Office Chair Ball”

Started strong and then faded away. After the late-night comedy episode in the first third of the show, the quiz concept doesn't seem to have been properly worked out. The candidates' long thinking times without any real suspense always make the show seem dull. The games “Chain-link fence” (based on Raab's hit), in which Raab and Oliver race through ten chain-link fences with side cutters, and “Office chair ball”, in which as many tennis balls as possible have to be thrown at an office chair, don't yet come close to the entertainment value of the “Beat Raab” duels.

The first game against the second candidate, Sören (36) from Berlin, lasts a full twelve minutes, during which the viewers have to watch Raab and his opponents changing tires on one car each. This is how the show ends and Sören, as the winner of the game, can continue to fight for the jackpot in the second episode of “You won't win the million here” (September 25, 8:10 p.m., RTL+). Oliver had previously been eliminated in the game for 5,000 euros against Stefan Raab, but was at least able to take home 1,000 euros.