Netflix's new reality show Wonka's The Golden Ticket has been branded 'disrespectful and ghoulish' by viewers and critics, with the series currently holding a dismal 20% Critics Score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The show invites contestants to step inside the famous chocolate factory, where they must complete challenges, resist temptations and take tests in the hope of winning a lifetime's supply of money – $3 million, paid as a six-figure amount over 30 years.
AI Gene Wilder voice draws criticism
The biggest criticism from reviewers was the series' decision to use AI to resurrect Gene Wilder – who played Wonka in the 1971 film – as a disembodied voice, with his family's permission.
Phil Harrison, writing in a two-star Guardian review, said: 'It sounds stilted, indefinably wrong somehow. Like so much AI, it feels like a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist – Wilder's “presence” adds nothing beyond a sort of uncanny-valley queasiness that, of course, should be present in any rendering of Wonka anyway.'
Variety's Alison Herman branded the voice 'ghoulish', writing that even if the AI voice is legally sanctioned, she doesn't see why it was necessary. Benji Wilson at The Telegraph gave the show one star, calling the ghostly AI voice 'creepy' while criticising the 'anodyne' challenges. His biggest criticism, however, was that the show borrowed from The Traitors seemingly just to pad the run time.
Viewer reactions on social media
Viewers have also expressed disappointment. On X, @housewifebored8 wrote: 'I got kinda turned off right away cause they recreated Gene's voice to narrate throughout the show. I'm not really feeling it. It was odd.' On Reddit, user Rosstin316 wrote: 'Any use of AI Gene Wilder is a misuse.'
MuptonBossman was perhaps the most scathing, writing: 'I watched the first episode of this just to check out how bad it really is and… holy s*** it's BAD. It feels like a fake TV show from 30 Rock combined with the AI slop that you see on social media these days.'
Some praise for the show
Still, the show has its defenders. Joel Keller from Decider praised the show's sets, and even the most vicious of critics agreed the factory looks impressive. Other viewers have also been impressed, with Aly22KingUSAF93 noting on Reddit that 'the show is doing more than other reality TV shows, at LEAST there's an attempt at challenges and not another love show.'
On X, @_xomone added: 'Wonka's the Golden Ticket on Netflix is so good I'm hooked.'
Wonka's The Golden Ticket is streaming now on Netflix.
