On my Star Wars: The Last Jedi adventure in Los Angeles, I made a stop at ABC studios. I had the opportunity to watch a screening of Child Support, an upcoming game show with Fred Savage as host and Ricky Gervais, executive producer who sits in a room with a group of kids. I also interviewed Fred Savage, who was a total blast.

Fred had many rolls but you’ll most likely remember him from his roll as Kevin Arnold in The Wonder Years, growing up in suburban middle-class America in the late ’60s. He is now taking a new road and hosting a game show. 

Watch it tonight! Child Support makes its debut at 8:00 p.m. EST.

The series includes adult contestants who are answering 10 questions to win money. When they answer a question wrong, it’s up to a group of five kids ages six to nine to save the contestant with a correct answer.  The kids are in a room with Ricky Gervais who asks the kids the same question, in hopes they’ll get it right. Ricky has hilarious interactions with the five kids who can say anything.

Savage wasn’t keen on the name “Child Support” at first. I too, thought it was kind of funny that soon if you Google “child support” Fred Savage or Ricky Gervais will pop up. Well, good thing they both have a sense of humor.

Savage called Ricky regarding the name.

I’m like, “Ricky, this is not something that people have a very positive association with. Do we want to be the face of Child Support?” He had similar reservations. He’s like look, there’s no better network who’s looking out for families than ABC and Disney. They’re not gonna do anything that’s gonna be inappropriate or negative or hurtful for kids. The name is controversial maybe. It’s noisy, so maybe in the noise, it’ll be like, “wait, what?” And then if we cause you to look again, maybe that’s the win there.

I will admit, once I watched the show, I had my Ah Ha moment and the name totally fits. This will be a positive spin to the words Child- Support! After all, how many times do our children surprise us with their support!

Kids are naturally funny and you won’t find Ricky swaying them to say something that has innuendos, this is real family entertainment and finally there’s something that kids and parents can watch together and enjoy. This was important to Fred, as a father her wanted to be a part of something that his own children can watch. he didn’t want to get comedy out of suggestive things that kids don’t need to be talking about.

Savage also said as a father the show reinforced how much kids know.

“I think it definitely reinforced this idea that kids know a lot of stuff.  Like, stuff you would never anticipate and stuff that they probably don’t even know they know.”

I watched the first episode and was sucked in, before I knew it it, I was cheering for the contestant and a couple times wanted to mind-meld the answer to them. You really want these people to win the ultimate prize of $200,000.

Savage also wants them to win.

” I was a fan.  Like of the moment, of the show, so I was in it with you. I ride all the rollercoaster of emotions.  When they win, I’m thrilled and when they don’t, I’m just crushed

I would definitely get a little enthusiastic, I would try and help them, you know.  I’d be like, okay, now just think it through and I would try and like, help them a little bit.  I didn’t realize how, there’s like a whole legal team watching. I forget what it was, but there was something where they had to throw out the question because I screwed it up somehow.  I forget what I did wrong, but they had to like, go back and cut and do a whole new question and they were prepared for that.” 

We asked Savage if anyone won but he didn’t want to spoil it for us.

 don’t know the questions in advance at all. So that’s why I read it very slowly because I’m not prepared. I’m really trying to figure it out with them, which is why I’m trying to help them and encourage them. I’m like, “Okay, talk that through. Go down that road.” I can’t lead them, but it would be just thinking along with them. I don’t know the answers in advance. It was completely genuine. I ride all the rollercoaster of emotions. When they win, I’m thrilled and when they don’t, I’m just crushed.

We’ll all find out tonight! Grab the kids, make popcorn, and cuddle up for family TV night!

Fun Facts about the show:

• The show was filmed over the course of two days
• Fred Savage was concerned about the title of the game show at first.
• Fred Savage and Ricky Gervais never net, they only spoke on the phone a few times.
• Fred Savage had to be told a few times to not let his face indicate anything!

Child Support makes its debut tonight FRIDAY, JAN. 5 at 8:00 p.m. EST. You’ll see Monica of San Diego, California, and Martin of Orange County, California, who will each try to answer 10 questions correctly in order to win the ultimate prize of $200,000.