Netflix faces backlash for using AI-generated Gene Wilder voice in Wonka reality show rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies) | usagoldmines.com

Oh Netflix, you have a lot of apologizing to do.

Its latest reality game show, Wonka’s Golden Ticket, hasn’t even been on the platform for 24 hours, and it’s already found itself in the midst of scathing criticism for, you guessed it, its controversial use of AI.

To put it into context, the show takes inspiration from the beloved 1971 movie musical with Gene Wilder, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. In the game show, a group of contestants is thrust into a series of themed challenges filmed on elaborate sets based on the original movie’s fantastical aesthetic.

The first seven episodes are available to stream now, and the final two episodes will be released on September 30 where the champions will be revealed.

From its first teasers, I knew the show had already begun its downward spiral before it even saw the light of day. For me, Netflix game shows are nothing more than money-grabbers and devoid of any quality, and to those who held out hope for the show’s survival, you were very naïve indeed.

It was over before it started

When the best streaming service announced the show in the summer, it wasn’t just its cheap and gaudy attempt at resurrecting the movie’s familial charm that had viewers concerned. It was when Netflix unveiled that the show’s host would be an off-screen AI-generated recreation of Wilder’s voice — yes, the OG chocolatier — that the boycott really took shape.

What’s shocking is that, surprisingly, Wilder’s estate actually granted Netflix the right to use an AI recreation of his theatrical Wonka voice. Even so, we thought this decision was going too far. I was particularly upset; the original movie is a childhood staple of mine.

As you can imagine, the AI-generated voiceover is by far the most criticized aspect of the show. In addition to an eye-watering 20% score on Rotten Tomatoes, major outlets such as Variety and The Guardian haven’t taken well to the AI host, with the latter saying ‘it sounds stilted, indefinably wrong somehow’. That’s tame compared to what viewers are saying.

Despite the legal permission Wilder’s estate gave to Netflix, it’s still unfathomable to some that it was given a pass in the first place — including this user on X, who called Netflix “disgusting”.

Equally, Reddit is full of posts featuring the same level of revulsion. One user was left asking, ‘Does Netflix do anything decent these days?’, to which another user replied, “[Netflix] has always been quantity over quality”. My thoughts exactly.

A sickly streaming experience

I’ve never committed to any of Netflix’s game shows, but in the case of Wonka’s Golden Ticket, I streamed the first episode to see how much it lived up to its car crash reviews. The only thing I’ll say is, don’t waste your time.

It’s clear that Netflix has spent quite a bit of money on the production (the prize money alone equates to roughly $3 million, not to mention its sets and engineering must’ve also cost a fortune), but money doesn’t buy everything — not even a near-accurate AI version of Gene Wilder.

While there’s a slightly replicated cadence, the uncanny valley-ness of it all leaves you feeling rather sickly. It’s emotionless, robotic, and completely lacking the bold infectiousness that Wilder brought to the original role. It’s not just that; the structure and overall approach are just as disjointed.

Unlike the original five children who first stepped into the chaotic world of the chocolate factory, Netflix introduces 12 pairs of contestants, totalling 24 players, of which remembering all their names and relationships is a chore in itself. But the icing on the cake is the roster of false and unnatural reactions that are played to the camera during both the challenges and confessional segments. This isn’t The Traitors, this is a chocolate factory. It’s not that serious.