The Smiling Assassin
A new era of competition begins with a brand new Chaser
Brace for the Chase with the newest, smartest and blondest Chaser in town: The Smiling Assassin, coming to The Chase Australia after the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on Channel 7 and 7plus.
The youngest Chaser on the show at 27, Mara Lejins aka The Smiling Assassin, joins the giants of the game – Goliath, The Governess, The Beast, The Shark, The Super Nerd and The Tiger Mum – who have stood in the contestants’ way like a formidable force for years.
Dressed in a pink outfit, matching headband and a beautiful big smile, The Smiling Assassin looks harmless, but is she really?
“I only smile when I’m trying to take down contestants, that’s why I’m always smiling,” she says with a grin.
Who can take her on?
Continues 5.00pm weekdays on Channel 7 and 7plus
5 Likes
I wonder if this means less appearances for the Governess and Beast in particular?
That will depend on their availability (time away from UK version of The Chase).
1 Like
Also to add, The Governess has other TV shows in the UK to produce, plus The Beast has been back in the USA again, rejoining former employer GSN and joining Master Minds this season (re-uniting with former The Chase USA Host Brooke Burns)
1 Like
Do they call her The Smiling Assassin because she looks like a dental assistant in that outfit?
She’s obviously very intelligent but you have to wonder about her quizzing credentials given that isn’t something Seven has chosen to promote about her. The best quizzers and trivia nerds study every day and soak up info on topics that don’t necessarily interest them. Not sure about her depth of knowledge given her time consuming, high pressure role as a Federal Prosecutor. It’ll be interesting to see what gaps in her knowledge arise when she starts appearing. I know I’d prefer to go up against her than someone like Super Nerd who regularly competes in trivia competitions and is known to be amongst the best in the world.
The existing chasers all complained when they added chasers to the UK version because it meant they appeared less and made less money.
3 Likes
Well they do have a point, in regards to those Chasers which have their ‘The Chase’/quizzing as their primary income/job. but at the same time some of the Chasers in both the UK and Australia also have FT jobs elsewhere, with their Chaser job as a 2nd income.
Saying that, ‘The Smiling Assassin’s’ only known quizzing history is Beat The Chasers and The Chase Australia. Whether if she’s got any history beyond that may or may not be revealed as her first episode gets closer.
As for her known quizzing history:
Mara won $58,000 on Beat The Chasers in 2020 through winning her heat, but missed out on her questions to increase her winnings in the final.
On The Chase Australia, she did welll on her the cash builder, (banked $20,000) but her team lost the Final Chase against the Supernerd in 2017 despite putting up 19 steps.
4 Likes
Larry talks to the new Chaser Mara.
4 Likes
0:49 's whooshing effect and sparkle background denotes Guest Chaser status. This was previously done for Shaun Wallace (2018) and Cheryl Toh’s first 2 seasons (2019 and 2020).
2 Likes
2 Likes
I didn’t see it: was she actually any good?
1 Like
She was ok. Sweet.
3 Likes
Worth a slight mention that The Smiling Assassin’s first broadcasted loss yesturday was her first filmed game.
This is a reverse of the Ken Jennings situation in America where his first broadcast episode on US Chase was a loss
3 Likes
From the Upfronts, emphasis added
After dominating its timeslot in 2022 and winning every week, The Chase Australia returns in 2023. Quiz giants Goliath, The Governess, The Beast, The Shark, The Super Nerd, The Tiger Mum and The Smiling Assassin are standing by to take down a new crew of contestants – and they will be joined by a new chaser, The Professor. The Chase Australia is hosted by Larry Emdur and produced by ITV Studios Australia for the Seven Network, based on the original ITV quiz show.
3 Likes
We only just added The Smiling Assassin to a large pool of chasers. Adding a new one (aka The Professor) assuming early in the new year is so quick! Assuming the Smiling Assassin is no longer a guest chaser and is now permanent?
Although the UK version has run longer than our one, they added to their pool of chasers at a gradual pace. Jenny “Vixen” Ryan in 2015, with Darragh “The Menace” Ennis joining in 2020.
1 Like
Some of the chasers are from the UK though, how much longer will they want to travel halfway across the world? Surely at some stage they’ll cut the cord? Must be costing them a pretty penny.
1 Like
Yep, i didnt think of that actually. Makes sense. Even if they’re not here for long. As in, they’ll film all their episodes in one lot, and spread them out over the mo0nths (am assuming thats who it works?).
During the strict border closers of 2020 and early 2021, not having the UK Chasers would have saved them some money for sure.
1 Like
According to The Smiling Assassin’s instagram, she’s currently in the USA for Work/Study. She last filmed before leaving the country mid-year. As her pool of episodes still hasn’t been entirely aired yet, my guess is that Channel 7 will air her second half of episodes for the first part of 2023, before starting to air ‘The Professor’s’ episodes.
Keep in mind ITV Australia do film The Chase Australia episodes months in advance. Shortest turn-back time is at least 1 month although some could wait between 2 months to 10 months before their episode airs.
4 Likes
Not too surprising - the US broadcast networks like to show contestants winning rather than losing. I think C7 have understood it’s better off showcasing the new Chasers credentials in their first broadcast episode.
They certainly needed to add another female Aussie Chaser, but agree adding another (whether they’re male or female) is somewhat unnecessary so soon after.
Darragh was one too far really for The Chase UK. Yes, it had been 5 years since the last addition but the show was still as strong as ever and he seems to barely feature - I don’t watch every day but I’ve only caught him about three times in two years. He’s a good quizzer and likeable enough, but lacks the USP to his character that the other chasers have.
1 Like
Looks like The Chase will go into repeat mode after the end of the ratings survey period. Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 are TBA now with the First Test to start in the Wednesday which is a day night…