What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Dinner Game
Francis Veber · Film · 1998
If you loved The Dinner Game, start with Friday Night Dinner (Robert Popper, 2011) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 2 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Dinner Game across media.
If you loved The Dinner Game, you likely enjoy watching arrogant socialites unravel when confronted by an uncontrollable force of pure, chaotic innocence.
Books on the same thread
The Idiot
Fyodor Dostoyevsky · Book · 1967
Explores: Naivete vs. Experience, Social Alienation, Redemption.
Just as the protagonist in The Dinner Game underestimates Pignon, society struggles to reconcile with the naive goodness of Prince Myshkin, leading to a profound clash between integrity and cynicism.
Jacques the Fatalist and His Master
Denis Diderot · Book · 1999
Explores: Determinism vs. Free Will, Master-Servant Relationship, Narrative Digression.
Like the dinner party disaster in The Dinner Game, this narrative captures the absurdity of human interactions, focusing on the friction between a self-important master and his unpredictable servant.
Bouvard and Pecuchet
Gustave Flaubert · Book · 2005
Explores: The Absurdity of Knowledge, Failed Intellectualism, Critique of Bourgeois Society.
This work echoes the central hubris found in The Dinner Game by highlighting how intellectual pretension inevitably collapses under the weight of human folly and the absurdity of existence.
The Idiot
Fyodor Dostoevsky · Book · 2015
Explores: existential crisis, moral ambiguity, innocence in a corrupt society.
Much like the social satire in The Dinner Game, this novel examines how the presence of an innocent character exposes the deep moral corruption and hypocrisy of the surrounding elite.
Series on the same thread
Friday Night Dinner
Robert Popper · Series · 2011
Explores: Family Dynamics, Dysfunctional Family, Jewish Family.
If you enjoyed the escalating catastrophe of The Dinner Game, you will appreciate how this series transforms a simple, recurring social ritual into a fountain of relentless, dysfunctional chaos.
Mr. Bean
Richard Curtis · Series · 1990
Shares a thread with The Dinner Game: Slapstick Comedy.
The Dinner Game relies on the protagonist being a jinx, a trope mastered here as this character turns every mundane setting into a site of pure, unadulterated social mayhem.
Podcasts on the same thread
Making A Scene
Matt Lucas and David Walliams · Podcast
Explores: celebrity life, anecdotes, movie adaptation.
This podcast mirrors the creative spirit of The Dinner Game by taking the raw, messy reality of personal lives and framing them through the lens of theatrical, comedic performance.
Prends Un Break
Podcast
Explores: Humor, Brotherhood, Friendship.
Capturing the same spirit of camaraderie and unpredictable humor found in The Dinner Game, this podcast focuses on the chaotic, lighthearted dynamic between friends navigating social and life situations.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the basic premise of The Dinner Game?
The Dinner Game follows Pierre Brochant and his friends who host a weekly event called Idiots' Day. Each participant brings a guest they consider an idiot, and the person who brings the most spectacular individual wins a prize. Brochant believes he has found the ultimate winner in Pignon.
Is The Dinner Game a comedy about a competition?
Yes, The Dinner Game centers on a competitive social ritual where friends attempt to showcase the most foolish person they can find. The plot takes an unexpected turn when Brochant discovers that his chosen guest, Pignon, is actually a jinx who causes a series of catastrophes.
Who is the main character in The Dinner Game?
The Dinner Game focuses on Pierre Brochant, a man who organizes a contest to find the most spectacular idiot. He brings a man named Pignon to the event, unaware that Pignon is a master of creating chaos and will ultimately disrupt his plans through a series of unfortunate events.
What happens when Pierre Brochant brings Pignon to The Dinner Game?
When Pierre Brochant brings Pignon to The Dinner Game, he expects a victory in the competition. However, Pignon is a jinx who inadvertently triggers a series of catastrophes, turning the evening into a disaster for Brochant instead of the triumphant event he had originally anticipated.