"Show Me The Shatner"

[weaklink75]

They got a clip of the first show up....

http://abc.go.com/primetime/showmethemoney/index.html

The ruleset looks good, a decent combination of knowledge and luck (and the question difficulty seems OK, especially since they're open ended)...I heard a few voice edits in the clip, hopefully it's a "first show jitters" thing....

[dazztardly]

Having watched the video online of the first 10-12 minutes, it did actually peak my interest a bit. And also reviewing the rulesheet online...as long as they maintain a good execution throughout, I think there's potential that the show can put up a good fight against Deal or No Deal.

-Dan
FLASHGames²
http://www.flashgameshows.com

[Brig Bother]

Unfortunately, the multiple questions thing is completely ruined by the fact that they appear to be able to pass on all of them. On the UK pilot I saw filmed, you could only pass once per round (i.e., if you don't like the question you've got, you're stuck with the next one you pick for better or worse). Your question difficulty is much better though.

Really, they should have set a game limit on passing I think.

[joshg]

Oof. Welcome to Sprockets... Now we dance! That would have been a better title for this show. The game part looks interesting enough... when they get to it. I'm not watching 'Dance Fever' am I? Where's Denny Terrio? Anyway, this show is a TiVo special; hopefully they'll not s-t-r-e-t-c-h two games over the hour and a half on Tuesday.

[itiparanoid13]

I have to be honest, this is quite possibly the most awful thing I've seen in a reeeeaaaaalllly long time.  There are TWO questions in a matter of 12 minutes.  These questions are pretty easy also.  I never thought there was going to be a show that will give away more money than "Deal or No Deal", but we found it.  They took out the only interesting thing from the international versions: the chance to multiply/divide your money.  The questions are so easy that this, more than DoND, has become a game of pick a square and get money.  At least DoND has the mildly interesting aspect of The Banker.  The only plus (and two very big pluses for all of them) is the dancing squad.  The dancing is just, wow.  I don't know how to describe it.  Visually for a guy, it's entertaining.  And then Shatner/Contestant break into dance, and I just watched with a confused expression on my face.  I'll watch the first full episode, but wow.  I was expecting good things with this, that suddenly died.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'matchgame\' post=\'137595\' date=\'Nov 11 2006, 10:38 AM\']
 The game part looks interesting enough... when they get to it. I'm not watching 'Dance Fever' am I? [/quote]
ABC describes the series as a variety/game show, so yes, they see the dancing as a significant part of it.

I have to say when I heard Shatner was hosting, this is exactly the sort of show I was expecting.  I can understand why game show purists will be aghast, but I think it's very entertaining.

[Speedy G]

Wow.  Shatner's not nearly as bad as I thought he was going to be!

Game's a waste of time, but I never expected Shatner to actually be decent.

[Timsterino]

[quote name=\'itiparanoid13\' post=\'137596\' date=\'Nov 11 2006, 11:05 AM\']
I have to be honest, this is quite possibly the most awful thing I've seen in a reeeeaaaaalllly long time.  There are TWO questions in a matter of 12 minutes.  These questions are pretty easy also.  I never thought there was going to be a show that will give away more money than "Deal or No Deal", but we found it.  They took out the only interesting thing from the international versions: the chance to multiply/divide your money.  The questions are so easy that this, more than DoND, has become a game of pick a square and get money.  At least DoND has the mildly interesting aspect of The Banker.  The only plus (and two very big pluses for all of them) is the dancing squad.  The dancing is just, wow.  I don't know how to describe it.  Visually for a guy, it's entertaining.  And then Shatner/Contestant break into dance, and I just watched with a confused expression on my face.  I'll watch the first full episode, but wow.  I was expecting good things with this, that suddenly died.
[/quote]

I agree and concur with your observations. I actually like Shatner but he shouldn't dance. ;-)

[BrandonFG]

One minor nitpick that I prolly shouldn't have even noticed. I'm noticing a trend with Endemol game shows and how their logos appear. No, not the pre-packaged contestants, not the fact that most male contestants always wear the open collar shirt and slacks, but it's with the log.

Usually when the logo zooms away, it always zooms to a "hole" in one of the letters. With this show and 1 vs. 100, it zooms through the silhouette in the logo, and on D/ND, it's one of the letters in the title.

Yes, I know that makes no sense, but it just seems like Endemol packages every one of their game shows the exact same way, from the hyperactive "contestants with a cause", to the sets, to the graphics. That's not a slam, but it just looks like their shows are all looking like the same over-the-top cookie-cutter game shows.

Now as far as "Show Me the Money" is concerned, it looks like a cheesy, light game show that should be taken as such. However, from what I'm seeing, this show takes itself a little too seriously, kinda like D/ND. If they could execute it like the cheese that it is (a la "Treasure Hunt" or "Supermarket Sweep", I wouldn't mind.

[Clay Zambo]

So, if Bill Shatner hosted trivia night at Hooters, this is pretty much what we'd get.

[tvwxman]

[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' post=\'137619\' date=\'Nov 11 2006, 03:54 PM\']
So, if Bill Shatner hosted trivia night at Hooters, this is pretty much what we'd get.
[/quote]
I'd go.

/and you would too.

[NickS]

[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' post=\'137619\' date=\'Nov 11 2006, 02:54 PM\']
So, if Bill Shatner hosted trivia night at Hooters, this is pretty much what we'd get.
[/quote]

Throw in some buffalo shrimp and I'm there.

Honestly, the only factor I have a problem with is the passes.  Put a limit to it during the overall game (i.e. 2 passes for the game -- period) or up the risk by passing and you've got a winner here.  Once again, endemol's casting of hosts works again -- Shatner's pretty good with the quips.

[quote name=\'Alex Davis\']
I have to be honest, this is quite possibly the most awful thing I've seen in a reeeeaaaaalllly long time. There are TWO questions in a matter of 12 minutes. These questions are pretty easy also.[/quote]

Since you like The Rich List so much (and we know what happened to that), you've basically guaranteed SMTM a full-season pick-up.

Is it awful because you just don't like it or is there reasoning behind your statement?

[itiparanoid13]

I thought I presented myself relatively well in the previous post, but here's my more in depth reasoning.

1- If you're going to have questions, at LEAST make them a little bit of a challenge.  As it is now, the only reason for the question is to keep it from being pick a dancer and get what is on the scroll.

2- For the dancers, I'm guessing this is how the meeting went
A: "We need something similar to "Deal or No Deal".  What should we do?"
B: "I have an idea!  The main draw of the models on DoND is for horny guys to watch,    right?"
A: "Right"
B: "Let's make the models dance seductively around poles!"
A: "Brilliant!"

As a guy, I completely respect and enjoy the dancers.  As a critic, they are the most idiotic thing they could have placed into the game.  It's especially worse when out of no where, Shatner and the contestant dances.  I had the most confused look I've had in a while when they all started to dance.

3- They took out the ONLY draw that made "Show Me the Money" somewhat interesting: the multiplication or division.  That part seemed rather interesting and made up for what is a boring ripoff of "Deal or No Deal".  What we decide to do is, and I suppose the theme fits, dumb down the game even more and just make it gaining money.  It's Jeopardy for people with the IQ of a jellybean now and with no competition.

If anyone has seen or read anything about the British or Dutch game show "Take It or Leave It", we have the ugly redheaded stepchild version of the game.  I enjoyed Rich List because I was happy to have a trivia game back in primetime.  The money chain was extremely flawed, fine.  That's easily fixed.  The isolation booth served no purpose, whatever.  The questions were a little too easy, fine.  Easily fixed again.  We have questions that surpass Rich Lists's easiness, needless dancers, and a game, if we take into account that a monkey could answer the questions, that is basically Press Your Luck without the challenge of competition and the light.  It was a harmless fun game which was different than anything that was on TV at the time.  Yes, it was a rehash of things already done.  However, it was something not on the table.  What we have here is a mix of Dancing With the Stars, Street Smarts, Deal or No Deal, and a softcore porn movie on Cinemax.  I'll give it the benefit of the doubt for now.  It's the first episode and it was a 12 minute clip.  I really hope I'll be surprised on the 14th.  However, it's just not looking that good to me so far.

[Casey]

So I just finished watching the video clip up on ABC's site.  I actually kind of enjoyed it.  Shatner really was quite good I thought, especially considering the role he was put in, so I'll watch it a bit.  I do like what I saw better than DoND.

[tvwxman]

You have to admit , Who here has asked : You know whats missing from our game show viewing pleasures?

Pole Dancing!

On a more serious note, I don't understand itiparanoid13's criticisms. You want a trivia contest in prime time...here you go. You complain that this mixes D/nDeal with Dancing With the Stars...well, guess what, they're two of the most successful shows on primetime, so there's obviously a demand for it. I think the softcore porn line is a bit out of line. I've seen less dressed folks on MTV daytime, so we're not exactly in unchartered territory here. And you say you like PYL, because it was harmless fun that had been done before....how is that different than your critique of Show Me The Money?

What is you want in a game show, for pete's sake? It's a lite-trivia show, hot dancing chicks, and Shatner. It's not Jeopardy, but so what?

Relax. It's. Just. A. Game. Show.