Changes you'd like to see

[chris319]

Actually, I was looking through some data I have on the beginning of Season 5 last night, and at that time, they were taping three hour shows every Monday and Tuesday.

Are you sure it was three one-hour shows? I know they used to tape two one-hour and one half-hour when Barker emceed the nighttime show, and he was willing to do it. Three one-hour shows may have been tried but was shot down by Barker. At any rate, each one-hour show requires a separate blocking and thus a separate audience.

[Kevin Prather]

So far, the only idea that really turns me on (i.e. doesn't turn my stomach,) is having two pricing games per half and two player SCSDs. It's shorter, frees up time, and it's still true to the format that has lasted 35 years.

[Steve Gavazzi]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'159243\' date=\'Jul 31 2007, 08:12 PM\']

Actually, I was looking through some data I have on the beginning of Season 5 last night, and at that time, they were taping three hour shows every Monday and Tuesday.

Are you sure it was three one-hour shows?[/quote]
The information I have is for the last week of Season 4 and the first eight weeks of Season 5, with separate data for each episode...so yes.

[chris319]

The information I have is for the last week of Season 4 and the first eight weeks of Season 5, with separate data for each episode...so yes.

Don't make me count seasons. Month and year, please. Does your data contain tape times or how many shows each audience saw?

My visit to the two one-hour/one half-hour taping was in December 1979.

[Steve Gavazzi]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'159262\' date=\'Aug 1 2007, 01:54 AM\']

The information I have is for the last week of Season 4 and the first eight weeks of Season 5, with separate data for each episode...so yes.

Don't make me count seasons. Month and year, please. Does your data contain tape times or how many shows each audience saw?
[/quote]

The shows were taped in May-August '76; the summer taping break lasted from Wednesday, June 15 through Sunday, July 25.  The first week of shows aired at the end of June; the rest aired in late August, September, and October.

I have no tape times or anything about the audiences, but the data came out of the show's own files, so I'd have to assume it's correct.

[urbanpreppie05]

Someone suggested a while back to shorten the prize descriptions of the IUFB's and cut immediately to the audience when coming back from a commerical instead of a shot of the host pitching to the announcer.

[mrchips]

[quote name=\'urbanpreppie05\' post=\'159266\' date=\'Aug 1 2007, 07:28 AM\']Someone suggested a while back to shorten the prize descriptions of the IUFB's and cut immediately to the audience when coming back from a commerical instead of a shot of the host pitching to the announcer.[/quote]
To free up enough time to avoid the sixty-minute two-minute drill, it might as well be:

DREW: Here's the first item up for bids on The Price Is Right . . .
RICH: A range. (Beat. Actually, make that a half-beat.) It makes cooking easy and convenient. Drew?

And:

DREW: And what do we have in the Grocery Game today, Rich?
RICH: Soup. Antacid. Cat food. Detergent. And remedy. Back to you, Drew.

Some other (however marginal) options:

* Move the Bob Barker Studio plug to the end tag, assuming you want to retain it. That buys ya, well, five seconds anyway.

* Cut waaay back on the false starts in the reveals.

* Try to get contestants who don't need to look to the audience for help with a higher/lower call after rolling a six, studio environment be damned.

* And something that definitely will never happen: If you absolutely must have that half-minute reaction shot of a contestant's it's-a-new-car floor routine, could ya at least take it to an inset somewhere so Rich can get on to the plug?

[Jimmy Owen]

This may be too much of a break from tradition, but they could pre-select the first four and have them in place at the beginning of the show. Who cares what their names are? As a slight concession to tradition, all of the rest would "come on down."  Doncha hate it when someone takes the long way to get to contestant's row?

Another change would be the bidding.  Instead of Drew asking for bids, the contestants would lock in the numbers in contestant's row while Rich is describing the product.  If they take too long, too bad so sad, and they are out of the round.  This would get rid of the $1 bids and all of the yelling in the aud.

People who don't like change are gonna be in a world of hurt come Sept.

[Neumms]

[quote name=\'mrchips\' post=\'159274\' date=\'Aug 1 2007, 09:31 AM\']
Some other (however marginal) options:

* Move the Bob Barker Studio plug to the end tag, assuming you want to retain it. That buys ya, well, five seconds anyway.
[/quote]

It's a nit, but it has long struck me as odd that they announce "The Price Is Right" twice in the introduction, before the contestants and after, and it seems long anyway. They should scrap "here it comes" and shorten it to, "From the Bob Barker Studio, it's television's most exciting hour of fantastic prizes! So-and-so, come on down. . . " So there's TEN seconds of quality contestant interaction. They could also speed up the first four by not following each one all the way down before reading the next.

A question: why, when they're short of sponsors for the grocery segments anyway, would they still have extra plugs for, say, crescent roll dough during the IUFBs--the "along with this prize goes a supply of" ones?

[JasonA1]

[quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'159278\' date=\'Aug 1 2007, 11:26 AM\']
A question: why, when they're short of sponsors for the grocery segments anyway, would they still have extra plugs for, say, crescent roll dough during the IUFBs--the "along with this prize goes a supply of" ones?
[/quote]

Because it's getting sponsored and it needs to show up somewhere. Instead of having crescent rolls in every grocery game, they do that instead. Just an educated guess.

-Jason

[clemon79]

I am utterly flabbergasted that you all think finding ten seconds here and five seconds there are going to fix the problem.

[chris319]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'159276\' date=\'Aug 1 2007, 08:08 AM\']
This may be too much of a break from tradition, but they could pre-select the first four and have them in place at the beginning of the show. Who cares what their names are? As a slight concession to tradition, all of the rest would "come on down."  Doncha hate it when someone takes the long way to get to contestant's row?

Another change would be the bidding.  Instead of Drew asking for bids, the contestants would lock in the numbers in contestant's row while Rich is describing the product.  If they take too long, too bad so sad, and they are out of the round.  This would get rid of the $1 bids and all of the yelling in the aud.
[/quote]
You need to see a doctor. Soon.

[Ian Wallis]

Doncha hate it when someone takes the long way to get to contestant's row?

It doesn't really bother me, but it's something I've noticed in recent years.  Contestants seem to be taking a lot longer coming on down that they did in the earlier years of the show.

Another change would be the bidding. Instead of Drew asking for bids, the contestants would lock in the numbers in contestant's row while Rich is describing the product. If they take too long, too bad so sad, and they are out of the round. This would get rid of the $1 bids and all of the yelling in the aud.

One problem with that would be what if two contestants bid the same number - what do you do then?

[Jimmy Owen]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'159282\' date=\'Aug 1 2007, 12:04 PM\']
[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'159276\' date=\'Aug 1 2007, 08:08 AM\']
This may be too much of a break from tradition, but they could pre-select the first four and have them in place at the beginning of the show. Who cares what their names are? As a slight concession to tradition, all of the rest would "come on down."  Doncha hate it when someone takes the long way to get to contestant's row?

Another change would be the bidding.  Instead of Drew asking for bids, the contestants would lock in the numbers in contestant's row while Rich is describing the product.  If they take too long, too bad so sad, and they are out of the round.  This would get rid of the $1 bids and all of the yelling in the aud.
[/quote]
You need to see a doctor. Soon.
[/quote]


I gotta remember to use those smiley faces when I post.  

Really, do we need to change anything beyond getting contestants who are somewhat aware of how much things cost?  I can't stand seeing frat boys whose parents purchased everything for them agonize on the price of a can of olives.

[Jimmy Owen]

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'159283\' date=\'Aug 1 2007, 12:22 PM\']

Doncha hate it when someone takes the long way to get to contestant's row?

It doesn't really bother me, but it's something I've noticed in recent years.  Contestants seem to be taking a lot longer coming on down that they did in the earlier years of the show.

Another change would be the bidding. Instead of Drew asking for bids, the contestants would lock in the numbers in contestant's row while Rich is describing the product. If they take too long, too bad so sad, and they are out of the round. This would get rid of the $1 bids and all of the yelling in the aud.

One problem with that would be what if two contestants bid the same number - what do you do then?
[/quote]

I'm gonna scrap that idea.  Let's go with status quo.  I always liked the Cullen way better,  there was a number at which the bidding started and everybody was forced to bid more, just like a real auction.  Of course, going back to that would be too much change, but it made the bidding more exciting than it is now.