I'd be glad to try my best to answer a question from one of my biggest $ale contributors!
What was the highest one-day achived score earned in the main game ?(As in the score on the podiums)
Funny coincidence...I have just negotiated a trade which includes an episode where a contestant gained $140 in the main game...and for her troubles, she won $122,000. I believe that this is the highest main game total on $ale unless someone else can prove me wrong.
Did anyone ever attempt to go for the lot (In any of the 3 formats) and failed ?
Why don't we ask Alice Cartwright? One of the biggest Shopping winners started her run by dethroning someone else who risked to go for the lot. Also, I believe that someone was iced from a chance at $50,000 during the WBMG era during 1988s \"Trick or Treat\" week. I will have to get back with you on others who went for the lot and failed during the \"Winner's Board\" era.
Why did they make that swich to the \"Winners Big Money Game\" ? (My guess is budget pressure from NBC)
Clearly NBC's work. The network had to slash the budget when they realized how big the payout could be. I believe that NBC
immediately switched to the Winner's Board format in 1984 after Barbara Phillips became the first contestant to clear the lot and won over $125,000 in cash and prizes. After seeing many contestants clear the Winner's Board (which is about $110,000 a pop - definitely NOTHING to sneeze at), NBC must have decided to switch the format AGAIN so that the chance at $100,000+ was there. HOWEVER, the $50,000 could only be attained after winning the 8th WBMG, whose opportunity can only present itself AFTER winning the car in the 7th WBMG. Serious budget killing led to a noncogent format which led to $ale's unfortunate death. This is only a theory of mine, but remember that the Aussie version of $ale stuck with Shopping for over a decade then switched (and stuck) ot the \"Winner's Board.\" That is one of the perks of syndication: no network pressures.
Why did they decide to remix the theme in 1988 ? (I do like the 1988-89 theme better, IMO)
Well, with the new bonus format and Don Morrow's replacing Jay Stewart (via retirement) and with the progression of time, I think that they decided to dust the cover off of this show and that the original theme was getting antiquated. So, Marc and Ray Ellis revamped the theme with a more modern (and 80s) flavor. I hope that is right.
I hope I helped. If anyone else wishes to correct whatever errors are present, please have at it.
The Inquisitive One