Duel Returns in April

[tpirfan28]

Couple of addendums from Greeny the other day on Mike and Mike:

 - There is no more (or minimal) screen up.

 - The tagline "This is DUEL on ABC" apparently disappeared (how am I supposed to know what I'm watching and what network it's on!? )

Does anyone know it this is going to be available on ABC.com?  I really don't want to have to dig for a videotape (TPIR in HD takes the comp tuner)

[davidhammett]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'183269\' date=\'Apr 4 2008, 03:05 PM\']
And how many Duels did we see go 10 questions on the original run of the show?
[/quote]
That would be none.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'davidhammett\' post=\'183279\' date=\'Apr 4 2008, 04:39 PM\']
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'183269\' date=\'Apr 4 2008, 03:05 PM\']
And how many Duels did we see go 10 questions on the original run of the show?
[/quote]
That would be none.
[/quote]
My point exactly, sir!

[Jeremy Nelson]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'183269\' date=\'Apr 4 2008, 02:05 PM\']
Really, it's an idiotic idea; it's overcomplicated and it encourages letting your opponent hang around a while, which is completely anathema to the concept of a head-to-head game.

It's Duel. You do not play around with your opponent; you go in for the kill.
[/quote]
Do you suggest they invert the money tree, or just scrap it altogether?

My biggest problem with the show is the "lose once and you lose it all" rule. If you give a new champion their winnings out of the bank of the loser (i.e. the original Twenty One), then somebody may actually play for the jackpot.

As far as the $500,000 jackpot goes, I'd have to guess that it would be your final total rather than a bonus, considering that most people will walk into the "Final Duel" with only $100K-$200K.

Regardless, they seem to be taking a step in the right direction. Many of my major gripes with last season have been fixed.

I wonder who else saw the spoilers in the "Coming this season..." video at the end of the episode.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'rollercoaster87\' post=\'183298\' date=\'Apr 4 2008, 11:44 PM\']
Do you suggest they invert the money tree, or just scrap it altogether?
[/quote]
Lose it. I didn't have a single problem with X per chip remaining. It gets a little bit convoluted if you make X = the number of games that contestant has played * $1,000, but I bet there is verbiage that could cover it.

[Mr. Armadillo]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'183280\' date=\'Apr 4 2008, 06:42 PM\']
[quote name=\'davidhammett\' post=\'183279\' date=\'Apr 4 2008, 04:39 PM\']
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'183269\' date=\'Apr 4 2008, 03:05 PM\']
And how many Duels did we see go 10 questions on the original run of the show?
[/quote]
That would be none.
[/quote]
My point exactly, sir!
[/quote]
Yeah, but I would be very surprised if they didn't edit at least a few questions out of the first run.  I mean, I remember seeing exactly zero questions where both contestants knew the correct answer and didn't lose a chip.  That seems suspicious to me.

Also, the problem with 'X per remaining chip' is that a gradually decreasing prize makes for worse television than a gradually increasing one.  Hard to build tension when the stakes are going in the other direction.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Mr. Armadillo\' post=\'183332\' date=\'Apr 5 2008, 11:50 AM\']
Yeah, but I would be very surprised if they didn't edit at least a few questions out of the first run.  I mean, I remember seeing exactly zero questions where both contestants knew the correct answer and didn't lose a chip.  That seems suspicious to me.

Also, the problem with 'X per remaining chip' is that a gradually decreasing prize makes for worse television than a gradually increasing one.  Hard to build tension when the stakes are going in the other direction.
[/quote]
Both very valid points. But there is still something fundamentally wrong with "the longer you let your opponent stick around, the more you win."

[SteveR]

How about $10,000 for each chip YOU have left if you win?

Makes for a decent risk-reward scenario, as well as a decent payout for the win in general.

[Chelsea Thrasher]

This was mentioned over in the 4/4 episode thread in the Summaries section, but the ratings for Friday are in, and...Duel's numbers weren't even published.  They were, however, worse than Smackdown (2.8/5) on CW.  Point blank: When you're doing worse than any show on CW, your days are numbered.

I guess no one was watching Duel on ABC. Viewers probably just lost interest without the pen.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'SteveR\' post=\'183350\' date=\'Apr 5 2008, 04:48 PM\']
How about $10,000 for each chip YOU have left if you win?[/quote]
That's a great idea. Damned shame they didn't think of it.

[hines2000]

I love this show!  I would only change these things:

The money tree= $1,000 $2,500 $5,000 $7,500 $10,000
$15,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000 and $40,000 for 10+

The winner of the game wins $1,000 per chip left in
addition to the money tree amount (10 chips = $10,000)

If the champ plays on and loses, he/she wins only 10%
of the money he/she has won (instead of losing it all)

Finally, winning 5 Duels wins $500,000 in addition to
the money won along the way... the money won in the last
Duel is automatically doubled... and the MAX question is
played to try to double the $500,000 bonus (which makes
the possible maximum win $1,500,000)

Eric

[Jeremy Nelson]

[quote name=\'hines2000\' post=\'183394\' date=\'Apr 6 2008, 02:12 PM\']
I love this show!  I would only change these things:

The money tree= $1,000 $2,500 $5,000 $7,500 $10,000
$15,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000 and $40,000 for 10+

The winner of the game wins $1,000 per chip left in
addition to the money tree amount (10 chips = $10,000)

If the champ plays on and loses, he/she wins only 10%
of the money he/she has won (instead of losing it all)

Finally, winning 5 Duels wins $500,000 in addition to
the money won along the way... the money won in the last
Duel is automatically doubled... and the MAX question is
played to try to double the $500,000 bonus (which makes
the possible maximum win $1,500,000)

Eric
[/quote]

Huh?

[tpirfan28]

[quote name=\'rollercoaster87\' post=\'183395\' date=\'Apr 6 2008, 03:21 PM\']
[quote name=\'hines2000\' post=\'183394\' date=\'Apr 6 2008, 02:12 PM\']
<snip>
[/quote]

Huh?
[/quote]
This should explain it:  http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/3211/matmonbag2ec0.gif

/Duel is NOT a million-dollar show, much less a million+ show
//maybe a quarter-mill or $100,000 syndie show

[The Ol' Guy]

I'm with the gang that thinks you should be rewarded for being smart enough to use fewer chips. I still think the $500 per chip is still good, so if you win the $30,000 round and have 4 chips left, you have $32,000, which can be doubled with the MAX question. It's good that one can alter the rules when you make your own home version, and that's how mine is going to play out. Two players compete until one reaches $100,000 or more, giving you the $500,000. Come to think of it...I like the $1,000 per chip value. It'll certainly move the game faster. Sorry to read it did not do well in the ratings. It's not a great game, but not too bad a game, either - like 1 vs 100.

[tvmitch]

[quote name=\'Seth Thrasher\' post=\'183378\' date=\'Apr 6 2008, 04:56 AM\']
This was mentioned over in the 4/4 episode thread in the Summaries section, but the ratings for Friday are in, and...Duel's numbers weren't even published.  They were, however, worse than Smackdown (2.8/5) on CW.  Point blank: When you're doing worse than any show on CW, your days are numbered.

I guess no one was watching Duel on ABC. Viewers probably just lost interest without the pen.
[/quote]
It's because it was on Friday night at 9, pure and simple. No one is watching TV then - it's not a TV appointment night. This show would do much better on early Sundays during family hours, at 7 or 8p.