Big news on the TPIR front...

[tpirfan28]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'189734\' date=\'Jul 4 2008, 08:59 PM\']
Not to mention there would be six fewer prizes offered, and that's $$$. Plus, no more of contestants consulting the audience for 30 seconds before placing a bid.

I don't know if CBS can squeeze any more commercial inventory into the show. They're up to what, 7.5 minutes per half hour now? Back in the day it was 6 commercial minutes per half hour.
[/quote]
Taking in order...roughly averaging $8,000/show on bidder's row, that's $40k/wk, or $1.36 million over 170 shows.  (Jeesh.  That's a TON of guaranteed stuff out the door.)  Not to mention $500 bonuses would be gone too.

I'm thinking commercial time is 8 min/half-hr.  Might clock it with Monday's ep.

[Joe Mello]

[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'189735\' date=\'Jul 4 2008, 09:06 PM\']Taking in order...roughly averaging $8,000/show on bidder's row, that's $40k/wk, or $1.36 million over 170 shows. [/quote]
Over 190 shows (like this season), that's over $1.5 million, about 10% of what will be given away this year (extrapolating from GSNN's stats).

10% is not insignificant, and would probably be my first choice to cut if I wanted to save money.

[DYosua]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'189734\' date=\'Jul 4 2008, 08:59 PM\']
I don't know if CBS can squeeze any more commercial inventory into the show. They're up to what, 7.5 minutes per half hour now? Back in the day it was 6 commercial minutes per half hour.
[/quote]For what it's worth, the complete episodes available online through CBS.com regularly run anywhere from 38 to 39 minutes long.

[chris319]

Mind you, prizes come from CBS, so this is CBS money being saved.

[MitchJoseph2004]

So letting this news settle in for a day, I've been able to come to terms with it.
There are a few changes I could live with....
-A video wall.... even play a few games using it (eg Lucky Seven, Money Game) and displaying some prizes on there
-Australian showcase rules (one showcase, alternating bids until hit on the nose)
-Reduction to 5 PG (or even as far as 4) if it means more time to play instead of a constant hurry like it is now

Somethings I don't want to see....
-Elimination of SCSD
-Elimination of Contestant's Row (see TNPIR 94)
-All digitalized games

I see this move as more of an evolution and not a total reinvention of the wheel. Just like Bob said on day 1, "it's still your favorite game based on the pricing of merchandise".

[DoorNumberFour]

[quote name=\'MitchJoseph2004\' post=\'189752\' date=\'Jul 4 2008, 11:27 PM\']
-Australian showcase rules (one showcase, alternating bids until hit on the nose)
[/quote]
You can live with this? I don't know if word of an overhaul in the Showcase rules has even been uttered, but to me, changing the Showcase rules seems too radical. To change SO much about a game that's remained basically the same for almost 40 years would mean alienating a large part of the audience.

[MitchJoseph2004]

yeah, I can live with this, that's why I said it :-)
No, that change hasn't been uttered. But I've long preferred the 1 showcase, 2 bidders method. Seems more competitive and fun to me.
I know, probably I'm in the vast minority with what I would change about the show really.

[Steve Gavazzi]

Why in the world would you want them to play Double Bullseye every day?  Double Bullseye was boring as hell!

[TLEberle]

[quote name=\'MitchJoseph2004\' post=\'189752\' date=\'Jul 4 2008, 08:27 PM\']-Elimination of Contestant's Row (see TNPIR 94)[/quote]Of the things you listed, I have the least problem getting rid of this. The "strategy" was stale from the second month in. If it means we get more time for the good parts, that's fine. I also wouldn't be heartbroken to see the Big Wheel become a door stop, but the Wheel allows a degree of flexibility that isn't present in the other parts of the show.

[weaklink75]

The Video wall I can live with- you could come up with some cool games using it probably. Everything else should stay.

Let's see what happens when the new season starts up and we get some taping reports...then we can panic more..

[DrJWJustice]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'189684\' date=\'Jul 4 2008, 11:09 AM\']

Shades of TNPiR94?

You hit the nail right on the head. Look for daytime TPIR to take on the attributes of TPIR '94.
[/quote]

This REALLY worries me.  Is there a G-T format that is (supposedly) fool-proof that Pearson/Freemantle cannot find some way to royally screw up against all possible odds?  

OK, OK, the fact is that we're panicking over rumour and innuendo, however reliable the sources of these might be.  Having said that and bearing in mind Davidson's dud from '94, I'm not about to hold my breath over the success of a revamped daytime format that would emulate it.  By the same token, I'm not going to judge it until I've seen it.  I would implore that Freemantle bear in mind what the fans want when tinkering with 36 years of stable television.  (No, I don't expect them to bring back Barker, and I do support Drew and the great job he's done, IMHO.)

[bwood]

If it was really a cost cutting/budget issue, would it make any sense to just return the show to a half hour format? If it meant keeping the show in the "classic format" without changing it completely, I don't see it as that bad of an idea.
As far as the second half hour goes they could go ultra cheap and just show O'Hurley Feud (and even show a previous season's eps so not to interfere with the first run episodes of the syndicated run).

But, from a realistic standpoint, we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

I think a video wall would be cool too. It would also be cool if the "hypercloid?" panels on the turntable area could be embedded video walls, that just look normal when not in use.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'bwood\' post=\'189771\' date=\'Jul 4 2008, 11:29 PM\']
If it was really a cost cutting/budget issue, would it make any sense to just return the show to a half hour format?[/quote]
Since that half-hour would go back to the affiliates, and the network would go from making *some* money to making *no* money, no, that would not make one single bit of sense.

[davida]

[quote name=\'Mr. Armadillo\' post=\'189630\' date=\'Jul 3 2008, 09:44 PM\']We just got word that the driving force behind keeping one of the last great game shows from going into the crapper gets fired, and all you can do is discuss the merits of the latest 'FAIL' graphic?
[/quote]
Hi, I've been registered on your website for awhile but this is the first time I've posted.   This is a super long thread and I haven't read every post yet, but I was just wondering if there are people here who think that Roger getting fired is a good thing?

[sshuffield70]

I don't like the sound of Double Bullseye in the Showcase.  However, I have seen a suggestion I like in that each player write down their bid on the showcase. Or dial it in on a keypad on the podium.