Author Topic: Hypothetical S&P question (Read 2628 times)

Jay Temple · « **on:** July 31, 2009, 01:42:45 AM »

Let's say I'm the executive producer of The $67,500 Pyramid. Hypothetically, I think that a win in the main game is more dramatic if the last word is difficult. So, I choose one item in each category as the "game-winner." If that category is played last, and the team needs N points (between 2 and 6) to win, the word will be moved to the Nth spot on the list.

As long as the seven items available don't change, and the movement isn't being made in advance to favor one player over the other, am I in the clear?

clemon79 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 31, 2009, 02:12:35 AM »

As long as the item is marked clearly to all and sundry and the rule is made clear to all concerned and applied fairly, in terms of S&P you're probably okay.

However, as EP, you should be beaten with a sledgehammer for coming up with such a cockamamie idea.

J.R. · « **Reply #2 on:** July 31, 2009, 02:31:56 AM »

I don't think a player should be "punished" just because their opponent didn't do as well.

/"disadvantaged" would be a better word.

parliboy · « **Reply #3 on:** July 31, 2009, 02:34:14 AM »

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'221545\' date=\'Jul 31 2009, 12:42 AM\']Let's say I'm the executive producer of The $67,500 Pyramid. Hypothetically, I think that a win in the main game is more dramatic if the last word is difficult. So, I choose one item in each category as the "game-winner." If that category is played last, and the team needs N points (between 2 and 6) to win, the word will be moved to the Nth spot on the list.

As long as the seven items available don't change, and the movement isn't being made in advance to favor one player over the other, am I in the clear?[/quote]

As long as the players know, sure. Because the event would happen no matter which side goes last, it doesn't contribute toward making the result predetermined. Of course if time is sufficient, as a clue giver, the first word out of my mouth after scoring N-1 is "PASS".

knagl · « **Reply #4 on:** July 31, 2009, 03:23:07 AM »

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'221545\' date=\'Jul 31 2009, 12:42 AM\']Let's say I'm the executive producer of The $67,500 Pyramid.[/quote]
Congratulations. Your show title doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

[quote name=\'parliboy\' post=\'221549\' date=\'Jul 31 2009, 01:34 AM\']as a clue giver, the first word out of my mouth after scoring N-1 is "PASS".[/quote]
Well played.

gameshowcrazy · « **Reply #5 on:** July 31, 2009, 01:52:25 PM »

Besides the very easy way off the rule is to pass on "the word", the big reason this is a bad idea is because the advantage shifts ever so slightly to the team that is behind as the team going for the win at any given time is "penalized" by being forced to play the toughest word in the group to earn the win.

LocalH · « **Reply #6 on:** July 31, 2009, 07:38:45 PM »

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'221545\' date=\'Jul 31 2009, 01:42 AM\']Let's say I'm the executive producer of The $67,500 Pyramid. Hypothetically, I think that a win in the main game is more dramatic if the last word is difficult. So, I choose one item in each category as the "game-winner." If that category is played last, and the team needs N points (between 2 and 6) to win, the word will be moved to the Nth spot on the list.

As long as the seven items available don't change, and the movement isn't being made in advance to favor one player over the other, am I in the clear?[/quote]
Rule #1 of game shows: What's good for the viewer isn't always good for the contestant.

clemon79 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 31, 2009, 07:46:41 PM »

[quote name=\'gameshowcrazy\' post=\'221576\' date=\'Jul 31 2009, 10:52 AM\']the big reason this is a bad idea[/quote]
In the OP's defense, he never claimed it was a good idea, he merely asked whether it would be considered kosher from an S&P standpoint. My commend about it being a horrible idea was completely unsolicited.

LocalH · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2009, 08:02:40 PM »

It could be inferred that he wouldn't have brought it up unless he thought it was a good idea.

I can see one implausible situation where it would be a good idea - if OP was working on a project that includes a licensed depiction of Pyramid (admittedly it'd have to be Donnymid), and they wanted it to actually follow the rules, an attention to detail that is often lost on such depictions.

...

Hey, I did say it was implausible...

clemon79 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 31, 2009, 08:49:54 PM »

[quote name=\'LocalH\' post=\'221606\' date=\'Jul 31 2009, 05:02 PM\']It could be inferred that he wouldn't have brought it up unless he thought it was a good idea.[/quote]
It could be, but I'm not going to infer in the absence of any other evidence.

chris319 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 31, 2009, 09:52:30 PM »

Legally there's nothing wrong with it provided it's applied uniformly to all contestants. In practice it's questionable whether S&P would allow it. They usually like to have material nailed down before the proceedings begin.

Jay Temple · « **Reply #11 on:** August 01, 2009, 04:22:43 PM »

For those who were debating my motives: I was thinking about the fact that on all versions prior to Donnymid, once the final item on the list disappeared from the screen, nothing else would appear. They'd managed to change that on Donnymid, and it got me to thinking that they could conceivably make the change I described. While I personally wouldn't like it, I could see some executive thinking that it was good.

Come to think of it, it would probably be an even worse idea from a production standpoint, as it would result in too many ties!