Author Topic: Lifeline Change on WWTBAM (Read 9386 times)

mcsittel · « **on:** October 06, 2009, 10:22:39 PM »

Millionaire has apparently discontinued the Phone-A-Friend lifeline.

A contestant who is taping his episode next week was briefed of this change in the lifelines. I'm not sure if it will be replaced with something else.

A check of Millionaire's official rules (updated today, in fact) says there are now only the remaining 3 lifelines: http://www.millionairetv.com/rules.html

Hastin · « **Reply #1 on:** October 06, 2009, 10:25:20 PM »

Alex had mentioned this on a twitter post, but I hadn't see anything else about it since then.

I just don't get it. What was so broken about the game that they had to go in and futz with it over the last two years? Sigh.

TLEberle · « **Reply #2 on:** October 06, 2009, 10:29:10 PM »

[quote name=\'mcsittel\' post=\'227913\' date=\'Oct 6 2009, 07:22 PM\']Millionaire has apparently discontinued the Phone-A-Friend lifeline.

Anyone else heard about this?[/quote]No sir. But I'll echo the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot sentiments.

Darion Blackwood Daniel · « **Reply #3 on:** October 06, 2009, 10:31:03 PM »

[quote name=\'Hastin\' post=\'227914\' date=\'Oct 6 2009, 09:25 PM\']Alex had mentioned this on a twitter post, but I hadn't see anything else about it since then.

I just don't get it. What was so broken about the game that they had to go in and futz with it over the last two years? Sigh.[/quote]I have not until tonight. Why would they even do that?

Fedya · « **Reply #4 on:** October 06, 2009, 10:55:21 PM »

I suppose they don't want Phone-a-Google anymore. Not being able to rely on somebody who can Google the answer for you would probably cut their prize budget....

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #5 on:** October 06, 2009, 10:56:59 PM »

[quote name=\'Fedya\' post=\'227919\' date=\'Oct 6 2009, 10:55 PM\']I suppose they don't want Phone-a-Google anymore....[/quote]
Somehow, I'm thinking this has less to do with preserving the sacred integrity of their game and more to do with making the TV show easier to produce.

Game Show Man · « **Reply #6 on:** October 06, 2009, 11:02:28 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'227920\' date=\'Oct 6 2009, 07:56 PM\'][quote name=\'Fedya\' post=\'227919\' date=\'Oct 6 2009, 10:55 PM\']I suppose they don't want Phone-a-Google anymore....[/quote]
Somehow, I'm thinking this has less to do with preserving the sacred integrity of their game and more to do with making the TV show easier to produce.
[/quote]
Are you sure isn't "desperate attempt to kill the show?"

/are advertisers really that much down on quiz shows?

tvrandywest · « **Reply #7 on:** October 06, 2009, 11:12:54 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'227920\' date=\'Oct 6 2009, 07:56 PM\'][quote name=\'Fedya\' post=\'227919\' date=\'Oct 6 2009, 10:55 PM\']I suppose they don't want Phone-a-Google anymore....[/quote]
Somehow, I'm thinking this has less to do with preserving the sacred integrity of their game and more to do with making the TV show easier to produce.
[/quote]
BINGO, Matt.
After the addition of the clock to end the l-o-n-g "thinkings", the phone-a-friend was the only element that required editing in post.

Randy
tvrandywest.com

BrandonFG · « **Reply #8 on:** October 06, 2009, 11:15:14 PM »

Don't you have to have a landline phone to be a PAF? Perhaps the dwindling number of landline users has something to do with it. On a similar note, whenever I've listened to the radio show Loveline, Dr. Drew asks for callers to be landline users, for concerns of calls dropping out. I'm rambling now, so I'll let someone with more tech knowledge take over from here, but I'd make at least one guess as to that being one reason.

Or not.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #9 on:** October 06, 2009, 11:35:37 PM »

[quote name=\'Game Show Man\' post=\'227921\' date=\'Oct 6 2009, 11:02 PM\']Are you sure isn't "desperate attempt to kill the show?"[/quote]
Yes. I'm sure it isn't that.

TLEberle · « **Reply #10 on:** October 06, 2009, 11:46:47 PM »

[quote name=\'Game Show Man\' post=\'227921\' date=\'Oct 6 2009, 08:02 PM\']Are you sure isn't "desperate attempt to kill the show?"[/quote]I really don't understand this. Why would a production company do something like this voluntarily? Maybe if it was the last ditch effort to save the show, I might understand it, but I don't get it.

My guess? When in doubt, follow the money.

WilliamPorygon · « **Reply #11 on:** October 06, 2009, 11:54:45 PM »

[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' post=\'227923\' date=\'Oct 6 2009, 11:12 PM\']After the addition of the clock to end the l-o-n-g "thinkings", the phone-a-friend was the only element that required editing in post.[/quote]

Well boo hoo. What they either aren't realizing or don't care about is that they're making a game that nobody's won and few have come close to winning in seven years even more difficult with changes like the clock and the removal of the PAF. Of all the current game shows, Millionaire is the one I care least about watching because it's practically a given that nobody's going to get past the quarter million, and it gets boring as heck watching an endless stream of contestants bail or blow it at the $10K-$50K levels.

Also, have they finished taping all the episodes for the "Tournament" That's Not Actually A Tournament of Ten yet, or are they making this change in the middle of that? Not that they can't make the change before the "tournament" ends, but then the players who appear after the PAF is removed are at a disadvantage there, leaving another bad taste in my mouth.

/If it were about the budget, they'd also have replaced "Ask the Audience" with "Ask a Magic 8 Ball"

DrJWJustice · « **Reply #12 on:** October 07, 2009, 01:17:36 AM »

[quote name=\'WilliamPorygon\' post=\'227929\' date=\'Oct 6 2009, 10:54 PM\']Well boo hoo. What they either aren't realizing or don't care about is that they're making a game that nobody's won and few have come close to winning in seven years even more difficult with changes like the clock and the removal of the PAF. Of all the current game shows, Millionaire is the one I care least about watching because it's practically a given that nobody's going to get past the quarter million, and it gets boring as heck watching an endless stream of contestants bail or blow it at the $10K-$50K levels.[/quote]

All the Brits did was take out three questions, up the money in the mid-levels, and write some HARD! questions. Nobody's made it past £250k since. I don't want to talk about the US version anymore. It's not the show that got me -- got us all -- hooked 10 years ago. Nearly everybody who's monkeyed with the game post-Celador has gone cheap. I'd say it's time to be realistic. Rename the damn thing "Who Wants to be a Quarter-Millionaire?"

At least WoF, for all its tweaks, still looks and plays like WoF. Geez.

JasonA1 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 07, 2009, 01:35:35 AM »

[quote name=\'WilliamPorygon\' post=\'227929\' date=\'Oct 6 2009, 11:54 PM\']Millionaire is the one I care least about watching because it's practically a given that nobody's going to get past the quarter million, and it gets boring as heck watching an endless stream of contestants bail or blow it at the $10K-$50K levels.[/quote]

Agree, agree, agree. Last time I made a point of watching was a time or two this past fall to see the clock in action. It's still good trivia, but far from appointment television on my set.

-Jason

chad1m · « **Reply #14 on:** October 07, 2009, 02:00:59 AM »

As a n00b to the PAF circuit and as someone who is intrigued by the drama and excitement displayed when the lifeline is executed, I'm very disappointed by this news.