Author Topic: As The World Turns Cancelled (Read 52797 times)

beatlefreak84 · « **Reply #90 on:** December 13, 2009, 05:32:49 PM »

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How about a happy medium with married couples or family pairs?

I think this has come up before, but the problem in this case becomes that they can use "inside clues" that no one outside the family would understand. For example, if the phrase was "Civil War," and anyone in my family was my partner, I'd probably use the clue: "The topic in history Dad is obsessed with." Think back to Amnesia, where the basic premise of the game is answering questions about your personal past...the main reason games like that don't make for good TV is that no one outside the contestant's family/friends can play along.

I don't see a problem with, if there's a real aversion to celebrities, having two strangers play the game, as this would take care of the above problem. The main reason I watch Pyramid is that it's a fun, challenging, and engaging game. I wouldn't care one bit if they chucked the celebs.

Anthony

joker316 · « **Reply #91 on:** December 13, 2009, 05:50:22 PM »

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'232239\' date=\'Dec 13 2009, 05:28 PM\'][quote name=\'joker316\' post=\'232238\' date=\'Dec 13 2009, 02:15 PM\']How about a happy medium with married couples or family pairs?[/quote]"This is the country where we went on our honeymoon."

"This is the name of your obnoxious uncle."

"This is the stuff you don't like to put on hot dogs."
[/quote]
LOL! Thanks Travis, I needed that!

Sodboy13 · « **Reply #92 on:** December 13, 2009, 09:08:06 PM »

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'232226\' date=\'Dec 13 2009, 02:00 PM\']They don't work because the people in charge are lazy gits. It may take work to find a Neil Patrick Harris, or whoever you need. Or to have them practice a bit. But the people are there. If you treat a show like the bastard stepson, don't be surprised if the show is thirteen and out.[/quote]

Agreed. We tend to focus on the dimbulbs brought out for the game. But there were some very sharp celebrity players during the short run. NPH, Aisha Tyler, Craig Ferguson, Julie Chen, and Norm MacDonald come to mind immediately. (And of course Betty White, but that should go without saying in this crowd.) There certainly is that type of sharp, quick-witted, game-enthused celeb still out there. But the fact that I don't think we ever got to see a game with two competent celebrities on MDP, while we definitely had episodes with two incompetent ones, tends to obscure that.

Jay Temple · « **Reply #93 on:** December 13, 2009, 11:21:30 PM »

[quote name=\'beatlefreak84\' post=\'232240\' date=\'Dec 13 2009, 04:32 PM\']I don't see a problem with, if there's a real aversion to celebrities, having two strangers play the game, as this would take care of the above problem. The main reason I watch Pyramid is that it's a fun, challenging, and engaging game. I wouldn't care one bit if they chucked the celebs.[/quote]
My problems:
1. the idiot partner problem, but that's fixable by saying that you don't leave till you've lost twice
2a. hearing a dollar figure that no individual can win all at once
2b. That goes double if it's played like the New York era, where you leave after a WC win.

Marc412 · « **Reply #94 on:** December 13, 2009, 11:42:48 PM »

If CBS wanted to have four civilians play, they'd need to play three games to be fair to everyone and have everyone partnered with everyone else. That's fine if they have an hour time slot. Each trip to the Winner's Circle would pay up to $20,000 ($10,000 for each teammate), and the player who wins the most money over those three games would win the show and gets to play again the next episode.

If they only have 30 minutes, their best bet would be to stick with the proven formula. Just book good game-playing celebs!

BrandonFG · « **Reply #95 on:** December 13, 2009, 11:48:02 PM »

[quote name=\'Marc412\' post=\'232253\' date=\'Dec 13 2009, 11:42 PM\']If they only have 30 minutes, their best bet would be to stick with the proven formula. Just book good game-playing celebs![/quote]
Pretty much.

Chris C., how was celebrity booking handled on Password +? I know some celebs, like Carol Burnett, were huge fans of the original, and had no problem going on the show. But what about those who didn't appear on prior version(s)? Were they invited to do a runthrough first in the G-T offices?

Sony gets some pretty good names for the celebrity weeks on Wheel and J!, and the latter has shown some pretty sharp talent. Granted you might have to go down a level for for star talent, I don't think finding competent celebrities is a problem. Unlike MDP, you just have to find people who know their way around a dictionary, and not just every popular name that comes to mind.

When you half-ass produce a game show, the public does notice.

Unrealtor · « **Reply #96 on:** December 14, 2009, 12:50:05 AM »

The bigger factor with MDP to me than the fact that not all the celebrities could play the game well was that they didn't seem to make an effort to pair up celebrities who played well with other celebs who played well. If they're showing 10 or 15 games a week with the same celebs, the mismatches are going to be a lot more obvious.

chris319 · « **Reply #97 on:** December 14, 2009, 06:22:46 AM »

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'232239\' date=\'Dec 13 2009, 02:28 PM\'][quote name=\'joker316\' post=\'232238\' date=\'Dec 13 2009, 02:15 PM\']How about a happy medium with married couples or family pairs?[/quote]"This is the country where we went on our honeymoon."

"This is the name of your obnoxious uncle."

"This is the stuff you don't like to put on hot dogs."
[/quote]
I don't see a thing wrong with this. It communicates the subject and is transparent to the audience. If a player says "This is the stuff you don't like to put on hot dogs" and the partner says "relish", the audience can figure it out easily enough. In addition, you're not going to have entire categories where this is the strategy to use.

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Chris C., how was celebrity booking handled on Password +?

Unless they were a known quantity at playing Password (Betty White, Liz Montgomery, Carol Burnett, etc.), every celebrity tried out for the show and was offered a booking only if the celebrity coordinator felt they could play the game competently -- even Lucy had to play the game with Imie in advance. I remember Gordon MacRae coming to the office to try out; he was never offered a booking.

chris319 · « **Reply #98 on:** December 14, 2009, 06:29:07 AM »

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Supermarket Sweep COULD work if it emulated the original run from some 40 years ago, when it was produced and broadcast on the road from real supermarkets in the NY/NJ area. The equipment is obviously much smaller and better than it was back then, and the show could travel anywhere in the US now for location shooting.

Supermarket Sweep has no play-along factor. That's a big reason it was off the air for so many decades.

Now, you've seen thread after thread about how expensive it is to take TPIR on the road. Supermarket Sweep is no different. All that travel and remote taping is far more expensive than taping in a studio. It's why the most recent incarnation was taped in a studio at NBC Burbank which was made to look like the inside of a supermarket.

Neumms · « **Reply #99 on:** December 14, 2009, 02:36:43 PM »

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'232250\' date=\'Dec 13 2009, 11:21 PM\']My problems:
1. the idiot partner problem, but that's fixable by saying that you don't leave till you've lost twice
2a. hearing a dollar figure that no individual can win all at once
2b. That goes double if it's played like the New York era, where you leave after a WC win.[/quote]

2a. I had that problem with "The $100,000 Pyramid"--in a couple months, they'll play for this, but right now it's a tenth of that. But two people splitting the pot doesn't seem so terrible--they do it on "Family Feud."
2b. We'd never do that!

Neumms · « **Reply #100 on:** December 14, 2009, 02:50:14 PM »

[quote name=\'Sodboy13\' post=\'232246\' date=\'Dec 13 2009, 09:08 PM\'][quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'232226\' date=\'Dec 13 2009, 02:00 PM\']They don't work because the people in charge are lazy gits. It may take work to find a Neil Patrick Harris, or whoever you need. Or to have them practice a bit. But the people are there. If you treat a show like the bastard stepson, don't be surprised if the show is thirteen and out.[/quote]

Agreed. We tend to focus on the dimbulbs brought out for the game. But there were some very sharp celebrity players during the short run. NPH, Aisha Tyler, Craig Ferguson, Julie Chen, and Norm MacDonald come to mind immediately. (And of course Betty White, but that should go without saying in this crowd.)
[/quote]

But they couldn't find enough sharp ones for eight episodes with PRIME-TIME exposure. How can they find enough for five-day-a-week, 26-weeks-a-year daytime? You think any of the names you mention would show up for a whole week? Maybe Aisha Tyler, but who the hell is she?

The Donnymid people sensed the other problem--it's boring to see the same two celebrities for a whole week. But their fix was disagreeable, too--no returning champs.

I'm with Chris C.--I think friend or family pairs would be fine. The occasional inside reference might be charming, and at worst is still preferable to "celebrities" who can only be identified with supers with references. Pyramid is exciting and interesting enough to work without stars. Or Henry Polic III.

clemon79 · « **Reply #101 on:** December 14, 2009, 03:12:32 PM »

[quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'232272\' date=\'Dec 14 2009, 11:50 AM\']But they couldn't find enough sharp ones for eight episodes with PRIME-TIME exposure.[/quote]
Was it that they "couldn't find," or that they DIDN'T LOOK? I strongly suggest the latter.

Jay Temple · « **Reply #102 on:** December 14, 2009, 03:14:34 PM »

[quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'232272\' date=\'Dec 14 2009, 01:50 PM\']Pyramid is exciting and interesting enough to work without stars. Or Henry Polic III.[/quote]
(smirk) You mean II. And the smirk is because I get a distinct vibe that III was never a realistic option.

\not that there's anything wrong with that

clemon79 · « **Reply #103 on:** December 14, 2009, 03:19:17 PM »

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'232275\' date=\'Dec 14 2009, 12:14 PM\'](smirk) You mean II. And the smirk is because I get a distinct vibe that III was never a realistic option.

\not that there's anything wrong with that[/quote]
Well played. Well played indeed.

Jay Temple · « **Reply #104 on:** December 14, 2009, 03:20:35 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'232274\' date=\'Dec 14 2009, 02:12 PM\'][quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'232272\' date=\'Dec 14 2009, 11:50 AM\']But they couldn't find enough sharp ones for eight episodes with PRIME-TIME exposure.[/quote]
Was it that they "couldn't find," or that they DIDN'T LOOK? I strongly suggest the latter.
[/quote]
No one seemed to mind having Brett Somers and Charles Nelson Reilly five days a week, 52 weeks a year. Just get Betty White and Neil Patrick Harris to do it full-time.

\joking
\\but then, I've joked about other things that came to pass