Author Topic: Mindreaders (Read 9062 times)

JasonA1 · « **on:** February 09, 2011, 02:44:06 AM »

I think I've started more discussion on Mindreaders than any member in their right mind, but bear with me and whatever marbles are left. I finally gave an episode of this a chance (part 1 and part 2) and was surprised by what I saw. I would easily rank it above The Better Sex.

I think this is another show that gained a reputation through its lore rather than anything people actually saw for themselves. At the time, Feud was going strong (day and night), Match Game was in syndication, Password was back, Card Sharks chugging along...compared to those titans, this probably looked worse. For one, I really enjoyed the bonus game. Judging 10 people on sight has the potential to be boring, but the material in the episode screened was interesting enough (moreso in bonus game two). Dick Martin did fine in his role, handling the game well, and keeping things as fun as they could be.

The main game questions could have been a bit better, but still had to rely on bigger/more defined personalities to mindread. In this episode's case, the men's team barely qualified. Which brings to mind my key suggestion: flipping it around so one contestant is mindreading a team of celebrities. With that, the contestant and viewers alike are judging people they "know," and we get that Tattle Tales-esque peek into the lives of the stars.

I find it a little funny that getting celebrities for this show today would be easier from the stance that anyone can be a "celebrity" in this pop culture - but it's harder because no one wants to spend that much on appearance fees it seems. I'll certainly try this out next time my family puts me in charge of a big game night. It works better when there's more known entities than not, so it will be fun for the in-laws to second guess one another's scruples.

-Jason

clemon79 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 09, 2011, 03:12:38 AM »

[quote name=\'JasonA1\' post=\'256715\' date=\'Feb 8 2011, 11:44 PM\']so it will be fun for the in-laws to second guess one another's scruples.[/quote]
Aaaaand if you can latch onto a copy, you appear to have found a good source for game material, too.

whewfan · « **Reply #2 on:** February 09, 2011, 06:15:20 AM »

I don't know if this sparked Mindreaders, but Tattletales tried a new twist in their format for a week where a representative from each section tried to guess whether their celeb would reply yes or no to a question. It didn't really work for Tattletales because playing out one question took a fair amount of time.

Someone on here said that the pilot for Mindreaders was VERY well recieved because it was hilarious. However, I had some problems with the game's format.

First, the contestants really had very little to do. All they had to do was answer yes or no. Their fate in the game relies on a celeb being able to "read" you.

Second, the celebs were hit and miss in trying to act like they "know" these people, and make it sound interesting. It just didn't work for me, it was boring after a while.

Dick Martin seems to be having some fun with the game, and IMO he did well considering he had little to work with. Easily this game was better suited for his talent, and his dignity than The Cheap Show. The Cheap Show was pretty funny, and lampooned the game show very well, but it was a one joke show. I can't imagine that Oscar the Wonder Rodent, the ditzy assistant, and contestants getting slimed or pied would be much fun after a while.

I personally liked The Better Sex. The format did have some obvious derivatives (bluffing answers a la HS and two teams a la Family Feud) but the two host format worked very well, with Bill and Sarah working together, neither trying to top the other. Apparently Family Feud was originally conceived in a format similar to Better Sex. You can also tell, if you've ever watched the finale, that the crew obviously loved the show. You can see several teary eyed backstage people onstage during the credits.

chris319 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 09, 2011, 07:24:41 AM »

There wasn't a pilot for Mindreaders in the conventional sense. There were office run-throughs, then it went to series. The office run-throughs weren't hilarious but they were fun and went adequately well (Phillip W. Rossi was one of the surrogate celebrities). The G-T staffers used in office run-throughs "bought" the premise more readily and concealed some of the problems that surfaced when real celebrities were used. Specifically, many of the real celebrities had to conceal their bewilderment at the prospect of predicting the responses of a total stranger, and some didn't do a very good job of it. You could play Mindreaders with two civilian conestants and a panel of celebs, but now you're getting into Celebrity Sweepstakes territory.

I have made Mindreaders the butt of jokes on many occasions. That it was cancelled four weeks shy of its original 26-week commitment further tarnishes its reputation. Today there have been far, far worse game shows than Mindreaders on the air. As an emcee, Dick Martin was clearly superior to another highly-paid emcee on a long-running show that I'm thinking of.

clemon79 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 09, 2011, 01:06:40 PM »

[quote name=\'whewfan\' post=\'256721\' date=\'Feb 9 2011, 03:15 AM\']Easily this game was better suited for his talent, and his dignity than The Cheap Show.[/quote]
Dignity? Have you SEEN Laugh-In?

Quote

You can also tell, if you've ever watched the finale, that the crew obviously loved the show. You can see several teary eyed backstage people onstage during the credits.

When you're out of a job, you sure as hell don't feel like dancing.

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'256722\' date=\'Feb 9 2011, 04:24 AM\']Specifically, many of the real celebrities had to conceal their bewilderment at the prospect of predicting the responses of a total stranger, and some didn't do a very good job of it.[/quote]
Rightfully so.

Eric Paddon · « **Reply #5 on:** February 09, 2011, 01:17:46 PM »

[quote name=\'whewfan\' post=\'256721\' date=\'Feb 9 2011, 06:15 AM\']Dick Martin seems to be having some fun with the game, and IMO he did well considering he had little to work with. Easily this game was better suited for his talent, and his dignity than The Cheap Show. The Cheap Show was pretty funny, and lampooned the game show very well, but it was a one joke show. I can't imagine that Oscar the Wonder Rodent, the ditzy assistant, and contestants getting slimed or pied would be much fun after a while.[/quote]

When Martin was on MG not long after that show had ended its run, "Cheap BLANK" came up in the audience match, and when "Cheap Show" came up as an alternate answer after the first three had been chosen, Gene turned to Dick and asked, "Is that still on?" and Dick let out this almost panicked laugh, "I hope not!"

whewfan · « **Reply #6 on:** February 09, 2011, 01:44:36 PM »

Dignity? Have you SEEN Laugh-In?

Laugh-In may not exactly have been high class entertainment, but Dick Martin and Dan Rowan were more or less separated from the zany hijinks created by the rest of the cast. If you've ever seen any of the outtakes from Laugh-In, there's not one where Dick went out of line or attempted anything that would never make it on the air. (Dan Rowan, on the other hand, certainly let out some expletives when he had the opportunity) When I went to NBC in Burbank a while ago, someone there mentioned Dick Martin was always very professional.

chris319 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 09, 2011, 03:15:40 PM »

Quote

Dick Martin was always very professional.

He was. I saw one of the few extant clips not long ago and Dick had some byplay with an off-camera Johnny Olson, FWIW.

BillCullen1 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 09, 2011, 10:01:25 PM »

I thought The Better Sex was better than Mindreaders, Dick Martin did the best he could with what he was given. He wasn't the smoothest emcee but you could tell he was having fun. It was fun watching hosts like Rayburn and Cullen trying to "read" the civilians. The "jury" segment would be used later on Eubanks' Card Sharks.

pyrfan · « **Reply #9 on:** February 10, 2011, 02:05:37 AM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'256722\' date=\'Feb 9 2011, 07:24 AM\']There wasn't a pilot for Mindreaders in the conventional sense.[/quote]

Really? I thought the pic in TEOTVGS, Vol. 1, featuring Sarah Purcell and Charles Nelson Reilly as celebs, was from a pilot.

Brendan

WarioBarker · « **Reply #10 on:** February 10, 2011, 03:21:20 AM »

Quote from: pyrfan on February 10, 2011, 02:05:37 AM

Quote from: chris319 on February 09, 2011, 07:24:41 AM
There wasn't a pilot for Mindreaders in the conventional sense.
Really? I thought the pic in TEOTVGS, Vol. 1, featuring Sarah Purcell and Charles Nelson Reilly as celebs, was from a pilot.

It was a test episode taped ten days before the show's debut.

Quote from: chris319 on February 09, 2011, 07:24:41 AM

As an emcee, Dick Martin was clearly superior to another highly-paid emcee on a long-running show that I'm thinking of.

As an emcee, Dick Martin was clearly superior to another highly-paid emcee on a long-running show that I'm thinking of.[/quote]
Two people came to my mind -- Rolf Benirschke (daytime Wheel of Fortune) and Drew Carey (The Price Is Right). If this was a question on Million-Dollar Money Drop, I'd split the million evenly.

(EDIT: Post immediately below thinks it's some guy named Bob. I really don't think that's Goen {daytime Wheel}, so keeping with my little fun thing I'll move $200,000 to Hilton {Truth or Consequences '77/Let's Make A Deal '90, somewhat more likely} and $400,000 to Barker {because he's an idiot when not around the cameras/fans and went on autopilot for the last few years}.)

dale_grass · « **Reply #11 on:** February 10, 2011, 10:50:07 AM »

[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'256821\' date=\'Feb 10 2011, 03:21 AM\'][quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'256722\' date=\'Feb 9 2011, 07:24 AM\']As an emcee, Dick Martin was clearly superior to another highly-paid emcee on a long-running show that I'm thinking of.[/quote]
Two people came to my mind -- Rolf Benirschke (daytime Wheel Of Fortune) and Drew Carey (Price is Right). Personally, I'd put my money on Drew.
[/quote]
*cough* Bob *cough*

GrandGame1440 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 10, 2011, 01:46:11 PM »

[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'256821\' date=\'Feb 10 2011, 03:21 AM\']Rolf Benirschke (daytime Wheel Of Fortune)[/quote]
Really? I mean... REALLY???

whewfan · « **Reply #13 on:** February 10, 2011, 08:11:36 PM »

Assuming you're referring to Barker, are you saying that Dick Martin could've hosted TPIR?

Considering The New Price is Right debuted in 1972, Laugh-In was still on the air on NBC. I don't think Dick Martin would've ever crossed ANYONE'S mind at the time as someone that could do an audience participation show. Yet, I can almost see him doing Price... he might've done well. Dick Martin was a funny guy, but I don't think he "tried" to be funny. In theory, he could've taken over for Dennis James because Laugh-In was over by 1977.

chris319 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 10, 2011, 08:49:13 PM »

I was referring to Drew Carey. Dick was a little rough in dealing with a structured format, but he was a lot smoother than Drew. Having said that, it's an apples-to-oranges comparison with the many pricing games Drew has to deal with. Still, he's been doing the show for over three years now ...

Dick Martin could never have done TPIR adequately well.

Mindreaders never had a conventional pilot, where a sample episode is made and the decision to air the show is made on the basis of the pilot. Mindreaders, like P+ and Blockbusters, was already a "go" when the so-called pilot was shot, probably for accounting reasons. It was really more of a dress rehearsal. There were traditional pilots for Spellbinders and Puzzlers which didn't sell.