FosterGray...thanks. Looking back, I did seem to go overboard...
The ambient music is nothing more than thinking music during Toss-Ups, the speed round, and the bonus round. A total of what, 2 minutes out of 21-22? I consider the music no different than the metronome used during Alphabetics, or the "doot-doot-doot" during the Winners Circle. It still adds tension to the round.
Maybe I'm just used to the silence during the Speed-Up round, then -- for me, total silence added more tension than generic music. And the Bonus Round cue just doesn't have the same tension as the "boop-beep", where the buzzer hit you like a sucker punch.
The Bonus Round itself uses a constant stream of music from the Bonus Wheel spin through to the double-buzz (or end of segment if it's solved), all of which feels generic and lifeless.
Define "players who don't deserve to win". If you mean too much money is given away, then perhaps.
Players who win solely because they solved the Trip Puzzle. I know that anybody can win by solving any one puzzle, but the guaranteed prize kind of...taints?...that by inflating someone's score. And usually, these people go on to lose the Bonus Round.
But I actually enjoy seeing a show where contestants can still win something just for showing up. And I'll take $1,000 over Rice-A-Roni and Turtle Wax any day of the week.
No argument here, but I personally don't like it when people who solve the first Toss-Up or a single regular puzzle for the house minimum are lumped in with those who don't solve anything.
players who don't risk nearly $10,000 on the Mystery Wedge, good puzzles (no I LOVE MY PASSPORT PHOTO crap), and an actual prize/cash variety.
Indifferent on the players taking risks, although that's the fun of a game show;
I'm all for taking risks, but the thing here is that one is risking nearly $10,000 on a chance at another $10K, and sometimes they have the trip off the Wheel or other such items, so sometimes it isn't worth the risk...especially if you call the last remaining letter on a Mystery Wedge (which has happened twice; both went for it, both got Bankrupt).
indifferent on the prize/cash variety. Contestants want cash, cars, and trips, probably in that order, although 2 and 3 can be switched. I think the producers even said that's the prizes contestants like the most. Why not cater to them, especially when the reaction to winning a car looks a lot better than the annuities, gold bars, or jewelry they were giving away 20 years ago.
I was thinking more along the lines of "practical" prizes, like a home entertainment package or rooms of furniture -- there's a bunch of sponsors who only show up for the Gift Tag, Jackpot plug, or promotional consideration/closed captioning plugs.
the goofy theme weeks
...I totally forgot about those......things......which also restrict the puzzle writers. Not even the "America's Game" weeks give them a break, as then they have to make puzzles that fit "America".
Wheel, generic shows with no theme
are a good thing.
