Pyramid "sneak peek" on GSN

[Matt Ottinger]

I wonder who the announcer is on this version.

JD Roberto, according to someone at GSN.

[JMFabiano]

I agree that the old sound effects and the new ones sound totally different (They even played the old win bells for a WC win), but that can be changed fairly easily.

This reminds me of when the current version of Family Feud debuted.  Certain sound effects, most notably the "time's up" buzzer from a steal conference (remember that?) and the double buzz for duplicates in Fast Money, sounded like they were being played inside a trash can.  

Embassy Row Productions doesn't get as much work as they should, and if I were GSN, I would go to Michael Davies, hand him a list of shows they've considered remaking, and let him have at it.

I assume for argument's sake you are pretending Chain Reaction didn't exist.

Seriously, this opens up a realm of possibilities.  What shows would you think would translate well with his style and other factors?  (Like what would be accessible to the target audience(s), etc.  Would today's viewers go for a general knowledge show like any of the B&E Three, for instance?  Not that that would be on GSN's agenda, seeing how they regarded the original versions)  I am assuming we have to go by what's in the Sony library.  

/Though, I'd also recommend sending him to Fremantle and put him on a "making up for the 2000s decade" tour, stat...

[JMFabiano]

Anyway, when, in any version of the show, has saying one thing that doesn't totally fit the subject but is otherwise legal been an immediate buzz?

In any "PEOPLE WHO/THAT ARE ______" category, giving a clue that isn't a person resulted in an insta-buzz.

I haven't seen anything outside of the highlight reel, when they buzz an illegal clue in the WC, do they do once or a double buzz, ala the Davidson version?  (One of the things Davidson's version did right, IMO, as you wouldn't confuse it with the time's up buzzer)

[Brian44]

I haven't seen anything outside of the highlight reel, when they buzz an illegal clue in the WC, do they do once or a double buzz, ala the Davidson version?  (One of the things Davidson's version did right, IMO, as you wouldn't confuse it with the time's up buzzer)

Because I could totally see Davidson coming out from the sides exclaiming, "I'm sorry, time's up! Time's up? Times UP?!?" 10 seconds into the WC after an illegal clue was given.

[MSTieScott]

Ah, the Winner's Circle think tones. It just isn't "Pyramid" without them.

My biggest concern is what will happen when a tie occurs in the main game -- everything was moving along at a decent clip in this episode, and I'm worried how much they'll have to cut to cram a tie-breaker into the show's running time. I suppose when the celeb/contestant interviews go by in the blink of an eye, we'll know what's coming...

(Note that this concern is the result of one of the show's many positives -- no unnecessary extended dramatic pauses!)

The focus has been on "baggage handler" so far, but I'd say "cab driver" was even tougher. Isn't "taxi driver" the more common term? Or at least clue-able through the movie title? With those two plus the hard-to-quickly-convey "air traffic controller," that was shaping up to be as difficult as any proper name category.

Any version of "Pyramid" that gets me yelling clues at the TV is a-okay in my book. Great to see it back.

[JMFabiano]

I haven't seen anything outside of the highlight reel, when they buzz an illegal clue in the WC, do they do once or a double buzz, ala the Davidson version?  (One of the things Davidson's version did right, IMO, as you wouldn't confuse it with the time's up buzzer)

Because I could totally see Davidson coming out from the sides exclaiming, "I'm sorry, time's up! Time's up? Times UP?!?" 10 seconds into the WC after an illegal clue was given.

Imagining the above made my day...

[TLEberle]

That highlight reel got me to do something that's a rarity for me: pry open my wallet. Dirt cheap introductory rate plus good programming equals cash outlay.

[Phil V]

As someone who usually prefers originals over remakes, I really liked the new Pyramid.  It seemed very genuine and not at all forced like Donnymid.

I guess the biggest gripe for me would be the theme, based on the report that they were using the '80s version of it.  I don't see why it couldn't work.  It didn't seem at all out of place in the clip from the '09 pilot.
It's kinda geeky, but for me, there's just something about either classic theme that makes it the perfect accompaniment for a jackpot win.  In my opinion, there really aren't a lot of themes that evoke that kind of "YOU'RE WINNER!" emotion, and I think the old themes do that better than the new one does.

I suppose the new one will grow on me like the new Price theme, but regardless, not playing it for a win makes the whole thing seem rather lacking.  I'd like to see it come back.

Looking forward to Monday when this thing's on regularly.  Hopefully it sticks around for awhile because I really want to play.

[Bryce L.]

Of course, Helvetica is everywhere...to the point where there's a documentary on the subject.

Isn't Helvetica what was used in the 1973-1981 era of Pyramid? (Incidentally, what font did they use for the 1982-1988 front game words?)

[stutzunoon]

Hey guys - I just fixed the theme song issue during a winner's circle win.  It's posted in the audio/video section.

It answers the question of how the 80's theme would have worked with the new set.

[Kevin Prather]

(Incidentally, what font did they use for the 1982-1988 front game words?)

Bookman. Specifically Bookman Hd BT, if I'm not mistaken.

[The Pyramids]

Well done GSN & Michael Davies.

[Unrealtor]

Anyway, when, in any version of the show, has saying one thing that doesn't totally fit the subject but is otherwise legal been an immediate buzz?

In any "PEOPLE WHO/THAT ARE ______" category, giving a clue that isn't a person resulted in an insta-buzz.

That is a valid rebuttal to the way I phrased that, but it wasn't really what I was meaning. I was thinking more about clues that are not pointing to the key word/phrase or factually wrong. Certainly, every time someone misread a category in the 80s, it wasn't an instant buzz even if the clue given for the misread was not at all in the neighborhood of the right word.

[Sodboy13]

Seriously, this opens up a realm of possibilities.  What shows would you think would translate well with his style and other factors?  (Like what would be accessible to the target audience(s), etc.  Would today's viewers go for a general knowledge show like any of the B&E Three, for instance?  Not that that would be on GSN's agenda, seeing how they regarded the original versions)  I am assuming we have to go by what's in the Sony library.  

/Though, I'd also recommend sending him to Fremantle and put him on a "making up for the 2000s decade" tour, stat...

In an ideal world, he'd call up Monty Hall and inquire about Split Second.

However, in an ideal world, the new Pyramid would be a runaway hit (by digital-tier-cable standards), and encourage GSN to keep doing quality revamps of classics, and I've got the feeling that just isn't happening. Hope I'm wrong, but regardless, I'll just enjoy this block of 40 shows for all it's got.

[40onTheBlue]

Seriously, this opens up a realm of possibilities.  What shows would you think would translate well with his style and other factors?.  

In an ideal world, he'd call up Monty Hall and inquire about Split Second.

In said ideal world, he'd also give Ron Greenberg a ring and ask about The Who, What or Where Game and its remake, The Challengers. Then he'd call Merrill Heatter and ask about High Rollers.