$ale update

[Vahan_Nisanian]

I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happened on the last daytime episode with Shopping in 1984. But that has yet to resurface.

[BrandonFG]

What was the shopping prize?

[TLEberle]

What was the shopping prize?

I hope it was something lower than the car; otherwise that's piles of awkward dead-ahead. Ideally the two ways the format swap works best are either having three new contestants on the Monday show because the last guy bought something, or a champion with a fairly low bankroll to that point.

[sotcfan2004]

What was the shopping prize?

A Beverly Hills shopping spree worth $5,000.

[Ian Wallis]

And this is not a slam or knock on anyone, but I never understood the purpose of these reference guides, aside from having cataloged every single episode for posterity. Knowing who wins the game, at least for me, ruins the joy of watching that episode.

I certainly understand your point.  However, even if I wasn't a collector, I'd still sometimes see an episode and wonder exactly whereabouts that was in the run.  For me personally, I always like to know original airdates whenever possible and these guides help with that.

But that's just me!

[Thunder]

On top of what Vahan mentioned, Jim gave him the options of leaving the prize and coming back (as normal), taking the prize and leaving (as normal), or taking the prize AND coming back with the Winner's Board.

Am I missing something here? Why would anybody do anything other than take the prize and come back playing with the new format?

[TLEberle]

Am I missing something here? Why would anybody do anything other than take the prize and come back playing with the new format?

The only case where I can think it would play out that way was it was the last episode of the taping session and the champion just wanted to be done with it/couldn't come back for the next run of episodes.

[sotcfan2004]

While I can understand the need to trim the budget and maybe even introduce some more suspense into the endgame, I must admit that it's a little sad that they couldn't at least leave the progressive jackpot, even if just until it was hit one more time. To go all the way back down to a $50,000 cash bonus after watching it build progressively week after week and not have anyone claim it feels odd.

[WarioBarker]

Yeah, that's something the Australian version got right when they switched to the Winner's Board in '89, along with each prize being at risk. Both would've made the syndicated Sale distinctly different from the daytime one, as the two shows are now gonna be pretty much near-identical.

As for the transition itself, I'm not mistaken some people around here mentioned that the ratings/clearances for syndie Sale were never that great, which would suggest the change was done for November sweeps.

[Vahan_Nisanian]

Yeah, that's something the Australian version got right when they switched to the Winner's Board in '89, along with each prize being at risk. Both would've made the syndicated Sale distinctly different from the daytime one, as the two shows are now gonna be pretty much near-identical.

As for the change itself, the transition may have been for November sweeps, as if I'm not mistaken some people around here mentioned that the ratings for syndie Sale were never that great.

It didn't even get cleared in Los Angeles, which, along with New York City, is one of the two largest TV markets in America.

It got cleared in NYC, weirdly enough.

[Thunder]

Yeah, that's something the Australian version got right when they switched to the Winner's Board in '89, along with each prize being at risk. Both would've made the syndicated Sale distinctly different from the daytime one, as the two shows are now gonna be pretty much near-identical.
...

Putting the Winner's Board prize at risk every game is not something they got right to me. Watching a six-day champion lose a game and go home with just a fish soup tureen, a trip to Catalina Island and "the cash in front of you" isn't good television to me.

[PYLdude]

Yeah, that's something the Australian version got right when they switched to the Winner's Board in '89, along with each prize being at risk. Both would've made the syndicated Sale distinctly different from the daytime one, as the two shows are now gonna be pretty much near-identical.
...

Putting the Winner's Board prize at risk every game is not something they got right to me. Watching a six-day champion lose a game and go home with just a fish soup tureen, a trip to Catalina Island and "the cash in front of you" isn't good television to me.

How.is that any different from a contestant building up a good enough bankroll to potentially win the big prizes in the shopping game, then losing and going home with whatever he/she earned in the front game?

Same risk factor involved.

[Dbacksfan12]

I think there's a distinction between winning six prizes only to have the rug yanked out from under you as opposed to passing up on something and hoping for something better. 

[PYLdude]

I think there's a distinction between winning six prizes only to have the rug yanked out from under you as opposed to passing up on something and hoping for something better. 

Is it still not a conscious risk to take, in either situation?

[TLEberle]

I think there's a distinction between winning six prizes only to have the rug yanked out from under you as opposed to passing up on something and hoping for something better. 

Champ should have quit while she was ahead then, especially if she had the car.

I think the Australian way is better: in America you're winning one smallish prize (midway between third IB and the $85 shopping prize) unless you flip over the $3,000 or the Jackpot prizes. Who cares. In Australia you're risking big prizes but there's always going to be something more and awesome put in the kitty, as well as staring down the barrel at a huge cash prize.

Yes, there's risk and yes there will be champions who push a step too far and win just the front game prizes. That is the same as a contestant who is wrong on Millionaire as well. The point of the exercise is the risk, and it makes for really good television. Watching as someone has turned over the biggest prizes on the board and has an eight day march to the $50,000 knowing that the car and $10,000 are safe neuters that excitement. Knowing that a champion just has to win by $1 means those instant bargain/cash decisions are less interesting because you'll never be on $495 coming into that third act needing $35 to win the car, so go ahead, have a punt.