Variety: Chris Harrison accepts the WWTBAM hosting rose

[TLEberle]

I love how people are applauding the move to a "real game show host" who has:

-not hosted a game show in fourteen years

This part is untrue.

-hosted precisely one other show...

-...which completely tanked

Not sure you can lay the blame at his feet here. (This pertains to Mall Masters, right?)

-did not do a particularly solid job hosting that show, if I remember the consensus here correctly

I don't remember the complaints being that he was incapable, it was that the show was a dog.

I'm not really in wait and see mode here, like I was last time. I can't see this working.

You also didn't care for Meredith's hosting style either.

[Dbacksfan12]

What other game show has he hosted in the interim?

[TLEberle]

What other game show has he hosted in the interim?

"You Deserve It," though I would be quick to forgive anyone who didn't watch, or indeed forgot it existed in the first place. But he did host it, and (once again) made the best of an ungreat premise. I would also say that hosting a reality show (with lots of scripted host language that's repeated every week) it better training to host a game show than being a comedian or actor.

[PYLdude]

I'm not really in wait and see mode here, like I was last time. I can't see this working.

You also didn't care for Meredith's hosting style either.

The difference is that even though it took Meredith a good nine years to grow on me, I don't wanna take too much away from how she conducted the proceedings. Even though I found her far too low-key for my taste and felt that she was overrated, I still felt (even though I didn't express it much) that she certainly was a capable, competent host.

I can't say I get the same vibe from Chris Harrison, at all.

ETA: let the record also show that I wasn't too big on the Cedric hire either, at least when it was announced. And I didn't find him to be as bad as some did, personal bias aside.

[Kevin Prather]

I guess what I'd like to know is whether or not ABC wants to have one last prime time special to send it off, if they think it's not going to make it much longer.

[PYLdude]

I guess what I'd like to know is whether or not ABC wants to have one last prime time special to send it off, if they think it's not going to make it much longer.

If they were going to do that, I would figure that they would've done so a year ago when it reached its fifteenth anniversary.

[Kevin Prather]

I guess what I'd like to know is whether or not ABC wants to have one last prime time special to send it off, if they think it's not going to make it much longer.

If they were going to do that, I would figure that they would've done so a year ago when it reached its fifteenth anniversary.

That'd be my guess as well. Might be able to get away with a "Sweet 16" anniversary, but chances are it's not on their radar.

[PYLdude]

Here's what I would wonder.

If ABC was so inclined as to launch an event series, would they keep the Millionaire format as it currently stands, such as when they included the clock with the 10th anniversary series, or would they try to go back to the original format for familiarity's sake?

I would figure the former instance would turn out to be what happened.

[BrandonFG]

I imagine Original Recipe since it's the one that took off back in '99. Even with the changes with the daytime version (no Fastest Finger, no tournament for the 10th anniversary), they still kept most of the original format, with the exception of inflated values in 2004, special guests in 2009.

IIRC, the tournament and clock formats were introduced in fall 2008, no?

[Kevin Prather]

IIRC, the tournament and clock formats were introduced in fall 2008, no?

Clock in Fall 08. Tournament in Fall 09.

[pacdude]

Here's what I would wonder.

If ABC was so inclined as to launch an event series, would they keep the Millionaire format as it currently stands, such as when they included the clock with the 10th anniversary series, or would they try to go back to the original format for familiarity's sake?

I would figure the former instance would turn out to be what happened.

I wrote an article that'll go up on Buzzerblog at 4 PM today that kind of explains this, but:

The Super Mix, or shuffle format, that ABC currently airs is most likely due to the lawsuit that ABC and Buena Vista lost in regards to the production of the syndicated American version of the show. After that lawsuit, the Shuffle format was created, and it seems to be that ABC owns the format changes they brought on the show.

So basically, if ABC's producing a Millionaire show after 2010, it's going to be the Super Mix format.

[clemon79]

The Super Mix, or shuffle format, that ABC currently airs is most likely due to the lawsuit that ABC and Buena Vista lost in regards to the production of the syndicated American version of the show. After that lawsuit, the Shuffle format was created, and it seems to be that ABC owns the format changes they brought on the show.

So basically, if ABC's producing a Millionaire show after 2010, it's going to be the Super Mix format.

I hesitate, mostly because of the phrase "most likely". Is this a supposition on your part or is this verified?

Not suggesting it's incorrect, not suggesting it's even implausible. I just don't want to go stating it as fact myself unless I know it *is* fact, which is what your summary does.

[pacdude]

The Super Mix, or shuffle format, that ABC currently airs is most likely due to the lawsuit that ABC and Buena Vista lost in regards to the production of the syndicated American version of the show. After that lawsuit, the Shuffle format was created, and it seems to be that ABC owns the format changes they brought on the show.

So basically, if ABC's producing a Millionaire show after 2010, it's going to be the Super Mix format.

I hesitate, mostly because of the phrase "most likely". Is this a supposition on your part or is this verified?

Not suggesting it's incorrect, not suggesting it's even implausible. I just don't want to go stating it as fact myself unless I know it *is* fact, which is what your summary does.

So, here's three things:

1) From the leaked e-mail by Senior VP of Business Affairs Corii Berg: "One broad thing to consider is that if the format reverts back to us, ABC owns the elements it brought to the show (things they changed/created from the Celador/2way version). ABC could very well make it difficult for us as we try to relaunch, so we’ll have to be careful/make sure our show is closely examined." And what they brought was the Super Mix format (and the music and set structure, I suppose, but for sure, the format).

2) My speculation is whether the lawsuit brought about the change in rules. Staff conversations at Buzzerblog are leading us to believe that the timing fits really well that the lawsuit caused the changes.

3) I'm speculating that if ABC produces Millionaire by themselves, without Sony's input further than licensing the name or whatever their current agreement is, it'll be Super Mix.

[clemon79]

2) My speculation is whether the lawsuit brought about the change in rules. Staff conversations at Buzzerblog are leading us to believe that the timing fits really well that the lawsuit caused the changes.

3) I'm speculating that if ABC produces Millionaire by themselves, without Sony's input further than licensing the name or whatever their current agreement is, it'll be Super Mix.

This was the part that I wanted some exposition on. Thanks.