"Celebrity Name Game" announces celeb players, format changes

[colonial]

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/08/27/celebrity-name-game-second-series-premieres-monday-september-21/454153/

CNG's second season launches 9/21, and the show has announced a few changes ...

-- The front game promises that the "answers aren't just celebrity names".  From the few shows I watched, I'm pretty sure fictional characters, newsmakers and historical figures were featured as answers in the front game.  It sounds as if they are expanding the answer pool to include books, TV shows, movies, brands, etc.

-- A line that suggests a re-formatted bonus game ... " ... teams then must face a broad mix of clues and categories ranging from a single letter to a real life tweet from a celebrity as they enter into the final $20,000 round."


JD

[TimK2003]

-- The front game promises that the "answers aren't just celebrity names".  From the few shows I watched, I'm pretty sure fictional characters, newsmakers and historical figures were featured as answers in the front game.  It sounds as if they are expanding the answer pool to include books, TV shows, movies, brands, etc...

That is one change/expansion that I would like to see.  I have seen "Whoopi Goldberg" used as a name twice yesterday (once per double run episode) as well as at least one other time within the last week, IIRC.  To their defense, not counting the Bonus Round, they need to have at least 50 "names" ready for use per episode, so repetition undoubtedly happens on a regular basis.  Expanding the Bonus Round pool of potential answers into the rest of the game will be a refreshing improvement with less repitition.

[TLEberle]

That is one change/expansion that I would like to see.  I have seen "Whoopi Goldberg" used as a name twice yesterday (once per double run episode) as well as at least one other time within the last week, IIRC.  To their defense, not counting the Bonus Round, they need to have at least 50 "names" ready for use per episode, so repetition undoubtedly happens on a regular basis.  Expanding the Bonus Round pool of potential answers into the rest of the game will be a refreshing improvement with less repitition.

Except that I'm already watching a version of that with a great host, competent players and an excellent format. Why would I carve out more time to watch the inferior carbon copy? At least CNG had the conceit that every answer up until the bonus round was a person's name.

Here's a question because I'm in no way a frequent viewer: are the bonus round answers always proper nouns and thus names as well?

[BrandonFG]

Here's a question because I'm in no way a frequent viewer: are the bonus round answers always proper nouns and thus names as well?

They use titles and place names (cities), too. On the bonus round where the first contestant got 10 for 10 by himself, they won with THE HUNGER GAMES. I've seen PALM SPRINGS in the bonus round as well.

I could've sworn I've seen brand names before. Not sure about books.

[TLEberle]

My point is that a proper noun will be a name, just not necessarily the name of a person. (Froot Loops was a bonus answer in an early episode, as well as Eiffel Tower.)

[BrandonFG]

Ah gotcha. Carry on!

/Kinda miss the days when Pat Sajak would tell the contestants that Person didn't always mean proper name
//Wait...wrong show

[TLEberle]

/Kinda miss the days when Pat Sajak would tell the contestants that Person didn't always mean proper name

I will join you in pouring one out for that, for sure.

[PYLdude]

I found the show largely unwatchable as it was. The changes mentioned aren't going to make me more inclined to do so.

CNG got far more episodes than it really deserved. I'm surprised it got a second season and will once again say reviving Pyramid would've accomplished the same if not more.

[BrandonFG]

I've started watching it a little more, as of late. The contestants have become more tolerable, and I'm seeing more $20,000 wins now. Hopefully, the contestants will be more consistently competent this upcoming season.

That being said, for the love of all things holy, please turn down the audience. The sweetener makes it sound like they're in Madison Square Garden, yet I only see a dozen or so people anytime they show some of the audience.

I do, however, wish the most recent Pyramid revival could've gotten a shot in syndication, with some improvements.

[TLEberle]

I do, however, wish the most recent Pyramid revival could've gotten a shot in syndication, with some improvements.

Like, such as?

(Purely to see if our answers match.)

[BrandonFG]

I do, however, wish the most recent Pyramid revival could've gotten a shot in syndication, with some improvements.

Like, such as?

(Purely to see if our answers match.)

Referring to the 2012 version, it's the same issue I occasionally have with CNG: pretty people who aren't very good at word association, bright lights be damned. The celebrities were hit or miss, although when you don't air an episode because your celebrities are terrible, there's a problem.

I liked the format, esp. the $500 for every perfect seven (gave the losing contestant a little pocket change for his or her effort), and loved the 10K base jackpot + 5K for every 7 out of 7. Mike was a serviceable host, but him asking to "dim the lights" really takes some drama away from one of the most dramatic end games ever.

Embassy Row corrected mostly everything what Donnymid got wrong a decade prior, but it still felt like something was missing. I don't wanna say it felt generic, but something was off. I'd like to think another season could've ironed out the kinks.

[Matt Ottinger]

Mike was a serviceable host, but him asking to "dim the lights" really takes some drama away from one of the most dramatic end games ever.

I think you really need somebody who's more than "serviceable" (a good term for Mike, BTW).  When Bill Cullen himself was only the SECOND best host you've ever had, it's a pretty high bar.

The intangible thing about Dick Clark is that you knew he was moonlighting.  American Bandstand was his "real" job, so obviously he was only doing this because it was fun.  It's the same intangible that worked so well for What's My Line?.  These people had other jobs, and you knew it.  Ironically, Mike Richards was moonlighting as well, but hardly anybody actually knew that.  He just came across as a young up-and-comer hoping for a big on-air break, and not even as famous as the C-list celebrities playing the game.

[TLEberle]

The things I miss from 25k that were not part of Pyramid 2012 can't be laid at the feet of Michael G. Richards. Part of it is the fact that the show has to put out 40 homogeneous episodes so you'll never see references to a "1958 Chevrolet" left in, or any sort of building rivalry or tension throughout the week if nobody has won the money because the air order is shuffled and there's no carryover contestants so we don't really get a chance to root for people over a week's tme. What I missed was the idea that anything could happen and sometimes did.

Just after I picked up the GSN tier there was an episode where the loser of the day had piled up $6,850 plus an overseas holiday, and he got pipped by fifty bucks in the winner's circle. Or the blind week episode where Dick splits the 21-21 bonus money and allows both teams the chance to play. (or golly, the fact that a 21-21 tie merited a massive cash bonus or even a car.) Every episode of Pyramid 2012 felt the same because they were produced to look the same and I think it was to the show's detriment that the host language never changed and there weren't any chances for the show to go off the reservation that way.

The problem is that Pyramid 2002 made lots of those same errors for similar reasons, even though that version was able to grow over the course of an entire season. For my tastes the show needs the same guests throughout the week and carryover champions. Loosening up and allowing the show to breathe would give Mike the chance to show that he had a personality or hosting bona fides.

[BrandonFG]

The things I miss from 25k that were not part of Pyramid 2012 can't be laid at the feet of Michael G. Richards. Part of it is the fact that the show has to put out 40 homogeneous episodes so you'll never see references to a "1958 Chevrolet" left in, or any sort of building rivalry or tension throughout the week if nobody has won the money because the air order is shuffled and there's no carryover contestants so we don't really get a chance to root for people over a week's tme. What I missed was the idea that anything could happen and sometimes did.

To this point, that's one thing I miss about most game shows nowadays. Yeah, you still have shows that rely on consistency week-to-week because of returning champs (Feud, Jeopardy!), straddling (Millionaire) or theme weeks (Wheel). But, the other thing about CNG that bugs me is what you mentioned with Donnymid-the celebs change day to day, so there's no rivalries or inside jokes that can build during the week.

It reminds me of a $ale episode I saw on USA back in the mid-90s. A contestant won a Camaro on the Winner's Board; the following day, Jim opened the show by welcoming any viewers who may have missed the big win the day before, wipe to a clip of said win, then resume the current episode. Another examply would be the Face the Music contestant who nailed the $10,000 two straight days and blew Ron Ely away.

As you said, the homogeneous nature of modern TV shows eliminates those kinds of excitement, partly because increased commercial time means that the :30 it takes to set up the clip takes away some gameplay. The other part is because it allows the episodes to air in whatever order the producers like, front loading the batch with more "exciting" episodes.

Of course, you couldn't just find these clips online back in the mid-80s, either. :-P

[TimK2003]

To this point, that's one thing I miss about most game shows nowadays. Yeah, you still have shows that rely on consistency week-to-week because of returning champs (Feud, Jeopardy!), straddling (Millionaire) or theme weeks (Wheel). But, the other thing about CNG that bugs me is what you mentioned with Donnymid-the celebs change day to day, so there's no rivalries or inside jokes that can build during the week.

There was only 1 "week" of consistent celebrities on CNG that I have seen, and that was a "Losers Week" where certain teams who won nothing were invited back for a second chance to play.  Cat Deely was one of the celebs, I forget who was the other.