"$100,000 Pyramid" primetime this summer on ABC

[TLEberle]

It wasn't obvious to me at all. If it's not obvious to me then for how many other people is it also not an issue?

[tpirfan28]

So I can comment on a specific thing from Sunday's show here?

"Mouse" for "Mice" in the "spelled with America's letters" round should have never been accepted, even with the long-standing rule that they will take plurals/singulars.

[Fedya]

Wasn't there a round where Strahan said they had to give the exact word?

[Mike Tennant]

but it's so obvious that Strahan is handed a clue on his way back out, I'm not sure what to think.

Since you clearly have your own preconceived notions about Strahan and this show I certainly won't suggest what you should think, but for the benefit of the class I will point out that I don't find it "obvious" in the least.

At first I was inclined to believe he was being given clues but was convinced (or at least nudged in the direction of) otherwise since (a) he doesn't always have one and (b) I would hope that no one on staff gave him "finger foods" as a clue for "Things You Eat With Your Hands" because I would expect that to get buzzed.

I didn't see the first week's episodes, but based on what I saw this week, my only criticism of Strahan is that he tends to rely on the same stock phrases ("That was a good round," "What would you do with $xx,000?", etc.). But he's an experienced live broadcaster, so I would expect him to come up with some other things to say as he becomes more comfortable with the format.

[BrandonFG]

I didn't see the first week's episodes, but based on what I saw this week, my only criticism of Strahan is that he tends to rely on the same stock phrases ("That was a good round," "What would you do with $xx,000?", etc.). But he's an experienced live broadcaster, so I would expect him to come up with some other things to say as he becomes more comfortable with the format.

Dunno if I would call it a gripe, but the "What would you do with the money?" was used on the opening episodes of both Pyramid and Match Game, and it seemed like such a crutch IMO. I get that it's a question hosts have asked since the beginning of time, but it stood out when I watched.

[clemon79]

Dunno if I would call it a gripe, but the "What would you do with the money?" was used on the opening episodes of both Pyramid and Match Game, and it seemed like such a crutch IMO. I get that it's a question hosts have asked since the beginning of time, but it stood out when I watched.

I am starting to feel like they are being told specifically to ask that first. And honestly in 99% of the cases I could give a tin shiat as to what they would do with the money.

[TLEberle]

I am starting to feel like they are being told specifically to ask that first. And honestly in 99% of the cases I could give a tin shiat as to what they would do with the money.

Ditto, but I'm sure it's a question on the audition, and possibly a weeder one, because who wants to see a parade of people who are good at a game show and would use the money sensibly to improve their lives a little bit.

[Sodboy13]

I forget which show it was that I auditioned for, but I remember a contestant coordinator telling us, "When they ask you what you would do with the money, don't say that you're going on vacation. Everybody always says that and it's boring."

/used his money to go on vacation

[clemon79]

Ditto, but I'm sure it's a question on the audition, and possibly a weeder one, because who wants to see a parade of people who are good at a game show and would use the money sensibly to improve their lives a little bit.

Yeah, they are clearly looking for stories. Which is a shame because I would love for one of them to smile up and Strahan and reply "Hookers and blow, Michael. Hookers and blow."

[TLEberle]

I think my go-to response moving forward is going to be that my next glass eye will have a wee little (but still functional) Magic Eight ball suspended in aqueous humor. Because what are they going to do; check in on me years from now to make sure that I followed through with my amusing anecdote?

There are literally three times that I remember somebody's tale (one from Millionaire, two from Greed). In watching the nighttime Sale of the Century, the two top prize winners so far have said they're going to use their windfalls like sane people. My least favorite question when it comes to Final Tribal Council Sponsored by Preparation H is "what are you going to do with the money/how much to charity?" because I've always felt that shouldn't enter into it, even though at least one winner probably became Sole Survivor because he had the better story. Blarg.

[BrandonFG]

I didn't even think of the fact that they want inspiring stories for how to spend the money (damn you Endemol USA...damn you!). And here I thought paying off some credit cards/medical bills, with a little savings account and tithing for good measure was enough.

/Humdrum
//But.....I'm riiiich biotch!!
///Honk honk

[TLEberle]

Aw, I am disappoint: Jeopardy Archive doesn't have anything corroborative about Marvin Shinkman's desire to take the $100,000 prize and spending it on rare stamps that Marvin would then spread out on his bed and roll around on.

/and you're welcome for that visual

[JasonA1]

Proposed:  This version of Pyramid is even more exciting a show to watch than $25K was in its heyday.
[...]
Put another way, back in the old days, seven was assumed.  Now, seven happens often enough, but it's still a cause for celebration, not a sure thing.

An interesting idea, and I agree with your overall point. I'm charged up when I see them literally discover the next generation of great players as they get their first at-bat, like Ana Gasteyer & Rachel Dratch. But I'm honestly fast-forwarding when somebody like Robin Roberts struggles to say anything about a few simple words. Not to mention the contestants who have the same problem. The re-evolution of the show is encouraging, yes, but I'll be ready to call it exciting when the consistency comes back up a notch. I agree the 21-21 lather/rinse/repeats were dull.

The biggest upside, comparing this to the last attempt on GSN, is that they're likely to learn from their mistakes here and continue to schedule better players over better bookings. At one point, GSN ran $25,000 episodes back to back with Mike Richards episodes, and my dad found himself changing the channel in the second half of the hour because the quality of play discouraged him. He also called me last weekend wondering why the players had such a hard time with the Winner's Circle on ABC, and I told him about the benefits they had in the '80s vs. now when the show's been (largely) off television for a decade. Fingers crossed!

-Jason

[TLEberle]

I was going to use a metaphor of one is the Isner v. Mahut endless tiebreaker and the other is your kid's elementary school orchestra recital. Jason covered the point about taking forever to describe a simple word so I won't belabor the point, but when the players are getting spun up to the point where they can't communicate it isn't fun to watch. The two strikes against are the limited run and airing shows out of order so we don't get to see the evolution of the show in the same way that we get to see the 1982 version making tweaks and changes so that the final product is Emmy-worthy.

[Clay Zambo]

Ditto, but I'm sure it's a question on the audition, and possibly a weeder one, because who wants to see a parade of people who are good at a game show and would use the money sensibly to improve their lives a little bit.

Yeah, they are clearly looking for stories. Which is a shame because I would love for one of them to smile up and Strahan and reply "Hookers and blow, Michael. Hookers and blow."

There are times when this board needs a Like button.

(Sidebar: The application for a major theatre-writing award requires an essay about why you need the award. A couple of times, I've begun mine with, "I plan to squander the Foundation's support recklessly on housing and food."

Since I haven't won yet, I assume that's not what they're looking for.)