Barker TPIR coming to Pluto TV 12/1/20 (Confirmed)

[Steve Gavazzi]

The Roku Channel just added the Barker Era stream to their live TV guide. Also, IMDB TV recently added the stream to their service.

Interestingly, they play different episodes than the Pluto feed, and has fewer commercials; each episode plays in about 50 minutes. A few days ago, they played some episodes from late 1984/early 1985 that Pluto's stream skipped over.

The way I understand it, the internal numbering system accounts for most of those missing episodes, with the exception of the first playing One Away, which usually means Pluto has an upcoming marathon during which they'll be added to the rotation.

What's more interesting to me is that they actually went several weeks beyond where Pluto's most recent loop ended.  I'm sure Pluto will add them in the current loop, but it's a little weird that the whole thing seems so uncoordinated.

[Dbacksfan12]

I think they’re showing 1983 episodes on Pluto right now (the guide says S12E5034).  Was there a directing change around this point?  I noticed some interesting experimentation, such as using a framed art card for the “and to the winner goes a supply of” plug…” vs. simply holding the item up.

[Kevin Prather]

I think they’re showing 1983 episodes on Pluto right now (the guide says S12E5034).  Was there a directing change around this point?  I noticed some interesting experimentation, such as using a framed art card for the “and to the winner goes a supply of” plug…” vs. simply holding the item up.

This is right about the time that the iris started being used in the intro as well. I think Breslow was just playing around with new ideas in 83. Paul Alter didn't take over till 86.

[Sodboy13]

1983 seems like a huge transitional year for TPIR from what I've seen. (And this opinion is solely mine, and possibly filtered through the lens of it being the show I remember watching at age 4 or 5.) Plinko's debut that January is probably as good a line of demarcation as any for the show moving from "daytime staple" to "cultural touchstone," but you also can see the set revamp leading up to it. It also seems like as the year wears on, there's a bit more variety to the prizes and the overall production gets cleaner and smoother. You start seeing fancy wipes, occasional shows with two car games and a cash game, and by the time the 83-84 season starts, five-digit car games. Then you get things like the tugboat and the robot, new games with fancier props - it feels like CBS/Goodson suddenly had more money to throw around and put it into the show.

[Chelsea Thrasher]

From the looks of the production itself, I feel like 33 might have gotten a newer and more advanced switcher at some point in the back half of season 11. Idle speculating, but Newer and more experimental wipes and effects start to appear in the latter part of the season more consistent with 80s studio production than the 1980-82 "very 70s" production choices, existing shots and effects are clearly getting re-evaluated, and the show overall willingness to change up the look and feel that tends to come in the wake of new stuff - and a desire to stay relevant and modern, especially for Price when it was hitting the age that most other long lasting daytime games tended to fade)

[Chief-O]

From the looks of the production itself, I feel like 33 might have gotten a newer and more advanced switcher at some point in the back half of season 11.

Just maybe. I know it was around 1983-84 that they replaced their cameras; they might've decided to slip in the switcher upgrade while they were at it.

[Otm Shank]

the show overall willingness to change up the look and feel that tends to come in the wake of new stuff - and a desire to stay relevant and modern

The exception to that was how long they clung onto the physical credit roll over the Chyron. (Or am I wrong and this goes into the "Game show false memories" thread?)

[Kevin Prather]

the show overall willingness to change up the look and feel that tends to come in the wake of new stuff - and a desire to stay relevant and modern

The exception to that was how long they clung onto the physical credit roll over the Chyron. (Or am I wrong and this goes into the "Game show false memories" thread?)

As I recall, chyron credits were briefly used in the late 80s or early 90s, then the credit roll came back for most of the 90s.

[BrandonFG]

the show overall willingness to change up the look and feel that tends to come in the wake of new stuff - and a desire to stay relevant and modern

The exception to that was how long they clung onto the physical credit roll over the Chyron. (Or am I wrong and this goes into the "Game show false memories" thread?)

As I recall, chyron credits were briefly used in the late 80s or early 90s, then the credit roll came back for most of the 90s.

Very briefly. IIRC, they only used it once in 1988 (see below), then went back to art cards until '96. I think the 25th Anniversary special was when they switched to CG for good.

According to Youtube, this was the 1987-88 season finale, so maybe they thought about switching to CG the following season and reconsidered?

[Chelsea Thrasher]

Two things worked against the Chyron experiment:
1) The experimental graphics (partially owing to choices and partly owing to the limits of the 1988 tech) looked like absolute ass.

2) It coincided right around the time when Price as a show really starts to harden into the generally change-avoidant pop culture monolith that it was up until Barker retired. In the shadow of Breslow retiring in Fall '86 and Alter becoming director as well as Frank Wayne's death in March '88 leading to Barker's (and his sycophants') total control, the show basically froze in place for the better part of 20 years.

[Dbacksfan12]

Another observation from the block of episodes airing right now:  Was Double Prices ever played for anything worth a damn?  I don't recall seeing a prize worth more than $2000 and seems like it's always a baker's rack or other useless piece of furniture.

In comparison, at least some of the Poker Game prizes were useful, even if they weren't worth very much.

[BrandonFG]

They’ve played Double Prices for trips.

[Bryce L.]

Another observation from the block of episodes airing right now:  Was Double Prices ever played for anything worth a damn?  I don't recall seeing a prize worth more than $2000 and seems like it's always a baker's rack or other useless piece of furniture.

Per the Golden Road timeline, there are a few instances of them playing it for a car. With the exact point we're at, the next time that'll happen is on 5385D [6/22/84; the Season 12 finale], and you can catch it this Tuesday at 7:00pm on the Pluto/Redbox stream.

[Dbacksfan12]

I watched an episode within the last 24 hours.  Blank Check was the pricing game.  Bob made a remark (not verbatim) about being glad about having a male contestant, because women don’t get it.  Upon hearing boos, he made a comment to the effect of “Put down your ERA signs”.

The male contestant proceeded to write the check for $2695.  The prize was $1990 and marked the largest difference I’ve seen in this era.

Later on, the Crayola writing desk that’s been mentioned in this thread was offered as a small prize.  One of the models wrote “Women know Blank Check” on the top sheet.  Barker marched over and wrote “BOO” at the very top.

All around, poor show, even for 1983.

[SuperMatch93]

Later on, the Crayola writing desk that’s been mentioned in this thread was offered as a small prize.  One of the models wrote “Women know Blank Check” on the top sheet.  Barker marched over and wrote “BOO” at the very top.

The casual sexism from this era irritates me, but I love how passive-aggressively the desk has been used in some of these episodes.