Some comments on the new Cash Explosion. I was going to post some comments earlier but I wasn't sure if the popularity of the show met newsworthy standards.
Some things that have been improved...
- The set
WOW what an improvement. The new graphics and podiums are amazing. All they have to do now is get a cameraman who knows what he's doing, not the same guy who's been doing the show for the last 15 years and is in shock at all of these new angles he must get now that the stage has transversed its sides and views. One thing they haven't gotten the knack of, when a contestant finds the $25K Cash Bonus square, we can't even seen the (awesome) cash graphics on the screen on of the contestant's podium. They had this strange angle of all 4 contestants, and the contestant didn't sound nearly as excited as I would have been had I just won $25K by picking a letter. The Match 3 Game at the end of the show has been vastly improved, now that the entire square is a different color for each player, it's easier to keep track of who's winning. The set no longer has that standard "pink and green marble" blah-ness to it, thank heavens.
- The new graphics/logo
The logo looks a lot better. I understand it's only a slight variation from the old one, but it looks a lot better in 3D than it did on the old one. The logo in a different color on each screen is also a nice twist. The board looks fantastic, although it looks extremely similar to those touch-screen machines sitting on bartops nationwide that you put a quarter in to play. I do ask that they use a little less blue so it's easier to read. The other graphics look great, a great improvement.
- The music/sounds
It's hard to give a really good opinion of the music, since it was hard to hear. They need to turn it up! As far as the sounds go, I love them. The best one - THE BOARD. I love the new sound of the board, it beats the old "random screeching ear-splitting PYL-posing" tones.
Some things that have been destroyed or "not-so" improved...
- The new hosts & hosting format
The format with each host hosting one round is not necessary. There is no longer a need for a co-host with the updated board. With the extra money from the paycheck of the missing co-host, they can put it towards...other...things. Although it probably would be just enough to buy a Slurpee for the producer, now that I think about it. The new girl host is bearable, not as excited as Sharon was, but I could get used to her. But I can't STAND that other guy. I understand that it may be an attempt to get more African-American hosts on the air, but this guy is just entirely too artificial. He's speaking like he's the announcer for the show in everything he does. Lord knows that he doesn't talk in that huge, overly-deep, booming, overly-stressed voice when he's out with friends. He's a robot. If he wants any kind of credibility from me, he needs to loosen up and be himself.
- That studio...That audience...Eerrgh
It's been this way since the beginning of time. And as of late, they've made it worse. The studio the game is recorded in appears to be a shoebox. It's very tiny, making the "bigness", for lack of a better word, of the game and its new elements not as spectacular. In all actuality, the only problem I really have with the set is that one cheering section in the audience, reserved to friends, family, and people invited to the show. They show the audience at least twice an episode as well, and when it's that same shot of the small little section of audience every time, it gets rather dull. Either enlarge the audience, or get some recorded applause, for gosh sakes.
- The $$ Amounts
I do disagree with the whole "Richest game in television" comment at the beginning of the show. This a horrible HORRIBLE misconception. I mean Lord... We just went through Super Millionaire in which $10 MILLION was offered, let ALONE $200,000. I suppose it's a lot of money for merely picking squares on a board, requiring the commom sense and skill of a 3 year old. Also, $3200 being the highest amount on the board is rediculous. Who came up with that amount anyway? The top $$ value should be about $5000. Perhaps the winner gets $100K, then $200K, and $300K. Perhaps $100K, $250K, $500K.
These are just 2nd week observations. I'm definitely giving them time to get into the groove of the new show, to get the camera angles right and to make improvements. I certainly see potential in this little project. Who knows - They might even bring back Paul and Sharon (I think they'd do really well at the helm again, each hosting a round in the new format) like they did the last time they tried to replace them.
