TPIR: New studio details

[BrandonFG]

The parody feeling comes across since they moved. The stagnant feeling I have felt for years, which has nothing to do with the studio move

Okay…the only thing I saw that looked a little like an SNL sketch was an awkward transition after the first pricing game, and the next contestant was called. It seemed like there was some confusion. Other than that, it was an enjoyable episode.

As for the stagnant feeling, that word perfectly sums up the last 7 or so years of Bob’s era. I do wish Drew would work on his delivery and selling a win but it’s been 16 years. If he wasn’t doing a good job he would’ve been gone by now. I don’t watch the show often and this isn’t directed towards anyone in general, but I find it weird that the superfans hate this show so much that they watch every single day, then go back to Roger’s page.

[Nick]

As for the stagnant feeling, that word perfectly sums up the last 7 or so years of Bob’s era. I do wish Drew would work on his delivery and selling a win but it’s been 16 years. If he wasn’t doing a good job he would’ve been gone by now.

Broadcast television is a dying breed, and daytime was dying first.  Also, shrinking your studio audience size along with lengthening your episode recording times is not what, I think, would be considered the most desirable for an audience-participation show, but do CBS and Fremantle really care that much if the show is turning a profit?

I don’t watch the show often and this isn’t directed towards anyone in general, but I find it weird that the superfans hate this show so much that they watch every single day, then go back to Roger’s page.

Misery loves company, and they seem to like the fact that Roger agrees with them (but I would like to state for the record I haven't watched the show in years and do not have Facebook).  I guess my curiosity was peaked with the studio change to come around and see how it turned out.  In the 30 second or so of videoclip of Monday's show I've been able to find, the most disorienting part I find is the camera seems to be shooting the audience too low, which I guess is what happens when your cameras are not on a runway or stage above an audience pit.  I guess bleacher-style seating is out because you don't want people running down stairs to get to Contestants' Row (and you probably can't get much steeper with a ramp).  If there was a location they could have gone to with an audience pit, then I guess they would have done that.  Putting the cameras on platforms doesn't work since you need them on the floor level for the "stage", so... is there any way they could shoot from a higher angle when they're shooting the audience (jib shots aside)?

I have to think they're going to do something eventually to shorten the path to the "stage".  The floor rail of lights really doesn't make sense now that there's no longer an audience pit.  I get they're trying to have some of that "coming up the stairs" feeling with the extensions at the end of the Row to run around to get to the "stage", but I shan't think it will be too long before some frat house boy tries to jump the Row.

The parody vibes are completely understandable given that a floor-level audience was only ever seen in such presentations until now, and after having it been a certain way for so many decades, there's a part of there being no stairs to climb to the stage that's just going to look off to someone so familiar with seeing it another way.

\Why do people use "superfans" for Price now?  It's supposed to be "a loyal friend and true".

[cmjb13]

I've never implied, or meant to imply that I watch every day. I will catch the show from time to time but for only noteworthy events (season premiere,milestone/anniversary shows,set changes or game overhauls). And in almost all of those cases, 95% of the show I won't watch.
 
Going from no audience to pods to 174 seems like an increase, but I see it as a decrease from 320 to 174. But I totally get that's what they've got to work with and I suspect there have been significant cost savings as part of this move.

[clemon79]

\Why do people use "superfans" for Price now?  It's supposed to be "a loyal friend and true".

Put it this way: if you don't know the difference, you're a superfan.

[BrandonFG]

As for the stagnant feeling, that word perfectly sums up the last 7 or so years of Bob’s era. I do wish Drew would work on his delivery and selling a win but it’s been 16 years. If he wasn’t doing a good job he would’ve been gone by now.

Broadcast television is a dying breed, and daytime was dying first.  Also, shrinking your studio audience size along with lengthening your episode recording times is not what, I think, would be considered the most desirable for an audience-participation show, but do CBS and Fremantle really care that much if the show is turning a profit?

Pesky little thing called Covid made a studio audience an immediate no-go, just like all the other game shows. No show could control that, and as more Americans got their vaccines, the audience size increased. The steepness of the seating is distracting but people will get used to it and outside of the announcements made yesterday, I imagine most people wouldn't even realize it's a new studio.

Also, it's the first taping in a new studio. Different camera configuration, different layout and therefore different blocking. Different audio setup, which explains why everything sounded a little low. And honestly, I wouldn't mind the subdued audience...it felt intimate. But I imagine they'll have the kinks worked out in a month.

Misery loves company, and they seem to like the fact that Roger agrees with them (but I would like to state for the record I haven't watched the show in years and do not have Facebook).

Trust me...we know. Roger agrees with them because none of them - yourself included - are able to accept change. He's been gone 15 years and still bashes everything about Drew and the show, in spite of the fact that many of the changes were for the better. I understand being bitter about being fired (been there before, 0/10, don't recommend), but you gotta move on and enjoy life. You can do both.

The parody vibes are completely understandable given that a floor-level audience was only ever seen in such presentations until now, and after having it been a certain way for so many decades, there's a part of there being no stairs to climb to the stage that's just going to look off to someone so familiar with seeing it another way.

I'll bet my next month's worth of paychecks the average viewer won't think about it longer than :10. I understand Studio 33 is iconic but Bob himself wasn't gonna prevent that move from happening. It's business at the end of the day.

\Why do people use "superfans" for Price now?  It's supposed to be "a loyal friend and true".

They're all interchangeable but I'm not using that phrase. People say whatever because you all have been complaining since October 15, 2007 and it's like beating a dead horse. We get it. You think the show sucks. Millions of Americans disagree. But not liking a show because it's not produced the same way it was in 1978 is not a personality trait. I think today's Wheel is too dull and stagnant. If I want the nostalgia I'll watch a shopping episode on Pluto.

[Joe Mello]

The steepness of the seating is distracting but people will get used to it and outside of the announcements made yesterday, I imagine most people wouldn't even realize it's a new studio.

Also, it's the first taping in a new studio. Different camera configuration, different layout and therefore different blocking. Different audio setup, which explains why everything sounded a little low. And honestly, I wouldn't mind the subdued audience...it felt intimate. But I imagine they'll have the kinks worked out in a month.

Watching today's episode it looked like the shots of the bidders were angled such that the contestants looked higher than the audience, which I thought was neat. Aside from the Showcase podiums looking like they had blue-light filtering on there was nothing else that stood out. I agree that there's going to be growing pains (the flapping of the Plinko curtain as it was being raised comes to mind) but it's all part of the process and I thought we wanted raw and unpolished anyway.

My one actual set critique is that the audience backdrop looks even busier (as opposed to LMAD whose backdrop looks naked now without the video walls). Going down to 170 seats is a non-issue, and if they were actually needing seat-fillers in the before times then it's a solution rather than a problem.

[Steve Gavazzi]

I agree that there's going to be growing pains (the flapping of the Plinko curtain as it was being raised comes to mind)

That's actually going to be interesting to watch (for certain values of "interesting," anyway).  Apparently, that prop is two pieces now, so I'm not sure it's even something that can be considered broken.

[Nick]

I imagine most people wouldn't even realize it's a new studio.

They've been hyping it up quite a bit, and I'm surprised to see how many newsreels it's made.  Sure, I suppose many won't notice, but gee, it got a lot of publicity nonetheless.

Trust me...we know. Roger agrees with them because none of them - yourself included - are able to accept change. He's been gone 15 years and still bashes everything about Drew and the show, in spite of the fact that many of the changes were for the better. I understand being bitter about being fired (been there before, 0/10, don't recommend), but you gotta move on and enjoy life. You can do both.

Accepting is one thing (and I wouldn't even go so far as to say I "accept" any changes that have happened to the show because it really doesn't affect me one way or another).  Agreeing with them is another.  I can't speak for Roger, but for having devoted much of his working life to the show and caring about it for more reasons than just to collect a paycheque, I don't think bitterness from getting canned from your dream job is going to go away easily.

I'll bet my next month's worth of paychecks the average viewer won't think about it longer than :10. I understand Studio 33 is iconic but Bob himself wasn't gonna prevent that move from happening. It's business at the end of the day.

Sure, I get that, and I get that most viewers won't notice a difference.  I was speaking from my perspective.

not liking a show because it's not produced the same way it was in 1978 is not a personality trait.

Agreed.  It's an opinion, one perfectly respectable and one's choice to hold.  Though there are some things about the post-Barker era with which I do agree.  Offering foreign cars again was a big one.  Hiring Rich DiPirro as director (however briefly that did last) was another.

Going down to 170 seats is a non-issue, and if they were actually needing seat-fillers in the before times then it's a solution rather than a problem.

And while I'll probably be criticized for mentioning it, there's no way to look at this as a good thing.  In the Barker era, they were turning people away at the gate almost everyday.  If people were no longer coming to the gate in droves as they used to that they needed to pay seat fillers, that shows every sign of a problem somewhere, one that I don't think offering luxury goods and having a set that's colourless unless the electricity's turned on were the right steps to fixing.

[Clay Zambo]

...having a set that's colourless unless the electricity's turned on were the right steps to fixing.

Isn't everything colorless when the electricity's off in a room without windows?

[urbanpreppie05]

They've been hyping it up quite a bit, and I'm surprised to see how many newsreels it's made.  Sure, I suppose many won't notice, but gee, it got a lot of publicity nonetheless.

Its a wisely played PR hype, its the first time the show has had a tradional audience in over 3 years. Its a pretty big deal.

Accepting is one thing (and I wouldn't even go so far as to say I "accept" any changes that have happened to the show because it really doesn't affect me one way or another).  Agreeing with them is another.  I can't speak for Roger, but for having devoted much of his working life to the show and caring about it for more reasons than just to collect a paycheque, I don't think bitterness from getting canned from your dream job is going to go away easily.

Here's the thing...it was over fifteen years ago. He wasnt left penniless and retired with a pretty good package. He also refused to make the show fit for modern sensibilities. Its not healthy for him to keep discussing and bashing the show like he was fired last week.

And while I'll probably be criticized for mentioning it, there's no way to look at this as a good thing.  In the Barker era, they were turning people away at the gate almost everyday.  If people were no longer coming to the gate in droves as they used to that they needed to pay seat fillers, that shows every sign of a problem somewhere, one that I don't think offering luxury goods and having a set that's colourless unless the electricity's turned on were the right steps to fixing.

I do not understand how you are not getting this...the audiences have changed. people have changed. Its still a novelty for some to go to the show, but for many- not so much. The live audience, much like the watching audience and ratings, are down but still up at the top because things have changed. The show adjusted accordingly. Its not really a bad thing.

[Jsach]

I'll chime in and say that in some recent tapings, they have in fact needed to turn people away. Some special show tapings can and will fill up. They're also limiting the tickets as best as they can because they don't want to have to turn people away. If I traveled 3000 miles across the country with what I thought were tickets to the show only to get turned away because I showed up at the time on the ticket and not 17 hours beforehand, I think I'd be a little more than disappointed. On the first day of taping this season the show staff was actually telling people to not get in line stupid early because it made things harder to manage.

As for the whole seat filler talk, the show hasn't purchased seat fillers in years, outside of a few "slow" tapings at the normal slow times like the holidays. Perhaps they needed them back in 2007 or 2008, but they certainly do not need them anymore and have not needed them in a long time. There was also a very noticeable difference in how we were treated as Price audience members compared to PYL's audience, which was almost entirely paid audience members.

\Why do people use "superfans" for Price now?  It's supposed to be "a loyal friend and true".

The show hasn't acknowledged the old-timey and super outdated specific phrasing that Barker used in many years. They did however do a primetime special in February where they invited 20 "superfans" including yours truly. Superfan is now the show sanctioned title. It's also a phrase that makes sense at first glance and doesn't need to be explained every time it gets abbreviated.

[BrandonFG]

I can't speak for Roger, but for having devoted much of his working life to the show and caring about it for more reasons than just to collect a paycheque, I don't think bitterness from getting canned from your dream job is going to go away easily.

I guarantee Roger is neither the first nor the last person to get canned from a dream job, or one held for decades. I can't deny what happened to him sucks, especially as he neared retirement age. I've been in a similar boat (again 0/10, do not recommend), although I was in my 20s and 30s. And while I thought it was the end of the world, it ended up being the best thing that could've happened to me.

None of us know the man's finances, but I'll cosign what Ben said. You nurse your wounds and make the best out of a bad situation. Nothing wrong with holding on to some (read: under 5%) resentment, but you gotta draw the line somewhere.

Quick story and then I'm done: I once vented to a girl I dated, about someone from college who I still held a grudge towards years later. She asked why I was still holding on to a memory of a person who probably doesn't even remember me. Sure enough, I ran into that person at Homecoming and bygones were bygones. My point is that 15 years is way too long to let that firing live rent free in his head.

[trainman]

2 hours and 20 minutes for one show? What was the nature of the stopdowns and how long do you estimate they took?

Issues with the pricing games -- one had a monitor that wasn't working (Card Game), and on another one, they'd forgotten to attach the sign with the game's logo (Rat Race). I don't have a good estimate for how long the stopdowns took, because I didn't have my Apple Watch.

[Flerbert419]

I have to think they're going to do something eventually to shorten the path to the "stage".  The floor rail of lights really doesn't make sense now that there's no longer an audience pit.  I get they're trying to have some of that "coming up the stairs" feeling with the extensions at the end of the Row to run around to get to the "stage", but I shan't think it will be too long before some frat house boy tries to jump the Row.

It also allows Drew to get to either the doors or turntable to set up for the pricing game without having somebody right behind him.

[Mr. Brown]

They're also limiting the tickets as best as they can because they don't want to have to turn people away. If I traveled 3000 miles across the country with what I thought were tickets to the show only to get turned away because I showed up at the time on the ticket and not 17 hours beforehand, I think I'd be a little more than disappointed.

<raised hand>

That was me when I saw the show for the first time in 2004. I flew to Los Angeles, alone, at great expense to myself as a poor college student just to see the show, a lifelong dream. I knew I would have to arrive early and got there at 4:30AM - there were already 250-ish people in line. Unbeknownst to me, it was a taping for a MDS. Because of the way the show accommodated groups at the time (I.e. they got priority over people in line), I was bumped and didn't get in the studio that day. I did get a preprinted signed photo of Rod, though. 

Luckily, I didn't have much to do, so I got tickets from somebody else in line for the next day's show, camped out on the sidewalk for 24 hours, and managed to get in the next day. But for a lot of people, I'm sure they were inanely disappointed that day.

My one Drew experience - where I was selected as a contestant - was so much easier and better. Got there at a reasonable time, guaranteed entry, and didn't waste my entire day.

So yes, the way the show does ticketing now is much, much better.