TPIR: Thoughts about the Showcase Showdown

[Jay Temple]

[quote name=\'Mike Tennant\' date=\'Apr 5 2004, 11:42 AM\'] Just to throw in my two cents:

I personally find the SCSD boring.  Why?  Because there's little to no play-along factor for the viewer.  In every other game I can participate from home, yelling, "Pick the Little Debbies, you idiot!  It's the only price that ends in zero, so there's sure to be a 10 back there."  With the Big Wheel, all I get to do is watch a bunch of people spin a wheel.  At best I can second-guess their decisions as to whether or not to spin again.

Nevertheless, I know that the Big Wheel is one of the most recognizable symbols of TPIR to the general public, most of whom don't even remember a time when there was no wheel (let alone when the show was only 30 minutes long).  In playing the TPIR home games with people, invariably they've asked me where the Big Wheel is.  No one has yet asked me where "It's in the Bag" is.

It's no coincidence that the MDS have used the Big Wheel as the vehicle to give away the million smackers.  Face it:  People know and like the wheel. [/quote]
 Second-guessing that decision, IMHO, is no small thing.  It gives it more play-along factor than some pricing games.  (The Race Game comes to mind, because you can't run back and forth yourself.  Temptation has no play-along for me, because with only 1 chance in 16 of winning the car, I almost always take the four prizes, especially if one of them is cash.)

[EmiOfBrie]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Apr 4 2004, 06:30 PM\'] The pre-SCSD(and 70s and 80s syndie versions) system for who makes the showcase was flawed for that reason, at least when the total take in the third PG was less than what the first two players won for winning their PGs. [/quote]
 ....and then there was the original way the 1994 version decided.....the 3-player playoff of "The Price Was Right".....  

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'EmiOfBrie\' date=\'Apr 6 2004, 08:33 AM\'] [quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Apr 4 2004, 06:30 PM\'] The pre-SCSD(and 70s and 80s syndie versions) system for who makes the showcase was flawed for that reason, at least when the total take in the third PG was less than what the first two players won for winning their PGs. [/quote]
....and then there was the original way the 1994 version decided.....the 3-player playoff of "The Price Was Right".....   [/quote]
 As per Tony Harrison's TPIR site, the reason the Big Wheel was even used on some episodes of TNPIR94 was that they only got clearance for about 50 retromercials for the Price WAS Right segments(there were 65 episodes made of TNPIR94).

[Robert Hutchinson]

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' date=\'Apr 5 2004, 11:58 PM\'][quote name=\'Mike Tennant\' date=\'Apr 5 2004, 11:42 AM\']With the Big Wheel, all I get to do is watch a bunch of people spin a wheel.  At best I can second-guess their decisions as to whether or not to spin again.[/quote]
Second-guessing that decision, IMHO, is no small thing.  It gives it more play-along factor than some pricing games.  (The Race Game comes to mind, because you can't run back and forth yourself.  Temptation has no play-along for me, because with only 1 chance in 16 of winning the car, I almost always take the four prizes, especially if one of them is cash.)[/quote]
Mike: It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I like to do what Bob usually does, and figure out what their chances are of taking the lead/getting $1.00 while the wheel is still slowing down.

Jay: I think you're using a different definition of "play-along factor" than the one I usually think of. You don't have to imagine yourself literally in the position of the contestant--you can yell out which two prices she should switch in Race Game, and you can yell out which number in the price of the car is obviously wrong in Temptation.

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Apr 6 2004, 08:36 AM\']As per Tony Harrison's TPIR site, the reason the Big Wheel was even used on some episodes of TNPIR94 was that they only got clearance for about 50 retromercials for the Price WAS Right segments(there were 65 episodes made of TNPIR94).[/quote]
Actually, this is what Tony Harrison's site says:

Interestingly, TNPiR'94 probably would never have used the wheel for the showcase showdown. The reason they had to was because the clip research company that TNPiR used only had finished research on 80 or so clips for The Price Was Right when the show started production. Since they had approximately 100 episodes to do, there had to be some shows where the wheel was used.

Source:
http://www.tpir.tv/newprice/newprice.htm

I see nothing about clearance for the "retromercials" here.

Zach, what is it going to take to keep you from PJTP?

(Memo to the rest of the group: I know Zach will never care about getting anything right -- PJTP is all he cares about.  It's a rhetorical question, asked in the hope that others won't follow his lead.)

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'dzinkin\' date=\'Apr 7 2004, 05:58 PM\'] [quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Apr 6 2004, 08:36 AM\']As per Tony Harrison's TPIR site, the reason the Big Wheel was even used on some episodes of TNPIR94 was that they only got clearance for about 50 retromercials for the Price WAS Right segments(there were 65 episodes made of TNPIR94).[/quote]
Actually, this is what Tony Harrison's site says:

Interestingly, TNPiR'94 probably would never have used the wheel for the showcase showdown. The reason they had to was because the clip research company that TNPiR used only had finished research on 80 or so clips for The Price Was Right when the show started production. Since they had approximately 100 episodes to do, there had to be some shows where the wheel was used.

Source:
http://www.tpir.tv/newprice/newprice.htm

I see nothing about clearance for the "retromercials" here.

Zach, what is it going to take to keep you from PJTP?

 [/quote]
 Dave, you should know of all people it takes a lot for me to stop PJTP:)


I remembered what Tony had said, but subsituted in my mind the wrong word.

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Apr 7 2004, 07:11 PM\'] Dave, you should know of all people it takes a lot for me to stop PJTP:) [/quote]
 What's sad is that you're proud of this fact.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Apr 7 2004, 07:11 PM\'] Dave, you should know of all people it takes a lot for me to stop PJTP:)
 [/quote]
 So you're saying you don't mind posting incorrect facts as well? Not trying to be funny, but I find it extremely weird that you'd go through so much just because you like the sound of your voice, or rather, sight of your name. It's almost troll-like, IMODO.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Apr 7 2004, 07:24 PM\'] [quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Apr 7 2004, 07:11 PM\'] Dave, you should know of all people it takes a lot for me to stop PJTP:)
 [/quote]
So you're saying you don't mind posting incorrect facts as well? Not trying to be funny, but I find it extremely weird that you'd go through so much just because you like the sound of your voice, or rather, sight of your name. It's almost troll-like, IMODO. [/quote]
Explaining myself is so damned difficult, at least for me. I know a lot of you have asked in IM and in e-mail to try to do that.

[GS Warehouse]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Apr 7 2004, 07:24 PM\'] [quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Apr 7 2004, 07:11 PM\'] Dave, you should know of all people it takes a lot for me to stop PJTP:)
 [/quote]
So you're saying you don't mind posting incorrect facts as well? Not trying to be funny, but I find it extremely weird that you'd go through so much just because you like the sound of your voice, or rather, sight of your name. It's almost troll-like, IMODO. [/quote]
 He's just trying to catch up with Lemon.  Zach, don't bother.  I know I'm not even going to try!

Geez, that guy got on Millionaire?!

[Clay Zambo]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Apr 4 2004, 11:13 AM\'] 3)  All things considered, the Big Wheel was a *brilliant* addition to the game, probably the best single thing they ever came up with.  It may have only been designed as time filler, but it was ingenious nonetheless. [/quote]
 Brilliant? It's always seemed a little disappointing to me that the two finalists in every show are determined by random selection.

(I know it's not quite random, but there's really not a lot of chance for a player to develop skill, so spinning ability can be pretty much discounted.)

[Clay Zambo]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Apr 4 2004, 02:31 PM\'] Riddle me this, though: would you prefer a playoff system where each contestant gets an equal chance at the Showcase, or would you prefer the old system, where you can win your game and still have no chance of going because someone else won a game and had the good fortune to play for a bigger prize than you did? [/quote]
 That's the best argument I've heard in favor of the wheel.  That said, I'd prefer that all three on-stage winners play some pricing game. But that's not gonna happen, not unless Price goes to an hour-ten format.

[tommycharles]

[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' date=\'Apr 7 2004, 11:52 PM\'] [quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Apr 4 2004, 02:31 PM\'] Riddle me this, though: would you prefer a playoff system where each contestant gets an equal chance at the Showcase, or would you prefer the old system, where you can win your game and still have no chance of going because someone else won a game and had the good fortune to play for a bigger prize than you did? [/quote]
That's the best argument I've heard in favor of the wheel.  That said, I'd prefer that all three on-stage winners play some pricing game. But that's not gonna happen, not unless Price goes to an hour-ten format. [/quote]
 I fail to see what would be wrong with having the 3 contestants do a 1-bid.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'GS Warehouse\' date=\'Apr 7 2004, 09:07 PM\'] He's just trying to catch up with Lemon.  Zach, don't bother. [/quote]
 Quality, not quantity.

[JasonA1]

I fail to see what would be wrong with having the 3 contestants do a 1-bid.

I personally find it a bit redundant and boring. The Wheel breaks apart the show halves nicely, and is exciting. Gotta go with Matt and the whole "game show argument" here.

-Jason