TPIR Live on CBS. Would it be worth it?

[cmjb13]

There was a hint sometime back of doing a live TPIR show on CBS. It would probably have to be a primetime special instead of daytime.

I recall Barker saying that he told somebody the crew was so great they could do a show live without a problem.

Some people don't even know the show is taped. I can't see many more people tuning in just because it's live.

Would there be any cost difference for taping live vs. to tape?

Overall, would it be worth it?

[catkins522]

Well, if TPiR is going live...  For a Prime Time show, I think it would work, IF ALL of the game did work and the contestants do not hem and haw over a price.

For a regular show, no way.  If we go on at 11 ET, all of the audience need to be seat by 7:30ish am PT.  Which means all of the interviews takes 1 1/2-2 hours.  Rules and regs, name tage goes even earlier.

Charles

[sshuffield70]

If it were live, wouldn't it take two hours to air, like a certain Palace game?  Especially with the turnarounds?  On a show like this, you could have interviews with some staff members between games.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'Aug 22 2004, 06:45 AM\'] Some people don't even know the show is taped. I can't see many more people tuning in just because it's live.
 [/quote]
 I think you answered your own question right there.  Like any good game show, TPIR gives off the illusion of being live and immediate without having to bother with the added logistics of actually being live.  As a highly publicized stunt, sure, maybe there's a small added curiosity value.  But the show wouldn't look much different than it does anyway, so there's really not much point.

[Ian Wallis]

There were several instances of "going live" during the '80s, and (IMHO) it didn't add much.  NBC publicized a live "Search for Tomorrow" in 1983.  I don't usually watch soaps, but I watched that one to see it there'd be any major blunders (there weren't).  There were also several instances of sitcoms going live - a "Gimme a Break" episode from around '86 went live one Saturday night.

I don't think "Price" really needs to go live.  I'm quite certain they could pull it off, but you're risking too much by doing so - for example, what it a game takes longer than it should and you're running way behind - you can't edit it out at that point.

[SplitSecond]

I think the problem with a live TPiR is that the games would have to be selected to require the least effort in staging - and that would shift things more toward Double Prices and Coming or Going, rather than Plinko and Triple Play.  Combine that with the previously-stated point that TPiR looks pretty much live on a day-to-day basis, and you're pretty much back to "why bother?"

[cmjb13]

[quote name=\'SplitSecond\' date=\'Aug 22 2004, 01:29 PM\']I think the problem with a live TPiR is that the games would have to be selected to require the least effort in staging - and that would shift things more toward Double Prices and Coming or Going, rather than Plinko and Triple Play.  Combine that with the previously-stated point that TPiR looks pretty much live on a day-to-day basis, and you're pretty much back to "why bother?"[/quote]
I think CBS exec's wondered if the show could be done live and Barker said that the crew was so talented, it could be done. IIRC, that same day, something went wrong with That's too much. He said something like "And I told people we could do this show live". I'm just guessing it was a thought of trying something new.

They've already taken the show on the road and done numerous primetime specials. What's really left to do that hasn't been done?

Wonder who they would salute? Maybe, the crew.

[JayDLewis]

CBS could hype a Live TPiR with the hook being that someone *WILL* win $1,000,000 in live TV. Has that been done in a gameshow capacity? Millionaires, we've had a few but none on live TV (aside from lottery shows which, to me, are gray area GSs)

And Plinko could "easily" be done. Have the game onstage at the start of the show, Audience entrance, IUFB comes from the announcer area, play the game. IUFB2 comes into contestants row. PG2 is a turntable game.

That would give in the area of 7-10 minutes to clear the Plinko board from the stage...more than enough time (I would think).

[fsk]

I think a better publicity stunt for TPIR would be a "reunion special".  The audience would be all people who were on the show before.  Bring back as many of the former models as they can.  Spread it out over 2 hours so there's time to show clips of old shows.  (If that's not enough material for 2 hours, they could play more than 6 pricing games.)

[tommycharles]

[quote name=\'JayDLewis\' date=\'Aug 22 2004, 09:56 PM\'] CBS could hype a Live TPiR with the hook being that someone *WILL* win $1,000,000 in live TV. Has that been done in a gameshow capacity? Millionaires, we've had a few but none on live TV (aside from lottery shows which, to me, are gray area GSs)

 [/quote]
 Um, Play for a Billion comes to mind. Also if we're counting international games, then there was a weird special called "Someone's Going to Win a Million" where they gave away one million pounds live in a game specifically designed to stop WWTBAM from being the first UK game to give away a million quid.

[J.R.]

[quote name=\'tommycharles\' date=\'Aug 22 2004, 11:09 PM\'] [quote name=\'JayDLewis\' date=\'Aug 22 2004, 09:56 PM\'] CBS could hype a Live TPiR with the hook being that someone *WILL* win $1,000,000 in live TV. Has that been done in a gameshow capacity? Millionaires, we've had a few but none on live TV (aside from lottery shows which, to me, are gray area GSs)

 [/quote]
Um, Play for a Billion comes to mind. Also if we're counting international games, then there was a weird special called "Someone's Going to Win a Million" where they gave away one million pounds live in a game specifically designed to stop WWTBAM from being the first UK game to give away a million quid. [/quote]
 As much apprehensive I am about mentioning international game shows:

Aussie "Millionaire" has done at least two Celeb specials live. On the first one, it took nearly 2 hours 40 mins to get though the whole show (All 6 celebs played).

They had live home players on the phone, as well (Half of the celeb cash went to a home player)
-Joe R.

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'Aug 22 2004, 02:45 PM\'] They've already taken the show on the road and done numerous primetime specials. What's really left to do that hasn't been done?
 [/quote]
 Having people price items while crawling around in a pit of termites.

[TheInquisitiveOne]

It's kinda funny that this topic was raised, because I thought that if The Price is Right is EVER to be done live, there should be a reason for it, which should not necessarily be to give away gobs and gobs of cash, but the timing of the event. I always thought of a New Year's Eve Special timed to ring in the New Year as the show ends. However, it would be EXTREMELY difficult, not only for the reasons cited in the last posts (contestants mulling over prices and numbers, possible pricing game malfunctions, transitions, etc.), but for these reasons as well:

(1) I do not think that David Letterman would be really happy about being bumped for this show, especially since it would be relegated to the wee hours of the night since local affiliates usually take over around 11:15-11:30 PM.

(2) If it were to be an hour-long show, that difficulty would be very, very apparent since local news won't pony up the top half of the 10:00 P.M. hour (I am speaking in central time, by the way), and reasons cited in number one.

So, unless CBS even considers doing a stunt like that one, I do not think that having TPiR done live is worth the struggle. Besides, some people still have the illusion that the show is being aired live. I probably would have it as well, but then I became a Radio and Television major.

The Inquisitive One

[johnnya2k3]

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Aug 22 2004, 08:56 AM\'] There were several instances of "going live" during the '80s, and (IMHO) it didn't add much.  NBC publicized a live "Search for Tomorrow" in 1983.  I don't usually watch soaps, but I watched that one to see it there'd be any major blunders (there weren't).  There were also several instances of sitcoms going live - a "Gimme a Break" episode from around '86 went live one Saturday night.
 [/quote]
Don't forget "Roc" (Fox sitcom that starred Charles S. Dutton); they went live during their second season in 1992. "ER" did a live season premiere in 1997 (actually, they did it twice for the East and West Coasts), as well as the TV movie "Fail Safe" in 2000. Ironically, both starred George Clooney!!

Oh, and "The Drew Carey Show" also did a live episode sometime in 2001 or '02. How come a live "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" wasn't even thought up?

Jonathan Allen

[cmjb13]

[quote name=\'JayDLewis\' date=\'Aug 22 2004, 10:56 PM\']CBS could hype a Live TPiR with the hook being that someone *WILL* win $1,000,000 in live TV[/quote]
You would have to pray that someone does get 1.00 on the bonus spin. Otherwise, they would have to find another gimmick.

That would give in the area of 7-10 minutes to clear the Plinko board from the stage...more than enough time (I would think).

It takes about half that time.

I think a better publicity stunt for TPIR would be a "reunion special". The audience would be all people who were on the show before. Bring back as many of the former models as they can.

Good luck.

Spread it out over 2 hours so there's time to show clips of old shows.

They'll never do this no matter how many times I suggest it. The logistics of getting somebody to dig through thousands of tapes for clips just won't happen. I would have love to have seen some clips for Barker's 80th Birthday show, but I was told they want the show to feel like a current celebration, rather than fill it with outdated clips. Plus they didn't have anybody to dig for the clips.