NBC Orders "Multiple" Episodes...

[curtking]

As had been speculated, NBC is picking up "Deal or No Deal".  Here's the link to Variety, complete with the God-awful headline:

NBC sez let's make a 'Deal'

Curt

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'curtking\' date=\'Jul 8 2005, 10:55 AM\']As had been speculated, NBC is picking up "Deal or No Deal".  Here's the link to Variety, complete with the God-awful headline:

NBC sez let's make a 'Deal'

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[/quote]

NBC, please do this right. In other words, whatever you did with "21", "Weakest Link", and "LMAD", do the exact OPPOSITE with this show. Then again, the network is so desperate for a hit show, they'll prolly take Top 40 ratings. :-P

At any rate, they're at least trying to get a prime-time show going, so maybe this show can do well enough to cause a much-needed jumpstart of the genre, and maybe it'll last longer than 7 months. ;-)

[goongas]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Jul 8 2005, 11:22 AM\'][quote name=\'curtking\' date=\'Jul 8 2005, 10:55 AM\']As had been speculated, NBC is picking up "Deal or No Deal".  Here's the link to Variety, complete with the God-awful headline:

[/quote]

NBC, please do this right. In other words, whatever you did with "21", "Weakest Link", and "LMAD", do the exact OPPOSITE with this show. Then again, the network is so desperate for a hit show, they'll prolly take Top 40 ratings. :-P

[/quote]

What exactly did NBC do wrong with WL, except to air celebrities all the time?

[CarbonCpy]

[quote name=\'goongas\' date=\'Jul 8 2005, 11:35 AM\']What exactly did NBC do wrong with WL, except to air celebrities all the time?

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[/quote]

It got cancelled. [/deadpan]

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'CarbonCpy\' date=\'Jul 8 2005, 12:22 PM\'][quote name=\'goongas\' date=\'Jul 8 2005, 11:35 AM\']What exactly did NBC do wrong with WL, except to air celebrities all the time?

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[/quote]

It got cancelled. [/deadpan]

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[/quote]

They also overscheduled it and overpromoted it (the show hadn't even premiered yet and millions of Americans were already sick of Anne Robinson and "you are the weakest link--goodbye!").  It looks like an unscripted show works best when they sneak it through the back.  Compared to the fall schedule, ABC sneaked "WWTBAM" through the back.  "Survivor" wasn't hyped that much.  Even "Idol" wasn't hyped that much its first year.  And if you told ABC that their biggest show this summer was going to be a ballroom dancing competition...

I'm not too happy that Snot Bomb is going to follow what Steve Brown did for the ABC pilot and drop the quiz element, but we'll see what happens (and after spending five years hearing people give stupid answers to quiz questions on "Street Smarts," maybe it's understandable).  As long as they don't make Billy Bush the host.

[StevensM]

[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Jul 8 2005, 01:28 PM\'][quote name=\'CarbonCpy\' date=\'Jul 8 2005, 12:22 PM\'][quote name=\'goongas\' date=\'Jul 8 2005, 11:35 AM\']What exactly did NBC do wrong with WL, except to air celebrities all the time?

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[/quote]

It got cancelled. [/deadpan]

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[/quote]

They also overscheduled it and overpromoted it (the show hadn't even premiered yet and millions of Americans were already sick of Anne Robinson and "you are the weakest link--goodbye!").  It looks like an unscripted show works best when they sneak it through the back.  Compared to the fall schedule, ABC sneaked "WWTBAM" through the back.  "Survivor" wasn't hyped that much.  Even "Idol" wasn't hyped that much its first year.  And if you told ABC that their biggest show this summer was going to be a ballroom dancing competition...

I'm not too happy that Snot Bomb is going to follow what Steve Brown did for the ABC pilot and drop the quiz element

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[/quote]

I think that the non-stop celebrity editions were the definite killer of primetime Weakest Link.  Even though you're right about Americans' reaction to the catchphrase and host, it didn't stop them from watching and giving the first few episodes great ratings.  It's a shame the show went to two celebrity editions a week; had NBC been more judicious in promoting the show, I wouldn't be surprised if it were still on today.

I also think that Americans would have liked George Gray as host in place of Anne Robinson.  He did a nice job on the syndicated daily version.

As for Deal, I agree that it would've been nice if the quiz element were retained, though I suppose that's just partially because there is no quiz show in primetime right now; were there, I'm not sure I would criticize the decision on Deal or No Deal.  I hope that the modified version really is an improvement.

By the way, if anyone's wondering what the show is, check out Endemol's site.

Remember that to be a contestant, send an e-mail with contact information and your photo to dealcasting@lockandkey.tv (dealcasting@lockandkey.tv)

[WhammyPower]

[quote name=\'StevensM\' date=\'Jul 8 2005, 02:51 PM\']Remember that to be a contestant, send an e-mail with contact information and your photo to dealcasting@lockandkey.tv

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[/quote]
Corrected link: dealcasting@lockandkey.tv (dealcasting@lockandkey.tv)

[chris319]

giving the first few episodes great ratings

This was the result of hype and novelty factor. Once those two things wore off, the public gradually lost interest. Same with Twenty One. In the case of WL, the game sucked right out of the gate. Soon the players and audience stopped taking Anne seriously and started seeing her as a comedic figure, making a mockery of the chilling schoolmarm figure she was in the British version. In the case of Twenty One, the game didn't work in the '50s unless it was rigged, and the 2000 version was no better.

Once, while listening to Rush Limbaugh on KFBK while driving to the bay area, reference was made to a P.R. gimmick which had Anne Robinson being accompanied by a bodyguard 24 hours per day due to threats to her life and personal safety as the surly mistress of ceremonies on WL. Rush rightly pointed out that if a person has a 24-hour bodyguard, the first thing you DON'T do is disclose it to the public.

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 8 2005, 04:44 PM\']This was the result of hype and novelty factor.[/quote]
I think you'll find, however, that the civilian episodes garnered higher ratings then the celebrity episodes--and when NBC foolishly went to all celebrity editions--the ratings tanked.

[chris319]

The winner faces 26 cash boxes, containing cheques varying from a measly amount to millions. Without knowing the content in each box, he picks one

=== SNIP ===

the Banker, offers the player an amount of money in exchange for his cash box. Does he strike a deal with the Banker, or does he keep playing?

Treasure Hunt meets Let's Make A Deal, only this time Emile Auturi gets replaced with motorized spotlights -- proof that there are no new ideas.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

[chris319]

[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Jul 8 2005, 02:53 PM\'][quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 8 2005, 04:44 PM\']This was the result of hype and novelty factor.[/quote]
I think you'll find, however, that the civilian episodes garnered higher ratings then the celebrity episodes--and when NBC foolishly went to all celebrity editions--the ratings tanked.

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[/quote]
It has been demonstrated many times in the past that when a game show is on the skids, bring in the celebrities (e.g. Celebrity Whew!, Celebrity All-New Beat the Clock and Celebrity WWTBAM).

[tvwxman]

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 8 2005, 05:15 PM\']

The winner faces 26 cash boxes, containing cheques varying from a measly amount to millions. Without knowing the content in each box, he picks one

=== SNIP ===

the Banker, offers the player an amount of money in exchange for his cash box. Does he strike a deal with the Banker, or does he keep playing?

Treasure Hunt meets Let's Make A Deal, only this time Emile Auturi gets replaced with motorized spotlights -- proof that there are no new ideas.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

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[/quote]

While I agree with the definitive look for 'new' ideas in the TV biz, I respectfully disagree with the ZZZZZ assessment...having seen both the Aussie and French version of this show, I can tell you it's good TV, even without the quiz element....Watching the French vers in Paris, and not understanding the language, I could understand how tense the game was, esp when the host made the contestant cry(!) agonizing the decision!!!!

I'm looking forward to seeing how we butcher this.

[chris319]

I'm not saying it won't be a good show, I'm saying that any clod can take elements of 40-year-old game show formats and mush them together into a new show. Old wine in new bottles. Remember Wordplay? Remember Call My Bluff?

Is it plagiarism? You be the judge. It certainly isn't innovation.

[chris319]

And another thing ...

LMAD and TH had a wide variety of deals/payoffs, albeit a little corny sometimes, but nobody could fault them for lacking variety. Sounds to me like this job is going to be the same deal over and over and over and over and over again.

[Stackertosh]

I throught weakestlink was good with anne i hated the  george gray verson. like i said when nbc makes a game show they over do it like lmad  and i think a show like that shouldn't be on for a hour. i think they should of made it like the spanish one simple and plane