The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Jim on May 02, 2004, 10:26:21 PM
-
Aside from the sight of Bob almost walking into an elbow smash (a.k.a. a "tomahawk chop") from the excited guy playing Temptation, this episode was rather dull. Bob lost his earlier sense these nighttime shows are something special. Also, except for the Showcase, no real special cars. The items up for bids were so-so too. This show seemed like any daytime episode. They need to get back the earlier level of excitement for these Spectaculars. Your thoughts?
-
[quote name=\'Jim\' date=\'May 2 2004, 09:26 PM\'] Aside from the sight of Bob almost walking into an elbow smash (a.k.a. a "tomahawk chop") from the excited guy playing Temptation, this episode was rather dull. Bob lost his earlier sense these nighttime shows are something special. Also, except for the Showcase, no real special cars. The items up for bids were so-so too. This show seemed like any daytime episode. They need to get back the earlier level of excitement for these Spectaculars. Your thoughts? [/quote]
You don't consider a CORVETTE to be a special car?
Anyway, while they have been getting a little less exciting, I think these specials have been more toned down simply because they wanted to get the novelty feel off. IMO, the first batch (espically the first 3) had a big novelty feel because it was something new and exciting. Once they got more in number, the novelty wore off and now it feels like more of a regular thing. They're also getting more and more like a daytime show aside from the showcases and the occasional high end car IMO.
-
[quote name=\'JayC\' date=\'May 2 2004, 07:33 PM\'] They're also getting more and more like a daytime show aside from the showcases and the occasional high end car IMO. [/quote]
And that's a good thing.
-
Yet in reality, they spend more and more money on the set, and give more chances to win a million than they used too.....The audio in the studio is always louder, and how can you not feel that these shows are exicitng, fun and entertaining to watch? I love to see a corvette rolled out onto teh stage!
-
[quote name=\'comeondown\' date=\'May 3 2004, 10:48 AM\'] Yet in reality, they spend more and more money on the set, and give more chances to win a million than they used too.....The audio in the studio is always louder, and how can you not feel that these shows are exicitng, fun and entertaining to watch? I love to see a corvette rolled out onto teh stage! [/quote]
Granted. But let me ask you this:
If it meant getting TPiR EVERY Saturday night instead of nine times a year, would you be willing to lose the MDS and replace the Corvette with a Ford Taurus for the majority of those shows?
-
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'May 3 2004, 02:14 PM\'] [quote name=\'comeondown\' date=\'May 3 2004, 10:48 AM\'] Yet in reality, they spend more and more money on the set, and give more chances to win a million than they used too.....The audio in the studio is always louder, and how can you not feel that these shows are exicitng, fun and entertaining to watch? I love to see a corvette rolled out onto teh stage! [/quote]
Granted. But let me ask you this:
If it meant getting TPiR EVERY Saturday night instead of nine times a year, would you be willing to lose the MDS and replace the Corvette with a Ford Taurus for the majority of those shows? [/quote]
I've been saying for years that CBS is foolish for not getting into the primetime game show scene with their #1 product. For cost-effective business...it's still MUCH cheaper for CBS/Fremangle to pop out a 6th ep a week of TPIR than to roll the dice with another, usually untested product.
Since it is primetime , a you want to differentiate from the daytime vers, i have no problem with mo' money....I personally like the luxe prizes they've been offering at night...however....
Lose the $1million spin at the wheel.... I think thats 3 miles past overboard...I still think a million dollars, on any show, should be damn hard to win...much harder than having a 1-in-20 shot by spinning a wheel (or 1-in-400 if you're doing it during the showdown....
Matt
-
[quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'May 3 2004, 01:01 PM\'] Lose the $1million spin at the wheel.... I think thats 3 miles past overboard...I still think a million dollars, on any show, should be damn hard to win... [/quote]
Agreed, which brings me to my next question, which I don't know the answer to:
How does CBS lose the MDS without losing face?
-
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'May 3 2004, 03:33 PM\']
Agreed, which brings me to my next question, which I don't know the answer to:
How does CBS lose the MDS without losing face? [/quote]
I don't think it's a problem, as long as you promote the other things that make it 'special'....big cars, luxe prizes, $100K plinko, hell, put bob in a tux again.....things that make it different than daytime...
-
According to Steve Beverly, the Price special did a 5.1.
I think the next batch (ratings wise) will tell if these will continue or not.
-
I think even CBS realizes that these are never going to pull CSI numbers. But for a Saturday night, when competition is light, these are just the thing for CBS.
-
With the Saturday Night success of the TPIR specials, here's one question I never recall being discussed in our years in this forum: Does anyone think a network primetime WOF would fly(if it's a Mo' Money WOF, it shouldn't be too much Mo' than what the syndicated show currently offers). A primetime SUmmer run of J! did crash and burn 14 years ago, but would WOF fly?
-
[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'May 3 2004, 05:41 PM\'] With the Saturday Night success of the TPIR specials, here's one question I never recall being discussed in our years in this forum: Does anyone think a network primetime WOF would fly(if it's a Mo' Money WOF, it shouldn't be too much Mo' than what the syndicated show currently offers). A primetime SUmmer run of J! did crash and burn 14 years ago, but would WOF fly? [/quote]
IIRC, the Super Jeopardy! run didn't do too badly, it was Monopoly that crashed and burned, leading ABC to pull it before its run was completed. As for WOF, I don't see what you could do make it any more enticing in prime-time (IMO, the show seems VERY tired now), it already gives away at lot of money as is, and what could you add to Hangman? Plus, in many markets, it would air 1 hour after it just aired in syndication, even on Saturdays. Make sense to you?
Tyshaun
-
Back in 90 there was some concern by ABC affils who did not have the rights to the weekday J! about "Super Jeopardy," as some affils saw it as promoting a show aired by a competitor, so WOF would have the same problems.
-
I personally found this weekend's MDS to be one of the most exciting yet. Sure, they sort of picked an "excuse" to try to give away a Millon Dollars (I mean.. Voting Awareness? I'm getting a "We need reasons to crank out more of these ratings-getters" vibe here)
I thought all the signs in the audience.. ("Vote Against Double Overbids"... "Vote No on El Cheapo") were rather clever. I do know I'd be pretty peeved if some guy in front of me was waving a sign in my face while the show was starting.
The biggest change I noticed.. and I haven't figured out yet why... was that with the (awesome) red, white, and blue curtains (don't know that if it was the curtains that did it or what) the studio looked a LOT bigger. Plus, they started instituting newer angles that I thought were kinda cool ala an aerial camera used while showing the Vette in Lucky 7 and when Bob pointed out the $1,000 sign in It's In The Bag. I was hoping to see it used during the big wheel, but they stuck with their new "start high and move downward as the wheel slows down" camera shot.
Also if I'm not mistaken, some new lights looked like they were added, installed above the audience (maybe just not seen in daytime) in all colors. Sort of a cool update from the lights used in the 80s TPiR Specials it seemed, in a way. Spotlights aplenty, too.
Although the million wasn't won again (And that chick that spun the wheel at the end could really have put more effort into it) I thought that the show wasn't really a waste of my time.
Does anyone else think that the show would survive on the name "Price is Right Million Dollar Spectacular" for just no specified reason at all? AKA no "PiRMDS Saluting...(insert cause/group here)". Do they always have to have a reason to give away the big bucks?
Then again, the "PiRMDS Saluting the Increase in CBS Ratings" doesn't have a particular ring to it. ;)
-
[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'May 3 2004, 03:41 PM\'] but would WOF fly? [/quote]
Gawd, I hope not.
-
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'May 3 2004, 03:33 PM\'][quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'May 3 2004, 01:01 PM\'] Lose the $1million spin at the wheel.... I think thats 3 miles past overboard...I still think a million dollars, on any show, should be damn hard to win... [/quote]
Agreed, which brings me to my next question, which I don't know the answer to:
How does CBS lose the MDS without losing face?[/quote]
Once someone wins the million, can the concept. Then you've had your winner, so you don't look cheap (like you're trying to pull out before you have to give away the money); and at the same time, people won't feel cheated out of seeing a big win. If need be, run out the season with MDS's; then start the next season without the million-dollar spin.
-
[quote name=\'Mike Tennant\' date=\'May 4 2004, 10:24 AM\'] [quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'May 3 2004, 03:33 PM\'][quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'May 3 2004, 01:01 PM\'] Lose the $1million spin at the wheel.... I think thats 3 miles past overboard...I still think a million dollars, on any show, should be damn hard to win... [/quote]
Agreed, which brings me to my next question, which I don't know the answer to:
How does CBS lose the MDS without losing face?[/quote]
Once someone wins the million, can the concept. Then you've had your winner, so you don't look cheap (like you're trying to pull out before you have to give away the money); and at the same time, people won't feel cheated out of seeing a big win. If need be, run out the season with MDS's; then start the next season without the million-dollar spin. [/quote]
I hate to tell you this, but I've been told if somebody does win the million, it won't necessarily mean the end of $1M specials.
-
I don't see a think wrong with that necessarily. The idea of a MDS is not all that problematic.. maybe if they drop the *name* Million Dollar Spectacular if they were to do it weekly, it would help. But there's nothing wrong with still including the big money spin and promoting it as such.
I still think the random audience member bit needs to be done away with tho - if no one EARNS a chance to win $1 Million, then no one should get to spin for it. Plain and Simple.
-
[quote name=\'tommycharles\' date=\'May 4 2004, 09:35 AM\'] But there's nothing wrong with still including the big money spin and promoting it as such.
I still think the random audience member bit needs to be done away with tho - if no one EARNS a chance to win $1 Million, then no one should get to spin for it. Plain and Simple. [/quote]
...except for the fact that the odds of paying out go up with more people trying for it, which means the insurance premiums they have to pay against a payout also rise.
I don't feel like working out the math on it now, but you might have the answer in removing the "mandatory" spin. That might even out the odds enough to be able to do it weekly.
-
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'May 4 2004, 01:16 PM\'] ...except for the fact that the odds of paying out go up with more people trying for it, which means the insurance premiums they have to pay against a payout also rise.
I don't feel like working out the math on it now, but you might have the answer in removing the "mandatory" spin. That might even out the odds enough to be able to do it weekly. [/quote]
To me there's nothing *less* exciting about "someone might spin for $1 Million tonight" than "someone will spin for $1 Million tonight" - you still would have to watch (almost) the whole thing to know either way, and I don't see people all of a sudden tuning out before the Showcases just because there isn't going to be a million dollar winner that evening.
-
[quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'May 3 2004, 02:15 PM\'] According to Steve Beverly, the Price special did a 5.1. [/quote]
Are the demos more attractive than the immobile, diabetic Medicare-receiving audience the daytime show gets?
-
[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'May 4 2004, 03:04 PM\'] [quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'May 3 2004, 02:15 PM\'] According to Steve Beverly, the Price special did a 5.1. [/quote]
Are the demos more attractive than the immobile, diabetic Medicare-receiving audience the daytime show gets? [/quote]
As a matter of fact, no. I almost wouldn't think this is possible, but apparently CBS ranked FIRST in total viewers on Saturday but FOURTH in the 18-49 range. That's a big, weird demographic bubble which probably means a regular spot for Bob & Co. isn't in the cards.
-
[quote name=\'tommycharles\' date=\'May 4 2004, 02:22 PM\'] [quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'May 4 2004, 01:16 PM\'] ...except for the fact that the odds of paying out go up with more people trying for it, which means the insurance premiums they have to pay against a payout also rise.
I don't feel like working out the math on it now, but you might have the answer in removing the "mandatory" spin. That might even out the odds enough to be able to do it weekly. [/quote]
To me there's nothing *less* exciting about "someone might spin for $1 Million tonight" than "someone will spin for $1 Million tonight" - you still would have to watch (almost) the whole thing to know either way, and I don't see people all of a sudden tuning out before the Showcases just because there isn't going to be a million dollar winner that evening. [/quote]
I don't see how this is even relevant to begin with; outside of us, I really doubt most viewers even know that the Showcase winner will get a spin until Bob announces it at the beginning of the Showcase.
-
[quote name=\'Steve Gavazzi\' date=\'May 4 2004, 12:15 PM\'] I don't see how this is even relevant to begin with; outside of us, I really doubt most viewers even know that the Showcase winner will get a spin until Bob announces it at the beginning of the Showcase. [/quote]
Because on the promos, Bob says straight into a camera "Someone WILL spin for ONE MEEELION DOLLARS!". So right now they are guaranteeing a spin. How doesn't really matter.