TPIR Poll (?)

[TimK2003]

MODS:  Feel free to convert this into a running poll, if interested.

Despite the shrinking "raw program" time of each show, there looks to be some effort in the Drew era in spending "some" idle time during the show to do either expanded conversations with contestants or the models or to come up with more creative showcases which can run a little longer than normal.

Would you, as a viewer, rather see:

A)  More interaction with the contestants -- win or lose (before, during or after pricing games),
B)  More conversations with the models (ala what Barker did with his Beauties 20-some years ago), or
C)  Use the time to come up with longer, more creative "themed" showcases and continue to rush on contestant camera time?

[abba]

None of them. But if one of them had to be,  I would say ©.

[gwarman2005]

Interact with the contestants.

[The Pyramids]

I say 'B'.

[Dbacksfan12]

I'd say D)None of the above.  The time should be put back into playing pricing games.

[NickS]

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'204695\' date=\'Dec 25 2008, 02:48 PM\']
I'd say D)None of the above.  The time should be put back into playing pricing games.
[/quote]

Let me expound on Mark's comment, which I agree with.  Yes, Bob has his downfalls, but I miss him drawing out the drama of whether or not someone was going to win a car in Spelling Bee on the last card or win $10,000 on the last grocery picked on Grand Game.

Drew just rushes to get it over with, and unfortunately, out goes the drama.

My .02.

[chris319]

[quote name=\'TeppanYaki\' post=\'204703\' date=\'Dec 25 2008, 02:34 PM\']
[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'204695\' date=\'Dec 25 2008, 02:48 PM\']
I'd say D)None of the above.  The time should be put back into playing pricing games.
[/quote]

Let me expound on Mark's comment, which I agree with.  Yes, Bob has his downfalls, but I miss him drawing out the drama of whether or not someone was going to win a car in Spelling Bee on the last card or win $10,000 on the last grocery picked on Grand Game.

Drew just rushes to get it over with, and unfortunately, out goes the drama.

My .02.
[/quote]
I'm with these guys. The first two options give Drew more face time, which I deem undesirable; the third enables more of Drew's yukkity-yuk showcases, which I likewise deem undesirable. Because your poll didn't cover all the options I didn't make it a for-real poll (plus the topic isn't gaining much traction).

[tpirfan28]

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'204695\' date=\'Dec 25 2008, 03:48 PM\']
I'd say D)None of the above.  The time should be put back into playing pricing games.
[/quote]
I never thought I'd completely agree with something Mr. Odor said.

Anything to allow a tedious playing of Three Strikes is okay in my book.

/Yes, Drew called out Three Strikes on its first playing this Season.

[Casey Buck]

Unless CBS gives TPiR back a few minutes of commercial time (which has no chance in hell of happening), there's simply no way to prevent the show (with its current six game/six One Bid/two Showcase Showdown format) from being rushed.

Now, there are three possible options to change the format that would reduce the rushing, but none of them are pretty. They could either:

A) Eliminate Contestant's Row, and have the called-down contestants come up on stage, (like TNPiR'94)

B) Eliminate the Showcase Showdowns, and have the top two pricing game winners advance to the showcase (like the half-hour shows).

or, C) Play four pricing games and four One Bids, instead of six, and have two players in each Showcase Showdown, instead of three. (Five One Bids and five pricing games wouldn't work, because one Showcase Showdown would have two contestants, and one would have three, which would be awkward.)

The downside of option A would be that it would eliminate the last remaining tie to the original Bill Cullen version. Also, it would be possible for a contestant to win absolutely nothing at all, and the producers could decide in advance who plays what game, which I think would be unfair.

The downside of option B would be that the contestants who play pricing games with cheaper prizes would be screwed out of the Showcase, unless the contestants who play games with more expensive prizes lost. To me, that's a pretty major flaw. Also, it would eliminate the Big Wheel, which I think has become a major part of the show.

And the big downside of option C would be that TPiR would have too much time to spare. The pace would have to be slowed to a grinding halt in order to keep the show from running short. They would basically have to stretch out the show an extra 10 minutes or so to get everything to fit, since the average pricing game segment, including the One Bid, is about 4-5 minutes. Also, the quicker pricing games, like Switch?, Double Prices, Side by Side, Most Expensive, or One Right Price, would have to be drastically reduced in frequency, unless they are balanced out with several slower games.

[SteveR]

I actually also thought about reducing then number if IUFB/pricing games to five. Yeah, five.

That would involve just one Showdown -- with the top two wheel scores advancing to the Showcase. The top money winner (regardless of wheel score) would still have the bid/pass option in the Showcase, but there could be a $1000 bonus to the one who wins the Showdown. (No bonus spins ... still need the $1 for that)

[Timsterino]

D) None of the above.

[abba]

or, C) Play four pricing games and four One Bids, instead of six, and have two players in each Showcase Showdown, instead of three. (Five One Bids and five pricing games wouldn't work, because one Showcase Showdown would have two contestants, and one would have three, which would be awkward.)

They could have one Showcase Showdown with all 5 contestants.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'abba\' post=\'204735\' date=\'Dec 26 2008, 09:21 AM\']They could have one Showcase Showdown with all 5 contestants.[/quote]
You know...that's not the absolute worse outside-the-box idea I've seen.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'abba\' post=\'204735\' date=\'Dec 26 2008, 09:21 AM\']

or, C) Play four pricing games and four One Bids, instead of six, and have two players in each Showcase Showdown, instead of three. (Five One Bids and five pricing games wouldn't work, because one Showcase Showdown would have two contestants, and one would have three, which would be awkward.)

They could have one Showcase Showdown with all 5 contestants.
[/quote]
I would suggest somehow breaking it into two segments, just to break up the monotomy a little. Maybe go to break after the first three spinners, then come back with part two.

[SteveR]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'204738\' date=\'Dec 26 2008, 10:56 AM\']I would suggest somehow breaking it into two segments, just to break up the monotomy a little. Maybe go to break after the first three spinners, then come back with part two.[/quote]
Makes sense but if the context of the discussion is 'time conservation,' wouldn't one segment (even if it's a tad longer) achieve that more than two? On the surface, a second segment would involve another commercial break.

I almost added the suggestion that either a) only pricing game winners get to spin or b) they go back to the pre-wheel rules and just send the top two winners to the showcase (which would probably allow the sixth game to be played) .... but that would reinstate the unintentional bias of the winners of the lesser-prize games (Clock Game, etc.) to not even have a chance of getting to the showcase in an all-(or most)winners show.