"The little things" you miss on shows

[TheInquisitiveOne]

I agree with some people who miss the set turning red for Double J! It’s nice that they do it for Final but it’s not quite the same.

That was always a nice touch during 80s Jeopardy! Seeing the camera zoom out to a full shot of the set as the background changed from blue to red before the bumper graphic turned up…I liked how they basically said that things are gonna be a bit different, a bit more serious.

Ken has made a lot of excellent points in that article. While I wish they brought back the “Now entering the studio” sequence, I do understand why they dispensed with it. His other point…are they really that tight on time that they can’t spare 5 or 10 seconds for simply that? Not asking to be salty; I’m just curious if they have some wiggle room to spare.

The Inquisitive One

[TimK2003]

I agree with some people who miss the set turning red for Double J! It’s nice that they do it for Final but it’s not quite the same.

That was always a nice touch during 80s Jeopardy! Seeing the camera zoom out to a full shot of the set as the background changed from blue to red before the bumper graphic turned up…I liked how they basically said that things are gonna be a bit different, a bit more serious.

Ken has made a lot of excellent points in that article. While I wish they brought back the “Now entering the studio” sequence, I do understand why they dispensed with it. His other point…are they really that tight on time that they can’t spare 5 or 10 seconds for simply that? Not asking to be salty; I’m just curious if they have some wiggle room to spare.

The Inquisitive One

How many times in an average episode does the host embellish some extra factoid or general comment after the correct answer ("question") has been given?  Elimination of those few seconds could open up time for some of the things Ken says he misses.

And so what if a board isn't cleared?  The remaining unseen "answers" can be used in a future Potporri category!

[Steve Gavazzi]

And so what if a board isn't cleared?  The remaining unseen "answers" can be used in a future Potporri category!

I'm sure that's very comforting to the three contestants who didn't get a chance to earn money from them.

[Kevin Prather]

Count me as one who thinks the old board sound effect should NOT come back.

It was lovely, and it's nostalgic, but it was part of a futuristic, hi-tech motif that was abandoned twenty-five years ago. On today's fresh modern set, it would sound dated. The new version is a better fit for what they're doing these days.

[BrandonFG]

Count me as one who thinks the old board sound effect should NOT come back.

It was lovely, and it's nostalgic, but it was part of a futuristic, hi-tech motif that was abandoned twenty-five years ago. On today's fresh modern set, it would sound dated. The new version is a better fit for what they're doing these days.

I don't disagree, but the Daily Double sound also feels like what the future might've sounded like in 1984. Although the current board fill-in SFX fits better in 2022 - and is a nice update to the original - are they really saving that much time? What's one or two seconds?

[Kevin Prather]

I don't disagree, but the Daily Double sound also feels like what the future might've sounded like in 1984.

You're making my point better than I did with that sentence. In 1984 it sounded like the future. In 2022, it sounds like the past.

Although the current board fill-in SFX fits better in 2022 - and is a nice update to the original - are they really saving that much time? What's one or two seconds?

I think their time argument is hooey. There are much better places to save time, as others have mentioned. I think they just blame it on time rather than try to convince game show fans that change is good.

[trainman]

How many times in an average episode does the host embellish some extra factoid or general comment after the correct answer ("question") has been given?  Elimination of those few seconds could open up time for some of the things Ken says he misses.

Those extra factoids are probably a lot more interesting to the average viewer than the dollar values popping onto the board would be.

[BrandonFG]

Piggybacking off my point that the closing credits are usually an afterthought, the Wizard of Odds ep. circulating reminded me of something else.

The female contestant wins the car, and during the credits Alex invites her husband to come down and greet his wife. The husband eventually hops in the car and the two hug. It’s one of those sweet moments you just don’t see as much anymore. Honestly, it feels like contestant celebrations in general are much more subdued nowadays.

[Kniwt]

Honestly, it feels like contestant celebrations in general are much more subdued nowadays.

Press Your Luck says "hold my beer."

[jjman920]

Count me as one who thinks the old board sound effect should NOT come back.

It was lovely, and it's nostalgic, but it was part of a futuristic, hi-tech motif that was abandoned twenty-five years ago. On today's fresh modern set, it would sound dated. The new version is a better fit for what they're doing these days.

I think the nostalgia is simply the reason you bring it back. It doesn't exactly fit with the show, but it was such an iconic piece that it'd be an acceptable anachronism. Where it sounding dated is overlooked because it's just a part of the show's history. It's not as iconic as TPIR's theme song, the introduction to Grand Game and, by extension, the Family Feud theme, but I figure with a lot of nostalgia being infused in game shows now (both to good use and bad), I think that the board filling SFX would be a good use of nostalgia.

[Jamey Greek]

-the chemistry between a host and announcer.  And "live announcing". And when the host comes out the host says" Thank you such-and-such and when an announcer had a more active role. 

[whewfan]

Johnny Gilbert is in his mid 90s and would be very vulnerable to covid. Also, if he could stay home and do the announcing, why not?

I did miss the dollar figures popping as well. If they want to bring in the "now entering the studio", they could have all three come out at once if they wanted to bring back something and not have any real affect on the time.

They stopped doing the blue to red with the sushi bar set. To me, with the brownish-gold walls, the red didn't stand out too much... the blue looked better, I wonder if that was their thinking.

[Otm Shank]

This is a little thing, but the "snap reveal" is a thing of the past. No prolonged suspense, just a half-second delay, and quickly turn it. Think about Card Sharks. Jim Perry revealing the money cards was masterful, particularly when there was a card change, it was all in the wrist. In the revival, using a card device that looks like it was modded from a failed Guess Who pilot, the reveal was always a slow turn after a delay that spanned three camera shots.

Also, the close-up reveals with the TPIR models holding the price tag to the side and employing the snap reveal just has a little more sophisticated look and is a lost art.

[TheInquisitiveOne]

I’m very sure this had been said in some form or another, but I miss seeing natural reactions to everything.

I am of the thought that when Drew first started hosting TPIR, contestants running to the prizes were natural reactions. Now, it just feels forced…especially when I seem to recall reading a firsthand account from an audience member about how they did reshoots to get the best reaction to air on TV.

It apparently was a problem with Deal or No Deal, when the first of the two million dollar winners (under handicapped rules, another example of my difficulty-based reward aspect I mentioned earlier in this thread) had to do multiple takes of her reaction just so they could put the best one on NBC when it aired.

Why are audiences giving standing ovations for Steve Harvey or Jim Caldwell, when there’s no situation that called for it? Or when a contestant simply names a tune or gives a password, where simple applause would suffice? To me anyway, it just feels so unnatural and takes away from the overall feel of the game.

Warm the audience up and then let them do their thing. If something warrants laughter, let them laugh. If something warrants applause at a time when applause isn’t necessarily called for, let it be.

The Inquisitive One

[TimK2003]

I’m very sure this had been said in some form or another, but I miss seeing natural reactions to everything.

I am of the thought that when Drew first started hosting TPIR, contestants running to the prizes were natural reactions. Now, it just feels forced…especially when I seem to recall reading a firsthand account from an audience member about how they did reshoots to get the best reaction to air on TV.

It apparently was a problem with Deal or No Deal, when the first of the two million dollar winners (under handicapped rules, another example of my difficulty-based reward aspect I mentioned earlier in this thread) had to do multiple takes of her reaction just so they could put the best one on NBC when it aired.

Why are audiences giving standing ovations for Steve Harvey or Jim Caldwell, when there’s no situation that called for it? Or when a contestant simply names a tune or gives a password, where simple applause would suffice? To me anyway, it just feels so unnatural and takes away from the overall feel of the game.

Warm the audience up and then let them do their thing. If something warrants laughter, let them laugh. If something warrants applause at a time when applause isn’t necessarily called for, let it be.

The Inquisitive One

Playing off your comment about audience reactions, I miss the masters of the "McKenzie (sp?) Box".

Every network had their own sweetening system, and most of the time, it blended in nicely with the shows (although over at NBC Burbank it was overused at times). Compared to today's shows, where some shows can range from just a smattering of applause to a small arena rock concert.