The Price Is Right

[uncamark]

The problem with cutting copy on non-fee grocery items is that even if the brand isn't mentioned, the contestant and the viewer still needs to say what the brand and product is--and one could argue that spending eight seconds on some items and two seconds on others is not being equal.

Of course, if the copy is supposed to give information, it should have what Jay Stewart's "LMAD" pricing deal copy usually had--the size/count/weight of the item--"A 16-ounce jar of crunchy peanut butter..."  Without that kind of information, of course the contestant's going to spend more time talking to Bob than actually listening to Rich.

[TalkingHeadsFan]

A few ideas:

Most of the contestant's row time taken is because the contestants think they can just depend on the audience. How about we keep the audience quiet for contestant's row and give the contestants a 5-count to get their bid in? Then it'll seem like the contestants are playing and not the audience.

Can you say "Awkward"? A silent audience was fathomable when the show first started...But these days, where the audience is full of rowdy college kids, and it's been a tradition to yell out prices for 30+ years, this just wouldn't work...

Here's one: How about dump the Showcase Showdown? After everyone plays their pricing games, the top 2 winners go to the showcase, just like old times sake? You might want to modify it a little bit so the contestants playing stuff like clock game and poker game aren't instantly screwed because they don't play for 16,000+. Maybe have the top winner from $8000+ potential games and the top winner from <$8000 potential games go to the showcase (with of course wild cards in case one or both do not have winners).

........I don't even know where to start. In a nutshell, impractical complication...

Here's a thought that crossed my head...Unrealistic, but it'd be interesting...Have every audience member have a keypad device, and enter in a bid to a certain item, Fastest Finger style...Person who bid closest without going over, the fastest, goes right up on stage to play a game.

Sure, it wouldn't save THAT much time, but it'd make the opening a hell of a lot shorter...


Doug

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'wschmrdr\' date=\'May 27 2005, 11:11 AM\']Most of the contestant's row time taken is because the contestants think they can just depend on the audience. How about we keep the audience quiet for contestant's row and give the contestants a 5-count to get their bid in? Then it'll seem like the contestants are playing and not the audience.
[/quote]
Wow. Tell the audience to shut up on the ultimate audience participation game show.

I've seen Oreck Vaccuums that suck less than that idea.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'TalkingHeadsFan\' date=\'May 27 2005, 12:19 PM\']Here's a thought that crossed my head...Unrealistic, but it'd be interesting...Have every audience member have a keypad device, and enter in a bid to a certain item, Fastest Finger style...Person who bid closest without going over, the fastest, goes right up on stage to play a game.
[/quote]
Well-meaning, but if you think the contestant selection process sucks NOW, wait until you get someone utterly devoid of personality up there on stage to play Ten Chances....

[chris319]

Speed up the SCSD. The most expedient way to do this would be to have two people spin (the top two winners) instead of three. Another idea would be to have a faster-playing game device than the Big Wheel.

[CarShark]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'May 26 2005, 06:03 PM\'][quote name=\'matchgame\' date=\'May 26 2005, 03:41 PM\']Speaking of car games, is 'Money Game' the shortest game to play? None of the other car games spring to mind.
[/quote]
I gotta think Line 'Em Up would go faster than Money Game.

[snapback]86637[/snapback]

[/quote]
There's no way that any car game is faster than Money Game. From car reveal to the end of the game has been less than 2 minutes flat several times. That's why it's the go-to car game in the second half. I'm not near my VCR, but if someone could post some times (from "It's a new car!" to "Back after this!"), I'd appreciate it.

[JayDLewis]

[quote name=\'CarShark\' date=\'May 27 2005, 06:10 PM\']...if someone could post some times (from "It's a new car!" to "Back after this!"), I'd appreciate it.

[snapback]86759[/snapback]

[/quote]

The last 13 timed playings courtesy of golden-road.net:

May 23rd - 2:04
May 17th - 1:07
May 10th - 1:32
May 5th - 1:35
Apr 28th - 2:33
Apr 14th - 1:20
Mar 3rd - 1:50
Feb 25th - 1:27
Feb 18th - 1:49
Feb 3rd - 1:44
Jan 25th - 2:25
Jan 13th - 2:21


(from the poster: Here is the timed length of today's pricing games. The time of the game begins at the moment a prize is revealed for the game)

If you wanna do your own search search the "First Run TPiR" forum for keywords "Money and Game" (or "Cover and Up", "Line and Up", etc) and author "jhc2010"

[wschmrdr]

Actually, I got ya both beat. Pushover for a car.

OK, maybe the audience silence wasn't the best idea, but I think they need to enforce some kind of a 5-count. I've seen a couple people take even 15-20 seconds on their bid. Though I enjoyed Davidson's version of the show, contestant's row has been with the show for 33 years, and it has worked. Keep it, but make it faster.

You could also speed up time by enforcing time limits on the pricing games. 15 seconds is more than sufficient time to grab a suggestion from a friend in the audience and say it to Bob.

One of the reasons I don't like the Showcase Showdown is because it usually ends up that some dingbat who wouldn't know the price of a microwave even if you told them what it is wins the showcase. I would rather see the contestant who knows when the price is right win the showcase, and not base the entire last part of the show on dumb luck. And, that same 30-minute format did survive through the early 90's when half of the show would be pre-empted due to a CBS special. It even worked well for the syndie nighttime version with Tom Kennedy (I know, didn't survive long due to Wheel and Jeopardy).

[NickintheATL]

[quote name=\'wschmrdr\' date=\'May 28 2005, 03:02 AM\']One of the reasons I don't like the Showcase Showdown is because it usually ends up that some dingbat who wouldn't know the price of a microwave even if you told them what it is wins the showcase. I would rather see the contestant who knows when the price is right win the showcase, and not base the entire last part of the show on dumb luck. [/quote]

And you have been a contestant how many times............?

On how many shows..........?

Seriously, to call contestants "dingbats" is quite below the line in my book. Just take a step back, what would you do with 300 people screaming at you and the thought of millions of people watching???

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'wschmrdr\' date=\'May 28 2005, 12:02 AM\']Actually, I got ya both beat. Pushover for a car.
[/quote]
Which happens how often? By that argument, Double Prices for a car. We're talking about TRADITIONAL car games, not quickie games that are pressed into service as a car game when something else goes awry.

One of the reasons I don't like the Showcase Showdown is because it usually ends up that some dingbat who wouldn't know the price of a microwave even if you told them what it is wins the showcase.

I'm not sure why that's a bad thing. This is supposed to be a FUN show, it's not an intellectual challenge like Jeopardy where you earn your keep. Spread the wealth.

If it makes you feel any better, any time some goomba wins a ton of prizes in the Showcase, I always think about their tax burden.

[ClockGameJohn]

Sorry to dig this one back up, just have some info to add.  I'd point out that rushed or not, I don't think anything can or should change.

[quote name=\'matchgame\' date=\'May 26 2005, 05:41 PM\']I think if anything you'd see more quick Yes, on some days Bob sounds like he's late for a bus, but at his age aren't we lucky that he can still remember all the different rules to the games? Although, the other day he did forget that the prize is revealed before the dollars and cents items in 'Hi-Lo'. (and boy did Bart scramble to cover that).

[snapback]86631[/snapback]

[/quote]

But the grocery products ARE[/b] revealed before the prize in Hi Lo.  No scrambling needed.  Barker was right on.

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'May 26 2005, 06:03 PM\'][quote name=\'matchgame\' date=\'May 26 2005, 03:41 PM\']Speaking of car games, is 'Money Game' the shortest game to play? None of the other car games spring to mind.
[/quote]
I gotta think Line 'Em Up would go faster than Money Game.

[snapback]86637[/snapback]

[/quote]

Actually, Line 'Em Up is one of the longest car games on the show.  The games are all timed by Act, which includes the One Bids and time for buildups and gameplay.

Money Game is tied for the shortest on the show, but no one has correctly mentioned the other 2 that share the shortest car game title.  (No, Pushover doesn't count)

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'wschmrdr\' date=\'May 28 2005, 02:02 AM\']Actually, I got ya both beat. Pushover for a car.
[/quote]
Too bad it's not normally played for a car.  Why didn't you say Double Prices while you were at it?

[joshg]

[quote name=\'ClockGameJohn\' date=\'Jun 14 2005, 10:57 PM\']Sorry to dig this one back up, just have some info to add.  I'd point out that rushed or not, I don't think anything can or should change.

[quote name=\'matchgame\' date=\'May 26 2005, 05:41 PM\']I think if anything you'd see more quick Yes, on some days Bob sounds like he's late for a bus, but at his age aren't we lucky that he can still remember all the different rules to the games? Although, the other day he did forget that the prize is revealed before the dollars and cents items in 'Hi-Lo'. (and boy did Bart scramble to cover that).

[snapback]86631[/snapback]

[/quote]

But the grocery products ARE[/b] revealed before the prize in Hi Lo.  No scrambling needed.  Barker was right on.

[snapback]89102[/snapback]

[/quote]

Ooh, are my ears burning... Anyway, it looked to me like Bart was scrambling to cover something. Then again, it always looks that way... ;-)

[CarShark]

[quote name=\'ClockGameJohn\' date=\'Jun 15 2005, 01:57 AM\']Sorry to dig this one back up, just have some info to add.  I'd point out that rushed or not, I don't think anything can or should change.[/quote]
Wow, now there's a shock.

Money Game is tied for the shortest on the show, but no one has correctly mentioned the other 2 that share the shortest car game title.  (No, Pushover doesn't count)

[snapback]89102[/snapback]

My guesses would be Dice Game and Cover Up. My reasoning being it has to be a car only game because of having just one prize description. Also, they are usually played in the second half, when they are running out of time.

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'CarShark\' date=\'Jun 15 2005, 11:30 AM\']My guesses would be Dice Game and Cover Up. My reasoning being it has to be a car only game because of having just one prize description. Also, they are usually played in the second half, when they are running out of time.

[snapback]89146[/snapback]

[/quote]
I think Cover Up is probably right, but I'd go with One Away as the other choice.

Doug