With only the possible exception of WWTBAM, I believe wholeheartedly that WSoPC is easily the best, cleanest, classiest and most classic example of what a true game show was meant to be. A tight tried-and-true format. A truly incredible host. Contestants that don't make viewers want to hurl but instead are so easy to relate to. A set, theme music and sound effects that are both very eye-catching, ear-pleasing and current but never ever distract from the game at hand. I would LOVE to see this program increased to a year-long format, with the tournament building from a much larger number of teams initially and then narrowing them down over several weeks/months until a final showdown either annually or two/three times a year. I believe that a show like this could find itself becoming a long-lasting TV staple as long as it doesn't stray from what it already does best. Hell, look at it like this...it combines the best of WoF and J!: Lighthearted, easy to play along without fear of feeling dumb, great conversation-provoking categories/questions and a generally satisfying feeling after watching each episode.

Michael Davies...I tip my hat to you (if I ever wore one)...you've done well here, sir...GIVE US MORE! :)

Jake

My only change would be to allow moderately-attractive fortysomethings to play. Other than that, I agree totally. This show rules, it's got to be fairly inexpensive, and it fits VH1 perfectly.

Just off the top of my head...they could spend the first part of the season doing road shows at X number of locations around the country, allowing for regional tournaments and a big player base to get a chance on stage. By the time May sweeps come around, and the end of the season, be back at home base to the do the tournament proper for the big dough. It gets a lot of attention on FM radio, casual observers - everybody with VH1, practically.

-Jason

Yeah, sattelite tournaments would be the next logical step. However, I don't think there's going to be any extension, since I believe the show's been "burned off" in 2 weeks both years.

I think a more pressing concern (which is actually not all that pressing) would be trying to cut down on the number of ties. Perhaps expanding each round to 8 questions?

I had that concern before, but I actually liked that it was done fairly quickly. Eight weeks seems too long.

You could easily rig up a buzzer and have the round decided by a Fame Game question, but then you lose out on the possibility of an epic battle (watching the rerun as we speak, I missed the Grand Final on Thursday) like the one between Wocka Wocka and Team Motherboy that had eight ties between the five rounds.

I wonder why the Grand Final rounds were cut from ten questions to six. I liked that change.

Well, Matt, I'd love to team up with you and one more person...trouble is, do you think we could find one other fortysomething who is not only moderately-attractive but is as devastatingly handsome as you and I are? hehehehehehe

Jake
Turning 42 in just a matter of days...)

You also miss out on the Holy Shiat effect when they get REALLY DEEP in a tiebreaker.

Which is why I LOVE the tiebreakers.

Jake speaks truth. This, Jeopardy, Poker Face, and Aussie Temptation are the four best game shows currently airing in the world today.

I'll answer the 2nd part first. I'm wondering if that was an on-the-fly change since the Wocka Wocka-Motherboy match provided enough material to forego the need to balloon the final match. I highly doubt this, but since straddling the game looked like it was a seat-of-the-pants decision, who knows. (And if it wasn't a seat-of-the-pants decision, then that's some damn good post-production work.)

As for your counter to my idea, I like the ties and all, but if this is going to turn in 100K Pyramid where nearly everyone ties 3-3, there should be a change. The move to 8 at least allows more variation in scoring, which should in theory create less ties. There's also something to be said for making longer tiebreaks, but that's only part of the problem. (I know I'm probably dramatizing about 100K Pyramid, but the WSoPC learning curve is progressing similarly)


How old is Brad Rutter? ;-)

I don't even think Brad's out of his 20s yet.
Sounds like this is a job for Don Howard.

I don't think the tiebreakers are a problem, nor are a lot of 3-3 ties; after all, there was a 0-0 tie in one round.

And while I agree with all the raves - and if Pat doesn't get Jeopardy when Alex goes back to his dimension, there's no justice - I don't think a year-round series would be a good idea. It is a World Series, after all, and you don't play World Series every week

That said, I think a small expansion is definitely in order - to 32 teams, or possibly 64. Make it the NCAA Tourney of Trivia. Start your brackets! Get those pools going! And with VH-I and EW promoting it, you could see that happen.

Instead, the wife and I didn't see any episodes for two days because we didn't even know it was on that week.

QFT. I believe, in the finals...(highlight)

I would love to see it become a weekly series. How old it Pat K. anyway? (in reference to the J! replacement statements)

If the wiki reference is to be believed, Pat Kiernan is about 39 or so.

I would think Probst would come back for J! when "Survivor" is done.

Can Probst hold his own? Yes, but IMHO, I still don't think Probst could hold a candle to Kiernan.

My view: Don't make it year-round, because part of the appeal is that it's a short run and a championship (and I agree that playing it over eight weeks would slow down the momentum).

Instead, put at least the finals of the regional competitions/auditions on. It looks like a cheap show to tour, since the chrome's all in the Chyron graphics--just the set pieces and Kiernan. Like the "CHEETARAH!" girls for this year, have past teams from the city do the post-game interviews. And having the shows taping in the regionals would be nothing but good publicity (and would allow for radio station and media tie-ins).

Meanwhile, Twisted Misters, meet Ken Jennings. They'll never want to run into Mormons again. :)

Why is that appealing in the least? It's a genuinely good game show, and we don't have a whole lot of those on TV these days.

I'm not saying to make it a five-a-week strip, but it sure as hell would be a Tivo Season Pass if they made it a weekly show.

Too easy.

Really? I think that the choice of having six-question categories was a deliberate one, because someone timed the matches, and it was decided that the most likely way to bundle two matches per episode is to have three-a-side, along with tie-breaks.

Except I don't think it does, too much. Sure, you'll have some 5-3 and 4-3 wins, but people are going to know their stuff or not know it, no matter how many questions you ask them.

Here's the other point to be made: it is entertaining to watch adept people playing the game. It was true in the days of $100,000 Pyramid, and it remains true today. Watching people go 18 names deep in a tiebreaker is fun to watch. Then watching as the next in line digs through all of the stuff they know, and finally coming up with a nineteenth name? It is as exciting as game shows have been in recent memory.

Do you really want to turn that into "For the category, I'm looking for the name of an actor..."?