Television's most exciting hour of fantastic prizes is zipping by at the speed of the Concorde these days because of the length of the commercial breaks. While viewing the tape of the Million Dollar Spectacular which ran in mid-April (I was hanging out with Five-O when it first ran and am just now playing back the VHS), it was zip-zip-zip. The announcement of the Showcase winner's record breaking total was mentioned seemingly as an afterthought because Bob had to sign off and get out. Even the million-dollar spin seemed rushed. They would've had to chop-ho heavily in the editing bay had the $1M been won. And I can't remember the last time Bob was able to deliver opening remarks at the start of The Hour Of Power.
Since we know the time for spots will never be reduced, should they scale the number of pricing games played to four--two each half hour with the Showcase Showdown played by two contestants per segment instead of three? The first commercial could be called for after the bids have been made on the first Contestants' Row item. "We'll find out the actual retail of that surfboard and play our first pricing game after these words".
What say you?

A few years ago (and it might have been on ATGS) I suggested a fabulous 90-minute Price Is Right with no real changes except a slightly slower pace and more commercials.

I thought he stopped doing the monologues a long time ago.


I don't think that's really necessary. If I were to guess, I'd say that most games run between two to four minutes. I think careful planning could help free enough time for some interaction. Since Hole in One always takes at least six minutes to play as does Three Strikes (on a good day), it behooves The Powers That Be to make up for it. That's probably why some shows have skipped SP games all together.

My fix? Get the one-bids done with faster! There was a week of shows about a month back where the average time for one-bid rounds was around 20 seconds! That week had more interaction than any other, and that includes Barker's constant rambling about how fast the bids were coming! We're back to normal now, with people asking what the bids are more than once a round, the staring into space, and my personal fave, the Back to Barker Stance.

If it starts to get any more ridiculous, I say cut the one-bids. I know, I know. People are going to say, "That's the way it's always been done." To which I say, "That's not much of an argument." Times have changed since 1972, and the game should be able to as well. This strict following of a format is definitely more harm than good. Besides, I think it's safe to say that people only get really excited when playing for cars and cash and never for dining room groups (judging by their oh-so-fake facial expressions), and that they don't care too much about the ugly, overpriced baseball glove chair that they just won or the supply of Zim's Crack Creme that came with it.

The extra time would also allow for more playings of longer, more expensive, and arguably better car games like Pathfinder, Hole in One, Ten Chances and Temptation (instead of Money Game at Mach 2). This would also allow for more playings of very rare games like Shell Game, Joker, and Poker Game. That seems like more than a fair trade-off to me. Also, everyone would be spared the frustration of watching the sea of stupidity Contestants' Row can be. No more $420s. No more $...69s. No more one-unders. That's so much good right there.

People might also say, "But that's the only tie to the original PiR with Bill Cullen." To which I say, "So what?" Most people don't even know that a pre-Barker Price existed, anyways. Also, from all of the episodes I watched (plenty of them), I could say that the "one-bid only" round was the most disliked. I often heard an audible groan whenever it was that time, likely because of the obvious advantage the fourth bidder got. It's easily expendable.

I was looking at the DVD set of "Seinfeld's" fourth season, which was just released. I noticed the box stated that the episodes are 1-2 minutes longer than the syndie eps and haven't been seen in full since their original airing. (For the record, the first three seasons all say the same thing too). I was really surprised by this statement - I had thought by the mid-90s there was no need to edit for syndication anymore because of the increased time for commercials in prime time. For '60s and '70s shows, there's quite a bit chopped off of the syndie eps, but I didn't think '90s episodes needed to be edited further.

Eventually "Price" may have to change the format if commercial time keeps increasing. I hope they still have six pricing games though. If it's reduced to four, it will give fewer people a chance to get up on stage. This format's worked well for years and - I guess I'm just resistant to change!

It seems about time for them to invest in an off-camera display so contestants can just read what everyone else bid. Maybe Barker could invoke a three-second rule as Dawson did on FF. Some of the idiots won't get to bid then, but it's a small price to pay.

Another way to save time would be to assume after a few decades on the air Barker could dispense with reading the Showcase and Showdown rules.

I think if anything you'd see a more quick games being created and played.

A solution would be to eliminate the live to tape aspect of the show. If the show goes a bit long, so be it. Just edit it down for TV if needed.

Downside of course, is more work (for staff) and more money (for studio time).

At least it would come off a bit better on TV. The live audience doesn't care. It goes fast enough as it is.

You're coming dangerously close to Pearson-izing the show with this.

'Double Double Prices' anyone? Because of the nature of the format, we're stuck with games that are quick and games that take f-o-r-e-v-e-r when stupid people play. 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).

Speaking of car games, is 'Money Game' the shortest game to play? None of the other car games spring to mind.

Josh

We can all say what we want, but absolutely NOTHING drastic is going to happen to the show as long as Barker is still around. He only has a few years left if even that much. There is just no way he would change anything about the show the last few years.

After he retires, that might be another question. I would hope they do something to address this issue after he retires. It's getting pretty ridiculous now. They're taking one huge fun part of the show out (the contestants) by rushing.

I gotta think Line 'Em Up would go faster than Money Game.

Problem there is, how would you assign each player to his/her pricing game without the one-bids? While I'm in Fantasyland, I'll throw this out (my apologies for ripping off Greed): just consolidate all the one-bids at the beginning of the show.

1) Right now, nine contestants are in Contestants' Row each episode -- just call all nine of them up together at once during the intro.

2) Everyone secretly bids on the IUFB.

3) The six people closest to the ARV (without going over, of course) win, and get to play the pricing games. If more than three players overbid then, I don't know... either drop the "overbid rule" or have them fight a deathmatch in a cage. Whatever floats your boat. :)

4) The six players play their pricing games. The closest bidders play for more valuable prizes.

What's the difference between this and just calling six people down and having them play the six games in the order they were selected? Ya know, kinda EXACTLY HOW THEY DID IT on the Doug Davidson version?

There's very little difference... but it's able to keep the Contestants' Row, and orders the contestants according to the one-bid.

My point is, you said:

...and I'm saying that axing that feature altogether evidently hasn't been a problem for them in the past.

I think I'm going to be the minorty here but I like the fast pace 'TPIR' of today.

I like how quick, to the point games like 'One Right Price' keeps the show moving and keep up w/ the audience. I like Bob's quick seque to the first item up for bid and on and on.

Something they could cut out is the descriptions of items for which they don't receive promotional consideration. The other day they showed a jar of Jif peanut butter with Rich never mentioning the brand in his copy. This leads me to believe it could have been any old peanut butter, so why even give it a close up?

It would make it pretty obvious which products were paid for, and, if you're alternating between two different cameras for the product shots, as most of the games do, you don't have a lot of time to get set up for the next shot.

My thought, though this would destroy a good bit of the the live-to-tape aspect, would be to cut the one-bids down to the bid, and no "what are the bids?," no turning to the audience, no "Karen? Karen? KAREN...," etc. Ideally, no more than 15 seconds between the end of the prize copy and the contestant on his/her way up the stairs.

Doh! Forgot about that one. You're right, Line 'Em Up moves somewhat swiftly along. Ten Chances is painful when an einstein is playing. Pocket Change is fun, except when people don't get the concept of picking an envelope and not peeking inside. What about Cover Up? That isn't too rough, unless the contestant is taking numbers from the wrong columns.

I would take roadgeek's idea and do it at the start of each HALF - call 4 people to come on down and bid on a prize. After the bids are "locked-in" the player closest without going over plays first, next closest second, etc. If more than one player has over-bid then the closest wins - giving priority to the players who underbid.
Example: prize value is $1200... player A bids $1100, player B bids $1400 (in 5.71 seconds), player C bids $1400 (in 6.49 seconds), player D bids $1300. First game is played by player A ... second by player D ... third by player B and player C (along with the remaining player from the other half) gets a consolation prize. By the way, any player who bids exactly right wins a $1,500 bonus (split if more than one player gets it exactly right and plays a pricing game).

Eric


quote from roadgeek:

Problem there is, how would you assign each player to his/her pricing game without the one-bids? While I'm in Fantasyland, I'll throw this out (my apologies for ripping off Greed): just consolidate all the one-bids at the beginning of the show.

1) Right now, nine contestants are in Contestants' Row each episode -- just call all nine of them up together at once during the intro.

2) Everyone secretly bids on the IUFB.

A: Because it disrupts the flow of a thread.







Q: Why does top-posting suck?

When you get a little older, you'll learn it's better to do some things slowly...it's better in the end.

The ideas put forth seem to complicate the format more than they would help.

I say, if you're going to make a change, cut the one-bids. Everyone knows (or should know) the proper strategy. I would rather see good players play a game wrll than watch Frat Boy Frank fumble for how long, asking what the bids are, asking what the highest bid is, then settling on $420. Yah hoo.

I watch TPIR for the games. If I had my druthers, they'd cut the SCSD and Showcases, but I know they won't. Just pitch the one-bids.

How about editing out the overbids and booed SCSD spins. That is something more feasible for TPIR to do than ditch the one-bids, seeing how well that worked on TNPIR94.

If there's more than one overbid, then maybe. No to booed SCSD spins. It's actually an old tradition that I'd like them to keep.

The one-bids must stay. That's what bothered me about the Davidson version. Because all games are not of equal value; some people play for a motor home and some a washer dryer. I'd rather have the players win the right to get on stage than have the producers select who is going to play what game.

If you think the lack of one-bids are what killed TNPiR'94, then you're a.....

oh, never mind. You're already Zach.

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.

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).

Would doing the showdown once a show with six players be faster than twice a show with three?

Sometimes it's quiet enough without even asking them to be quiet.


I would think that they would never get rid of the wheel.

Eliminating the tape down, setup & removal of the 2nd showcase, should save some time.

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.

A few ideas:



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...



........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

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.

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....

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.

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.

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"

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).

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???

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.

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. :)

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.



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



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)

Too bad it's not normally played for a car. Why didn't you say Double Prices while you were at it?

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

Wow, now there's a shock. :)


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.

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

Doug

Modor, I didn't say Double Prices cause that's a Spectacular-only car game. About 1/4 to 1/3 of the time, Pushover is played for a car.

Money game plus two others, eh?

That's Too Much, despite the time Bob takes out to make sure the contestant properly phrases their answer, I think would be one of these two.

I'd go with the Dice Game for the other one. Four rolls, then a check. Very quick.

That's absurd. It happens about three times a year.

In fact, based on some quick (and admittedly obsessive) calculations, Push Over has been played in daytime 158 times, with a car showing up in about 18 of those playings (and I think at least one of those was actually for a 5-digit boat, but accounting for that would overcomplicate something that I'm already overcomplicating as it is). That's slightly over 11% -- nowhere near a quarter of the time.

Dice Game is indeed correct; Cover Up is not.

What am I missing? Dice Game has nine characters (including the space), Cover Up and One Away have eight apiece (and ergo, have shorter titles than Dice Game).

Or am I being way too analytical?

Doug

Card Game would be the other, it seems. Or Spelling (Bee), because they use a bee instead of the word written out.