Author Topic: "Millionaire" is the Oscar's Final Answer (Read 2549 times)

JepMasta · « **on:** February 23, 2009, 09:40:45 AM »

Hey guys, well the Academy Awards were last night, and amid all the hoopla and revelry, my favorite moments of the night was watching "Slumdog Millionaire" take home eight statuettes including the coveted Best Picture. I am wondering something, Now that this film has been fawned over by critics and the academy, do you think this is what will push ABC over the edge to bring back Millionaire in Prime time?

Just curious

Thanks

Brian~

MSTieScott · « **Reply #1 on:** February 23, 2009, 02:01:23 PM »

I don't know... while Millionaire was certainly an integral part of the movie, I don't think it was glamorized to the point that would justify bringing it back to prime time on that merit alone.

Without spoiling anything, was anybody else surprised that Celador was willing to allow that one scene to be depicted, even if it was part of a fictional movie? There are a lot of television viewers who probably think that kind of thing is already plausible -- I wish the movie hadn't potentially planted the idea further in their heads.

Jay Temple · « **Reply #2 on:** February 23, 2009, 02:05:04 PM »

This was already discussed here.

\It's finally come to this. Now we're outsourcing the Oscars to India.

SRIV94 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 23, 2009, 05:37:21 PM »

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'208666\' date=\'Feb 23 2009, 01:05 PM\']
\It's finally come to this. Now we're outsourcing the Oscars to India.
[/quote]
Well, that would explain all the production numbers.

/Hooray for Bollywood. . .

TLEberle · « **Reply #4 on:** February 23, 2009, 11:49:33 PM »

[quote name=\'JepMasta\' post=\'208651\' date=\'Feb 23 2009, 06:40 AM\']Now that this film has been fawned over by critics and the academy, do you think this is what will push ABC over the edge to bring back Millionaire in Prime time?[/quote]Nope. If there was no such thing as a prime time game show, then yes, of course. But a million dollar game show isn't special anymore. The only way Millionaire comes back on ABC is as a plug-in for a sitcom bomb or the like.

Now, if I was in charge at that particular network, I'd add a sixteenth question worth some number of million dollars, and go back to the two weeks every three months or so way that it was done back in the good old days, when I wore an onion beside my fanny pack.

TLEberle · « **Reply #5 on:** February 23, 2009, 11:53:33 PM »

[quote name=\'MSTieScott\' post=\'208665\' date=\'Feb 23 2009, 11:01 AM\']Without spoiling anything, was anybody else surprised that Celador was willing to allow that one scene to be depicted, even if it was part of a fictional movie? There are a lot of television viewers who probably think that kind of thing is already plausible -- I wish the movie hadn't potentially planted the idea further in their heads.[/quote]Having just seen the film this Saturday, I'm not entirely sure what "that one scene" is. Can someone put it in a quote box to avoid teh spoilies?

alfonzos · « **Reply #6 on:** February 23, 2009, 11:56:28 PM »

Now that Slumdog Millionaire has won the best picture Oscar can the sequel Slumdog Newlywed Game be far behind?

inturnaround · « **Reply #7 on:** February 24, 2009, 01:00:01 AM »

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'208698\' date=\'Feb 23 2009, 11:53 PM\']
[quote name=\'MSTieScott\' post=\'208665\' date=\'Feb 23 2009, 11:01 AM\']Without spoiling anything, was anybody else surprised that Celador was willing to allow that one scene to be depicted, even if it was part of a fictional movie? There are a lot of television viewers who probably think that kind of thing is already plausible -- I wish the movie hadn't potentially planted the idea further in their heads.[/quote]Having just seen the film this Saturday, I'm not entirely sure what "that one scene" is. Can someone put it in a quote box to avoid teh spoilies?
[/quote]

SPOILER

Quote

[color=\"#FFFFFF\"]After he gets the question about cricket, Jamal is stumped. There's a commercial break and he goes to the bathroom. While in the stall, the host enters the bathroom. While washing up, Jamal admits to him that he doesn't know the answer. Kumar tells him that he has to go on because "it is written" that he become a rags to riches story like himself. Kumar exits the bathtoom and Jamal sees the letter "B" written on the mirror.

Then Jamal proceeds to use his 50/50, making the choice between B and D. Not trusting Kumar, he chooses D, the correct answer.[/color]

When Paul Smith and Celador sold the rights to WWTBAM to 2waytraffic, they specifically retained the rights to it as it pertained to this movie. That might help explain why it was allowed as Smith no longer has a financial stake in that show.

MrBuddwing · « **Reply #8 on:** February 24, 2009, 01:07:51 AM »

Oh, THAT scene. Well, they did take several liberties with the Millionaire format, which anyone remotely familiar with the show would be quick to pick up on.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #9 on:** February 24, 2009, 03:30:50 AM »

[quote name=\'MrBuddwing\' post=\'208702\' date=\'Feb 24 2009, 01:07 AM\']Oh, THAT scene. Well, they did take several liberties with the Millionaire format, which anyone remotely familiar with the show would be quick to pick up on.[/quote]
I think what people are saying is that taking liberties with the format is one thing, but depicting an out-and-out cheat, even one that helps the contestant, is something else. We're all smart enough to know it's fiction, but you gotta believe that somebody is watching Meredith's show now and wondering if the contestants are given the answers "you know, like in that movie."

MrBuddwing · « **Reply #10 on:** February 24, 2009, 07:24:50 AM »

SPOILER AHOY

[color=\"#CCFFFF\"]I should point out, this particular cheat wasn't meant to help Jamal - it was meant to trip him up.[/color]

Neumms · « **Reply #11 on:** February 24, 2009, 10:28:11 AM »

[quote name=\'alfonzos\' post=\'208699\' date=\'Feb 23 2009, 11:56 PM\']
Now that Slumdog Millionaire has won the best picture Oscar can the sequel Slumdog Newlywed Game be far behind?
[/quote]

Would they just run four episodes of the series?

Neumms · « **Reply #12 on:** February 24, 2009, 10:30:40 AM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'208705\' date=\'Feb 24 2009, 03:30 AM\']
We're all smart enough to know it's fiction, but you gotta believe that somebody is watching Meredith's show now and wondering if the contestants are given the answers "you know, like in that movie."
[/quote]

Of course, it happened all the time when Regis was hosting. Can't you just imagine him tossing a contestant to his pals on the NYPD?