Author Topic: Ken Jennings VS. The Rest of the World (Read 10648 times)

weaklink75 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 27, 2005, 06:26:23 PM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 27 2005, 01:03 AM\']I see a glaring flaw in this concept. Let's see if y'all can think of what that flaw might be.

[snapback]92399[/snapback]

[/quote]

It seems like the final category is a little too heavily weighted points-wise. (18 possible in the 1st round w/ 6 players (5+Ken), 18 in the first part of the 2nd round w/ 4 players (3+Ken), 15 in the final category alone w/ 3 players).

And what kind of questions could you do other than $oTC-type ones so you can get 13 out in 60 seconds for the final round?

goongas · « **Reply #16 on:** July 27, 2005, 06:40:19 PM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 27 2005, 06:21 PM\']

Quote

I had the same concern as you, but he has to beat in five other players the first round, and during my mock game we beat him in enough.

How difficult was the material in your run-thru?

If the material is too difficult, you're going to have a hard time finding contestants who can stand up to Ken (and who haven't already been on Jeopardy!). If the material is not difficult enough, you might as well be playing The Joker's Wild.

[snapback]92448[/snapback]

[/quote]

I would say the material was difficult. The tryout test I took was difficult and was surprised I passed it. They will have to pick intelligent people for this show.

The categories are all over the map (pardon the pun), such as the human body, hip-hop music, sports, movie quotations rewritten (had to supply the quotation and the movie), Caribbean islands (IIRC), game shows, literature, and politicians. So even if Ken is strong in traditional categories, there will be some non-traditional categories that he will not do well in probably.

The bonus round questions were of the form, Churtle from Dr. Suess is what type of animal, or what spice is also the capital of French Guyana. I didn't make it through all of them in 60 seconds, but Ken, used to the format, did. The original format supposedly only had nine questions in the final round, but probably Ken went through them too quickly.

The day of my run-thru I did not find the host nor Ken to be particularly funny, although I was very nervous and focused on the task at hand. I don't think the format allows Ken to show his personality much, but perhaps he was having an off day. I did not think the format was anything special, and it felt like a ripoff of Win Ben Stein's Money.

tvwxman · « **Reply #17 on:** July 27, 2005, 06:53:34 PM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 27 2005, 05:21 PM\']

Quote

I had the same concern as you, but he has to beat in five other players the first round, and during my mock game we beat him in enough.

How difficult was the material in your run-thru?

If the material is too difficult, you're going to have a hard time finding contestants who can stand up to Ken (and who haven't already been on Jeopardy!). If the material is not difficult enough, you might as well be playing The Joker's Wild.

[snapback]92448[/snapback]

[/quote]

As the guy who was on stage for the run-thru, I can say the question level was similar to WBSM...same kitschy categories requiring a knowledge of all things smart and all things smartass.

The game itself isn't bad. Yes, it's close to WBSM, but it isn't. The concept is interesting : Ken has proven he can outlast contestants one on one, but can he outlast them five on one?

And, having played with the host in his first runthrough, and on stage, I can say he's coming along. They're trying to play up a comic host who idolizes Ken, and who isn't rooting for the contestants. I know traditionalists will have a problem with this on paper, but know that he's not mean-spirited against the contesti. And, as he warms up, he is improving as a host.

chris319 · « **Reply #18 on:** July 27, 2005, 07:33:01 PM »

Quote

the question level was similar to WBSM...same kitschy categories requiring a knowledge of all things smart and all things smartass.

So what do you need Ken for? If the material isn't all that challenging, it makes Ken's participation superfluous.

Quote

he is improving as a host

Dick Martin was a fine emcee until he stepped in front of the camera.

MSTieScott · « **Reply #19 on:** July 27, 2005, 07:37:01 PM »

[quote name=\'Sonic Whammy\' date=\'Jul 26 2005, 10:20 PM\']The final round now involves the "World Bank" and Ken's bank. Each of the banks are multiplied by $100.

[snapback]92366[/snapback]

[/quote]

Aside from not having to purchase and maintain 12 extra digits on the set (assuming the scores are not displayed on monitors), what is the point of waiting to multiply things at the end? Why not just make the questions worth 100 points and 200 points? Better yet, why not just make the questions worth $100 and $200? It sounds bigger.

--
Scott Robinson

clemon79 · « **Reply #20 on:** July 27, 2005, 07:38:16 PM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 27 2005, 04:33 PM\']So what do you need Ken for? If the material isn't all that challenging, it makes Ken's participation superfluous.
[/quote]
Three words, one repeated: Dance. Monkey. Dance.

tvwxman · « **Reply #21 on:** July 27, 2005, 08:02:33 PM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 27 2005, 06:33 PM\']

Quote

the question level was similar to WBSM...same kitschy categories requiring a knowledge of all things smart and all things smartass.

So what do you need Ken for? If the material isn't all that challenging, it makes Ken's participation superfluous.
[/quote]

Wait a sec, I didn't say it wasn't challenging....We challenged Ken on a lot of questions, and a few categories, he mopped the floor with us.

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 27 2005, 06:33 PM\']Dick Martin was a fine emcee until he stepped in front of the camera.

[snapback]92462[/snapback]

[/quote]

Well, you've got me there. My response : Davies wanted an unknown. He got one. Kimmel was an unknown years ago, and I thought he was perfect for WBSM. A least better than Pimental and his cousin. I'da sent my tape to him if I thought he was looking for a weatherman wannabe game show host. But, he wasn't.

tvwxman · « **Reply #22 on:** July 27, 2005, 08:08:22 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jul 27 2005, 06:38 PM\'][quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 27 2005, 04:33 PM\']So what do you need Ken for? If the material isn't all that challenging, it makes Ken's participation superfluous.
[/quote]
Three words, one repeated: Dance. Monkey. Dance.

[snapback]92464[/snapback]

[/quote]

Well...two words, one repeated, actually....

But I think you've made a good point here. Whatever research was done, Q score, Nielsen, whatever, on KenJen, it found that he was likeable enough to potentially carry a show. Is he necessary? Sure. Can a hardcore trivia show exist without him? Yep.

Listen, I know I'm defending the show a lot. Personally, I think there are a few flaws in the format. But i'll root for any new game show that doesn't involve eating live animals, shooting live animals, or sctupping live animals for money. For game show purists out there, it's a new show that has a shot at a prime time slot on a major cable network.

And I think that most of us agree that Michael Davies is one of the best game show guys to come down the pike in a LONG time. So I'm rooting for his success, on this one, "My Kind Of Town", and any other show that he's working on.... he told me about a few he has in the hopper. I was impressed.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #23 on:** July 27, 2005, 08:29:02 PM »

So Chris C., in your opinion, what's the glaring flaw? Finding questions challenging enough for Ken, but not baffling enough for contestants, or the fact that Ken is, in a way, not really needed? Or something one of us already guessed?

tvwxman · « **Reply #24 on:** July 30, 2005, 07:18:45 PM »

Question for those in the audience : Was there some sort of 'playbill' given out? What was in it? And, most importantly, does anyone have an extra copy? The few of us on stage didn't get one.

Thanks in advance.

DrJWJustice · « **Reply #25 on:** August 01, 2005, 12:51:38 AM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 27 2005, 06:33 PM\']Dick Martin was a fine emcee until he stepped in front of the camera.

[snapback]92462[/snapback]

[/quote]

(sniff!) You didn't like The Cheap Show ?!?!?

chris319 · « **Reply #26 on:** August 01, 2005, 11:21:37 AM »

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Jul 27 2005, 05:29 PM\']So Chris C., in your opinion, what's the glaring flaw? Finding questions challenging enough for Ken, but not baffling enough for contestants, or the fact that Ken is, in a way, not really needed? Or something one of us already guessed?

[snapback]92471[/snapback]

[/quote]
The paradox is this: If the material is challenging enough to test Ken, you're not going to find contestants who are able to compete with him. He will cream all of his opponents, just like the 147 opponents he creamed on Jeopardy! Every match will be lopsided in Ken's favor and the outcome predictable, just like it was on Jeopardy!

If you dumb down the material for the other contestants to the level of "Who killed Abe Lincoln?", what do you need Ken for? It might as well be The Joker's Wild.

Quote

a few categories, he mopped the floor with us.

Need I say more?

goongas · « **Reply #27 on:** August 01, 2005, 12:28:23 PM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Aug 1 2005, 11:21 AM\'][The paradox is this: If the material is challenging enough to test Ken, you're not going to find contestants who are able to compete with him. He will cream all of his opponents, just like the 147 opponents he creamed on Jeopardy! Every match will be lopsided in Ken's favor and the outcome predictable, just like it was on Jeopardy!

If you dumb down the material for the other contestants to the level of "Who killed Abe Lincoln?", what do you need Ken for? It might as well be The Joker's Wild.

Quote

a few categories, he mopped the floor with us.

Need I say more?

[snapback]92870[/snapback]

[/quote]

Chris' opinion is mostly correct. However, the questions in general are not to the level of who killed Abe Lincoln. He is going against five people, so chances are that one out of five people should know the answer to a question (if they cast people who are good at trivia which I imagine they would), so Ken isn't necessarily going to cream everyone on every question.

One problem with the format is that players get eliminated each round, eliminating the VS. the World or team concept and allowing Ken to be able to dominate more. Another problem I have is the first two rounds have no significance to the third round other than determining the amount of money to be played. If the team element was held throughout the game, it obviously would be harder for Ken to dominate. I wish the head to head matchup involved more of the team participating in it. But perhaps the point of the show is they want Ken to be beaten only rarely. If he was shown to be beaten often, then he is worthy of the job in the first place.

JasonA1 · « **Reply #28 on:** August 01, 2005, 12:53:20 PM »

I hate to toot my own horn and so on, but I made a post earlier in the thread that I believe showed one of the most glaring flaws in the show's basic format - maybe I read it wrong, but what kind of a show rewards the four losers on a mostly even plain with the "winner?"

-Jason

goongas · « **Reply #29 on:** August 01, 2005, 03:00:14 PM »

[quote name=\'JasonA1\' date=\'Aug 1 2005, 12:53 PM\']I hate to toot my own horn and so on, but I made a post earlier in the thread that I believe showed one of the most glaring flaws in the show's basic format - maybe I read it wrong, but what kind of a show rewards the four losers on a mostly even plain with the "winner?"

-Jason

[snapback]92880[/snapback]

[/quote]

The way a producer explained it to me, since the team is able to replace an incorrect answer with a correct answer, they are participating in the final. But I agree with you. Either let them play in the finale fully, or send them packing.