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I'd like to conduct an unscientific survey among the members on the board, and it revolves around this:
When I had GSN, I would watch every episode of "Password Plus" that I could. When plain vanilla "Password" was on, I'd flip over to something else. I grew up with the Super version, but it's not even close to how great a final product P+ was. That said, my first exposure to the Password franchise was with the puzzles added on, and I didn't know that there was a previous format until years later.
I've tried to sit through a "Password," and I just can't. It seems to plod along compared with the late 70s/80s shows by comparison. There are probably more factors than just the pacing, but it's all I can put my finger on right now.
I'd like to know whether the young members of the board share my sentiments, or the 'seniors' look at it differently. Or maybe age isn't an issue. Either way, I'd like to know where you fall on the Password/Plus line, and your age (approximate if that's a sensitive thing for you)
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I used to watch PW/P+ when they were both on weekends, and I'd watch both of them. Though, as many here know, I'm partial to P+/SP. And 34.
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Even though I vaguely remember SP from childhood, I wasn't fully aware of the shows until P+, and was immediately attracted, esp. to Alphabetics. I later caught SP on GSN, and enjoyed the few eps. that I could catch.
I found original Password a bit dry, but it really grew on me. Now, I do try to catch it when it is on B&W Overnight. It's still pretty fun, seems like an intimate party setting.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 11:10 AM\']I used to watch PW/P+ when they were both on weekends, and I'd watch both of them. Though, as many here know, I'm partial to P+/SP. And 34.
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When transferring from VHS can you record P+ onto DVD-?
Randy
tvrandywest
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I've mentioned it here, at EZ Board, at a.t.-g.s. and I think even during drunken brawls at wedding receptions, but one more time...
My main problem with the P+/SP puzzle format is that someone thinking about the puzzle gets too big a break with the words. Example, if the three words in the puzzle are SCARECROW, WITCH and LION, and the clue you get for the next word is MAGICIAN, you're probably going to lean toward guessing WIZARD.
In addition, the puzzle limits the words you can use; look at a 60's Password and you'll see some words that are really, REALLY difficult to sum up in one-word or even two-word clues. It was more of a challenge, and that's why I liked it more.
My ideal password would be old-school Password (played starting at 6 points for the first guess, pass or play option and no opposites) played to 15 points for the win, followed by a five-word Lightning Round (30 seconds, not 60). At show's end, top winner gets to try for the big bucks on Super Passwords or Alphabetics or Betty White's Revenge or whatever you want to call it.
And don't include the Ca$hword; if it makes Betty White want to throw things, it probably isn't worth including in the show.
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[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 01:21 PM\']When transferring from VHS can you record P+ onto DVD-?
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Why not? He's done that with PDQ.
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I remember watching Password Plus in first run, and it's still one of my three favorite game shows overall (the others being the non-"definitions" Joker's Wild and Hollywood Squares). The NBC (now CBS) affiliate here didn't carry Super Password until the last few weeks of its run, so the only episodes I saw prior to GSN's launch were from a tape sent to me by a family friend in DC.
I still prefer P+ to SP, but more for reasons of nostalgia than anything tangible about the shows themselves. And I prefer both to the original Password, probably for the same reason -- though I'll watch all three.
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[quote name=\'DrBear\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 02:27 PM\'][quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 01:21 PM\']When transferring from VHS can you record P+ onto DVD-?
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Why not? He's done that with PDQ.
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Randy can transfer P+ and PDQ to DVD- because he's a VIP.
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I'm one of the young'ins in the group, so I've only seen all 3 versions on GSN. Password seemed like a bland game at first, but it's started to grow on me. With plus and super I'm not fond of the puzzles, but I do enjoy the Alphabetics rounds. I'd rather see a traditional password main game, with the Alphabetics for the bonus round.
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[quote name=\'dzinkin\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 11:29 AM\']Randy can transfer P+ and PDQ to DVD- because he's a VIP.
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Vast Improvement Preferred in my knowledge. Which format does my Dell DVD drive want to read? Which format does my Dell DVD burner want to burn? Which format can be viewed more reliably on home DVD players? DVD? E-I-E-I-O.
Randy
tvrandywest.com
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[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 02:21 PM\'][quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 11:10 AM\']I used to watch PW/P+ when they were both on weekends, and I'd watch both of them. Though, as many here know, I'm partial to P+/SP. And 34.
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When transferring from VHS can you record P+ onto DVD-?
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I can only think of several others here [myself included] that can get that joke.
As for me, I've sat through several eps. of the original Password. While it is a relative bore compared to P+, it does have its fun moments. Not to mention, the nostalgia value is a major reason why I've been able to watch whole eps.
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[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 02:21 PM\'][quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 11:10 AM\']I used to watch PW/P+ when they were both on weekends, and I'd watch both of them. Though, as many here know, I'm partial to P+/SP. And 34.
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When transferring from VHS can you record P+ onto DVD-?
Randy
tvrandywest
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I get it too. HAHAHA.
I'm 19, and seeing how I grew up with SP, and watched the other two, I have to say "draw" because each show has its pluses and minuses. I like Old School Password because of the simple format; P+ because of the Alphabetics, and SP because of the switching and Ca$hword.....so I'm mixed.
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Randy can transfer P+ and PDQ to DVD- because he's a VIP.
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Can he do it ASAP on the QT?
But seriously, there are elements of both shows I enjoyed. The speed of play of P+ was more satisfying than PW. I liked how the password would build to master password on P+. However, the mechanical Lightning Round device built into the desk on PW was more fun to watch than Alphabetics was on P+.
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[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 03:21 PM\'][quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 11:10 AM\']I used to watch PW/P+ when they were both on weekends, and I'd watch both of them. Though, as many here know, I'm partial to P+/SP. And 34.
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When transferring from VHS can you record P+ onto DVD-?
Randy
tvrandywest
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No, you can only record SP onto DVD- as long as the original VHS was recorded at SP speed. You need DVD+ to record P+.
(Aren't we geeks?)
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And now, the on topic reply, now that I'm done with my wiseacre reply to Mr. West....
I'm one of those on this board who remembers watching the original Password at 2 in the afternoon on CBS (as well as syndicated repeats), then migrated with the format to ABC. Every little addition to the game (like the betting word or the double points for a single clue) helped enhance the proceedings. I saw all the evolutions of the format, including the Password All-Stars.
But "Password Plus", when it hit in 1979, was perhaps the ultimate. A new way to play, and word puzzles to boot, and the Alphabetics put the old-style lightning round to shame. So perfect was this version of the game was that when NBC resurrected it yet again as "Super Password", very few changes were made to the game (maybe a scoring tweak).
So, I don't find the original "Password" at all boring, particularly in my new career as a crossword puzzle constructor, where I'm sometimes forced to find single-word clues for words. I keep thinking, "how would Peter Lawford have gotten this across?"
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Personally, my heart will always be in old school "Password," but after the initial "what is this?" reaction, I grew to respect the "Plus/Super" format--and if I were in charge of a revival, that's probably the format I'd use. It just plays better today than the original format.
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I'm 33. I barely remember P+ when it was on originally (though I did convince my grandfather to get me the home version at the time and have since seen some of it on GSN) and saw more of SP in its original run. I've only caught a couple episodes of the original series.
I like the fact that there's a payoff of sorts (in the form of the puzzle) in P+, but I will also agree with previous posters who say that this format (a) limited the choice of regular passwords and (b) sometimes made later passwords easier to guess. I like the more difficult passwords that were available in the original. (Playing home versions of both P and P+ has made me like the tougher words even more.) Alphabetics is somewhat more clever than the Lightning Round, but I can take either one.
I'll give P+ my vote because I find the puzzle format more satisfying than randomly selected words. However, if I were to revive it, I might try to do a round of classic Password as well as some puzzles, plus Alphabetics, to mix it up and make it more of an intellectual challenge.
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I'm 18, and I would go for Password before anything else. I just didn't like how the + or the Super affected the Password. The worst part to me was that Ludden really seemed to clam up, for fear of "blowing" the puzzle.
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[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 01:40 PM\']E-I-E-I-O.
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Which reminds me of a great Pat O'Brien line. O'Brien had CBS studio duty during one year of the NCAA basketball tourney, in which Eastern Illinois played Indiana in a first-round match-up. When throwing it over to the game shortly before tip-off, he said, "Coming up, Eastern Illinois and Indiana--hmm, it's the Old McDonald game." And said nothing more, leaving the subtle joke to the imagination.
While this has nothing to do with the subject at hand, a few people here probably liked that little anecdote.
And I preferred P+ to PASSWORD.
Doug
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[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 05:27 PM\']Which reminds me of a great Pat O'Brien line. O'Brien had CBS studio duty during one year of the NCAA basketball tourney, in which Eastern Illinois played Indiana in a first-round match-up. When throwing it over to the game shortly before tip-off, he said, "Coming up, Eastern Illinois and Indiana--hmm, it's the Old McDonald game." And said nothing more, leaving the subtle joke to the imagination.
While this has nothing to do with the subject at hand, a few people here probably liked that little anecdote.
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Don Howard, run!
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I liked Password best because the words were unrelated and the superior lightning round, All-Stars was fun to watch, too, but I grew to accept and embrace Password Plus and I can see why it has many fans.
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Being 30, my memories of P+ are hazy. Because WGAL (my affiliate at the time) didn't carry it due to "Noonday on 8" once the show moved to noon, I didn't see it as a kid. I actually remember being surprised when I saw a Washington Post TV section with it still listed on channel 4 in early 1982 (at 9:30 am, I think??).
Super Password was the first one I really remember. Both stations where I lived at the time (WNBC-4 NY, and WBRE-28 Scranton) carried it at noon, so I was able to see it. That's when I became familiar with the gameplay, and really enjoyed it.
When GSN came along I was finally able to see the original Password. I actually find the original concept (pre P+) boring, the original lightning round boring, and I prefer P+/SP gameplay where all the pw's connect to a puzzle. That's so fun to play along with, and my favorite. Not to mention the progressive jackpot that SP has. It's probably one of the few shows where I prefer the revivals over the original.
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As one of the geezers, I'm also torn between two of them. I like Password Plus because of the bright pace and the double play-along at home factor. Alphabetics was pretty good, too. True, it makes regular Password seem dull by comparison, but what I like about the old format is not unlike what I've come to appreciate about baseball - Password was all about guessing the words directly to win, as compared to guessing the puzzle in Plus. The cluegiver was kinda like a good pitcher - thinking how to get the best clue across the plate for his teammate to hit and score on. It's fun to watch the mental wheels turn in the cluegiver's mind as they make the decision as to which clue to give - wondering if the person across from them is on the same track. With unrelated words, you couldn't look up on the wall and anticipate the next password based on the puzzle clues. So I guess if you think baseball's too slow, original Password is a dinosaur. But I like the amplified agony of what clue to use for all the marbles in the original.
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I wasn't aware of just 'Password' until reading some of the game show books available at the time (Maxine Fabe, anyone?). Plus, with all those Plus signs all over the set and that puzzle, P+ was, as the youngins say, the shiznit. I have seen some old Passwords on GSN and it's a nice game, but P+ really took it to the next level; as opposed to All-Stars taking it down 3 levels in the wrong direction. Super Password to me wasn't anything special, just a pale version of P+ with a barren set.
Maybe it's a blessing in disguise that All-Stars was "lost"... hmm
Josh
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I'm a P+ man, myself at the age of 26.
And that's P+ over not only the original Password, but SP as well, for one reason: Allen Ludden. The P+/SP is one of the coolest game formats I've ever seen, and no one, but NO ONE does Password like Allen did. Don't get me wrong: original Password is fun with all the A-list celebrities and SP had the better overall format (including Cashword, thank you), but P+ is tops with me. Oh yeah, P+ had the pass/play option.
Okay, that's two reasons.
And yes, Randy, you can transfer the VHS recordings of P+ to DVD-, ASAP on the QT, because you're not only a V.I.P., but because you're O.G., too.
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It's only natural I have a soft spot for + (as opposed to - or +/-) since it was there to greet me home from preschool every day. Now that I've seen all the Passwords (except for ABC's), I have an appreciation for each of them.
The original: With the right players, it could be very exciting. It's nice to go back 40 years to see the very beginning of this phenomenon, and the evolution of the modern game show.
Plus: The puzzle-in-a-puzzle was a neat twist and the Alphabetics round was a nice change of pace. + was a nice bridge between the original and...
Super: The Ca$hword was kind of a frill. Bert Convy went more for laughs than Allen or Tom did, but I don't think that was a bad thing. A good update.
All in all, Plus is my grudging first among equals, mainly for sentimental reasons.
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Classic CBS version. No contest.
And it could still work today... but you need **real** stars, with brains and a little glamour about them.
Meryl Streep, for instance.
-Kevin
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Curt, 42, poli sci major!
As one of the few here who's seen all versions, there were none that I disliked. My original reaction to Password All-Stars was really positive (remember, I was 12 at the time, and since I first sampled that version the same week The Big Showdown and The Money Maze debuted I was probably in a happy daze the whole time), but my favorite version now is Password Plus. Better gameplay, better bonus round, and more exciting than its successor.
Oh, and to contribute to the other part of the thread, I bring you the lyrics Allan Sherman, father of Password Plus and Super PasswordRobert Sherman.
Harvey And Sheila
Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila,
Oh, the day they met.
Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila,
No one will forget.
Harvey's a CPA.
He works for IBM.
He went to MIT and got his PhD.
Sheila's a girl I know,
At B.B.D.& O.
She works the PBX,
And makes out the checks.
Then came one great day when
Harvey took the elevator,
Sheila got in two floors later,
Soon they both felt they were falling,
Everyone heard Sheila calling,
"Ring the bell,"
But they fell.
Harv and Sheila fell in love.
Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila,
Chose a wedding ring.
Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila,
Married in the spring.
She shopped at A & P.
He bought a used MG.
They sat and watched TV
On their RCA.
Borrowed from HFC,
Bought some AT&T,
And on election day, worked for JFK.
Then they went and got a
Charge-A-Plate from R.H. Macy,
Bought a layette, pink and lacy,
Then they had twin baby girls,
Both with dimples, both with curls,
One named Bea,
One named Kay,
Soon they joined the PTA.
Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila,
Moved to West LA.
Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila,
Flew TWA.
They bought a house one day,
Financed by FHA.
It had a swimming pool, full of H2O.
Traded their used MG
For a new XKE.
Switched to the GOP,
That's the way things go.
Oh that Harvey he was
Really smart, he used his noodle.
Sheila bought a white French poodle,
Went to Europe with a visa,
Henry's rich, they say that he's a
VIP!
This could be,
Only in the USA!
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[quote name=\'calliaume\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 10:15 PM\']Oh, and to contribute to the other part of the thread, I bring you the lyrics Allan Sherman, father of Password Plus and Super PasswordRobert Sherman.
Harvey And Sheila
Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila,
Oh, the day they met.
Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila, Harvey and Sheila,
No one will forget.
Harvey's a CPA.
He works for IBM. [. . .]
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Dammit, I got way too far into that before realizing "the other part of the thread" was the bit with initials. I was trying to sing it to (one of) the original Password theme(s).
"A cee! pee-ay . . . he works for aye-aye-bee-eh-emm . . ."
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[quote name=\'TwoInchQuad\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 09:29 PM\']And it could still work today... but you need **real** stars, with brains and a little glamour about them.
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An oxymoron if you ask me.
Can anyone picture Coolio playing Password?
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[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 11:17 PM\'][quote name=\'TwoInchQuad\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 09:29 PM\']And it could still work today... but you need **real** stars, with brains and a little glamour about them.
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An oxymoron if you ask me.
Can anyone picture Coolio playing Password?
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Until you have beaten Dick Clark at Pyramid, I think you are in no position at all to criticize Coolio's intellgence. I could absolutely see it. He's proven that when he does a game show, he makes an effort to be good at it.
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This is going to take this totally off topic -
My wife was downloading ringtones and found two by Allen Sherman - "Hello Muddah Hello Faddah" and ... "Harvey and Sheila."
So I sang her a few lines from the song...then flipped to the Big Board...
and there are the lyrics....
doDOOdoodoo doDOOdoodoo....
(on-topic - OK, Coolio would do well on Password...but I have trouble with Snoop Dog.
"The password is STEAK."
Shizzle....
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The first version I remember was the ABC version, which I'd watch most lunch times (and then switch over to "Celebrity Sweepstakes" at 12:30!) At that time, I didn't even know about the original CBS version. Either the reruns were never carried in my area, or I was just too young to remember them.
I remember when "Super Password" premiered, and after watching the debut couldn't figure out why they just didn't call it "Password Plus" again - because I couldn't see anything really different about it.
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Well to respond to this post, since I've seen the B&W/color Password, Password+, and Super Password. I side more with the Password + version because that was the first Password I actually saw until one day I watched the program that came on 30 minutes before hand (remember on Saturdays on GSN at 3:30)...well I thought the original version was boring, cuz it was guessing words all day long until you got 25 points. I'm not a points person, I'm a dollars kinda guy. Also one thing that bothered me was you could win an additional $250 more in the lightning round for a total of $500 for a game. Maybe it's just me but that's not rocking my boat...however though, $500 for guessing words back in that time period was good money and it could buy you some things, on the other hand, wasn't Cullen's Price is Right the big money show of the G-T stable?
Like some of you, the show did eventually grow on me. I look back and I see that Password had some A-list celebs...something that celebrity game shows will never ever see IMO anymore, that was a plus. But my favorite versions are the NBC editions. It's something about Password Plus and Super Password that I like but can't put my finger on it. Maybe it's the guessing the passwords which leads up to the Password Puzzle, which was the best thing that could have happened to Password, unlike this Password All-Stars format I keep hearing about, is what I like about the shows. It's like you finally get the word (provided you covered it up on your tv screen) and then you have to guess again to see how that word is linked to the other revealed/not revealed words for a person, place, or thing. I find it funny how in the 60s, you had to get all five passwords in 60 seconds at $50 a piece but in the late 70's you had to get double that at $100 a piece but win $5000 if you clear the board. What makes you go from 5 words to 10 words in 60 seconds? Were the people dumber back then, what gives? What I would like to see is the difficulty of words from the 60s played in the 70s/80s version for $5000+! Now that's working for you money.
On Super Password...there was nothing different about it except for the escalating Super Password round starting off at $5000+ and the Ca$hword round for $1000+ but for only one word (very difficult to convey) and only three clues. SP did bring back the switching partners element that the 60's version had. Other than the new set, new host, and MMS, that was the only "Super" thing about it. I'd call it super too, if I had the noon timeslot on NBC. But all versions (except for the PAS) is basically simple and fun to watch. I guess there's a market for people guessing words... Bob Stewart knew.
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[quote name=\'14gameshows\' date=\'Mar 8 2005, 12:30 PM\']SP did bring back the switching partners element that the 60's version had.
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To be fair, the "crossover" was reintroduced late in P+'s run (along with an increase in the amount of $$ needed to win).
Doug
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I prefer Super Password over P+. I recall watching some episodes of Super Password first run.
Then again, I like a lot of the 80's remakes (Eubanks CS over original, Classic Concentration over original, Combs Feud over Dawson) even though Super Password was a remake of a remake.
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[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Mar 8 2005, 01:42 PM\'][quote name=\'14gameshows\' date=\'Mar 8 2005, 12:30 PM\']SP did bring back the switching partners element that the 60's version had.
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To be fair, the "crossover" was reintroduced late in P+'s run (along with an increase in the amount of $$ needed to win).
Doug
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I knew late in the run that it took $500 to win the game but I never knew that the crossover took place in this run too. My apologies!
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The original is still the best--better stars, more challenging words. The P+ puzzles weren't up to the intelligence of the show, although they got better in Super Password.
SP, except for Ludden's absence, was better than P+. Cashword was a great addition, because it gave us at least one challenging word a show, the bonus was a greater challenge, and I still contend the P+ set was chintzy. And Bert wasn't bad at all.
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[quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Mar 8 2005, 11:57 AM\']and I still contend the P+ set was chintzy.
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You are higher than high if you are calling the P+ set "chintzy" over a Super Password set that chyroned it's words, possessed the cheesiest doors in the history of game shows, and played the endgame off of a friggin' TV SET.
The desk flew in. Ooh. Pinch me.
For my money, the ONLY thing that SP had going over P+ was the difficulty of the endgame...winning SP was ALWAYS harder than winning Alphabetics. The Cashword wasn't all that enthralling (and if you want "chintz", I direct you to THAT prop), and the set and theme pretty much blew.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Mar 8 2005, 02:57 PM\']
The Cashword wasn't all that enthralling (and if you want "chintz", I direct you to THAT prop)
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And if you want "chucked", I direct you to the last episode of the program. Priceless. :)
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Hate to disagree with some folks, but I found very little to enjoy about Super Password. One huge improvement to Password Plus over its predecessors was the faster gameplay, but Super Password made it a whole lot worse. The Cashword was a glorified waste of time and unnecessary waste of money, and Bert Convy slowed the pace to a near standstill. Also, I really didn't find him that funny. Not that this show needed a comedian for a host.
I agree about the slightly improved bonus round (not about it's presentation, though), and that's it.
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Way back when I had GSN, I was fascinated after watching a couple of weeks of Super Password to realize that they were averaging less than one complete game per show.
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Hard to say...
- The original Password had more challenging words, plus more A-list star power than later incarnations...however, I still can't figure out the rules to the Big Money ('75) Lightning Round for the life of me!
- P+ had the Password Puzzle and Alphabetics a better set and theme than SP, and both Ludden and Kennedy kept the game moving faster than Convy
- SP had the Cashword, which was a nice touch, as well as a better maingame scoring system than P+ and method of handling illegal endgame clues (reducing the jackpot by 1/5 its value? I can't get the word across, so let me just give a 2-word clue...it'll still be worth another $4K to my partner!)
However, for my money, P+ was the best...had the elements of SP, plus the final work of "Mr. Password" himself, Allen Ludden, who was still in top form even during those final weeks before his departure.
Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")
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Way back when I had GSN, I was fascinated after watching a couple of weeks of Super Password to realize that they were averaging less than one complete game per show.
That was also the case when P+ upped its winning score to $500 near the end of its run (which was introduced concurrently w/the mid-game contestant crossover and growing Alphabetics jackpot)...however, since they kept the same 100-100-200-200 scoring system, it really dragged things down, and there were more than a few eps where time ran out before they got to Alphabetics.
Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")
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[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Mar 8 2005, 02:27 PM\']SP had [...] a better maingame scoring system than P+
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Really? Having one completely-irrelevant puzzle leads to a better scoring system? You must've *loved* Body Language and Feud '99! :)
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Mar 8 2005, 02:57 PM\'][quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Mar 8 2005, 11:57 AM\']and I still contend the P+ set was chintzy.
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You are higher than high if you are calling the P+ set "chintzy" over a Super Password set that chyroned it's words, possessed the cheesiest doors in the history of game shows, and played the endgame off of a friggin' TV SET.
The desk flew in. Ooh. Pinch me.
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The red, yellow and blue neon? The awful "checkerboard square" puzzleboard? The cheezy logo? The desk covered in shag carpeting? The stairs with absolutely no function or visual interest? The flat, too-white area for the main game? Yeah, I'll call it chintzy. And garish and seedy and third rate and ten years behind the times the day it premiered. Geez, the set from "Go" looks better, and that was a Bob Stewart show.
I wouldn't call Super Password a hallmark of design, either, but the chyron was an improvement.
But, yeah, I have to concede your point on the doors.
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[quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Mar 8 2005, 04:36 PM\']The red, yellow and blue neon? The awful "checkerboard square" puzzleboard? The cheezy logo? The desk covered in shag carpeting? The stairs with absolutely no function or visual interest? The flat, too-white area for the main game? Yeah, I'll call it chintzy. And garish and seedy and third rate and ten years behind the times the day it premiered. Geez, the set from "Go" looks better, and that was a Bob Stewart show.
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We're clearly going to have to agree to disagree, because every word in this paragraph indicates to me that you are living in a 150% different reality than I am.
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29 years old here.
My first memory of Password was Password Plus (before I started attending school). I was too young to remember anything Allen had said about previous versions, so I didn't even know that there were previous incarnations until Bert Convy mentioned it on the first few episodes of Super Password. When I finally got GSN in May of 1997, I saw the original Password for the first time, and although the format was different in some ways from Plus and Super, I actually enjoyed it. I actually thought The Lightning Round was a neat bonus round, and was convinced that Password could work with either format. Whenever I can, I do catch the reruns of Password to this day.
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I can't say I liked One version of Password over the others, but one thing I never understood, In the Lightning Round of the original Password, It seems to me that if a contestant had trouble with a word early on, why didnt they allow him/her to go back to the word if there was time left on the clock. It seemed to potententially cheat them out of $50 or more IMO..
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[quote name=\'Tim L\' date=\'Mar 8 2005, 10:28 PM\']I can't say I liked One version of Password over the others, but one thing I never understood, In the Lightning Round of the original Password, It seems to me that if a contestant had trouble with a word early on, why didnt they allow him/her to go back to the word if there was time left on the clock. It seemed to potententially cheat them out of $50 or more IMO..[/quote]
Yes, if only the Lightning Round were easier . . . =P
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That was also the case when P+ upped its winning score to $500 near the end of its run (which was introduced concurrently w/the mid-game contestant crossover and growing Alphabetics jackpot)...however, since they kept the same 100-100-200-200 scoring system, it really dragged things down, and there were more than a few eps where time ran out before they got to Alphabetics.
I watched "Password Plus" as frequently as I could when it was originallyon, and it blew me away when GSN ran an episode with that $500 format. I just didn't recall that from original airings. I guess they must have wanted to make changes to spice things up a bit, but I wonder how close to the end of the run the changes were actually made. Since GSN has aired so few of the Kennedy shows, it's really hard to pin down exactly when the changes occured; that's another reason why "Super Password" was a lot closer to "Password Plus" than I originally thought!
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[quote name=\'TLEberle\' date=\'Mar 7 2005, 02:06 PM\']I'd like to know whether the young members of the board share my sentiments, or the 'seniors' look at it differently. Or maybe age isn't an issue. Either way, I'd like to know where you fall on the Password/Plus line, and your age (approximate if that's a sensitive thing for you)
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I also grew up with SP (I'm 30) and until I got GSN, it was the ONLY version of Password I'd ever seen. I loved SP...until I saw P+. While I don't care for the 'reduce jackpot' rule in Alphabetics, everything else is far superior to SP. The scoring system (time for more end games-the front game gets tedious when you're playing to 500 IMO), the play/pass option (why didn't SP keep this?), the no opposites rule...just about everything. Convy was a fine host and the format wasn't horrible, but it just could have been better.
Having said that, the original Password was a bit of a novelty for me. When I first got GSN, I was very interested in watching all these old shows I'd never seen before just because I love game shows and it was all new to me. B&W Password was the first show I ever saw on GSN. I didn't even know I had the channel...I just found it surfing one day.
The novelty did wear off after awhile though and I did find the original a bit bland for my tastes, but I'd still watch now and then to see some old A-List stars do something they don't do now...play game shows. Given a choice, I'd pick P+ over any of the versions I've seen.
ITSBRY
itsbry@juno.com
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the original P+ scoring system and the SP scoring system basically allow for the same number of games? That is, the first game is a throwaway warm-up game, then the winner of the match is whoever wins two of the next three games.
How was each game scored on P+ when the target was raised to 500?
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[quote name=\'SplitSecond\' date=\'Mar 9 2005, 01:51 PM\']How was each game scored on P+ when the target was raised to 500?
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I'm pretty sure it was first two games worth $100 and third game and beyond worth $200, so it could've taken five or even six games to get someone to $500.
Doug
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First three games were worth $100, then all games after were worth $200. So you could conceivably play up to 6 puzzles to determine a winnner.
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[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Mar 9 2005, 02:42 PM\']First three games were worth $100, then all games after were worth $200. So you could conceivably play up to 6 puzzles to determine a winnner.
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I meant that. Sorry. :)
Doug
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In their constant attempts to impress Mr. G that they were doing something different, some G-T scoring systems got a little convoluted. Personally, I would've just stuck with the basic two-out-of-three puzzles for "Plus/Super." If you were in a no-straddle situation (like bicycling syndication), then play each show to time with the first two puzzles worth one amount and the third and thereafter a higher amount--if time runs out in the middle of a puzzle, show the remaining words one at a time and have lockouts for the contestants. Game ends in a tie, do the same thing as a tiebreaker.
And I'm sure Goodson would immediately state that I hadn't thought this through...
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Really? Having one completely-irrelevant puzzle leads to a better scoring system? You must've *loved* Body Language and Feud '99! :)
Oh yeah...forgot about that extraneous $100 puzzle, LOL.
Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")
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I'm 22 Years Old
My first memory of Password was Bert's Version, I agree with some of the other posts that sometimes Bert sort of slowed down the show with some of his banter, but imagine if he had been hastily rushing the contestants as he did in WLOD.
In regards to the previous versions:
When I finally was able to see the CBS Passwords, it felt like there was more of an intellectual feel to it (aside from the fact that opposites were used). That was what drew me to the original more than SP.
Password Plus was also great in it's own way of course it was because of a few reasons. It was Allen's last show and because of Alphabetics, which was far superior to the CBS Lightning Round. Of course from what little I have seen from the post All-Stars ABC format, that triple-tiered bonus round was great as well although Allen had to be exceptionally quick with addition and multiplication to be able to give the exact total for winnings.
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[quote name=\'edholland83\' date=\'Mar 10 2005, 02:45 PM\']although Allen had to be exceptionally quick with addition and multiplication to be able to give the exact total for winnings.
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Just a hunch: I'm suspecting there was a stagehand offstage who was exceptionally quick with addition and multiplication. Not to say he COULDN'T do the math, and maybe he did, but he was dealing with other show-hosting-type things at the time, and someone off-camera woule be in better position to do the math.
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Didn't anyone like the qualifying game of PAS/75? I thought it was a neat innovation.
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[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Mar 10 2005, 05:25 PM\']Didn't anyone like the qualifying game of PAS/75? I thought it was a neat innovation.
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My only problem with it was that you were off the show if you didn't qualify. It should have been at least 2 losses. Plus I'm surprised no one ever injured themselves on the arrow.
--Mike
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[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Mar 9 2005, 08:21 PM\']
Really? Having one completely-irrelevant puzzle leads to a better scoring system? You must've *loved* Body Language and Feud '99! :)
Oh yeah...forgot about that extraneous $100 puzzle, LOL.
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Which? Both $100 puzzles were unnecessary.
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[quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Mar 11 2005, 12:23 AM\']Which? Both $100 puzzles were unnecessary.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but the scoring was $100-$100-$200....
Round 1: $100-$0
Round 2: $100-$100
Round 3: $100-$300 [Player 2 Wins]
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[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Mar 11 2005, 11:01 AM\'][quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Mar 11 2005, 12:23 AM\']Which? Both $100 puzzles were unnecessary.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but the scoring was $100-$100-$200....
Round 1: $100-$0
Round 2: $100-$100
Round 3: $100-$300 [Player 2 Wins]
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That was the scoring system on Password Plus with the $300 to win rule. The Body Language rule to which Don Howard refers is $100-$100-$250-$250-$250(playoff puzzle if no one had won after fourth pantomime/puzzle was played) with $500 needed for a win. The first two puzzles didn't really have an effect on the outcome of the game.
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They didn't have an effect on the outcome any more than giving away $200, but they did do the following:
Ensure that four puzzles would be played each show, and the fifth was a throwaway. Even if you won the first three puzzles, it wasn't over.
Make sure that the show would wrap with a bonus round each time.
Give both teams one chance to get the hang of the game before the important rounds were played.
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Could something had been done involving points on P+ or SP? For example, the sooner you got the puzzle, the more points, or maybe points could be banked for each word guessed and if you solved the puzzle, your team would get the points you banked, etc.
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[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Mar 11 2005, 12:29 PM\']Could something had been done involving points on P+ or SP? For example, the sooner you got the puzzle, the more points, or maybe points could be banked for each word guessed and if you solved the puzzle, your team would get the points you banked, etc.
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Chris C. stated that a system like this was considered for the P+ scoring system, no?
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Maybe you should let Chris confirm or deny that, then, instead of blindly speaking for him when you clearly don't know either way. For anyone else, this would be common sense, but obviously, this is a special case.
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As best I recall from 26 years ago, each password started off with a value of $100. $10 were deducted for each clue after the first. When a password was solved the money went into a bank. When a puzzle was solved the team who solved it received the money in the bank. The first team to reach or surpass a specified amount won the match.
Let's say the goal was $200. In the best case, one team would get all the passwords and solve the puzzles on the first clue. The match would be over after two puzzles. In the worst case, each team would use six clues to solve each password and $50 would go into the bank for each password solved. After five clues the puzzle would be solved and the match would be over. This introduced a great deal of variability into the timing of each match as well as making the puzzle more valuable as it got easier (more clues revealed).
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In their constant attempts to impress Mr. G that they were doing something different, some G-T scoring systems got a little convoluted.
Goodson was just as happy with a flat scoring system. G-T producers were concocting elaborate scoring systems to impress themselves more than anybody.
Raising the dollar goal on P+ meant more main games and fewer end games, resulting in a smaller prize budget.