The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: alfonzos on August 15, 2014, 07:57:00 PM
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/15/millionaire-15-years_n_5673088.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/15/millionaire-15-years_n_5673088.html)
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The first comment contains a giant understatement.
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Happy fifteenth, Millionaire.
Now how many former contestants do we actually have within our midsts? Off the top of my head I come up with seven.
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Regis Philbin said "Is that your final answer?" for the first time, as ABC premiered Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.
After WWTBAM crashed and burned in primetime (Many of us have their reasons why), someone said the show would have had a 15-year run on the network if ABC hadn't screwed it up. However, the show enters its 13th syndicated season with this fall with Terry Crews as the new host.
Brian
(Merged with existing thread. -- RS)
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Just read the entry about it in Adam's book. I'm sad that I was too young to really enjoy the show when it was first on; it sounds like it was EVERYWHERE.
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The frigging lead topic and you had to create a separate thread?
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Remember who you're dealing with. For a long time the concept of copying and pasting was foreign to him.
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That's our Henke!
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it sounds like it was EVERYWHERE.
It was. That was part of the problem.
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Just read the entry about it in Adam's book. I'm sad that I was too young to really enjoy the show when it was first on; it sounds like it was EVERYWHERE.
You would be right, but I don't think anyone expected it to become the overnight sensation that it did (almost literally). But yes, I remember a ton of Millionaire parodies and "Final answer?" becoming an immediate catchphrase in the fall of '99. That and "I need a lifeline" becoming popular jargon for when you're facing a conundrum.
When the show became a regular series in January 2000, Regis did a pre-recorded intro stating how the show took everyone by surprise in the ratings. By spring 2000, there were PC and board games, (I believe) a trivia book based on the show, a behind-the-scenes special that aired on ABC, and even a book written by Regis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Wants_to_Be_Me%3F)! Now that I think about it, I'm surprised the show didn't burnout even quicker. The show was hot in the ratings (#1 in 2000, #2 in '01), but yet, ABC still felt the constant celebrity specials were the answer.
Don't even get me started on damn near every game show having darker sets and rave lighting nowadays. :-P
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Just read the entry about it in Adam's book. I'm sad that I was too young to really enjoy the show when it was first on; it sounds like it was EVERYWHERE.
When the show became a regular series in January 2000, Regis did a pre-recorded intro stating how the show took everyone by surprise in the ratings. By spring 2000, there were PC and board games, (I believe) a trivia book based on the show, a behind-the-scenes special that aired on ABC, and even a book written by Regis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Wants_to_Be_Me%3F)! Now that I think about it, I'm surprised the show didn't burnout even quicker. The show was hot in the ratings (#1 in 2000, #2 in '01), but yet, ABC still felt the constant celebrity specials were the answer.
Don't even get me started on damn near every game show having darker sets and rave lighting nowadays. :-P
I know that we rag on the addition of celebrities and/or celebrity specials often (and for good reason), but has there ever been a show that has benefited from that move? I can't think of any off of the top of my head.
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Don't even get me started on damn near every game show having darker sets and rave lighting nowadays. :-P
How could you forget the brushed aluminum? :-p
Hell, even the Osmond Pyramid gave us a post-apocalyptic brushed aluminum set, :-(
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Don't even get me started on damn near every game show having darker sets and rave lighting nowadays. :-P
And that's actually a question I've been pondering for a little while now. Was WWTBAM really a good thing to happen to game shows in the long run? It seems like virtually every game show since has been a carbon-copy of its more notorious aspects, to the point where they're just plain annoying: contestants playing against the house, menacing atmosphere, drawn-out "suspenseful" reveals, a money ladder with "helps," and the idea that every game show now has to be this big, dramatic life-changing "event" rather than just a fun game that's easy to play along with at home.
Actually, now that I think of it, maybe it was the one-two combo of WWTBAM followed by DoND a few years later. Millionaire at least required skill and trivia knowledge to compete; Deal removed even that from the equation.
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I think Millionaire more or less inspired the money trees on shows, but there was still more of a competitive element with the other shows that premiered that season (Greed, 21, Winning Lines, et al). I agree that the other annoying elements (one vs. the house, pregnant pauses, loud family members) were more from D/ND. I actually liked Millionaire's "relationship chair"...it added a nice personal element to the show, esp. when a big winner would celebrate with family.
And honestly, even though they seemed a little formulaic at the time, I actually really enjoyed the shows from 1999-2000, although it seems they all went out of their way to one-up each other in setting the highest winnings record. I think 21 and Greed broke a record within the same week.
The D/ND-esque shows from 2005-c. 2008 (esp. Ende-maul's lot) damn near turned me off from the genre.
/And yeah, I did forget the aluminum girders all over the damn place :-P
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So since we're not merging topics, I'll ask again. How many Millionaire contestants are in our midsts? I count at least seven.
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1. Who's your list? Off the top of my head, I only know of you, Chad and Christian, but I'm either not good with names or drawing a massive brain fart. I know there's people who were active on ATGS but might not be registered here (Jason Block, Leszek P. come to mind).
2. Does this count Faster Finger participants?
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And that's actually a question I've been pondering for a little while now. Was WWTBAM really a good thing to happen to game shows in the long run?
What was the game show landscape in 1998?
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1. Who's your list? Off the top of my head, I only know of you, Chad and Christian, but I'm either not good with names or drawing a massive brain fart. I know there's people who were active on ATGS but might not be registered here (Jason Block, Leszek P. come to mind).
2. Does this count Faster Finger participants?
I'll answer 2 first...I'll say no, but will ask that separately.
Leszek was registered as far as I knew. I wasn't aware he was on other than as a phone a friend (I know Dan Avila used him, largely cuz I wrote the recap for his second episode).
But my list,.other than me and Messrs. Carrion and Mosher, includes Brandon Brooks, Dr. Tim Hsieh, Ed Toutant, and Ogi Ogas. And since I omitted Tom O'Brien and Dave Mackey that's nine. (How do I know? Brandon and Tim offered insight when I was on last year and Tom and Ed answered questions I posed of them regarding appearances. I watched Dave's ep and remember it well and Ogi I know I've seen pop in at least once.)
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And that's actually a question I've been pondering for a little while now. Was WWTBAM really a good thing to happen to game shows in the long run?
What was the game show landscape in 1998?
To which you can counter what besides Millionaire had a sustained run since 1999, sustained being at least three years? Few and far between.
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1. Who's your list? Off the top of my head, I only know of you, Chad and Christian, but I'm either not good with names or drawing a massive brain fart. I know there's people who were active on ATGS but might not be registered here (Jason Block, Leszek P. come to mind).
2. Does this count Faster Finger participants?
I'll answer 2 first...I'll say no, but will ask that separately.
Leszek was registered as far as I knew. I wasn't aware he was on other than as a phone a friend (I know Dan Avila used him, largely cuz I wrote the recap for his second episode).
But my list,.other than me and Messrs. Carrion and Mosher, includes Brandon Brooks, Dr. Tim Hsieh, Ed Toutant, and Ogi Ogas. And since I omitted Tom O'Brien and Dave Mackey that's nine. (How do I know? Brandon and Tim offered insight when I was on last year and Tom and Ed answered questions I posed of them regarding appearances. I watched Dave's ep and remember it well and Ogi I know I've seen pop in at least once.)
Forgot about Dave and Ogi!
What was the game show landscape in 1998?
You had quite a few in syndication and cable, plus TPiR, although Lifetime and Family Channel canceled their shows that summer. The genre looked better than it had a few years prior, but, I'd say games were still seen as a throwaway until Millionaire turned things on its ear.
In terms of the number of shows, I think fall 1998 was pretty even with 2014. I'd have to do a list sometime.
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Okay, so part two then...who got there, but didn't get past fastest finger? Other than you-know-who.
And if I omitted any other Millionaire players from the GSF feel free to fill the gaps in if you are aware. :)
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Okay, so part two then...who got there, but didn't get past fastest finger? Other than you-know-who.
*raises hand*
Not my proudest moment at the time, but it was in retrospect a blast. Wrote about it for the BMI workshop newsletter: http://www.bmi.com/brochures/theatre/newsletter0101.pdf (http://www.bmi.com/brochures/theatre/newsletter0101.pdf).
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Reading about the phenomenon that was The $64,000 Question and how large it was made me want to be apart of something like that. It's nice to know that I ended up being apart of something like that. What memories. This was an event for my family. It was so much fun. It was great.
Don't even get me started on damn near every game show having darker sets and rave lighting nowadays. :-P
And that's actually a question I've been pondering for a little while now. Was WWTBAM really a good thing to happen to game shows in the long run?
While certain aspects have certainly worn thin over the years, in terms of propelling them back into popularity it definitely was a good thing. Some of the primetime offerings following Millionaire weren't the greatest, but it was fun seeing them crop up so frequently. It certainly gave the community plenty to talk about.
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Reading about the phenomenon that was The $64,000 Question and how large it was made me want to be apart of something like that. It's nice to know that I ended up being apart of something like that. What memories. This was an event for my family. It was so much fun. It was great.
When?
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Side question: What would be considered the "low point" in the number of game shows in that decade?
My guess would be 1996. I just can't seem to remember anything else besides WOF, J! and TPIR.
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I'd go a year earlier to '95. That was the year you had those three and a very small handful of other shows.
I've always considered '96 to be a bit of a comeback year, with several cable shows premiering (Debt, Family Channel's afternoon block that included The New Shop Til You Drop and Shopping Spree among others), and a few more in syndication. Granted, while the syndicated stuff was mostly relationship games, it also included revivals of Dating and Newlywed. From that point on, you had more new shows premiering each year, but still nothing significant until '99.
Then again, those aforementioned shows mostly entered in the second half of the year (I think Debt debuted in June), so yeah '96 was kinda rough too. A lot of daytime talk shows in 1995-96...ugh.
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Reading about the phenomenon that was The $64,000 Question and how large it was made me want to be apart of something like that. It's nice to know that I ended up being apart of something like that. What memories. This was an event for my family. It was so much fun. It was great.
When?
I didn't mean being on the actual show. I meant being apart of the viewing audience. Apart of the people who were excited to watch the show each day. It's not often you see a series get that kind of sustained attention. I was too young to recognize it when ER was on, so I didn't really know it until Millionaire premiered.
I was far too young to appear on the original series unfortunately.
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Reading about the phenomenon that was The $64,000 Question and how large it was made me want to be apart of something like that. It's nice to know that I ended up being apart of something like that. What memories. This was an event for my family. It was so much fun. It was great.
When?
I didn't mean being on the actual show. I meant being apart of the viewing audience. Apart of the people who were excited to watch the show each day. It's not often you see a series get that kind of sustained attention. I was too young to recognize it when ER was on, so I didn't really know it until Millionaire premiered.
I was far too young to appear on the original series unfortunately.
But you're not now. :)
I will say this much, the people really get into it even to this day. I noticed this as soon as I came into the studio- I don't know how much prompting they got but as soon as I came out they stood up and gave me a big round of applause. They did it again after I got the big money question right and I got em riled up again on the question I got wrong (you guys didn't see it, but it happened).
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While certain aspects have certainly worn thin over the years,
The problem with the pregnant pause is not that it happens, it's that most hosts are so bad at it, and they telegraph that one is coming. The more I watch old episodes the more I vacillate between Regis being really good at what he does and being unqualified to carry Chris Tarrant's jock strap.
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Something to think about:
With the diffusion of the viewing audience since Millionaire was on, considering the larger prevalence of cable and Internet platforms, is it likely that there will ever be another game show that would be as popular and as far-reaching of a cultural phenomenon as Millionaire and $64,000 Question were?
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Something to think about:
With the diffusion of the viewing audience since Millionaire was on, considering the larger prevalence of cable and Internet platforms, is it likely that there will ever be another game show that would be as popular and as far-reaching of a cultural phenomenon as Millionaire and $64,000 Question were?
Likely is one of those words like always or never. You're right, the balkanization means that we probably won't get to levels of $64k where four out of five people are watching the same thing, but I think that every decade or so there will be the Next Big Deal that grabs the public consciousness. (Even Deal/No Deal was a Big Deal for two years.)
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Something to think about:
With the diffusion of the viewing audience since Millionaire was on, considering the larger prevalence of cable and Internet platforms, is it likely that there will ever be another game show that would be as popular and as far-reaching of a cultural phenomenon as Millionaire and $64,000 Question were?
Likely is one of those words like always or never. You're right, the balkanization means that we probably won't get to levels of $64k where four out of five people are watching the same thing, but I think that every decade or so there will be the Next Big Deal that grabs the public consciousness. (Even Deal/No Deal was a Big Deal for two years.)
Agreed. Something will take off and spawn a few imitators...the genre works in circles. Much as I hate to admit it, I'd possibly argue that Feud has become that show, with Steve Harvey boosting popularity.
/And the damn penis jokes
//Would love to see another (competently produced) show take Feud's place
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(Even Deal/No Deal was a Big Deal for two years.)
And yet "Big Deal" was a ZONK...how ironic...:)
JakeT
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And yet "Big Deal" was a ZONK...how ironic...:)
Is it really?
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And yet "Big Deal" was a ZONK...how ironic...:)
Is it really?
Don't you think?
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No, Big Deal! was a ZONK! [his words, not mine] because it was a dog of an idea.
/hating fun continuously since 1993.
//obvious reference is obvious
Actual question: there was that period when every question was timed and the first plateau was $5,000; did anyone ever stop with between $500 and $3,000?
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Actual question: there was that period when every question was timed and the first plateau was $5,000; did anyone ever stop with between $500 and $3,000?
Yes. One person tried to use Ask The Expert, which he didn't have yet, got flustered and lost his time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qww2FP5e0Tg
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Right, he was knocked out of the game (I remember using that as one reason why the clock was such a dreadful idea in the first place), but did anyone say "I don't know and I'm out of lifelines so I'll quit" like that gal from the Walk In and Win week who stood pat on $300?
I also remember when the shuffle format came up, thinking "hey, the clock is gone, so that's nice," which is five years ago now.
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Right, he was knocked out of the game (I remember using that as one reason why the clock was such a dreadful idea in the first place), but did anyone say "I don't know and I'm out of lifelines so I'll quit" like that gal from the Walk In and Win week who stood pat on $300?
Not that I remember seeing. Then again, I've never seen the $300 walker either (though I've heard about it). Kind of surprised that never made it to YouTube.
I also remember when the shuffle format came up, thinking "hey, the clock is gone, so that's nice," which is five years ago now.
Four years ago. September 2010.
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I also remember when the shuffle format came up, thinking "hey, the clock is gone, so that's nice," which is five years ago now.
Four years ago. September 2010.
And they said it wouldn't last!
/No, really...they did
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I also remember when the shuffle format came up, thinking "hey, the clock is gone, so that's nice," which is five years ago now.
Four years ago. September 2010.
And they said it wouldn't last!
/No, really...they did
And thanks to the shuffle format, we have an off-topic forum. :)
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And thanks to the shuffle format, we have an off-topic forum. :)
And for your services to our merry group, you shall forever more be known as...
Rando-Quiz.
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Speaking as an ex-contestant and phone-a-friend lifeline, what made WWTBAM unique was that it was one of the first shows I can remember where, as long as you were at least 18 and met all eligibility requirements, you could audition for the show from the comfort of your own home via telephone.
I've been a fan of game show for as long as I can remember but, until WWTBAM, I couldn't audition for anything because pretty much every show required you to go to Los Angeles and meet with contestant coordinators, producers, etc. Every once in a while, a show would travel across the country (J!, WOF, TJW/TTD), but you had to hope they were near your hometown. And just because they were didn't mean you would get a looksee. I auditioned for the J! College Tournament in NYC in 1992, and I remember having to write a letter to the show to request an audition, then wait to see if I'd get a response in the mail.
WWTBAM changed the game -- just call the 900 (later 800) number, answer a few Fastest Finger questions and see if you make the next round of phone auditions. If you do, play another round of FFs and wait to see if you get "the call". I probably played the phone game at least 80 times before finally getting through and winning a spot in the "Ring of Fire."
As far as I know, just about every show that wasn't WWTBAM required its contestants to pay their own way to audition or play. Nighttime WWTBAM took care of everything for you -- flight, hotel, meal money, ride to and from the airport, etc. How refreshing it was to not worry about planning a trip on your own, although asking work for a few days off was another story :)
The show, IMO, also changed the way the major TV networks programmed during the summer. When I was a child, the only shows on the "Big 3/4" networks on the summer were reruns, busted pilots and more reruns. ABC premiered WWTBAM in August 1999 and showed that audiences could flock to TV during the summer. The next summer, CBS unveiled "Survivor". FOX would launch "American Idol" during the summer, and ABC would do the same with "Dancing with the Stars." Each and every time, critics expressed huge doubts that these shows would garner a strong, consistent audience. Each and every time, they were proven wrong.
JD