A Brit's take on Jeopardy and Wheel

[Brig Bother]

[quote name=\'Brandon Brooks\' date=\'Jul 20 2004, 04:53 PM\']
I can think of two good examples right of the bat in Hollywood Squares and The Price is Right.  We like to clap and holler.
 [/quote]
 Never seen Hollywood Squares properly.

It doesn't bother me on TPIR, possibly because it's kind of expected and our version was the same. It's celebration in gameshow form really.

I have no problem with clapping and hollering, but I can't see why the Wheel is that exciting.

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Jul 20 2004, 12:56 PM\'] So overall, I don't like Aussie Wheel, rules are too confusing, and the scoring rules are terrible. [/quote]
You say the rules are confusing, but then you sound as though you understand them.  Exactly what do you find confusing about the rules?

It sounds as though you don't like the rules simply because they're different from the rules for the US version.

[Brig Bother]

Re: Aussie Wheel

For all of its faults, I like its feel as a show.

The idiosynchrocies are annoying, and the wheel seems to spin forever, but it plays an OK game and the hosts have a chemistry. And I like the bonus wheel at the end (which predates the US one, does it not?)

I haven't seen the modern relaunched version yet.

[adamjk]

You say the rules are confusing, but then you sound as though you understand them. Exactly what do you find confusing about the rules?

Well, okay the rules aren't that confusing, except for the bonus round, and how many letters the contestant gets is.

The idiosynchrocies are annoying, and the wheel seems to spin forever, but it plays an OK game and the hosts have a chemistry. And I like the bonus wheel at the end (which predates the US one, does it not?)

It does, except for the fact that the prizes are not covered like here. Speaking of that wheel, is there amounts of cash on it?

[Brig Bother]

[quote name=\'dzinkin\' date=\'Jul 20 2004, 05:04 PM\']
It sounds as though you don't like the rules simply because they're different from the rules for the US version. [/quote]
 In fairness, I felt a bit short changed when I realised they were only scoring once per call out rather than once per appearence. You get used to it though.

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Jul 20 2004, 01:09 PM\'] Well, okay the rules aren't that confusing, except for the bonus round, and how many letters the contestant gets is. [/quote]
 The rules aren't that hard to follow -- the longer you've been on without winning a major prize, the more help you get to win that prize.  Dream House did it by taking away numbers from the choices to open the golden doors, while Hollywood Squares took away more "losing" keys for each win.  Here, Wheel gives help in the form of extra letters.

[adamjk]

For the record, H2 didn't take away keys for contestants this season who got to the bonus game more then once. Ok, maybe it isn't that confusing, but I just don't really care for the rule. It's probably because, I am used to the rstlne free and then 4 consonants and a vowel rule. So I suppose for the most part you are right, I don't like the rules because I am not used to them.

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Jul 20 2004, 01:18 PM\'] For the record, H2 didn't take away keys for contestants this season who got to the bonus game more then once. [/quote]
 Hence my use of the past tense "took away" rather than "takes away."

Ok, maybe it isn't that confusing, but I just don't really care for the rule. It's probably because, I am used to the rstlne free and then 4 consonants and a vowel rule.

Sheesh, it HAS been a while since I watched regularly. :-)  When did Wheel start allowing contestants to pick four consonants?

[adamjk]

Whoops, my fault. Meant to say 3 consonants.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'Brig Bother\' date=\'Jul 20 2004, 12:01 PM\'] I have no problem with clapping and hollering, but I can't see why the Wheel is that exciting. [/quote]
 I take it you haven't seen Richard Karn on "Family Feud." I'm STILL trying to figure out what's so exciting about doubling the points...not dollars, POINTS. :-)

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'Brig Bother\' date=\'Jul 20 2004, 06:00 AM\'] On reflection:

1) I think I was expecting J! to much more academic in nature than it actually is. This isn't a complaint, incidentally, just an observation. [/quote]
 In recent years, the show's made a conscious effort to be less academic in nature than it had been in the past, in an attempt to gain younger viewers (among other reasons).  Ten years ago, you would never see movie categories in Double Jeopardy! unless it was Foreign Films, music categories unless it was Classical Composers (or maybe Jazz) and TV categories not at all.  Now, they do mix in pop culture in what had been in the past a predominately academic round.

FYI, "J!" categories generally fall into four main areas:  Academic, pop culture, people (which could be anyone famous or infamous, but tend to obviously lean pop culture) and word play (Anagrams, Crossword Clues, In Other Words..., etc.).  There have been a lot more word play categories added in recent years, including taking from "Wheel" the Before and After (BEYOND OUR KEN JENNINGS) and Rhyme Time categories (which I don't know if the British version ever had, along with Same Name [SIR TREVOR & NORM MACDONALD])--and word play categories are more often seen in DJ!, usually as the category on the far right.

[ITSBRY]

[quote name=\'Brig Bother\' date=\'Jul 20 2004, 12:01 PM\'][It doesn't bother me on TPIR, possibly because it's kind of expected and our version was the same. It's celebration in gameshow form really. [/quote]
Hi Brig...greetings from the US!  I wonder if you'd mind giving the folks on this side of the pond a list of the UK games that are currently in production or airing new episodes and roughly how long their current run has lasted?

I've always been curious as to what is in first run over there.  The Fremantle site lists Bruce's TPIR for example but from the way your statement is worded, it sounds like it isn't currently running.

To help narrow it down, I'm interested in 'classic' in-studio game shows and not reality shows (unless you'd care to list both ).

If you wouldn't mind doing that, I'd be very interested in seeing it.  If you don't want to take the time, that's cool too...just thought I'd ask.

Thanks in advance!!!
ITSBRY (Bryan)
itsbry@juno.com

[ITSBRY]

[quote name=\'dzinkin\' date=\'Jul 20 2004, 12:04 PM\']You say the rules are confusing, but then you sound as though you understand them.  Exactly what do you find confusing about the rules?

It sounds as though you don't like the rules simply because they're different from the rules for the US version.[/quote]
I think complicated might be a better word.  

I can see Adam's point.  While I understand the rules by reading them, it does seem unnecessarily complicated to me.  Isn't one of the 'golden' gameshow format rules "keep it simple"?

ITSBRY
itsbry@juno.com

[adamjk]

Yeah, it amazes me that the show has lasted as long as it has over there. I mean it has had 5 different hosts. The strangest version though, was the shortest one with Tony Barber. In that one, your totals after each round were not saved, meaning if you had like over $10,000 let's say going into round 4, and hit a bankrupt, you would lose everything you had earned in the entire game. Also, that version was the only one to have lyrics in the theme.

[Brig Bother]

[quote name=\'ITSBRY\' date=\'Jul 20 2004, 06:56 PM\']
To help narrow it down, I'm interested in 'classic' in-studio game shows and not reality shows (unless you'd care to list both ).
 [/quote]
 Erm, traditional gameshow wise, not much at the moment really.

The Vault,
Weakest Link,
Countdown,
Beat the Nation,
Headjam,
In It To Win It

(You can find reviews of The Vault, Beat the Nation, In It To Win It and Headjam in the reviews bit of my new page, link in my sig)

Are the only ones off the top of my head. Reality wise, this Big Brother is looking like it's going to be the most popular yet, three weeks from the end.

Simply The Best, a new version of Intervilles, started at the weekend and a review is going up this evening.

Otherwise it's a bit quiet. Bruce Forsyth was recently involved in Strictly Come Dancing, a celebrity ballroom dancing competition, but Play Your Cards Right and Price Is Right are currently not in production.