FULL RECAP - TPiR 05/28/2009

[Nick]

Fancying up the ARP tags was just plain dumb.  The added attention is completely unnecessary, and it looks very tacky.  Does Drew find simple tags so boring that he must jazz even them up too now?

I'm not liking this trend of throwing in a quickie as either the first or second game to shorten the painstakingly long first segment.  If they want it shorter, just bring back the commercial break!

The Cats for a bed in Side by Side may have sounded strange, but nowhere near as out of place as most of the tuneless drivel that is most of the new cues being used for anything.  I'll gladly take the classic cues anywhere.

I don't like the second prize in Clock Game being less expensive than the first.  It's just one of those passes over detail that looks really sloppy.  Further, the fact that there's a prize there than doesn't have its price revealed is also bothersome; and they still ought to ditch the $1,000 bonus if they're offering a bonus prize.

And aside from all of that, Drew still needs to calm down with Clock Game.  He's only making the communication so difficult because he's so paranoid about not understanding the contestants.  The hypertension in his voice as he responds to the bids is really unpleasant.

My compliments to DiPirro for being quick with the close-up shots of the pointer on the Big Wheel in the Showcase Showdowns for some close stops in the last couple of episodes.  Would you be so nice as to resurrect the arrow split-screen shot for every spin, as well as the pull back shot from the leader under the scoreboard to Drew and the current spinner watching the wheel spin too?

Nice playing of Pocket ¢hange.  Drew did handle it quite well, but I still insist that he has to stop sending every car winner over to the car.  The joy in it has been lost completely ever since it became a mandatory action.

I'd like to say "hi" to Roger too!

Why was the audience standing during the first Showcase?  I still don't understand why a plasma screen was even placed behind the audience.  It always comes off as awkward placement, especially when people are standing up in the audience with their backs to the camera looking at the screen on the back wall.

[MrPlinko]

Could this be perhaps the best episode of the Drew era in terms of excitement, consistency, and intensity?

Joe

[MrPlinko]

I still insist that he has to stop sending every car winner over to the car.  The joy in it has been lost completely ever since it became a mandatory action.

Cosign!  Staff should discuss this with him.  Make winning a car reactions as spontaneous as possible!

Joe

[temptation1979ga]

Wow! What a great show! 5 out of 6 games won! It's a shame I didn't see this episode.

If you didn't see the show, then how do you know it was so great?  I'm not saying it wasn't great, but I do know there have been tons of shows that had lots of wins and were just awful for one reason or another. I've just never understood this line of thinking. It's kind of the reverse of "Well, no games won, must have been an awful show, glad I didn't see it" mentality.

[rob79]

I'm not liking this trend of throwing in a quickie as either the first or second game to shorten the painstakingly long first segment.  If they want it shorter, just bring back the commercial break!

At least it beats seeing the quickie last! Since they are doing this longer segment I don't mind seeing the quickie 2nd or 1st for that matter, though I do understand what you are saying, Nick.

[Mallory16]

Quickies work well second.  I don't really want it every day there, but in general, they work well there.  And third and fourth, but also second.  And first every now and then can be nice, too, as long as it's not Pick a Number or One Wrong Price.  And there have still been a decent number of shows since the lack of commercial break that haven't had a quickie first or second, but I kinda' like having quickies more often earlier on.

I wouldn't mind quickies last so much if I hadn't gotten so sick of it.  Still think Switch?, specifically, works really well last.

[rob79]

I wouldn't mind quickies last so much if I hadn't gotten so sick of it.  Still think Switch?, specifically, works really well last.

Y'know i've always had this odd hatred of seeing big door quickies last for some reason, I dunno why. If I have to see a quickie last I prefer something like Squeeze Play or Coming or Going. (I think you'd agree with those, Frank)

[compdude512]

Cover-Up: The Spelling Bee car cue!  Perfect!  I think Drew's best game may be Cover Up, which is probably why we've started seeing it twice a week.  I like how well he hosts it.
Side-by-Side: The Cats...for a bed?!  Still, it was THE CATS, a wonderful piece of classic music!  Easy-peasy-however-you-say-it.
Clock Game: Oh, how I miss Rye Bred for Clocky...  I agree with all the rest of you: I don't know how I like the second prize being less than the first one.  I will have to disagree with some of you, though - Clock Game isn't Clock Game without the $1,000 bonus.  Keep it.
IUFB #4: Sporting goods cue!!! YES!!!
123: I knew immediately she was wrong.  Wasn't that home-theater system a Klipsch?  Those are expensive enough in their own right!  (Where was the Fortune Hunter cue?  I'm not used to seeing this game without hearing the Fortune Hunter cue!)
IUFB #5: CUE 84!!!!
Pocket: It was at this point where I will say Steve is exactly right.  I pointed out during Pocket how unusually well Drew was hosting today...and then we got an exacta.  Things don't get any better than that!
Pick-a-Pair: I would have went for the makeup square things and screwed up my first pick.  Nesquik's expensive these days!  (Heck, when you remember the days of it being Nestle Quik, you're kinda stuck in the "it's $1.99" world. )
Showcases: Wow...a car?!  How long has it been since there was a car in the Showcase?  Great bids by both players!

Show Scorecard:
Lineup: 9/10.
Drew: 10/10.
Contestants: 9/10.  I really wanted Christine to win, and she did!  Exacta!
Showcases: 8/10.  Finally...a car in the Showcase!  The close bids made it REALLY exciting to watch.
Music Cues: 8/10.  Four classic cues today when we're used to hearing only one or two!

Overall:
With music cue grade: B+
Weighted and without music cue grade: A-

Final Comments:
Four classic cues, two close Showcase bids, an exacta in Pocket Change, and Drew hosted unusually well for some reason.  An AMAZING show!

Tyler

[BRB_TheFireball]

One-Bid #1:  I like the new price tag cards and card holders, too.

Cover:  Whoa, a Mitsubishi!  First one offered since Davidson PIR!  I haven't looked at Mitsubishi prices in ages, but I thought that $30,000 looked just as reasonable as $17,000.  I would've started with $37,xxx just to hedge my bets.  Violet didn't play the game all too well, but she pulled out the win anyway.  It feels like forever since this game has had two consecutive wins.

Sidey:  I heard "The Cats" and was expecting a 2- or 3-prize game.  Much to my surprise, it was a 1-prizer.  Has "The Cats" ever been played in a non-SP 1-prize game before?

One-Bid #4:  Obvious edit between Radha-Krishnan's bid and Drew's reading of the ARP.

Eazy:  There was no way in hell that was gonna be won.

Pocky:  Whoa, I bet Kathy wasn't expecting that!  The first exacta in 4 years!  And Christine did it just a couple of minutes after an exacta in the one-bid.  She is definitely a "Contestant of the Year" nominee.

Pappy:  Wow, what a shame that Kathy forced a loss in Eazy.  That was the game that prevented a perfect show.

My showcase bids:
Outdoor/Amazon--$26,507
Fugly car--$25,507

[goldroadfanatic]

On the note of Mitsubishis, if they ever trot out 3 Strikes again, an Evo (Lancer Evolution X) would make a great prize for that game.

[ayoung]

I know everybodys already talked about it, caught the episode during lunch, but i just got home from work...

This was probably the most exciting show for me all season. I usually hate cover up, but it had me hooked on todays playing, and then the next three wins just kept the excitement going.

I like the new actual retail price holders...  i remember wondering if they were gonna change them back when season 36 debuted. They coulda been lazy with them and made them all the same, but no, someone put in some effort and made them unique. congrats.

Pocket change sealed the deal for me... the sappy (in a good way) story had me thinking "ugh, its gonna suck when she loses" But then she exactas the thing! Todays show actually lifted me up and made me feel good.

[catdogwheel]

Today was a pretty good show! I thought for sure the car in Cover Up was going to be $17,235 and not $17,285, it just didn't look correct even though it obviously was correct.

It was great to see Clock Game won again. At first I was confused about what game was going to get played when I saw the outdoor furniture, grill, and heating lamps. I do like the way they are doing it now, but I still think they should throw out the third prize and just up the cash bonus. Wonder why they haven't thought of that one?

Too bad Rebecca thought the theater system was gonna be a low-ball price. That was kind of strange to see the shoes as the cheapest prize there.

Pocket Change- Take that producers!

Showcases- I almost thought when Drew did Michael's showcase reveal that there were 3 things going to happen: a DSW, a tie, or Drew screwed up the reveal and accidently did Michael's first. It was a great way to end things though!

Today's show gets an A++. I sure hope the producers took some notes on how they did the prices in today's episode.

[444dd]

thoses card holder look's like the big jon's pc game ones

[jharvey79]

My gosh, this episode is one of the best all season!

-I actually like the new cards, but I wonder if they are going to have different colors for each item or not; there was one design in the beginning of the show, then one to match the contestant's row seats by the last game.

Cover Up-Such an exciting finish here, an easier win today, too.
Side by Side-Clearly one of the easiest setups in history. A bed is not going to be around $10K!
Clock Game-I do not know if I like the setup here or not, but the game itself was played great. I thought it was going to be close after she took exactly 15 seconds for the first, but it was never in doubt. And those prizes she bid on were cheap!
Easy-This would have to screw up a perfect show. Seeing that home theater system, there was no way it was $3K, I thought it was $800.
Pocket Change-Though it has happened before, this is the first time I have seen it. What a great win.
Pick a Pair-Seeing this game annoyed me today for some reason, but still a good win.
SC-Wow! Very close to a DSW today.

Darn home theater system, we could have had a perfect show!

[edmojautis]

Cover: For a Mitsubishi??!!!  WOW!!! It's been a while!!! You know, I probably would've won this on my 1st choice!! But I'm still glad Violet went my way!!! Excellent win!!! 

Side: Hearing "The Cats" withy a bed offered did look strange. Great win.

Clock: $1K bonus or third prize? Something has to give here. Cheap prize being second is just plain bizarre. Still, we got another great win.

Easy: How many of you felt there was no chance in hell with this setup? 

Pocket: EXACTA!!!!! PERFECTO!!!! MAGNIFICENT!!! For someone like Christine who could use a new car, She deservedly so won it. WOW!!!! 

PickPair: Very nice.

Showcases: Talk about your ending of all endings. The audience had nothing to BOO about after these two worthy bids and we almost got another  on top of it. Both players gave it their best shot!!!

A 4.50-star show.