FULL RECAP - TPiR 02/15/2010

[trytobecharming]

Plinko:  That's gotta be the worst luck possible on this game!

Not much else to say except that it wasn't too good a start to the week, IMHO, and that I hope that tomorrow's show is better.

I'm pretty sure this is the first contestant to win nothing on Plinko, not even a small prize, in the 27 year history of the game. Other contestants who won $0 had more than one chip; at least two contestants won $0 with all five chips earned.

[trytobecharming]

Didn't watch the show, but I wondered how long it would be before we saw a one-chip wipeout in Plinko, with the way things have been going. That is absolutely appalling. Does anyone on the staff realize how much less fun the show is to watch when the setups are that evil? Especially with games like Plinko, where you could get all 5 chips and still win nothing. How many times have contestants even hit the middle slot twice or more since it changed to $10,000? Ten maybe, in more than ten years? I'm just overcome by the travesty that these SP segments have become.

PLace your bets as to when a contestant wins zip in Punchboard(IIRC no one has never not gotten at least one punch), it's gotta be coming soon I fear

[leafsfan17]

Wow, only three words can describe that setup for Plinko: evil, evil, evil! Even with the hard setup, it's still my favorite game.

[TheBigAK]

Wow - Can't say that we didn't see this coming.    I"m not sure who is responsible for that, but I sure hope I see another perfect SC bid before I ever see that again.

I really love More or Less.   So much that I sort of wish it would get a really spectacular prize at the end.   Not quite like Golder Road, but a really biggie would be cool.     Imagine the build up you could get after the 3rd prize.   If this is Less, we get to go on to the Corvette!!!!

[goldroadfanatic]

Today's Ford Taurus is probably among the most expensive cars we've seen in More or Less, ever.  It's new for 2010 and it starts at about $26,000; the way the one in today's show was loaded up, I wouldn't be surprised if it surpassed the $27,000 mark.

[GameShowKid]

I've never been a big fan of Plinko, mainly because it used to be played so often that other small prize games (esp. Bonus) were left to languish. There's also a lot of luck involved once the chips are dropped. But I agree the setup today could have been made quite a bit easier.



Did anyone else feel a bit uncomfortable during the extended exchange between Drew and Rich during the first item up for bid segment? I also didn't like seeing Drew in the bike at the end. Too unprofessional for me.



I like the way that particular "showcase music" (the line is getting blurred) in More or Less kinda built up to the car. The music was progressive, like the game. Enter the horns; enter the car.

[Kev347]

Holy cow, today's show was just not good. I don't care how much the budget is hurting, Plinko should NEVER be set up like it was today. I am well aware that limiting chips=limiting the money won, but it's the show's most popular game, and well, at the end, the audience booed it today. Aren't you proud Greco? (and whoever else set that mess up)

And then the rest of the show failed to recover. Drew was just back to all his terrible S37 habits today. Slinging your tie back over your head is not funny. Saying random things coming out of commercial that no one watching at home can understand is not funny (unless maybe the demographic we're trying to cater to is 13 year olds).The show itself does offer many natural opportunities for jokes, and you usually do a good job at taking them. Continue this, and be professional otherwise.

Why are we now packaging TVs with iPods to make them end in -48 and not -99 because that'd be "too easy" (miracle that was won!)? And why are we throwing in piano lessons to make very expensive pianos into impossibly expensive? Why are we airing 190 shows a year if we evidently can only afford to have about 400 pricing games won the entire season (or at least they're setting it up that way). Just wow. Today was a major crash back to Earth. Hopefully, tomorrow recovers.

Timings:
Plinko (5.5) - 4:56
Cover Up (5) - 4:39
One Right Price (3.5) - 2:48
Bullseye (5) - 5:09
Squeeze Play (3.5) - 3:19
More Or Less (5.5) - 5:02
Total (28): 26:03

[Briguy]

Why are we airing 190 shows a year if we evidently can only afford to have about 400 pricing games won the entire season (or at least they're setting it up that way).

Exactly what I've been trying to say. Maybe there needs to be just 150 shows until the economy rights itself. This way, whoever sets up the games — be it Greco or anyone else — can make the car games more than just a plug (with no copy to make me want to buy the car) with a game that just happened to be attached to it.

Brian

[thewhammy_2000]

Plinko: At first, I was a little irked at how Jeffrey's blaming the Peanut Gallery for his mistakes. That's what he gets for letting them play for him. He didn't do better for himself anyways. I was wondering what would happen if the same thing that can happen on the Three Cats version of Plinko would happen here: Only have one chip, land in a 0, and play the Losing Horns. Said thing happened in reality without the Horns and I just kept shouting with arms out during the next Come on Down, "PLINKO FUTILITY! PLINKO FUTILITY! PLINKO FUTILITY!" That all ended when I heard the bells for the perfect bid.

Cover Up: Yes, the ever-popular 9 got me. Futility continues.

1 Right Price: Futility continues again in my part, not Sharon's.

Bullseye: Yeesh. I kinda feel like the inverse from Friday's show is happening today.

Squeeze Play: Oh, the piano can't be as much as a practical car, can it? [Picking the 6 out] Yes, it can.

One Bid 6: Just when I thought 2102 would not work... It should've.

More or Less: Maybe it was the description repeat of the bracelet that made me think it was More.

[SteveGavazzi]

Wow...Drew was all over the map today.  He was great during the pricing games, but I'd swear he was on something during Contestants' Row.  I'm still trying to figure out why the line about him being in love with Rich Fields was supposed to be funny.

Well, I hope Kathy's proud of herself (and Adam too, apparently), now that we've had somebody win no money with one Plinko chip.  Maybe this'll be the wake-up call they've needed to get them to start setting up the fakes differently.  (Funnily enough, the game was salvaged by, of all things, Drew's good hosting -- he managed to make something awful not feel quite so bad.)

I hope they haven't changed Cover Up's music permanently.  This is the second playing in a row that it's used the Line em Up music.

Instead of Martin coming on down, we got to see Drew shoving a cue card into the camera.  Fantastic television there.

The music in general isn't too good lately, but the cues in More or Less today were particularly boring.  The car cue wasn't even a car cue!

I thought the second showcase was pretty good.

I was so glad Jeffrey won the Showcase.  What a comeback!

And let's be clear.  I'm not so sure that we need to be blaming Kathy for all of it.  My sources tell me she is not the only person responsible for game setups.

Fair enough.  Kathy and Adam.

[Mewtwo]

At this rate, we'll be hearing about a physical attack on those who set up the games.  No jury would convict the assailant either.

[TPIRmaniac]

Exactly what I've been trying to say. Maybe there needs to be just 150 shows until the economy rights itself. This way, whoever sets up the games — be it Greco or anyone else — can make the car games more than just a plug (with no copy to make me want to buy the car) with a game that just happened to be attached to it.

Brian

The thing is if they then only make 150 shows, they are gonna get a smaller budget. CBS won't let them produce 8 weeks less of material and let them spend the same amount of money as when they were producing 190. :/

[godard]

I do feel like More or Less needs more of a buildup during the game, since so often they don't even get to the car. Such as, after the first prize, "And you're just two more prizes away from the car!"

[Joe_Capitano]

Why are we now packaging TVs with iPods to make them end in -48 and not -99 because that'd be "too easy" (miracle that was won!)?

Because the TV in question has an iPod dock. Why Not pair the two?

[whinbaby]

The 7,213th episode (101st for Season 38)

Showcase #1
3-wheel Recumbent Bike - $2,390
3-Wheel Scooter - $8,699
Hyundai Elantra - $18,310

Showcase #2
The Lost Symbol - $30
Trip to Washington DC - $8,016
The Da Vinci Code - $27
Trip to Paris - $7,332
Angels & Demons - $26
Trip to Rome - $9,336

Your Modeling Scorecard for February 15, 2010, President's Day, and also 25 years since "The First Four Breakfast Club"
Rachel Reynolds
Total:  13/$38,560 (3/$22,258, 10/$16,302)
Cars:  1/$18,310 (1/$18,310, 0/$0)
Trips:  1/$7,332 (0/$0, 1/$7,332)

Lanisha Cole
Total:  8/$43,294 (5/$7,937, 3/$35,357)
Cars:  1/$25,995 (0/$0, 1/$25,995)
Trips:  1/$9,336 (0/$0, 1/$9,336)

Manuela Arbelaez
Total:  10/$48,856 (5/$14,360, 5/$34,496)
Cars:  1/$21,567 (0/$0, 1/$21,567)
Trips:  1/$8,016 (0/$0, 1/$8,016)