The Price Is Right Australia - 2012 series

[GuyWithFace]

From a network's point of view, Deal or No Deal and Hot Seat are like gold because they offer the big cash prize yet almost never give anything close to it away. More often than not, Hot Seat ends in a $1000 win despite offering up to $1 million!

There is a difference, however: Deal or No Deal and Hot Seat offer large prizes, whereas Price saves its budget for the Showcase...which is generally worth about $35,000 or so. When the "target price" of Take Two is $426 in 2012, there is a problem.

I am not saying that large budgets are a good or bad thing, but here is a comparison:
* The 1989 British version on Sky One, hosted by Bob Warman, was cheap by necessity (and had a lower budget than its long-running predecessor, hosted by Leslie Crowther) but made up for it considerably in various ways.
* The current Australian version is cheap by design even when compared to Larry's first stint in the 1990s, and has rarely been able to make up for it.

It's clear that Channel 7 failed to manage expectations prior to the show's launch, and that there are some issues with the show that are holding it back, such as the poor prize selection, the showcase tie playoff and some of the generic-looking props.

The problem with the props is not only that they look generic, but the name of the game is not present, making them (especially Cliff Hangers) look unfinished.

However, the last version on Channel 9 offered $400k apartments, $200k showcase bonuses, cars in pricing games and still got flogged in the ratings by Deal or No Deal. They also frequently offered prizes in pricing games that were every bit as cheap as what we are seeing on the current Channel 7 version.

The 2005 version only offered such large prizes to compete with Deal. I am not asking for large-mega-huge prizes, but at the very least offer cash in the cash games!

[Reloaden]

I was hoping this show would look and feel like the older versions not be a French clone of the show like someone else said that format works well with their host. The French Version has comedy and game play.

I still think The Price is Right has life still left in the show but i think it should of been played right. No Big W Advertisements all over the place. And getting rid of The Big wheel and the bidding round which is the glue of the show. Don't get me wrong i don't mind a department store gift card but come on give me money instead. I would rather them use more familiar games from the 93-98? 03-06? versions and then slowly introduce the new Pricing games.

[Flerbert419]

However, the last version on Channel 9 offered $400k apartments, $200k showcase bonuses, cars in pricing games and still got flogged in the ratings by Deal or No Deal.   

Do you have any evidence how the current series is doing in the ratings?  How does it compare to the last version?

[theamazingracer]

If memory serves, the last version was cancelled with about 300,000 viewers every night. This version hasn't had that many viewers since about the third episode.

[brosa0]

Here is a sample of the ratings for TPIR and Deal in 2005 and then in 2012.

It is difficult to compare TPIR's ratings now & then because:
- TV ratings in general are down significantly compared to 2005, as they no doubt are across the world due to other forms of entertainment becoming readily available and popular
- There are now 14 free-to-air channels in Australia compared with only 5 back in 2005, not to mention an increase in subscription TV viewership, so TV viewers are spread across a greater number of channels now.
- TPIR was on at 5.30pm back then compared to 5pm now.   5.30 is a much higher rating timeslot as it leads into the nightly news which is usually one of the highest rating shows each night.


August-September 2005
These are some of the weekly average ratings for both TPIR and DOND from this period.  Both shows were at 5.30pm as the lead in to the news, except in Brisbane (3rd largest market) where TPIR was on at 5pm.

TPIR - 448,000
DOND - 902,000

TPIR - 425,000
DOND - 865,000

TPIR - 456,500
DOND - 1,090,000

TPIR - 469,000
DOND - 858,000

As it was cancelled in late 2005 before hastily being renewed for most of 2006, it is very possible that TPIR did in fact fall to around 300,000 by the time it finished in 2006.


August-October 2012
These are daily ratings for random days where TPIR ratings were provided.   Note that Deal and Hot Seat actually compete against each other at 5.30pm while TPIR was at 5pm in all markets at the time of these ratings.


TPIR - 255,000 (5-5.30pm on Ch 7)
DOND - 422,000 (5.30-6pm on Ch 7)
Hot Seat - 582,000 (5.30-6pm on Ch 9)

TPIR - 311,000
DOND - ratings not available
Hot Seat - 578,000

TPIR - 298,000
DOND - 503,000
Hot Seat - 626,000

TPIR - 317,000
DOND - 601,000
Hot Seat - 671,000

TPIR - 315,000
DOND - 562,000
Hot Seat - 563,000

[brosa0]

I finally managed to catch an episode tonight where 3 Strikes was played.   I love this game, and I wonder if perhaps it works better with 4 numbers.   The numbers were 1, 5, 4, 0 so it was obvious the 1 was first although I was surprised that 0 was the third number.  The contestant tonight came back from 2 strikes down and only one correct number to win. 

I wish this was played more often on TPIR US.

[theamazingracer]

And CANCELLED.

[Reloaden]

Figures they would cancel it, it wasn't a good revival especially modeling it after the French Version and the lack of contestants row and a crappy announcer. And the non stop big w advertisements and the cheap prizes.

[GuyWithFace]

296495040778362880[/tweet]]Official announcement by Emdur. Eight months was all the world could handle.

[Johnnya2k4]

A bad year for foreign versions of TPIR: First, the French-Canadian version and now this.

[pownster]

Here is the very last episode aired, where cast and crew are given cameo appearances and some recognition for their work over the 8 months.

[brosa0]

It's rather amusing how One Away was the last game played on both the 2012 and the 2003-2006 series.

[vadernader]

Thanks for that brosa, good to see it had a solid ending. A great thing to watch when you're awake at 5AM.

I, in particular, liked the Hole in One segment the most.

(I know it's been 30+ days but its the newest topic in this section, so it's not really bumping itself up to the front of the pack for no reason)