Interestingly, the host's lectern and the contestant desks fit better with the set than the wooden ones that went into production. Still, this set looks quite barren and uninviting. I did like that entrance arch, though, compared to the framed shots of each celebrity that was used in the actual show.
I do wonder why the producers decided to go with 6 in 20 seconds rather than stick to the 7 in 30 seconds. I've heard it was time constraints, but it seems they had no problem with staying with the tired and true format, as seen on the pitchfilm. Also, I liked how the subjects stuck to the "punny" titles of the Clark and Davidson eras, rather than the overtly comic ones the actual show used.
The $500 bonus for a perfect round would eventually carry over to the 2012 Pyramid. I wonder if that bonus obviated the need for a bonus card like the Mystery 7 or 7-11 (it certainly did for the latter) in this version.
And yay for actual bells and buzzers rather than the "woosh" and burble sounds the actual show used.
I do like the logo here, as it recalls the classic The $xxx,000 Pyramid while still being modern. The green backgrounds for the subjects look better than the 3D pyramid backgrounds on the actual show. It's really interesting to see that the clue giver's hands weren't restrained in the Winner's Circle like on other versions.
I really like the fact that there's no background music in the main game, but was disappointed at the lack of a clock ticking sound for the Winner's Circle, though I did like the win music heard in the video.
I do appreciate the judges are fair on this pilot, as opposed to the overtly strict ones in the actual show. And kudos to the writers for not writing categories like "Things Tom Cruise's Dentist Might Say" in the Winner's Circle.
Overall, this is what I think the 2002 version should have been like, rather than very compromised version it was.
