TPIR Recap - 09/22/15 (Decades Week Day 2: 1980s; DSW #1)

[ThatDonGuy]

Richard heads up on stage to play Now or Then for a $5000 shopping spree on Rodeo Drive, plus limo service and lunch for two at Spago.

Excuse me?  The game used its original name - Now and Then.  ("The version I heard was," Bob commented that a price couldn't be now and then, but one or the other, so it became "Now or Then.")

And note that, in keeping with the 1980s "theme," it would have been a DSW even under the 1980s "less than $100" rule.

Oh, wait, I forgot - if it's the late 1980s, then I'm not supposed to be watching this show... (KPIX in San Francisco didn't air TPIR in the 1980s; it was pre-empted first for its own morning show, then the "Group W Talk Show of the Month", until September of 1991.  The first few years did air on KOFY, usually on a one-day delay.)

[thepriceis_J]

This was another great show. Set looked great and the lineup was fantastic.

I do have to say however that it was a huge disappointment that they got all these old cues and did not use 210A for Make Your Move. I'm surprised no one has mentioned it yet. I know other cues were used in the game, but from the early '90s to the time they stopped using old cues altogether, that was the "Make Your Move cue". Such a letdown not to hear it.

Now...and Then was easy for an LFAT. It was clear that the Yuban was an anachronism. I mean, I didn't know they still made that, until I saw it today (well, really in the promo vid, but I didn't pay attention there).

If they were paying attention to detail, it would've been nice for Adam to bring back the original Master Key reveal today. Certainly wouldn't have hurt, especially since they've pulled out Big Banana for the week. I still don't like the fact that they put the two other prizes essentially behind the Key prop. I just don't think it looks good.

Plinko was Plinko, so it was nice that they made it special by bringing out the disco ball. That was a real surprise.

I feel somewhat iffy on the Plinko reveal: using the original reveal method from its first playing is nice, but given the alternative was to bring back the Plinko sign (which was used for the majority of the decade) I suppose "disco ball" was the less expensive route.

But realistically, they could recreate the sign digitally and not have to build a prop. I could recreate the sign with two slides in Powerpoint and a blinds animated transition. It would've been nice if they did that on Door 4.

Great DSW to end the show. Nice to see a Camry on the show again. Those certainly don't show up often.

[GameShowKid]

I do have to say however that it was a huge disappointment that they got all these old cues and did not use 210A for Make Your Move. I'm surprised no one has mentioned it yet. I know other cues were used in the game, but from the early '90s to the time they stopped using old cues altogether, that was the "Make Your Move cue". Such a letdown not to hear it.

I was just going to mention that. I noticed it right away.

I was also listening for the 4 classic cues that were used regularly for the small prizes in Plinko (I don't know their names or numbers.). No such luck today.

Also, did anyone think that the sound quality of some of the classic cues was worse than you remember? That's the way I felt about some of them. I hope it wasn't by design: to make them sound dated.

I didn't realize Now (and/or) Then had been played for so long.

Some great wins today (One Away, Master Key, and Double Showcase - "You win BOTH showcases!" [I'll go ahead and quote Bob. ]
 
And wow, I hadn't heard that cue that opened and closed the first showcase in YEARS!! (Sounded like a different mix too.)

[BRB_TheFireball]

I love the '80s!

SteveGavazzi should be happy about today's first PG.  They actually called it "Now... and Then" instead of by its current official name. But seriously, how the hell was Now... and Then lost today?

I'm mad that Big Banana and the original three-prize staging weren't used to introduce Master Key, but it was great to hear one of the classic multiprize cues.  I would have preferred the Phone Home Game cue, but cue 218 is just as good.

Plinko disco ball, Showcase '83 cue, and a sub-$100 DSW!

Yeah, another solid show.

[ThatDonGuy]

Something else I noticed: they played two of what I like to call "Bonus Game Item" games (where there are a number of items with two, or occasionally three, digit prices) - Plinko, and Master Key.  They did the same thing on the '70s episode (Bonus Game, Cliff Hangers).

Or is having more than one of these games per day not quite as rare as I think?

[UltraPrice]

Ahh, small nitpicking here, but I would have loved to see the DSW graphic be 80s-styled.

Also the yellow one bid display should of been orange like it was in the '80s.

[Torgo]

Something else I noticed: they played two of what I like to call "Bonus Game Item" games (where there are a number of items with two, or occasionally three, digit prices) - Plinko, and Master Key.  They did the same thing on the '70s episode (Bonus Game, Cliff Hangers).

Or is having more than one of these games per day not quite as rare as I think?

Such events certainly run rare, but special shows tend to throw out rules like that. Furthermore, we Golden-Road users tend to refer to those games as SP (small prize) games.

[plinkoboard]

In response to early season DSWs Troy was a DSW on September 20, 2005; the 2nd episode of season 34.  Lisa got lucky winning the car with only 1 key.

[Wayoshi]

But seriously, how the hell was Now... and Then lost today?

Many contestants play by price. The highest price on the board is often NOW, but it was THEN today. Then 1.xx semi-cheapo beets were NOW when many say THEN. Those two across from each other led to the loss.

[asd2001]

Some other random thoughts:

I like the light border they've used at the opening of the 70's and 80's show. But I wonder why they aren't just using the one that is being shown as part of the classic clips that are being played on the TVs that are prizes?  (An example from the 80's show would be the Grand Game clip of Pauline.) It looks more like a light border that would have been used in that era. Is it available in 4:3 only, I wonder?

I'm glad that "Walking" was of much higher quality today. I agree with the theory about the sound quality intentionally being poor on the 70's show so that they could emulate what the show sounded like as viewed on a mono-only TV from that era.

I also agree that some of the classic cues sounded less crisp than when they were used regularly on the show. If this is being done intentionally, I'd love to know why.

I don't understand why they didn't continue to use the eggcrate displays on the Showcase podiums today, and why the current logo (and not the recreation of the decade's logo, like on the 70's show) appeared on the display prior to the bids.

Speaking of the logo - seeing the recreated version at the opening (along with the image on Door #4) almost made me want to cry. They were so simple and to the point. I long for the days when the show as a whole was like that instead of trying to be so flashy, with excessive animation and editing, fake applause (or so it seems), and an overall "comedic" feel (even with the contestants). I understand that Drew's background as a comedian has to be taken into account, and I get that the powers-that-be needed to modernize the show, but I just feel like they are trying too hard and go way over the top with the presentation.

[SteveGavazzi]

I have to admit I was disappointed with Contestants' Row today.  How hard would it have been to bring back the orange display for a day?

I'm also not geeking out over the music as much as I'd like to, because...well, again, it isn't being used in the right spot.  I mean, a trip cue for Make Your Move?

On the other hand, the Plinko intro was pretty cool, given that the sign wasn't available...and they really did pretty much duplicate how the Basket looked.

And the opening...I can't believe it's been six years since the last time we heard, "Television's most exciting hour of fantastic prizes."  I so, so hope they keep that.

Now....and Then was also neat.  Whether they keep it or not (and I somehow doubt they will), it was fun to see the original name back for one day.

Speaking of Now....and Then, did the board look a little different to anyone else today?

I wonder where they got that trip skin.  It didn't look like any of the pictures I remember, but then, it has been a long time since they've used them.

Also the yellow one bid display should of been orange like it was in the '80s.

No, it should have been orange.  "Of" isn't a verb.

[MyNameIsMichael]

Great shows this week, but was a little disappointed that there were no skits in the showcases. The time capsule showcase would have been a good theme to use.

I thought it would have been cool for Drew to have the One Away contestant ask: "Gentlemen (or ladies), do I have at least one number right?" The Mighty Sound Effects Lady didn't show up until decades later, LOL.

[SilverFirePrime]

Was I the only one hoping/expecting Drew to switch to a grey wig after the first SCSD?

[REDHEADVICKI]

Great show!
I wonder why they didn't play Make Your Move's original music (cue 210A)?  That would have made Make Your Move even better.   

[BillyGr]

Many contestants play by price. The highest price on the board is often NOW, but it was THEN today. Then 1.xx semi-cheapo beets were NOW when many say THEN. Those two across from each other led to the loss.

And of course a contestant that didn't know the secret to the game, or else the last choice would have been obvious.