Author Topic: Rules question re: 3rd Contestant on Showcase Showdown after first 2 overbid  (Read 3976 times)

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Offline munnlete

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I've been watching way too many old episodes on YouTube today, and I wondered if either there was a) A rule  b) A previous occurrence   where the first two contestants went over 1.00 on the Showcase Showdown,  and the third contestant decided to risk it and still take a second spin to go for $1.00.   If it's ever happened, what happened?  Is there a rule against it?   If it did happen, would the three contestants have a one-spin spinoff? 

Offline gamesurf

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There is a rule against it; in those situations the third player is not allowed a second spin.

When the first player goes over and the second player takes a second spin, the third player normally is told “Now, if [name] goes over, you are automatically in the showcase” while the wheel is spinning. If the second player does end up going over, the third player is told they’ll get one spin and one spin only.
Quote from: Bill Todman
"The sign of a good game, is when you don't have to explain it every day. The key is not simplicity, but apparent simplicity. Password looks like any idiot could have made it up, but we have 14 of our people working on that show. There is a great complexity behind the screen. It requires great work to keep it simple."

Offline JayC

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For anybody that actually knows, is it correct to assume that the 3rd spinner was allowed just one spin the very first time this situation occurred? I would think the staff had the rule in place from the very beginning of the Showcase Showdown to prevent the 3rd spinner from also going over.

Offline blozier2006

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I would think the staff had the rule in place from the very beginning of the Showcase Showdown to prevent the 3rd spinner from also going over.
Not necessarily. Given that, in the trial hour week in September 1975, spinoffs allowed players to take two spins (which could've produced a no-win scenario), there not being a provision for "first two spinners go over" doesn't seem so far-fetched.

Offline JayC

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Hmm interesting. Although it's unlikely the second spinner would spin again if the first spinner went over in a spin-off and the third spinner would spin twice if the first two spinners went over unless they really wanted to go for the $1,000 (the bonus spin did not exist until 1979), I wonder what would be done if the contestant did take a second spin and also went over.

Offline Axl

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When the first player goes over and the second player takes a second spin, the third player normally is told “Now, if [name] goes over, you are automatically in the showcase” while the wheel is spinning. If the second player does end up going over, the third player is told they’ll get one spin and one spin only.

Off the top of my head, I don't remember a time when Drew said that while the second player was still spinning.  Bob, on the other hand, was a Swiss watch when it came to game mechanics like that.

Offline Flerbert419

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I wonder what would be done if the contestant did take a second spin and also went over.

"Well you're in luck, Susie, because it looks like you are both the top winner and runner-up today. Feel free to move between both podiums to place bids and see which one you are going to win!"
"The most famous game on The Price is Right is Plinko..." "Which I don't get, honestly."
~ Drew Carey to Chris Wallace, aired January 26, 2024

Offline Thatgameshowguy

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"Well you're in luck, Susie, because it looks like you are both the top winner and runner-up today. Feel free to move between both podiums to place bids and see which one you are going to win!"


"For a difference of.. $100! She wins 4 showcases! A double double showcase winner!"

Anyways, I believe the rule has been in place since '75 and may have been in for the trial week as it's just common sense.
YES! You have them all right! You win $2,500! You will putt from the closest line!

Jhc2010 putts from the closest line and WINS!!!

Congratulations! Those 2 cars are yours! Now we go to the Showcase Showdown! You will spin first. Pick a number between 1 and 20.

Offline GobGlom

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I've been watching way too many old episodes on YouTube today, and I wondered if either there was a) A rule  b) A previous occurrence   where the first two contestants went over 1.00 on the Showcase Showdown,  and the third contestant decided to risk it and still take a second spin to go for $1.00.   If it's ever happened, what happened?  Is there a rule against it?   If it did happen, would the three contestants have a one-spin spinoff?

I believe simply by design if the first two spinners went over a dollar and 'struck out', player 3 instantly wins a spot in the Showcase. Any spins Player 3 gets, one or two, would only try for the bonuses.

Offline COINBOYNYC

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"Well you're in luck, Susie, because it looks like you are both the top winner and runner-up today. Feel free to move between both podiums to place bids and see which one you are going to win!"

Unless Susie overbids on both of them.   :-o
Fun fact: Evelyn Wong, the 5th person to be called on the first show (9/4/72), was actually the very first contestant to directly be called to come on down!  The original first four (Sandy Flornor, Paul Levine, Connie Donnel, Myra Carter) were individually told to stand up, and then, as a group, were invited to come on down.

Offline gamesurf

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Unless Susie overbids on both of them.   :-o

"I'll bid $1 on the car, and a hundred million dollars on the furniture."
Quote from: Bill Todman
"The sign of a good game, is when you don't have to explain it every day. The key is not simplicity, but apparent simplicity. Password looks like any idiot could have made it up, but we have 14 of our people working on that show. There is a great complexity behind the screen. It requires great work to keep it simple."

Offline dmaingame

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I'd say 99.9% of 3rd spinners automatically in the showcase would prefer to play for a $25K-$35K showcase instead of a 20-1 chance of winning $1,000.  Though, if I were the commissioner of The Price is Right, I would allow third spinners to spin again if they wished, risking going over and creating a new situation for the showcase round. Having a solo showcase player "play against the house" and have the opportunity to bid on both showcases, and win them as long as they didn't overbid.  Coming in <$250.00 on either showcase would grant them four showcases, while bidding within $250 of both would give them every prize offered on the show that day.  A true clean sweep. 

Offline gamesurf

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I'd say 99.9% of 3rd spinners automatically in the showcase would prefer to play for a $25K-$35K showcase instead of a 20-1 chance of winning $1,000.  Though, if I were the commissioner of The Price is Right, I would allow third spinners to spin again if they wished, risking going over and creating a new situation for the showcase round. Having a solo showcase player "play against the house" and have the opportunity to bid on both showcases, and win them as long as they didn't overbid.  Coming in <$250.00 on either showcase would grant them four showcases, while bidding within $250 of both would give them every prize offered on the show that day.  A true clean sweep. 

"Dear CBS: Please add an extra 10 minutes of commercials to the episode that will air Thursday. Nobody qualified for the Showcase round, so we just decided to end the show early."
Quote from: Bill Todman
"The sign of a good game, is when you don't have to explain it every day. The key is not simplicity, but apparent simplicity. Password looks like any idiot could have made it up, but we have 14 of our people working on that show. There is a great complexity behind the screen. It requires great work to keep it simple."

Offline someguy23475

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I'd say 99.9% of 3rd spinners automatically in the showcase would prefer to play for a $25K-$35K showcase instead of a 20-1 chance of winning $1,000.  Though, if I were the commissioner of The Price is Right, I would allow third spinners to spin again if they wished, risking going over and creating a new situation for the showcase round. Having a solo showcase player "play against the house" and have the opportunity to bid on both showcases, and win them as long as they didn't overbid.  Coming in <$250.00 on either showcase would grant them four showcases, while bidding within $250 of both would give them every prize offered on the show that day.  A true clean sweep.

All you would have to do is bid a dollar.