Your biggest TPIR "what-ifs"

[silverice878]

Another couple of what-ifs that I've mentioned in the past....

What if Gene Rayburn had gotten the nod as host of Price? Or Wink Martindale? Wink definitely would have had the same length run as Barker, and I dare say even a few years longer than Bob. He also would have been the only one who could have matched Bob's charisma and charm on the air.

[Alfonzo]

"If ifs and buts were candies and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas."

We could spend forever speculating how if 'x' were changed, how would that change the outcome of 'y', but the present will remain the same.  There is certainly a long list of things I wish could have happened differently with the show, but the past can't be changed, so I accept the present for what it is and look forward to a promising future. 

I feel like all our times here are better spent not shaking the Magic 8 ball to see what different scenarios we can come up with for an intangible past.

This. Times 2.

I'm as nostalgic as the next guy, but PayingTheRent makes a good point.

[silverice878]

This. Times 2.

I'm as nostalgic as the next guy, but PayingTheRent makes a good point.

I see where y'all are coming from, but I'm one of those people that is always curious as what might have happened. I don't know if it's an affliction or just something that comes with being an old soul, but I'm always wondering "what-if" at certain junctures. I guess it can't be helped.

[someguy23475]

What if Drew had to actually audition for the job?

[ThatDonGuy]

What if Price never moves to the afternoon with Match Game?  Possibly Pyramid never exists and I think Price and Match both have very different ratings trajectories.

Remember, Price wasn't originally on with Match Game (which never "moved"; the CBS version was never on in the morning), but with Hollywood's Talking (a revised version of Everybody's Talking, with celebrities reading the clues instead of ordinary people; I assume Child's Play was a revamped version of these).

But here are a couple of what ifs:
What if Price had stayed in the afternoon with Match Game (and, later, TattleTales)?
What if Dorothy Jo had lived a few years longer, and Bob not taken on her animal rights campaign to the level that he did?

[whowouldeverhurtawhammy]

What if Penny Ante was repaired instead of being rain-damaged, as was allegedly said?

[tpir04]

What if Penny Ante was repaired instead of being rain-damaged, as was allegedly said?

We might very well have it today, no doubt with some LCD updates. And I do hope that they would've kept those intriguing sound effects.

How about this: what if Superball had remained off the chopping block?

[GameShowFan9001]

What if Plinko had never existed?  What would be the most popular game without it?

[tpir04]

What if Plinko had never existed?  What would be the most popular game without it?

Overall, Cliffhangers. For me, probably Hit Me.

[yuki-louve]

Suppose Bob had retired any time before March of 2006, or suppose Peter Tomarken hadn't died when Bob did retire? What would the show have been like with Mr. Tomarken at the helm? Would he have ever even been on that plane (thus still be alive today) had he gotten the TPiR job? Might we have had a "Press Your Luck" reunion had Rod also been alive at that point, and if so how long would it have lasted?

Suppose all four "classic" models (Dian, Holly, Kathleen, and of course Janice) had still been with the show when Bob retired; the circumstances leading to their departures not occurred? Might they still be on the show today, or would they still have been replaced by younger models (not necessarily who's there now) eventually?

Suppose Bruce Forsyth had come back across the pond (he having previously hosted "Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak" stateside) to take over from Bob when Bob retired? For what it's worth when "Hot Streak" was cancelled he was offered the job of hosting the late '80s version of "Card Sharks".

[DYC]

What if they just go ahead and reboot Penny Ante, Hurdles, a shortened version of SuperBall!!!, and maybe another one or 2.. would they strengthen the daily lineups in this day and age and iteration of the show?

[DYC]

The 2 years between their debut as hosts nonwithstanding, What If Wayne Brady was hired as Host of Price (2007) and Drew Carey hired for a Deal (2009), who possibly would have shaped in much the same improv style as his Whose Line, which is pretty much in the same vein as Deal has always been anyway under Brady’s hosting. Would either show be improved by that role reversal?
I’ve always saw it sort of like it’s 2 of the same guy (Carey and Brady)- in that their similar comedic stylists, obviously. And in hindsight it shows that for some reason they wanted improv comedians to helm their game programs and I always felt that these two guys would completely interchangeable at hosting these shows, had fate made that a reality instead.

[GobGlom]

What if...the show never expanded to an hour?

[pricefan18]

Here's one that hasn't come up, but as far as Nighttime runs go, what if the 1972 run ran past 1980, and the 1985 run lasted more than a year? And what if Dennis James had not left the first nighttime run in 1977?

[pricefan18]

Remember, Price wasn't originally on with Match Game (which never "moved"; the CBS version was never on in the morning)....

Yes it was....it moved to after Price in 77 at 11am, before going back in the afternoon at 4 when ratings tanked.