Silly post from Roger...

[Combs]

Brace yourselves, as I know criticizing the Dob is tantamount to blasphemy 'round these parts.

I don't see it as being that way anymore. Granted, I don't read this board or forum very often, but I remember the golden-road.net of 2007 when Bob Barker retired as well as the next few years, the beginning of Drew Carey's tenure as host, and this place was very protective of Barker and Roger Dobkowitz and the classic 1972-2007 Barker era of TPIR. I definitely don't see that anymore. That has changed in the last five years, give or take. It seems to me, that a lot of people that really towed the line for Barker, Dobkowitz, and others during 1972-2007 TPIR, have either had a change of heart and welcomed Drew and the current show with open arms, or they have moved on and don't watch the show anymore and don't post comments either. I'm one of those that has moved on, although I do occasionally still read and post messages here. While I certainly don't hate Drew Carey or the current show, I just don't find it entertaining to watch and it's not because I will not allow myself to accept anyone but Barker as the host. I thoroughly enjoy watching syndicated, half hour, nighttime shows with Dennis James, Tom Kennedy, and Doug Davidson. While Drew has improved, he still doesn't pull me in to what should be a fun experience. The "special shows" or gimmick shows do nothing for me either. (Survivor, kids' week, baby shower, twins, etc.) Just give me an audience of 330 people and without an overabundance of obnoxious college kids looking for a viral moment ugh. Granted, the college kids thing started in the late 90s with Bob, but it's so much worse now. I miss the audiences of 1972-1995.

Drew's show has done some nice things though. The updated props for some of the pricing games like 3 Strikes, 10 Chances, and Any Number are beautiful and well done. I especially like that they kept Any Number similar to its 1986 upgrade, the big golden egg as I like to call it, while tweaking it to include showing what numbers have already been used. That's something they should have done during the Barker years. I don't care for Punch-A-Bunch PunchBoard's current color scheme though. I miss the pink, purple, green, yellow, orange, and blue board that debuted in 1996. The current board looks the same, but removes the pink, purple, and green colors. I also don't like that Clock Game no longer has a physical prop. I understand that the old prop is very badly dated now, but I would prefer a new physical prop with a digital clock, than just having a graphic on the screen.

Overall, I think it's sad that as the years go on, the fan base of 1972-2007 TPIR with Bob, Roger, Rod Roddy, Johnny Olson, etc., is diminishing. Obviously, this was inevitable as it happens with everything in life, but I'm still around and I certainly haven't forgotten.   

[htmlcc92]

...I also don't like that Clock Game no longer has a physical prop. I understand that the old prop is very badly dated now, but I would prefer a new physical prop with a digital clock, than just having a graphic on the screen.

Unless I'm misunderstanding what you're saying, Clock Game still has a physical prop, still with a physical hand vs. a digital clock. I think it was Doug's version that just had the digital clock on screen.

[COINBOYNYC]

I especially like that they kept Any Number similar to its 1986 upgrade, the big golden egg as I like to call it, while tweaking it to include showing what numbers have already been used. That's something they should have done during the Barker years.

Wasn't there a used number board that was visible to the contestant but not shown on camera?  Even if it was just a production assistant writing the numbers on a cue card?

[SteveGavazzi]

Not to my knowledge.  In fact, the display was added specifically because Drew kept losing track of which numbers hadn't been guessed yet.

[Combs]

Unless I'm misunderstanding what you're saying, Clock Game still has a physical prop, still with a physical hand vs. a digital clock. I think it was Doug's version that just had the digital clock on screen.

You're correct. I don't know why I thought Drew's show switched to a digital graphic. Maybe I dreamed it? Yes, I do remember that Doug's show did that.

[bossman71_ky]

Since this is all a forum of opinion, I thought I'd jump in.  Loooong time lurker, not-too-often poster

I think the heart of Roger's issues are tied with the in-general "dumbing-down" of American society. The show is no-longer truly executed as live-to-tape as possible. There are multiple edits and restarts daily. From a live event producer/directors standpoint, that is a terrible way to produce a show and will absolutely destroy the feeling of a room/audience. It is over-produced. It's too perfect. There's no real human error that endears a program to viewers. It's becoming just another of a multitude of programs that are nothing more than social-media tools or outlets. It's not about the show (or even the show being about the contestants). It's now truly about the contestants but in the vane of "I'm at TPiR"..."Look at my Instastory...YAAAASSS"

It's no longer the show highlighting the contestants and telling the audience "look how great our viewers/friends are", it's feeding into the contestants highlighting themselves. There is no television production value in that. It feeds into the narcissistic motivations of a large part of our populace. I get it...I don't agree with it, but that's what our society is becoming. Most executives look at social media and TPiR and say "we need to get on that". They begin ignoring their primary platform.

Back to my original point (hopefully) tying this together...I believe Roger is, and rightly so, still looking at the show through the eyes of TPiR being produced as a television program...and it isn't anymore. TPiR, and I believe television is general, is having an audience identity crisis. The crew is charged with producing a television show, but also making it viable for a social media audience. These are two vastly different audiences, even if they involve the same people, because content is consumed completely differently on these platforms. Everything is being forced into a "Wrestlemania Moment". Everything is a moment, it's a happening. Everything. That is no way to produce events/shows. Life doesn't happen that way. Not every part of every day is noteworthy or life-changing, and it shouldn't be, because that detracts from those truly life-changing moments, from the actual once-in-a-lifetime TPiR moments (ie., the bathroom run). They are forcing the show instead of letting it be what it is organically, what allowed it to exist for 35 years before the current regime. And I believe Roger sees that, and detests it because he is still looking at producing the show for a television audience.

Anywho, I hope that all made sense

[Hag]

Well said.

[imhomerjay]

Price is being produced as a television show, the way a 2019 television show is produced, not a 1972 one.

I don’t see any of that as “dumbing down,” but yet another incarnation of the generational complaining about change. Just because a new generation consumes content differently and challenges prior assumptions and standards does not make it dumb. It’s true in TV, music, movies...take your pick.

Rather than lament what had its time in the sun, why not embrace new ideas, understand where a new generation is coming from and find the positives?

[JayC]

Well said imhomerjay. The show in 1972 was a lot different than the Bill Cullen version as well, I'm sure there were fans of the Cullen version that disapproved of The New Price is Right.

[Season36Fan]

I don’t see any of that as “dumbing down,” but yet another incarnation of the generational complaining about change. Just because a new generation consumes content differently and challenges prior assumptions and standards does not make it dumb. It’s true in TV, music, movies...take your pick.

Rather than lament what had its time in the sun, why not embrace new ideas, understand where a new generation is coming from and find the positives?

One trait of the current generation is very well expressed in your namely that it is now considered unacceptable to comment upon the relative quality of one thing (or person) to another.    Despite what the snowflake generation believes, some people ARE better than others, some people ARE more intelligent than others, some people DO make better decisions than others, and in most cases there are clear cut rights and wrongs. Even in cases where things aren’t clear cut,   Nothing is truly equal, and some ideas have more value than others.     Failure to acknowledge that fact is a product of a persons inability to recognize their own deficiencies.   That trait is far more common than it used to be. 


So, yes, TPIR is “dumbed down” from where it was.   Today’s generation requires you to slap them in the face with everything.   It has to be bigger, better, brighter, flashier, and louder to be enjoyed where our parents and grandparents were perfectly well entertained watching people bid on items for half an hour.  It was easier to entertain then, and much cheaper to do so as well.   I’d say that is measurably better on both fronts.   


That said, I don’t find the original version of TPIR particularly entertaining, so I guess i’m Not part of that “better” generation... but I can still watch an episode from ‘72 and be entertained.   So there’s that. 

[someguy23475]

I love both the Cullen and Barker eras. The way Bill builds up the drama through increased bidding and his interactions with the contestants show why he was so great.

[brettreilly]

I read through this thread and it’s pretty fascinating how attitudes on this topic have changed over time. I for one greatly enjoy the Dob’s viewpoint on the minutiae of production back in his day but like the opinions about things that happened in the last month aren’t created equal with the opinions about things that happened in 2007-08. I think he would agree with that too.

As for the car being offered, the Cullen era offered houses in the item up for bids, so there is definitely historical precedent for Major life changing items (even though the shows are quite different)

[Roadgeek Adam]

I think the show is as good as ever. It's not the same as 20 years ago, no.

But given a lot of game shows where we have dramatic baloney hyped up, Deal and Price are both good in the fact that they still work as true game shows without edited breaks to improve dramatics, etc.

[Ton80]

One of the things that's keep me watching is the consistency of the game play and flow of the show.  Roadgeek Adam alluded to it. 

The structure  of the show has barely changed: 

• "Come on down"
• Bid on a prize
• Winner goes on stage
• Play a game --> Win or Lose
• COMMERCIAL
• Repeat

There's never been an attempt to manufacture drama (a la Deal or No Deal, or Who Wants To Be a Millionaire) by inserting a commercial break in an annoying place.

"The actual retail price of the car is........right after this commercial break."

Thank goodness they don't do that.

[imhomerjay]

One trait of the current generation is very well expressed in your namely that it is now considered unacceptable to comment upon the relative quality of one thing (or person) to another.    Despite what the snowflake generation believes, some people ARE better than others, some people ARE more intelligent than others, some people DO make better decisions than others, and in most cases there are clear cut rights and wrongs. Even in cases where things aren’t clear cut,   Nothing is truly equal, and some ideas have more value than others.     Failure to acknowledge that fact is a product of a persons inability to recognize their own deficiencies.   That trait is far more common than it used to be. 

So, yes, TPIR is “dumbed down” from where it was.   Today’s generation requires you to slap them in the face with everything.   It has to be bigger, better, brighter, flashier, and louder to be enjoyed where our parents and grandparents were perfectly well entertained watching people bid on items for half an hour.  It was easier to entertain then, and much cheaper to do so as well.   I’d say that is measurably better on both fronts.   

That said, I don’t find the original version of TPIR particularly entertaining, so I guess i’m Not part of that “better” generation... but I can still watch an episode from ‘72 and be entertained.   So there’s that.

When you launch into ad hominem attacks on a generation, the argument fails. "Today's generation" is different and yet the same as those that came before: they push back, rightly so, against assumptions of the past, and forge their own path. My kids probably fall into "today's generation," depending on the definition. Their tastes are sometimes mine, sometimes not. There is nothing problematic about them finding what grandma and grandpa watched to be entertaining. I didn't much care for my parents' choices, either.