Author Topic: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?  (Read 19093 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline crazypackersfan

  • Taking a Bonus Spin
  • *****
  • Posts: 899
  • There... are... four... lights!
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
« on: April 11, 2020, 02:51:51 AM »
It's back, in celebrity form. I don't know if they taped this thing before or after the quarantine, but there's no visible audience (perhaps some crew people cheering in the back, Jimmy Kimmel said?).

What I love about it most is that they brought back the old dollar value amounts and went back to the way the game was originally played. Kimmel will never be Regis Philbin, but he doesn't have to be. He doesn't take things too seriously, which adds to the humor between him and the contestant(s).

50:50 & Phone a Friend are back, while there are two new lifelines. One is Ask the Host (since there's no audience); apparently Kimmel doesn't have knowledge of the answers, so asking him is just like phoning a friend. The second lifeline works as follows: from $100 to $32,000, a player has a friend or relative sitting behind them helping them out. Once you reach $64,000, that help is gone, but you can bring your helper for one question by trading in one of the lifelines you still have. Apparently this isn't "fixed" like the original Celebrity Millionaire was; the contestant actually used a lifeline before the $32,000 question. Back in the Philbin days, they'd kind of sort of maybe help the contestant automatically get that $32,000.

Overall, it's just so great to see Millionaire in its original form once again. Even if it is quarantined.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2020, 12:08:56 PM by PayingTheRent »

Offline gamesurf

  • 4/4/2023
  • TPiR Alumnus
  • *
  • Posts: 1211
  • makin' flippy floppy, tryin' to do my best
Re: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2020, 07:37:28 AM »
It’s good to Michael Davies back in the producer’s chair stripping away all the junk that’s accumulated over the years. It’s not perfect, but it’s familiar comfort food.

The Good
  • Going back to Original Recipe rules. It's more than the nostalgia talking-- the doubling just feels natural.
  • Jimmy is serviceable. He takes it seriously when it needs to be serious, but he got some good pokes in.
  • “Ask the Host” is a great substitute lifeline. The lighting cue is almost ridiculously over the top and it fits both the show and the tone of Kimmel’s hosting.
  • The set is extremely slick. The light fingers and floor effects are very cool and modern. I don’t miss the “open bar” or the “big generic video wall” at all.
  • Dang, it’s good to hear those old music cues again.
  • I forgot what Millionaire looked like with a prize budget! No more endless parade of $8,000-$16,000 flame outs, I hope!

The Bad
  • The graphics are pretty chintzy. The money tree and lifelines look like cheap powerpoint animations from an SNL parody. How did the make such an awesome set and leave those?
  • “C, final answer.” “We’ll find out if it’s C after the break!” It was cheap when Deal or No Deal did it and it’s cheap now.
  • Spoiling your entire series in your cold open tease has been a thing for the last 15 years, but it still sticks in my craw like few other things do. It took less than 45 seconds after starting the show before we were told [shrunk to avoid spoilers] somebody in the series is going to get a million-dollar question. I get that you want to keep eyeballs on your show but spoiling your winners before they happen is one of the things that killed the first ABC run. Since the MDQ will end up on social media two minutes after it happens I don’t see the point, it’s not like the hype will sustain much more attention on these early episodes than they would have gotten otherwise.

The Weird
  • The empty set definitely takes some getting used to. Having 10ish crew members cheering off camera is novel, but it is weird to hear things so silent where you'd normally get the audience laughing or clapping.
  • The “friend of the celebrity” gets old quickly. Some of those $100-$1,000 conferrals should have been left on the cutting room floor.

Also:

Imagine an alternate universe where TV licensed games got in on the action with an official Jeopardy or Cash Cab daily game promoting the show.

They have Kay Adams from NFL Network hosting an HQ-style postgame on an app. Is this the first official game-show branded HQ-style tie-in?

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

  • Double Showcase Winner
  • ******
  • Posts: 5913
Re: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2020, 11:57:41 AM »
It's back, in celebrity form. I don't know if they taped this thing before or after the quarantine, but there's no visible audience (perhaps some crew people cheering in the back, Jimmy Kimmel said?).
It was taped in early March as the stay at home directives were beginning.

Apparently this isn't "fixed" like the original Celebrity Millionaire was; the contestant actually used a lifeline before the $32,000 question. Back in the Philbin days, they'd kind of sort of maybe help the contestant automatically get that $32,000.
The difference is it's just one person helping the contestant versus all of the celebrities playing in the set of episodes like it was on the original Regis version. If neither the contestant or their "expert" knows or isn't sure enough to lock in, they'll use a lifeline before $32,000. The questions up to $64,000, at least IMO, were easy enough to answer without help.

apparently Kimmel doesn't have knowledge of the answers, so asking him is just like phoning a friend.
The host never had the answer until the contestant locked in.

I thought it was a very good show overall, the magic of the original primetime show isn't quite there but it's still nice to have Millionaire back in close to roots form. Love hearing the original music. The set is really nice, it just feels weird and empty with no audience. I thought Jimmy Kimmel did well hosting, he has a nice rapport with the celebrities and had a few funny quips. There was a little too much banter though and stretching things out to create tension. Ask the Host is a fine substitute for Ask the Audience, and I like the twist of being able to use the expert for one more question in exchange for a lifeline. I agree with gamesurf on the graphics though, they look a little low budget. And yes, I hate the "we'll reveal the right answer after the break!" tease.

The HQ style game after the show was fun too, though I could do without the commentary before reveals and between answers.

Offline SamJ93

  • Taking a Bonus Spin
  • *****
  • Posts: 619
Re: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2020, 12:32:59 PM »
  • “C, final answer.” “We’ll find out if it’s C after the break!” It was cheap when Deal or No Deal did it and it’s cheap now.

To be fair, the original UK version did this too all the way back in the late 90's. The US version actually dialed back the drawn-out reveals a fair bit in comparison.

Offline pricefan18

  • Double Showcase Winner
  • ******
  • Posts: 1916
Re: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2020, 01:45:45 PM »
To be fair, the original UK version did this too all the way back in the late 90's. The US version actually dialed back the drawn-out reveals a fair bit in comparison.

I thought about that. This is actually more authentic than even the Regis version relative to the original given that.

Offline gamesurf

  • 4/4/2023
  • TPiR Alumnus
  • *
  • Posts: 1211
  • makin' flippy floppy, tryin' to do my best
Re: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2020, 03:05:19 PM »
"Authentic" isn't always worth chasing. It's bad practice, especially in 2020.

Most of the drama is in whether or not the contestant will build up their gumption and give a final answer, instead of "are they right?". You already form an opinion on if they're likely to be correct or not as you watch the contestant struggle. You can't stretch that tension out over a three-and-a-half minute commercial break.

If your viewers can skip commercial breaks, it adds zilch to the show. If your viewers can't skip commercial breaks but knew the answer, it was annoying instead of dramatic. If your viewers can't skip commercial breaks and didn't know the answer, you don't want to break the tension and give them three and a half minutes to google "Argo".
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 Reloaden

  • Taking a Bonus Spin
  • *****
  • Posts: 811
Re: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2020, 12:57:50 AM »
If anyone watched the New Uk version with Jermey Clarkson everything is pretty much the same down to the set lighting and "Asking the host" lifeline with the host explaining they don't see the answer.

The Good
Bringing the show back to its original format
Not Americanizing it keeping it the same as the British Version.
Having Michael Davis produce the show.

The Bad
The Graphics were bad they should of used the British or Dutch Graphics. The old style Graphics doesn't look right.
I am not a fan of celebrity shows after a while the celebrity gets annoying and how clueless they are.
The opening i hated the opening.


 

Offline Trevor Tuominen

  • In Contestant's Row
  • ***
  • Posts: 156
Re: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2020, 10:28:54 AM »
Technically the “reveal the answer after the break” thing has already been done by the British, Aussie, and Japanese versions. Though, I agree, more of those and we stoop to Deal or No Deal levels. Also, Davies has said that he wants to bring Millionaire back twice a year: once with celebrities, and once with civilians. As for the graphics, they’re the British lozenges with the original colors, and the background is the Dutch background. Great version, would love to see civilians play it again.
"Take your job seriously, but don't take yourself too seriously." - Alex Trebek, 1940-2020

Icon by Siahri!

Offline BillyGr

  • Taking a Bonus Spin
  • *****
  • Posts: 645
Re: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
« Reply #8 on: April 12, 2020, 02:44:18 PM »
50:50 & Phone a Friend are back, while there are two new lifelines. One is Ask the Host (since there's no audience); apparently Kimmel doesn't have knowledge of the answers, so asking him is just like phoning a friend. The second lifeline works as follows: from $100 to $32,000, a player has a friend or relative sitting behind them helping them out. Once you reach $64,000, that help is gone, but you can bring your helper for one question by trading in one of the lifelines you still have. Apparently this isn't "fixed" like the original Celebrity Millionaire was; the contestant actually used a lifeline before the $32,000 question. Back in the Philbin days, they'd kind of sort of maybe help the contestant automatically get that $32,000.

Overall, it's just so great to see Millionaire in its original form once again. Even if it is quarantined.

It appeared that the contestant didn't know about the option for the change of life lines until it was brought up.  Wonder if knowing about it in advance (which, should they do another series those playing would suspect that this will stay) would/will make any difference?

In other words, being that you could exchange it for any unused lifeline, would that make a contestant choose which lifeline to use (if needed) in the first part any different to leave a particular one to be switched out later on.

Offline Mr. Weatherman

  • Moderator
  • *******
  • Posts: 1941
Re: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
« Reply #9 on: April 12, 2020, 09:26:06 PM »
I’m surprised no one has pointed this out, but the omission of ‘Ask the Audience’ is due, obviously, to there being no audience present.

If we look at the UK revival format, four lifelines are present throughout the game: 50:50, Phone a Friend, Ask the Audience and Ask the Host.  There is no option to swap a lifeline during the top tier level questions, and if I had to take an educated guess, they are only doing it now to fill the gap of the missing lifeline without reintroducing another old lifeline from the syndicated version.

Also, I do wonder if there are plans to eventually include a ‘Fastest Finger’ segment, assuming the show eventually tapes with regular people instead of celebrities.  The set featured on this celebrity edition is modified slightly to include a space for the celebrity friend, so I don’t believe FF was ever meant to be a feature on this particular version.  That being said, the friend’s computer panel is designed exactly like the UK FF panels. 

When comparing the sets side-by-side, they are nearly identical.  The primary difference is the UK version has a pair of pits for FF that the celebrity version does not — but — a civilian version on ABC would have no need for a celebrity friend, so that makes me wonder if there is or will be an alternate configuration for FF.  Seeing that they are staying true to almost every other facet of the original run, it wouldn’t surprise me to see it come back.

As for my thoughts on the show, I’m not a fan of Kimmel for...reasons...but I think he is doing a fine job and fits the role.  Some say “he’s no Regis,” but I personally compare Regis to Chris Tarrant and think the latter was better in the UK, but that’s my own opinion.

The graphics are identical to the UK version, minus the color scheme being true to the original run.  I might be in the minority here, but I actually quite liked them.

Finally, Mike Richards is an executive producer on the show.  Not sure how many were aware of that or caught it on the end credits, but whatever the extent of his involvement is, I think he’s doing a fine job.  In fact, Davies, Richards and even Kimmel are all listed as EPs.
Pardon my language, but I do believe we all need to calm the f*** down.

“It’s an important stick — it’s my Plinko stick...I use it for A LOT of things!” - Bob Barker

Offline PatrickRox80

  • Double Showcase Winner
  • ******
  • Posts: 5027
Re: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
« Reply #10 on: April 12, 2020, 09:47:37 PM »
In fact, Davies, Richards and even Kimmel are all listed as EPs.

I don't like the trend of new game shows having so many EPs, especially considering Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune have been doing just fine with one for decades. If it's not up to par, then it's too many cooks spoiling the broth. At least this reboot of Millionaire isn't as bad in this aspect as shows like The Misery Index. There's no good reason to have 11 EPs on one game show.

Offline Superballer

  • Double Showcase Winner
  • ******
  • Posts: 2218
Re: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
« Reply #11 on: April 12, 2020, 09:49:22 PM »
Technically the “reveal the answer after the break” thing has already been done by the British, Aussie, and Japanese versions. Though, I agree, more of those and we stoop to Deal or No Deal levels. Also, Davies has said that he wants to bring Millionaire back twice a year: once with celebrities, and once with civilians. As for the graphics, they’re the British lozenges with the original colors, and the background is the Dutch background. Great version, would love to see civilians play it again.
 


Of course, with Kimmel in charge, they need to at least try and get Ben Stein to sign on for any future celebrity run for old time's sake. 

Offline gamesurf

  • 4/4/2023
  • TPiR Alumnus
  • *
  • Posts: 1211
  • makin' flippy floppy, tryin' to do my best
Re: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
« Reply #12 on: April 12, 2020, 09:57:00 PM »
It appeared that the contestant didn't know about the option for the change of life lines until it was brought up.  Wonder if knowing about it in advance (which, should they do another series those playing would suspect that this will stay) would/will make any difference?

Contestants have to be briefed on how the game works before they play for legal reasons, so my guess is Mr. Stonestreet either wasn't paying close attention to that rule during the briefing or was just playing along for comic effect.

Also, I do wonder if there are plans to eventually include a ‘Fastest Finger’ segment, assuming the show eventually tapes with regular people instead of celebrities.  The set featured on this celebrity edition is modified slightly to include a space for the celebrity friend, so I don’t believe FF was ever meant to be a feature on this particular version.  That being said, the friend’s computer panel is designed exactly like the UK FF panels.

When comparing the sets side-by-side, they are nearly identical.  The primary difference is the UK version has a pair of pits for FF that the celebrity version does not — but — a civilian version on ABC would have no need for a celebrity friend, so that makes me wonder if there is or will be an alternate configuration for FF.  Seeing that they are staying true to almost every other facet of the original run, it wouldn’t surprise me to see it come back.

I would. Maybe when they were building the set they decided to keep the option open just in case, but they're not going to be flying civilians out to New York anytime soon.

It's a bummer. I'm not overly impressed with any of the celebrities, but it is what it is. It does make more sense to give Jimmy some known personalities to lampoon instead asking him to coax some personality out of nervous civilians. Part of what made original run so good was seeing Regis do it so masterfully, and I miss it, but I see why it was done.
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 Trevor Tuominen

  • In Contestant's Row
  • ***
  • Posts: 156
Re: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
« Reply #13 on: April 12, 2020, 11:20:16 PM »
Actually, the new Millionaire is taped at Culver City, California this time around.
"Take your job seriously, but don't take yourself too seriously." - Alex Trebek, 1940-2020

Icon by Siahri!

Offline TPIRfan#9821

  • 4/23/2020
  • TPiR Alumnus
  • *
  • Posts: 823
  • ghost in the more-than-shell bedroom
Re: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
« Reply #14 on: April 15, 2020, 10:42:45 PM »
Tonight's episode of Millionaire is going to be a fun one to talk about. Staying broad since it hasn't aired in my time zone.

However, if one wants to know my thoughts on the issue, there's a lot of precedent from the past run on how I would have dealt with it, like this one.
« Last Edit: April 15, 2020, 10:52:53 PM by TPIRfan#9821 »
"If any show, forget sports, Price is Right, [the audience is] the star of the show. Somebody... coming on down and losing their minds, and ... crying, that's the show. The show isn't me, the show isn't necessarily [a] can of soup, how much that is, it's watching people go bananas, and there's going to be some of that missing."

-Drew Carey, interview with Athletic, September 16, 2020

"I honestly thought the doubler was gone, but 9821 going $0 makes sense"

-thatvhstapeguy, Discord message, April 5, 2023