Deadline Hollywood Exclusive on Season 49

[Gameshowgenius26]

Glad to know that we're FINALLY getting a new season of the show and that they've taken no chances, just like Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!. The set changes and podiums look perfect! But, what I'd like to know is when the virus is eventually quelled will the changes be permanent? Either way, I'm just glad to see that another one of America's games will be coming back for a brand spanking new season and I can't wait to see how it pans out!

[wheelfan1991]

I hope he does it well. But if you look at the way he hosts -- and has hosted -- you'll see that he often plays to the audience. Sometimes repeating a joke to try to pull laughs even if the joke really doesn't merit one. His standup roots are obviously well-ingrained. It would be hard for anyone who has so relied on an audience's responses to do without one. And let's be realistic: it'd be a challenge even for Barker to do the show without an audience's reactions that he grew so accustomed to.

I have noticed that, especially in his first few seasons. I'm sure Bob would have his struggles, too, if he were still at the helm. I just laugh at "the Dob" anymore because his still retains so much bitterness. He can't even say something positive without having to follow it up with a negative remark. It's just who he is, anymore. While I appreciate his sharing stories of things behind the scenes and sharing videos of rare moments, he really needs to let go and let live.

[Hag]

The set looks good. It will certainly be interesting to see everything in action.

[CBSpromoman]

I have noticed that, especially in his first few seasons. I'm sure Bob would have his struggles, too, if he were still at the helm. I just laugh at "the Dob" anymore because his still retains so much bitterness. He can't even say something positive without having to follow it up with a negative remark. It's just who he is, anymore. While I appreciate his sharing stories of things behind the scenes and sharing videos of rare moments, he really needs to let go and let live.

We don't -- and can't -- know everything that went on behind the scenes. But I suggest that if you'd spent nearly your entire working life on a project about which you were so passionate, helping build and shape its course, and then only to be treated the way he was apparently treated at the end, you might remain bitter, too. It's easy to look at the situation as an outsider. When it happens to you, that's a different story.

[Mr. Weatherman]

We don't -- and can't -- know everything that went on behind the scenes. But I suggest that if you'd spent nearly your entire working life on a project about which you were so passionate, helping build and shape its course, and then only to be treated the way he was apparently treated at the end, you might remain bitter, too. It's easy to look at the situation as an outsider. When it happens to you, that's a different story.

100% this.  Also, don’t ignore the fact that the sentiments he shares come as a direct result of fans pestering him day in and day out looking for whatever kind of reaction they can get out of him.  Of course he’s going to share his opinion, and he’s very gracious to do so as opposed to shutting his Facebook page down entirely to people he doesn’t even know.  However, it’s not like he’s s***posting every day about the show, and there is most certainly a difference between that and responding to comments when asked a question.

[RedWing512]

We don't -- and can't -- know everything that went on behind the scenes. But I suggest that if you'd spent nearly your entire working life on a project about which you were so passionate, helping build and shape its course, and then only to be treated the way he was apparently treated at the end, you might remain bitter, too. It's easy to look at the situation as an outsider. When it happens to you, that's a different story.

It’s one thing to be bitter about his termination after it happened, it’s entirely another to still harbor that same bitterness 13 years later. That kind of attitude is not healthy, and nothing good can come from it.

[RedWing512]

100% this.  Also, don’t ignore the fact that the sentiments he shares come as a direct result of fans pestering him day in and day out looking for whatever kind of reaction they can get out of him.  Of course he’s going to share his opinion, and he’s very gracious to do so as opposed to shutting his Facebook page down entirely to people he doesn’t even know.  However, it’s not like he’s s***posting every day about the show, and there is most certainly a difference between that and responding to comments when asked a question.

The problem is that a lot of the people asking the questions are fans that share the same bitter attitude that Roger has. He’s feeding the trolls and it just makes the whole thing worse. If someone has a genuine question about the show, he should most certainly answer it, but when someone posts on his page about how “tHaT’S nOt HoW ThE sHOw iS doNe”, he shouldn’t be giving it any mind, and yet he does.

[Teddy]

Every time I see those One Bid podiums, I can't help but think back to Fireball's old HYO series.

Seriously, though, this is shaping up to be the most interesting season in the history of TPIR, especially with the audience area covered up and contestants brought into the studio in a unique way. I wonder if the audience noise will be automated like the sound effects are?

[tpir04]

Now that would be something. Audience sfx but no audience to provide it.

[blozier2006]

Now that would be something. Audience sfx but no audience to provide it.

Mother MacKenzie rides again...

[thepriceis_J]

Now that would be something. Audience sfx but no audience to provide it.

Take a look at pretty much every show so far that has come back in the current climate. Outside of perhaps the other contestants, all the game shows have no audience and are piping in audience SFX, even with the clear lack of an audience.

Regarding Roger. I am plenty sympathetic to his disposition. I would completely understand being fired, seeing the changes being made that flew in the face of everything you helped build over the last 20 years and feeling bitter at the devaluation of your work. But after a certain point, things did change for the better. Updates were made to adapt classic themes in with new technology. The show has tried to embrace its past. Have they done everything perfect? Of course not. But they've certainly put in effort. I still value Roger's opinion to a point. He's worked for the most successful company in the field we love for 35 years, but it seems like nothing is ever good enough. There's hardly any mention of the cool stuff they've done. As someone said, it just comes off as feeding those stubborn fans stuck in their way and who weren't behind the scenes like he was.

[pricefan18]

Take a look at pretty much every show so far that has come back in the current climate. Outside of perhaps the other contestants, all the game shows have no audience and are piping in audience SFX, even with the clear lack of an audience.

None of them had the audience be one of the main focal points of the show though like Price has always had, so there's a significant difference there from all others IMO. Be harder to play it off like they could with say Wheel or Jeopardy.

[GobGlom]

Mother MacKenzie rides again...

Mother MacKenzie never really went away. They always sweeten the crowd sound, especially when the show gets closer to the end and the energy naturally dies.

[RatRace10]

None of them had the audience be one of the main focal points of the show though like Price has always had, so there's a significant difference there from all others IMO. Be harder to play it off like they could with say Wheel or Jeopardy.

They already sweeten the audience as it is during the pre-COVID shows. It's very noticeable during Kids Week. They'll probably just do it to a lesser extent.

[Mr. Weatherman]

Most other shows with an audience can pretty easily mask the lack of one by virtue of piped-in crowd noise since we don’t typically see the crowd — at least not often.  I’ll go on the record as predicting Price will carry on without added noise.  There is no way to fake it without being obvious.  Even with literally thousands of hours of audience noise to sample, I don’t foresee them using it.  It will be a bit weird at first, but with the right mix of music cues, I don’t think it will be as jarring as we think it might be.  It will quite probably sound more like a Barker-era show before audience noise became such a substantial factor.

I’m sure someone will point out how major sports leagues — the NFL, especially — pipe in noise to empty areas.  But also keep in mind that outside of instant replay and occasional wide shots going in and out of breaks, we really don’t see the fans too much during on-field action, and it’s easy to forget there isn’t a crowd once you’re zoned-in to the game.  With so many constant reminders of there not being an audience during Price, I don’t think it is worth trying to emulate what everyone knows isn’t there.  If that were the case, then why go through the trouble of covering up the entire audience section when you can simply use the expanded contestants row (with slight modifications for distancing) and placing cardboard cutouts of fans in the seats?  It seems like that would be much easier and more cost-effective than the route they are taking to remove the audience section entirely (at least temporarily), and while still not convincing, at least piped-in crowd noise would make a little more sense.

And I could be totally wrong here.  I’m more or less just curious to see how this prediction pans out.