TPiR Recap - 9/15/2021

[TPIRfan#9821]

^I know Spelling Bee in Big Money Week had 4 $5,000 cards won, and was lost, but I don't recall anything over $20,000.

I respect Michael for taking the gamble there; it's not like Millionaire where you only double your money if you pick correctly from a one in four chance, that was 10 times for a 1 in 3 shot. However, if I were going for the million, wouldn't I want to save one of the easiest products for last, so in case I wipe out early, I still walk away with $10,000? That's a really hard strategy to execute on the spot when you expect it to just be a normal taping. Heck, even risking $8,000 or $10,000 on Bag or Hot Seat is hard, and now someone has to pick between being set for a while and a chance at being set for life? If gamesurf didn't pull up that quote, I would have eventually.

I'm just surprised they did Golden Road, Grand Game, and that stunt with the house all in the same episode. It felt like if Road or Grand had a 5 or 6 figure amount won, the staff might have placed the X at the bottom instead of the center. Or maybe the house was sponsored, so even if the 40k tax burden is taken, nothing came out of the show's pocket. Who knows. I just have a feeling that someone saw what Wheel did and decided they could do that too.

Speaking of the house, Drew just seemed completely out of it after Stephen won the house. I don't fault him at all; seeing someone lose $100,000 sucks hard.

EDIT: I sarcastically said in Discord that the biggest winner of this season's Big Money Week played Secret X. I'm pretty sure I'm right, as he takes 11th place on the all-time biggest winners in daytime Price history.

[pricefan18]

I really don't know how I feel about Million Dollar Grand Game.

On the other hand... yeah, I really have a feeling that this is what Drew was talking about when he said "there's a couple of moments from the opening week where I really had to go backstage and collect myself...one night I couldn't sleep thinking, 'Is it wrong to offer a million dollars? Maybe people would be tempted to take a chance that they shouldn't have.' So I had to go through this whole emotional thing."

This makes me think there is another moment upcoming similar, but would have to see. I kinda felt Grand Game suffered from PTR syndrome too, in that it was the 10x deal just cause. Dramatic mind, but....kinda basic for a million dollar game.

Sidenote, was I the only one who had the feeling that given the random order of the episodes this week, Golden Road wouldn't be won like it wasn't? Like....I feel like if it woulda been, this show (which from the opening to me felt like the actual premiere, and even moreso with GR being played following it), woulda been aired Monday vs. today. It kinda made the game anti-climatic for me.
Had this feeling with Grand Game a bit too, but a little less so.

[Roadgeek Adam]

Recap posted.

I really really am ready for updated calendars because I have no idea anymore if this is 9514K because CBS Press Express now has posted a different show also as 9514.

[Wayoshi]

It is 9514K, per the thumbnail image link on CBS.com.

Surprised I got a response to my post... I find these dumb extravagant prizes very tacky. I understand I am an old curmudgeon and cars aren't all that anymore, but I don't think these prizes are a good replacement for a wow factor. And it's very likely most of these prizes get declined with the ~30% taxes and all - it just reeks of subtle cheapness in the end.

I actually haven't minded the million dollar games this week, besides them all being cash games (I loved the MDGs of 2008). It's the 50th year, that's fine. But these big dumb prizes few have a need for, that's where I draw the line, and fast.

[pricefan18]

It is 9514K, per the thumbnail image link on CBS.com.

Surprised I got a response to my post... I find these dumb extravagant prizes very tacky. I understand I am an old curmudgeon and cars aren't all that anymore, but I don't think these prizes are a good replacement for a wow factor. And it's very likely most of these prizes get declined with the ~30% taxes and all - it just reeks of subtle cheapness in the end.

I wasn't all that impressed with the tiny house prize itself personally. Consider that a meh from me. $100k+ prize or not.

[ThatDonGuy]

I wasn't all that impressed with the tiny house prize itself personally. Consider that a meh from me. $100k+ prize or not.

At first, I thought, "Well, if he wins, he has to pay the taxes on it, and then buy the land to put it on, and that's going to cost much more than $5000; is this one of those prizes where the producers expect that a winner would end up turning it down?", but then I noticed: it's on wheels - it's a glorified 26' trailer.  Here's a link to the manufacturer's page for it.

[Kev347]

If this show occurred in Seasons 37-41 when I was in a much more sour mood generally on the show (and Drew's hosting was also much worse), today might have been the show that made me quit.

Today, in 2021, I understand that next week we will largely be back to normal, and "normal" as it existed even in most of Season 49 is pretty great. But that doesn't mean I have to be happy about this. You can only say "well, we always have to top what we did last season" so many times before you start entering the realms of the completely ridiculous and stupid. And offering a $131,000 house as a pricing game prize is just stupid. We've done the "decline prize" mantra to death in here and I've never been a fan, and the bigger it gets, the more I'm not a fan of it. The show obviously doesn't want to give away the million dollars this week (which is completely fine - it shouldn't ever want to, as that will wreck the budget) so it's almost like it's offering a $131,000 house as a peace offering. Most people will think "oh, something big was still won, so it was a great show", but we know what's up. The whole thing is about as disingenuous as the Jeopardy host search.

And as for the million dollars, have I said "stop offering things you obviously don't want to give away" enough times? Yeah, that.

[cvjs1993]

Maximum winnings: $1,488,352+

[pricefan18]

If this show occurred in Seasons 37-41 when I was in a much more sour mood generally on the show (and Drew's hosting was also much worse), today might have been the show that made me quit.

Today, in 2021, I understand that next week we will largely be back to normal, and "normal" as it existed even in most of Season 49 is pretty great. But that doesn't mean I have to be happy about this. You can only say "well, we always have to top what we did last season" so many times before you start entering the realms of the completely ridiculous and stupid. And offering a $131,000 house as a pricing game prize is just stupid. We've done the "decline prize" mantra to death in here and I've never been a fan, and the bigger it gets, the more I'm not a fan of it. The show obviously doesn't want to give away the million dollars this week (which is completely fine - it shouldn't ever want to, as that will wreck the budget) so it's almost like it's offering a $131,000 house as a peace offering. Most people will think "oh, something big was still won, so it was a great show", but we know what's up. The whole thing is about as disingenuous as the Jeopardy host search.

And as for the million dollars, have I said "stop offering things you obviously don't want to give away" enough times? Yeah, that.

I would have been fine if they kept it to the Primetime special honestly. Blow that out with it......and have the week itself be more high end than the norm and call it good.

[RedWing512]

If this show occurred in Seasons 37-41 when I was in a much more sour mood generally on the show (and Drew's hosting was also much worse), today might have been the show that made me quit.

Today, in 2021, I understand that next week we will largely be back to normal, and "normal" as it existed even in most of Season 49 is pretty great. But that doesn't mean I have to be happy about this. You can only say "well, we always have to top what we did last season" so many times before you start entering the realms of the completely ridiculous and stupid. And offering a $131,000 house as a pricing game prize is just stupid. We've done the "decline prize" mantra to death in here and I've never been a fan, and the bigger it gets, the more I'm not a fan of it. The show obviously doesn't want to give away the million dollars this week (which is completely fine - it shouldn't ever want to, as that will wreck the budget) so it's almost like it's offering a $131,000 house as a peace offering. Most people will think "oh, something big was still won, so it was a great show", but we know what's up.

And as for the million dollars, have I said "stop offering things you obviously don't want to give away" enough times? Yeah, that.

First of all, I’m sure that the million is insured, meaning that if it’s won, it’s not coming out of the show’s budget. Having said that, they still want to make it relatively hard to win, considering it’s gotta come out of someone’s pocket (the insurance company).

Second, what’s actually disingenuous is to say that the home that was offered was a “stupid prize”. Little homes are a big thing nowadays, and you don’t know the contestant’s current situation—they could perhaps be looking for a place to call their own (not to mention, it serves as kind of a cool throwback to the original series when they used to give away homes all the time).

Also, about the house being more expensive than the Audi in GR, I don’t think there’s a hard-and-fast rule that the grand prize in GR has to be the most expensive one in a given show.

[TPIRighteous]

I'm shocked that they played Grand Game for a million. What's more, it was so easy. If you've watched the show, you've seen them use detergent as a "surprisingly cheap" grocery item tons of times. They wanted it to be won.

It sort of felt like it just cheapened so many things. Pay the Rent on Monday was super difficult, and it should have been. The MDS million-dollar games required a ton of risk or incredible performance. This was a lollipop that Michael just couldn't convert on.

It made Golden Road feel meaningless, and that was compounded by giving away a more expensive prize in... Secret X? On the center square??

I get that giving away cool prizes makes for good TV, but not when there's so little challenge involved. It just feels dirty.

[Steve_Bier]

"...And offering a $131,000 house as a pricing game prize is just stupid."

Speak for yourself. As someone that has always wanted to own a home, but could never afford to do so, I'd take this prize in a heartbeat.

I'm not married. I don't have children. I don't need anything big. In fact, this would be perfect for my needs. I could buy a plot of cheap land down south, put this on there, and live like a king.

To each his own, I guess.

[pricefan18]

I'm shocked that they played Grand Game for a million. What's more, it was so easy. If you've watched the show, you've seen them use detergent as a "surprisingly cheap" grocery item tons of times. They wanted it to be won.

It sort of felt like it just cheapened so many things. Pay the Rent on Monday was super difficult, and it should have been. The MDS million-dollar games required a ton of risk or incredible performance. This was a lollipop that Michael just couldn't convert on.

It made Golden Road feel meaningless, and that was compounded by giving away a more expensive prize in... Secret X? On the center square??

I get that giving away cool prizes makes for good TV, but not when there's so little challenge involved. It just feels dirty.

Yeah I wasn't wild about it either. I'd rather they have reinstated the MDS requirements thing for this week, woulda been much better executed I feel. Also to someone else's point, I thought about saving one of the cheaper products for last too (the oatmeal), but it's a calculated risk for sure to do that if you miss. Also woulda made this game even more anti-climatic than it was already had this guy done that and been successful at it, which wouldn't have entirely been the best thing either.

[gamesurf]

Little homes are a big thing nowadays, and you don’t know the contestant’s current situation—they could perhaps be looking for a place to call their own (not to mention, it serves as kind of a cool throwback to the original series when they used to give away homes all the time).

Perhaps, but even if Stephen was looking for a place to call his own and would be thrilled to live there he can’t without having a spare $40,000-$50,000 laying around for the IRS.

Unless the show is willing to throw in an extra $50K with the house, most people can’t claim it without serious financial help.

Also, about the house being more expensive than the Audi in GR, I don’t think there’s a hard-and-fast rule that the grand prize in GR has to be the most expensive one in a given show.

My problem isn’t “oh no, we broke tradition”, my problem is that Golden Road has this awesome buildup and presentation and pyrotechnics that makes it feel like a big event while Secret X has none of that, the prize is just another PowerPoint slide on the monitor, and they had no time to build it up or make it feel significant.

It almost would have been better to swap the prizes in the two games.

[EvilChameleon]

Was a little surprised Drew didn't mention "hey, here's the first game we played 50 years ago" when playing Any Number.