Today's episode - Rachel was the only model

[LarryC]

Today's show featured Rachel Reynolds as the sole model for the entire episode.  I don't recall one-model episodes before -- was this the first time? 

Rachel did a fine job flying solo.  To me, having her all alone today made the '90s-era quartet-model (Janice/Dian/Holly/Kathleen) episodes seem downright odd, at this point.

[jhc2010]

One model limits the games that can be played, right? Aren’t two models required for some games like Danger Price, Five Price Tags, Eazy az 1-2-3, Most Expensive, Race Game, Dice Game, or Switch?

[MSTieScott]

If push comes to shove, they could bring in George to serve as a second model in Switch or to watch over two of the price stands in Race Game.

The November 22 episode and the December 5 episode were taped on the same day as today's episode, so there might be two more Rachel-only shows coming up.

When Tiffany Coyne filled in as a model on TPIR a decade or so ago, I asked her which show was more challenging to do -- The Price Is Right or Let's Make a Deal. She told me that Deal was tougher because she had to be in so many different places over the course of the episode. I was reminded of that response when I saw how many locations Rachel showed up in during this episode. Good thing Rachel has a little bit of Deal experience of her own!

[mechamind]

And yet three models were normally required for Most Expensive. Of course, they'd have George as the second, but the third? That must have looked unusual in-studio.

[BillyGr]

One model limits the games that can be played, right? Aren’t two models required for some games like Danger Price, Five Price Tags, Eazy az 1-2-3, Most Expensive, Race Game, Dice Game, or Switch?

Switch seems to be the only one that really works only with two people at the same time.

The others would be harder to do solo, but not impossible. 

For instance, going from one side to the other in Danger Price, pushing one prize back in and then bringing the next one out for Five Price Tags, moving around the set to reveal all three items for 1-2-3, Most Expensive, or Race Game would all work, just not as cleanly, easily or quickly as with more help.
What do they have to do for Dice - just bring the table out?  That seems feasible for one person pushing it even if the second is not there to grab the other end?

[CROCODlLE]

I just really miss when there was more than 2 models. When they had 2 episodes so far this year that had all 6 models, I was downright spoiled. I get budget constraints, but if that's the case, why even have a cast of 6 models when we may go weeks without seeing one of them?

[thepriceis_J]

I just really miss when there was more than 2 models. When they had 2 episodes so far this year that had all 6 models, I was downright spoiled. I get budget constraints, but if that's the case, why even have a cast of 6 models when we may go weeks without seeing one of them?

They have so many models so they can rotate them in/out when needed. They know that the models had other opportunities before they became models on the show and that they'll want to have access to other opportunities outside of the show both personal and professional. For example, James isn't taping right now because he's gone back to Australia to film a movie, and it isn't the only time that he's taken time off to film something else.

Rachel, Amber, and Manuela have all been pregnant and taken leave from the show. Manuela is on maternity leave right now, and we're down to about one or two episodes left before we won't see her on the show for a while. So, while one model takes leave, there's other models that are available to take their place.

Rachel and Devin both live outside of Los Angeles and fly in to film the show. Rachel's in Louisiana, Devin in NYC (formerly Baltimore). So, sometimes they're not always available to film at a moment's notice. In fact, being available in a pinch is why Alexis was hired.

All this said, I wish they would do more three model shows. The four model show days of the 90s always seemed a little excessive (though make no mistake, I loved Kathleen), so I don't think they need to go back to that, but three model shows definitely feel nicer and fuller.