FULL RECAP - TPiR 09/22/2008 (Season 37 Opener)

[PriceFan14]

I hate to be a sour grape here. but I wasn't too fond of this season premiere. The Pricing Game lineup just didn't do it for me. The prizes were great....no cars under $20K and Plinko was a total bummer, mind you that's kinda uncontrollable from a production stand point since it's a game of luck really.

[ABBA]

I thought it was a pretty good premiere. Nice job with the graphics of the website. Hopefully we won't see any of the negative changes that have been rumored. Good night,everyone.

Abba

[ComeOnDown]

Did anyone else think the camera work was sub-par today?

[ILoveBonusGame]

Did anyone else think the camera work was sub-par today?

I thought it was a little speedy when panning over the audience (when the jib wasn't in use). I loved the first split screen shot of the first spin in the first SCSD. Hearkens back to the good old days.

[PriceForever]

Great show but at least three things marred it:

Drew's silly and stupid entrance at the opening (Ugh!)

Drew's weak explanation of Gas Money

Rich's screaming an exagerated "CAR" during the showcases (tone it down, please, Price is not one of those cheap gameshows where the announcer has to exagerate the prize's worth by yelling)

[Teddy]

Hmmm...Where to begin?

Another new season of TPIR has kicked off, and for the most part, I'm happy to see those new changes for this one. I love the fact that they upped the SCSD bonuses from $5,000/$10,000 to $10,000/$25,000, which I still feel is way overdue. I can't wait to see the first playings of Check Game and Punch-a-Bunch with their increased amounts, as well as Make Your Mark and 3 Strikes with the new rule changes.

As for the rest of the show:

Most Expensive for three cars again! First time since the start of Barker's last season, folks! Where did those number stands go??? If only she had gone with her so-called dream car...

Plinko was the big letdown of the day. The guy only won $1,000, and two of his chips went into the 0 slot. What a shame!

Finally, we get to see a new pricing game since the debut of More or Less in Season 35. Gas Money kicks off its life on the show with an amazing win!

Squeeze Play and Pick-a-Pair also notched nice wins, but I was so disappointed by the performance in Money Game. I wanted that Journey to be won.

Back to the SCSD: It seems that lately on special episodes like this, we get to see at least one Bonus Spin! I remember seeing it on Barker's last show, as well as Drew's first. Well, deja vu all over again! The only bad thing about it is the fact that they still don't use the split-screen on every spin, like they did back in the day. I will also miss those red walls with the gold SuperBall!!! dollar signs on them, but I like the new design on the wheel, which fits in really well with the rest of the set.

Despite the bad rap that the new trip presentations have been getting, I actually like them, and I must point out that you should never jump to conclusions until you see it for the first time.

Hopefully, Bob will return to congratulate Drew on a job well done, and why not? After all, Bill Cullen rode a train on the stage many years ago, and I know that the same mistake will not be repeated this time, since Drew keeps calling Bob "the founder of the show" during the Barker's Bargain Bar game.

All in all, a terrific season premiere, and let's hope that we can make it to 38...

[Mallory16]

For the most part, this felt like a regular episode.  Well, an extra-expensive episode, at least.  However, while One Wrong Price works all right without the backdrops, which are more for decoration than anything else.  Most Expensive, however, really doesn't.  As I thought it would, and Jasmine basically proved, you really need the giant numbers there to easily keep track of "#1!"  "#2!"  And "#3!"  The numbers are a big part of Most Expensive, and it was awkward for the prizes to be unnumbered.

Seeing Mary, Niney, do so well, winning two cars and a whole bunch of stuff was just awesome... just something wonderful about seeing a ninth contestant beating the odds like that!

I'm undecided about Gas Money for now.  It does have a nice set, though.  And it does seem to be a pretty quick car game, which is something the show could certainly use.  Actually, considering Roger made the game, it seems likely he had that very thought in mind .

It was a pleasant surprise that it turned out not to be Pass the Buck, too.

[JohnHolder]

Does anyone happen to know the dimensions of the $102K motorhome that occasionally shows up in GR? I'm wondering how it compares to the trailer.

I momentarily thought they were using the MDS Showcase podia with six-digit displays, because I initially thought that the trailer was a motorhome, i.e., it could have been over $100K.

Did anyone notice that Rich now summarizes the Showcase prizes at the end: "two cars, a trip, etc., can be yours if The Price is Right!"?

John

[Richie]

This was a pretty nice opener in my honest opinion:

Most Expensive: Glad it was played for 3 cars again, I'm not glad the huge 1-2-3 number podiums weren't there.  AARGH!  Your first instincts---go with them!!!  I had a feeling Jasmine got burned when she didn't go for her gut.  I went for the Impala.

Plinko: That range tripped up both me and Nathan.  I really felt for Nathan when the last chip missed the middle slot by that much---oh well $1,000 is better than nothing.

Gas Money: I liked the new concept of this game.  I had a feeling Daniel had this in the bag---his guess was my guess too $25350.  I liked it when he said, "Go big or go home" when risking the $9,000.

Squeeze Play: Thankfully no first four banishments for today!  I lost this---I said the 5 to be removed.  I'm glad Yvette won this one.

Money Game: That was HARD!!!  The Dodge Journey was nice, but also fully loaded!  When I heard the "interior/exterior protection" option added to the Dodge Journey, I was like, uh oh I have a feeling Kathy is not going to be friendly with the price.  Yep, the price was a screwy one.  I really wanted Kelly to win that one, but it just wasn't meant to be.  I thought the last two digits was 51.

Pick a Pair: I felt that was easy as well as Mary. 

Showcases: Mary's bid was my bid as well.  Boy I was surprised Nathan bid on his quickly, but he was off.  A nice start to the season with Mary cleaning house today.

[mrbrown2195]

Rant mode: I don't really understand why so many of you are harping on Drew's entrance. It was not professional, but this is a game show. It's supposed to be fun, you're supposed to laugh and have a good time, and his entrance was the epitome of that. The Price is Right is not federal court, people. I hope he changes it up a bit from now on - maybe we'll see him moonwalk by the end of the season.

But anyways - an excellent season premiere!

[PriceFanArmadillo]

Rant mode: I don't really understand why so many of you are harping on Drew's entrance. It was not professional, but this is a game show. It's supposed to be fun, you're supposed to laugh and have a good time, and his entrance was the epitome of that.

I liked it.  It was reminiscent of Gene Rayburn back in the good ol' days.  And while there's plenty that Price does that gets on my nerves, throwing back to the good ol' days is one thing they could always do more often.

[SteveR]

I hope to be a much more active participant now that the new season has started.

Basically, the premiere was still the same show it's been for the previous 36 seasons.

Some 'reports' came off as though this season was the equivalent of drawing a mustache on the Mona Lisa.

TPiR isn't, nor will it ever be, on that 'masterpiece' level where it can't stand to be updated and tweaked.

No harm, no foul.

[PriceRox]

Rant mode: I don't really understand why so many of you are harping on Drew's entrance. It was not professional, but this is a game show.

This is very contradicting to me.  So what if it's a game show?  Should Howie Mandel enter in a thong? 

We want to watch the show for what it is, not childish antics.  Please!  Keep it "The Price is Right!"

[pricefan18]

(See above post)

Two things:

1. You are missing the point. Part of a what makes a game show what it is, is the idea that the people involved are enjoying doing what they do, performing, having a good time. Especially with something like Price. It's kind of like one big party, why shouldn't Drew have a little fun with it? Just because Bob, Tom or Dennis didn't do what Drew does, does that make him wrong? Besides, it's not like Bob didn't have his own funny entrances from time to time either you know. Like entering on crutches, not being behind the doors at first on the episode where Susan took forever to come down, entering on the turntable, etc. How is what Drew does any different from those entrances?

2. Please speak for yourself. There's no we here, only you. Don't try and come off as if your opinion is the opinion of everybody, because that's simply not the case.

[88JRFAN]

VERY GOOD EPISODE!

Most Expensive: I KNEW IT! I just had a feeling the Impala was the highest. Sad to see the first game of the new season not won

Plinko: shame to see a small amount of money won.

Gas Money: A SWEET GAME! The reveal was nice. The sound effects are so cool. It made me laugh. Great playing. $29,000 seemed like it was too much for the car

Squeeze Play: pretty tricky set up. Great win though

Money Game: Ouch. That was tough considering this is the first time we will see that car

Pick a Pair: SO EASY! I knew the moment she picked the Garlique, the next one to pick was the Dr. Scholls.

SC1: Beautiful Prizes!!! She came so close to getting a DSW

SC2: That trailer was HUUUGE!!!!!!!

Overall 9.6/10 (if only the 3 cars in M.E were won)