FULL RECAP - TPiR 10/02/2008

[wrikent3500]

The Vegas wheel looked okay to me save for the LED score readout which i had a hard time making out because the red colour made it oll washed out 

[Nick]

If we get another show tomorrow that's been as hard to tolerate as the last two, I'm going to have to pull out some good old '80s Barker episodes this weekend in a serious way.  This show was very painful to watch, and it was largely because of Drew.  From his terrible entrance to ridiculous antics at the end of the first Showcase Showdown, he was all around just very intolerable today.

Somebody, anybody who can actually tell Drew what to do and force him to listen, he must be told to stop downplaying the small prizes in Switcheroo.  It would not be surprising to me to see him push for retirement of this game next.  He conceives the small prizes to be absolutely useless, and after today's complete loss, it would incline me to think, based on several recent patterns, that he'd say, "Oh, this dumb game's so darn hard to win.  Get rid of it."

Speaking of Switcheroo, that bizarre mesh of colours or whatever it was that was used in the transition between SPs looked really awful.

You know, after seeing the Vegas wheel in action with its numerous flaws--such as its small size, slow light sequence, digital scoreboard, and stopping of the wheel itself--that they actually bothered to truck this thing all the way in for one episode must mean that the purple wheel fiasco must have been worse than what I've conceived it to be.

It seems Drew has reverted to allowing Pass the Buck contestants to move the buck themselves...

And here's one of those major flaws with the Vegas wheel that S&P could get all over if they really wanted to.  Anybody who still has today's show recorded in some digital format:  zoom in on the wheel as it stops for Lauren's first spin.  You don't even need the most impressive zoom detail to see that the pointer moves ever so slightly past the peg on 45¢ to 70¢ while still resting on the peg.  I don't even know how that's possible, but it is very clear that the tip of the pointer has moved on to 70¢.  Therefore, Lauren was declared with the wrong amount after her first spin.  As amazing as it was that she still ended up with 70¢ after two spins and won the Showcase Showdown, that still affects the other spinners as Rodney should have started his spin at the 70¢ and not the quarter.  All that to say the Vegas wheel should never be used as a substitution for the real wheel ever again.

[priceguy]

Well today's show wasn't nearly as bad as yesterday's  The Vegas wheel was God awful, but at least we didn't have to suffer through those horrible showcase and IUFB descriptions.

Also did anyone notice that the showcase podium on the Race Game curtain has been changed has been changed from the Barker era style to the Carey era style?

[mrbrown2195]

If we get another show tomorrow that's been as hard to tolerate as the last two, I'm going to have to pull out some good old '80s Barker episodes this weekend in a serious way.  This show was very painful to watch, and it was largely because of Drew.  From his terrible entrance to ridiculous antics at the end of the first Showcase Showdown, he was all around just very intolerable today.

Wow. Just... wow. I can't believe this is a serious post.

We all had a good laugh today at lunch when Drew danced around with the contestant during the first Showcase Showdown, and the entrance was pretty funny too. I'd imagine the old folks at the retirement home had a good laugh.

You're taking this show way too seriously if you can't laugh along. This isn't a court room, this is not a wake, its a game show. Sit back and enjoy the ride - not everything should be stuck up and professional, especially a GAME SHOW.

[wpghi5]

Switcheroo: That playing there was not pretty. And those small prizes are definitely and equally important as the car.

Make Your Move: Those would be my choices as well.

Side By Side: I knew that bed was $3348. THANKS A LOT PEANUT GALLERY!  

SCSD #1: Now the one I see is the Vegas wheel. Yet I find the current one to be better though. And I didn't really like the score readout. LUckily it didn't last.

One Wrong Price: I had a feeling it was the sofa.

Pass The Buck: FINALLY! A contestant passes the buck themselves! That's the way it should be! At least she got a $1,000.

Pick-A-Number: Knew it was a 5 there.

SCSD #2: I wanted Rodney to win.

[strongbad]

What an awful looking wheel.  Horrible.  This show is becoming a drag.  That dancing was just wow.  There are no words for how dumb that was.

[tpirman1982]

Wow! The big wheel from Vegas' Price is Right live looks nice on TPIR, but the one with the big silver $ on the sides
is just a awesome 'cause it matches the backdrop themes on the big doors and the turntable.

Which is what my miniature big wheel model is currently based on.

[tpirfan28]

I don't even know how that's possible, but it is very clear that the tip of the pointer has moved on to 70¢.

I can answer that one.

The real wheel's arrow has a sharp tip and the pegs hit said arrow further up the slant.
The fake wheel's arrow has a very rounded tip and the pegs just glance off the tip.  The arrow is also significantly looser on the Vegas one (ie it doesn't snap back as violently as the real one).

[JokerFan]

From [Drew's] terrible entrance to ridiculous antics at the end of the first Showcase Showdown, he was all around just very intolerable today.

How was Drew's entrance different than Bob's entrance on the Susan Derbeck/Dupont episode (and to a lesser extent, the Husband, Lover, Spy entrance or his April Fool's entrance from 1981)?

[wandayet]

What was Laurens last name she was the last contestant to play and she won the showcase showdown?

[Wayoshi]

I'm not sure if I'm understanding you correctly, so correct me if I'm wrong.  This is the only episode to feature the Vegas wheel.

Yeah, I meant a day there, lol. So here comes the purple wheel tomorrow, maybe...

[GoldenBulldog]

This show was...a bit on the average side.  Make Your Move was obviously set up for a win, but Switcheroo was downright agonizing to watch.  The Vegas wheel was actually pretty cool to see; sure it was smaller than your standard Big Wheel and looser for the contestant to spin.  I'm going to be in the minority here and say that I liked the LED scoreboard; I said in chat this morning that the LED readout reminded me of those Daktronics-style scoreboards that are used inside the AmericanBank Center Arena (where my Islanders and IceRays play).

(for those who don't know what Daktronics is, they're the guys who build those videoboards/scoreboards at various university athletic facilities, NFL or MLB stadiums, and most NBA/NHL arenas  in the country as well as stadiums from around the world.)

OVERALL SHOW GRADE:  C

The Vegas wheel looked okay to me save for the LED score readout which i had a hard time making out because the red colour made it oll washed out

It's because of the amber LED displays; to put this in a "technical" context, Daktronics (or any other scoreboard maker) uses amber LED's on their scoreboards.  The LED display is designed to use less energy than your standard bulb.  To be honest, I can see TPIR switching to an LED display (for the Big Wheel) in the near future to conserve energy.

[temptation1979ga]

How was Drew's entrance different than Bob's entrance on the Susan Derbeck/Dupont episode (and to a lesser extent, the Husband, Lover, Spy entrance or his April Fool's entrance from 1981)?

I'd say they're really no different at all, but what made it really cool when Bob did funny entrances is that they were done so infrequently. Drew, on the other hand, has started making a weird entrance almost daily. That's a little too much, "Hey, look at me" for my liking. It was fun for a day or so, but for me, it's kind of like when Drew would walk up and put his face right at the camera in the showcase showdown...it was funny the first time or two, but then it got old in a hurry.

[JokerFan]

So here comes the purple wheel tomorrow, maybe...

From what are you making that assumption?

[howierules86]

Say what you want, but I thought today's intro with Drew not being behind the doors and pretending to be pushed toward the opening, him chanting "Crowd! Crowd! Crowd!" when the audience was chanting his name, and the little dancing bit at the end of SCSD #1 were hilarious!