Golden-Road.net
Studio 33 - Price is Right Discussion => The TALK Is Right => Topic started by: Teddy on October 11, 2010, 07:48:53 AM
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After watching the premiere of the newest pricing game, Pay the Rent, a thought came to me: As this is the third game that Bob Barker never had on his show, I'd like to have some thoughts from my fellow LFATs on how well he would've done with it, plus Gas Money and Rat Race. His explanation of the games, his reaction to contestants' answers/wins/losses, etc.
The floor is open.
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If memory serves, Gas Money premiered during Bob's last season, correct?
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If memory serves, Gas Money premiered during Bob's last season, correct?
WRONG Gas Money premired in S36, Drew's first season
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WRONG Gas Money premired in S36, Drew's first season
Actually it premiered in the first episode of Season 37 (http://www.golden-road.net/index.php/topic,8586.0.html).
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And remember, there were no new games for Season 36 because they wanted Drew to learn all the games that were already there.
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Sorry. I had a blonde moment :lol:
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If Bob was around, I doubt Gas Money would have the rule changes. Bob would have made that game super dramatic, which is how it should be. Same with Pay the Rent. As for Rat Race, I can see Bob commentorating during the race.
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If Bob was around, I doubt Gas Money would have the rule changes. Bob would have made that game super dramatic, which is how it should be. Same with Pay the Rent. As for Rat Race, I can see Bob commentorating during the race.
My guess, Rat Race wouldn't exist if Bob was still around. I would think he is probably against racing animals for sport. Just a guess though.
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My guess, Rat Race wouldn't exist if Bob was still around. I would think he is probably against racing animals for sport. Just a guess though.
Yes, the same way that Cliffhangers exploits the actions of foreign mountain climbers. ::)
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WRONG Gas Money premired in S36, Drew's first season
Sorry, could have sworn I saw him host it, but I was wrong.
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My guess, Rat Race wouldn't exist if Bob was still around.
Considering if Bob was still around, the guy who invented the game would not have been there. So, yeah...pretty good guess.
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My guess, Rat Race wouldn't exist if Bob was still around. I would think he is probably against racing animals for sport. Just a guess though.
That's true. Forgot about that.
Yes, the same way that Cliffhangers exploits the actions of foreign mountain climbers. ::)
I think you're missing the point.
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I don't think Bob would have had a problem with Rat Race since it isn't technically actual flesh and blood rats that race, it's wind up toy rats from a store.
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I think Rat Race would have been named something else, like "Race To The Finish" or maybe even bring back the name "Finish Line" if Bob was still around. Also, the rats would be changed to cars or maybe even little track runners similar to Hurdles.
I also have this feeling that Pay the Rent might not even exist if Roger and Bob were still there. I just don't see them having a game with such a huge amount up for grabs but a rediculously hard way to win it. I know the same could be said for Plinko!, but I can't see Pay the Rent ever reaching the popularity that Plinko! has.
What I would be interested in seeing are the 4 other games that Roger had planned to have used for Season 37 premiere week. In a Shokus interview, he stated he originally intended to have a new game for every day of Season 37 premiere week. The only one that made it was Gas Money.
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I think Rat Race would have been named something else, like "Race To The Finish" or maybe even bring back the name "Finish Line" if Bob was still around. Also, the rats would be changed to cars or maybe even little track runners similar to Hurdles.
"The Bob Barker 500" is the name that sticks in my head. Or maybe "The Bob Barker $25,000" if they decided to make it a cash game instead of a car game.
I also have this feeling that Pay the Rent might not even exist if Roger and Bob were still there.
My feeling is that Roger's kicking himself for not coming up with it first, but that's just me. As for Bob, he's probably just complaining that there's a game so hard that nobody short of "those medding Internet kids" can figure it out.
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How would Bob have hosted these? Well, let's start with Gas Money, using the setup and guesses from its first playing:
Gas Money
"And you can win that car on The Price Is Right, Daniel, along with $10,000 of gas money! As you can see, there are five prices on this board -- $23,160, $25,350, $29,675, $21,445, and $19,480. One of those is the actual retail price of that automobile, and I want you to tell me which one it is. Everything we do for the rest of the game hinges on this decision, so look them over carefully and tell me which one is right."
<Audience consultation>
"Alright, he says it's $25,350. Brandi, will you put that up on the top shelf, please? Thank you. Now, we're going to find out if that was right, Daniel, but we're not going to do it by checking that price. Instead, we're going to check, one at a time, the four prices you didn't pick. You see, the actual retail price conceals the car's pink slip, while each wrong price has a cash award behind it -- $1,000, $2,000, $3,000, and $4,000. Every time you reveal one of the cash awards, we'll give you that much money, and if you turn over all four, Daniel, we'll give you all $10,000, and we'll give you that car, because we'll know the pink slip is up on top where it belongs!"
"But, if, along the way, we find the car's pink slip down on the bottom, that will mean you were wrong at the beginning of the game, Daniel, and we won't be able to give you anything. However, should you reach a point where you're not sure you can go on safely, you may quit and take however much money you've accumulated up to that time. Understand?"
"Very well. Look those prices over and pick out one that you're absolutely certain is not the price of the car."
<Audience consultation>
"He says $19,480. We'll turn that over and find...$3,000! That's a good start, Daniel! Now, as I said, you may quit with that if you -- no, he's not quitting. He's going again. What's next, Daniel?"
<Audience consultation>
"Alright, he believes $21,445 is wrong. Is it? Yes! $2,000 behind that, for a total now of $5,000. Do you want to take that and quit, or are you going again?"
<Audience consultation>
"Now he's a little less certain. You're going? Very well. What's next -- $23,160 or $29,675? Which are you more sure is wrong?"
<Audience consultation>
"He's selected $23,160. Let's find out if that was a good choice. We wanna see money! And we do! Another $4,000, for a total of 9,000. That's the most you can win in this game without actually winning the car, Daniel. Now, I must ask: Do you still believe that car costs $25,350, or have you reconsidered? Is it possible that you should have put $29,675 up there? It's up to you, Daniel. Are you quitting, or are we turning over that last price?"
<Audience consultation>
"He is going on, ladies and gentlemen! The moment of truth is upon us! Either $29,675 will have the $1,000 award behind it, and Daniel will win all the money and that beautiful car, or it will all come crashing down with that pink slip. We'll know as soon as I turn over...this...card! And there's the $1,000! There's the pink slip at the top! You've got it all, Daniel! $10,000, a new car...we're hot now! And we'll try to stay hot at the Big Wheel. Showcase Showdown #1 is next!"
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Steve, that was brilliant man. I could actually hear Bob's voice as I was reading your post. I truly miss Bob and I miss him even more now after reading your post.
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Now let's move on to Rat Race, again with the setup and guesses from the first playing:
Rat Race
"And all three of those prizes can be yours, Bradley, if you bet on the winners of the rat race! We'll be running the race in a minute or so, using, of course, not real rats, but the plush mice on the track, and I'll give you the opportunity to bet on as many as three of them, Bradley. If you bet on the one that comes in third, I'll give you those watches. If you bet on the one that comes in second, I'll give you that computer. And if you bet on the one that takes first place, Bradley, I'll give you that automobile! Now, placing a bet on the rats that finish fourth and fifth won't win you anything, but since there are three prizes and three bets, it is possible for you to win all three prizes."
"Before you place any bets, though, Bradley, you must do some bidding. What's the first item we want him to bid on, Rich?"
<Rich describes the cheese>
"I'll give you a bet on the race if you can tell me within $1 the price of that cheese. And on this item only, Bradley, I want you to bid in dollars and cents."
<Audience consultation>
"$3.50? He says it's $3.50. What is the price, Lanisha? $2.89! That's off by only 61¢, and you win your first bet! Which rat would you like to place it on, Bradley?"
<Audience consultation>
"He wants it on the orange rat. Let's light up that track, please. Very good. Now, this next item appears to be a toaster, Rich."
<Rich describes the toaster>
"Now, that's a bit more expensive than the cheese, Bradley, so I'm going to give you a little more leeway. Tell me the price within ten dollars."
<Audience consultation>
"Alright, he says it's $17. How much is it, Lanisha? Ohhh, $35. That's no good -- you're off by $18. No toaster, no bet. Let's move on, Rich."
<Rich describes the Blu-Ray player>
"Now, again, we're dealing with a higher price, so this time, Bradley, tell me the price within $100."
<Audience consultation>
"He believes it's $300. Is he right? Oh, it's $400! You just made it! Which rat do you want to bet on this time, Bradley?"
<Audience consultation>
"Okay, he wants the blue rat, so let's light that track up. Alright, we're ready to run the race now. When I fire the pistol, Lanisha will let the rats out of the gate, and they'll run down that track. We want the blue and orange rats to finish first and second! Are you ready, Bradley? Alright. On your mark, get set, go!"
<Bob fires the starter's pistol>
"Oh, the yellow rat's out to an early lead. Blue and orange have fallen back. They're trying to catch up now, but it looks like yellow and green are going strong. Oh, blue's closing in! Can he catch up? He's past green...yellow's first, but there's blue coming in in second! Orange is still behind green...there's no car, but you did win the computer, Bradley, and that's not too bad."
"And we'll see Bradley again in not too long, because we're rollin' out the Big Wheel after this bit of business!"
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"Oh, the yellow rat's out to an early lead. Blue and orange have fallen back. They're trying to catch up now, but it looks like yellow and green are going strong. Oh, blue's closing in! Can he catch up? He's past green...yellow's first, but there's blue coming in in second! Orange is still behind green...there's no car, but you did win the computer, Bradley, and that's not too bad."
This is the part I feel that Bob would get the most flustered with, especially in his later years.
I don't think that he would be able to give a "play-by-play" as described here, and he'd be forced to watch the race in silence just like the rest of us.
Rat Race is actually one game where I'm glad it's Drew over Bob; it's his creation, and he's comfortable with it.
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Steve you're brilliant! Are you sure Bob didn't tell you what to say in those descriptions?
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This is the part I feel that Bob would get the most flustered with, especially in his later years.
I don't think that he would be able to give a "play-by-play" as described here, and he'd be forced to watch the race in silence just like the rest of us.
Rat Race is actually one game where I'm glad it's Drew over Bob; it's his creation, and he's comfortable with it.
Drew didn't give a play-by-play, either -- he just shouted which rat he wanted to finish in first place.
I'm pretty sure Bob would be able to come up with something unless he was having an off day (which was certainly possible toward the end).
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Let me give this one a try...
Pay the Rent
(During rehearsal)
"What's this piece of &%@?... How is anyone supposed to win this?..."
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My feeling is that Roger's kicking himself for not coming up with it first, but that's just me.
Just knowing what I know of Roger, a game with such deception as Pay the Rent would not have been considered under his leadership. Your feeling is wrong.
The gameplay with some modifications? Perhaps. But certainly not as it is currently presented.
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If you bet on the one that comes in second, I'll give you that computergrandfather clock.
I couldn't resist.
I thin kthe obvious point that Steve makes is that Bob has a certain way of presenting the game and the awards. Without trying to take over the job Steve's started, he'd approach the games with the same class and clarity he present with any other game that came around the turntable any given day.
"What's this piece of &%@?... How is anyone supposed to win this?..."
Followed by, "Roger, get this #$%* out of here!"
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Now comes the hardest one: Pay the Rent. I'm not going to bother writing a script for the game as it exists now, because there's not a chance in hell that Bob and Roger would have let that get on the air. With some modifications, though, it might still be possible to make this a fairly decent game, so let's go with the first playing's setup and the best alternate rules I know of that have come out of anyone's brainstorming sessions.
(And yes, I realize that there's actually a TV on the second floor...but doesn't a bed make a little more sense?)
Pay the Rent
"That's right, Rebecca! $25,000, playing Pay the Rent! And that's exactly what I want you to do -- I want you to pay the rent on each floor of this house, using the groceries sitting over there. I want you to put one in the mailbox, two on the first floor, two on the second floor, and one in the attic, and I want you to do it in such a way that every floor has a higher payment on it than the next floor down. I'll give you $5,000 for paying off the first floor, $10,000 for the second floor, and $25,000 if you can successfully pay off the attic, Rebecca! Now, Rich, would you tell us about those groceries, please?"
<Rich reads the grocery plugs>
"Now, just to get you started, Rebecca, I'll tell you which item needs to be in the mailbox."
<Mailbox item is revealed>
"It's the shampoo. Will you take that over, girls? Now, let's start at the attic, Rebecca, and work our way down. We know the most expensive item has to go up there, so look the five remaining products over and tell me which one costs more than all the others."
<Audience consultation>
"The cat food. Very well. Rachel will take that up and put it in the safe. Now, I need two items for the bed and the bathtub on the second floor; they must total less than the price of the catfood, but not too much less."
<Audience consultation>
"The cleaner...very well. And what else? The corn? Alright. Girls, take those over, please. Now, that leaves the pizza and the cinnamon for the sofa and the stove on the first floor. They must total more than the shampoo, but less than the total of the cleaner and the corn. Are those the items you want there?"
<Audience consultation>
"She says she's happy. Very well. Rachel, Lanisha, put those last two in place."
"Now, let's start checking these payments. Show us the price of the shampoo, please. $5.99. Let's see if the pizza and the cinnamon can beat that. Price of the pizza? $3.49. The cinnamon is...$2.98. And that totals...$6.47, and you're alright! Give her $5,000!"
"Now, at this juncture, Rebecca, if you like, you may walk away from the game and take that $5,000 back to your seat, or you may choose to go on and find out if you've successfully paid off the second floor. If you have, we'll change that $5,000 to ten thousand dollars. If, however, you go on and the payment is not high enough, the game will be over, and you'll be off this stage with nary a cent. What's it gonna be, Rebecca?"
<Audience consultation>
"She believes she's right, and she's going on. Let's find out. How much is that cleaner? $5.49! I like the looks of this, Rebecca! Show us the price of that corn. $1.49, and I think you're okay! Give us our total! $6.98, and that $10,000 is yours!"
"Now, one choice remains, Rebecca: Do you want to quit with that $10,000, or do you want to go on up to the attic to see if the cat food costs more than $6.98? If you go on and you're right, it's $25,000 for you, but if you're wrong...no money for Rebecca today, at least not in this pricing game."
<Audience consultation>
"She is going to the attic! It all comes down to this. If we see a number higher than $6.98 on that cat food, Rebecca, you are a big winner. Light up that price! It's $7.30! You've done it, Rebecca! $25,000, at that's only the first game, folks! We'll try to make someone else just as happy after this message!"
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That's pretty good.
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Just knowing what I know of Roger, a game with such deception as Pay the Rent would not have been considered under his leadership. Your feeling is wrong.
Eh, not the first time. Or the 8300th, for that matter.
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"He is going on, ladies and gentlemen! The moment of truth is upon us! Either $29,675 will have the $1,000 award behind it, and Daniel will win all the money and that beautiful car, or it will all come crashing down with that pink slip. We'll know as soon as I turn over...this...card! And there's the $1,000! There's the pink slip at the top! You've got it all, Daniel! $10,000, a new car...we're hot now! And we'll try to stay hot at the Big Wheel. Showcase Showdown #1 is next!"
You know Bob would suspend the win.
"We'll know as soon as I turn over...this...card! Do you know how much gas you could buy with $10,000? Alright, let's see... And imagine being the first to win, wouldn't that be great? And there's the $1,000!"
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I stand by the "Get rid of this game" lines.
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"We'll know as soon as I turn over...this...card! Do you know how much gas you could buy with $10,000? Alright, let's see... And imagine being the first to win, wouldn't that be great? And there's the $1,000!"
When Bob did that, he wanted people to get annoyed with him.
When I write a script like the ones from last night, I...don't want that.
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Personal opinion, Bob would probably handle Gas Money to perfection with his unique way of building up tension. The other two, just wouldn't work.
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Ya know, ya gotta wonder if any of the pricing games woulda ever been referbished or the set woulda been updated if Mr. Barker was still around.
^I know for sure the latter of the two wouldn't of happened.
Wonder if Roger would still be employed??
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When Bob did that, he wanted people to get annoyed with him.
When I write a script like the ones from last night, I...don't want that.
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@TPIRfan2010: I quoted your post just to make sure, but is there supposed to be something there other than a repeat of Steve's post?
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Barker would never annoy contestants in such a way, Steve. You just don't completely understand his hosting style. He wanted to bring up the action and the drama. It's like what Howie Mandel would say on his show before a commercial break: "Open the case.......WHEN WE COME BACK!" Same thing goes with Jeff Foxworthy: "Take a look at the board. Your classmate's answer is......COMING UP RIGHT AFTER THIS!"
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You just don't completely understand [Bob's] hosting style.
Steve's going to blow a gasket when he sees that...
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@brtsimpson142: I really don't have any explanation on that, but I just screwed up or I don't know what all. How could you have posted before I even re-posted? Then again, just relax and let it go.
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Also, the rats would be changed to cars or maybe even little track runners similar to Hurdles.
Which I read somewhere (maybe in Steve's work?) was retired at least partially because some viewers objected to the starter's pistol, even though it was a toy gun and of course, it wasn't fired at anybody. You really can't win with anything with the remote possibility of being controversial even if its intentions were perfectly innocent (see Shower Game for an example).
John
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Which I read somewhere (maybe in Steve's work?) was retired at least partially because some viewers objected to the starter's pistol, even though it was a toy gun and of course, it wasn't fired at anybody.
FWIW, the FAQ sites the game's frequent technical problems as the cause of its retirement.
...Although it mustn't have been very well liked, seeing as many other games that were once mechanically controlled just started being done by hand, and this game was never given that chance. I, for one, wasn't really a fan.
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FWIW, the FAQ sites the game's frequent technical problems as the cause of its retirement.
...Although it mustn't have been very well liked, seeing as many other games that were once mechanically controlled just started being done by hand, and this game was never given that chance. I, for one, wasn't really a fan.
I couldn't imagine Hurdles being done by hand. I think there'd need to be 3 or 4 stagehands operating it...
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I couldn't imagine Hurdles being done by hand. I think there'd need to be 3 or 4 stagehands operating it...
Uh, pretty sure they could do it with 2. One to move the runner, and one to move the hurdles.
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Barker would never annoy contestants in such a way, Steve. You just don't completely understand his hosting style.
Steve Gavazzi knows and understands more about every aspect of The Price is Right than 99% of the people here. I promise you that.
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Bob would have had a field day with Gas Money as it is a perfect pricing game. If he were still host, it would be played much more often and, by now, would be well on its way to being a classic game.
No way no how would Rat Race or Pay the Rent have been introduced under his watch. Rat Race is too tacky, and Pay the Rent... well... the problems have been discussed ad nauseam.
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Barker would never annoy contestants in such a way, Steve. You just don't completely understand his hosting style. He wanted to bring up the action and the drama.
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Getting people frustrated was how he built up the drama. By the time he finally did the reveal, he had you ready to bite his head off if he stalled one more time -- which was exactly where he wanted you.
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I actually agree with you on that one, Steve, but I would like to see Drew do almost the same kind of thing.
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Actually it premiered in the first episode of Season 37 (http://www.golden-road.net/index.php/topic,8586.0.html).
Funny you should mention that. That's what I was going to say.
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SteveGavazzi's explanation of rules to gas money (page two of this thread) was absolutely perfect and, I am sure, exactly the way Bob (or any other host under the direction of Roger) would have done it. Gas Money would have become of the TPIR's more exciting games. The pre-selection of what the contestant thinks is the right price is what gave the game suspense. now the game is just pick and choose.
Drew's inability to create excitement during game -play is probably one of the reasons they changed the rules. ( I know, I know, it's Drew bashing time again...but Drew just doesn't know how to make a game exciting!)
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I know, I know, it's Drew bashing time again...but Drew just doesn't know how to make a game exciting!
It's not bashing if it's the truth.
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Drew's inability to create excitement during game -play is probably one of the reasons they changed the rules. ( I know, I know, it's Drew bashing time again...but Drew just doesn't know how to make a game exciting!)
Or possibly because the original rules were confusing to explain and understand? I'm pretty sure that was the general consensus around here at the time...
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I never thought they were hard to understand. I thought they seemed a bit awkward, but I realize now that was more because of Drew than anything else.
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Gas Money would have become of the TPIR's more exciting games. The pre-selection of what the contestant thinks is the right price is what gave the game suspense. now the game is just pick and choose.
Whether the price is "pre-selected" or not doesn't change the fact that the reveal is awkward and counterintuitive. A game is not well-designed if picking a price that says "CAR" on it results in you losing everything. (Even if you won the car, revealing the actual price was an anticlimax because the game was already proven out by the process of elimination.) Gas Money needed some retooling, but the current version doesn't solve its fundamental flaw.
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Steve Gavazzi knows and understands more about every aspect of The Price is Right than 99% of the people here. I promise you that.
But my question is: Has Steve even worked with the Price is Right staff?
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I didn't like having to pick the right price from the start in Gas Money because it meant the contestant was stuck with it. It's awkward to ask the contestants what the price is, and then what the price isn't, rather than just doing the latter throughout the entire game. It gives contestants more opportunities to think, and it gives the audience more opportunities to talk them out of bad decisions. I mean, it sure would have made for a boring playing if the contestant picked a really bad price for the car right at the start.
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But my question is: Has Steve even worked with the Price is Right staff?
Okay, first of all, no, it wasn't. Secondly, no, I haven't. Thirdly, what does that even have to do with this discussion?
I didn't like having to pick the right price from the start in Gas Money because it meant the contestant was stuck with it. It's awkward to ask the contestants what the price is, and then what the price isn't, rather than just doing the latter throughout the entire game. It gives contestants more opportunities to think, and it gives the audience more opportunities to talk them out of bad decisions. I mean, it sure would have made for a boring playing if the contestant picked a really bad price for the car right at the start.
The original format was designed to have that choice hang over the contestant's head for the whole game. Furthermore, the smartest way to play it is to start by eliminating the prices you're most certain are wrong, so even if you realize fairly quickly that you were wrong, you can still try to build up some cash before you quit.
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But my question is: Has Steve even worked with the Price is Right staff?
Steve probably knows more than Tracy Verna does, and maybe even Mike Richards.
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Steve probably knows more than Tracy Verna does, and maybe even Mike Richards.
I know more than Tracy Verna and Mike Richards does. That's really not a hard-to-acheive accomplishment.
(well, perhaps Mr. Richards. I can't vouch for Tracy Verna Soiseth since nobody seems to know what the heck her job is...)
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I didn't like having to pick the right price from the start in Gas Money because it meant the contestant was stuck with it. It's awkward to ask the contestants what the price is, and then what the price isn't, rather than just doing the latter throughout the entire game. It gives contestants more opportunities to think, and it gives the audience more opportunities to talk them out of bad decisions. I mean, it sure would have made for a boring playing if the contestant picked a really bad price for the car right at the start.
The original format was designed to have that choice hang over the contestant's head for the whole game. Furthermore, the smartest way to play it is to start by eliminating the prices you're most certain are wrong, so even if you realize fairly quickly that you were wrong, you can still try to build up some cash before you quit.
I understand TPIRighteous complain, but I have to agree with Steve on this one. The odds are the same, but sticking a contestant with a first choice makes the game harder, because you make only ONE decision and it has to be right if you want a chance for the car. And since this game is budgeted for two wins (car win + cash win), it has to be hard.