I know some will think this has happened already, but I think it is extremely feasible that we’ll look back at this week, and this one, #5945K, in particular, as the day/week The Price is Right jumped the shark.
I mean… what else can I say, the entire week was one of the worst ever in some aspects. The setups didn’t change at all – in fact, it seemed extra hard at times – including culminating in a moronic all-starts with Plinko. It’s not like 80k wasn’t going to be on the line today anyways, so why the hell did this happen? Additionally, there needed to be some control to stop him from putting the chip down while Rachel put the sticker on. They barely got a straight-on actual shot of the thing by the time it hit 0. It was just plainly dumb – you bother to fricking spoil the thing earlier on in the show (spoiling a game is coming when it’s last? What the HELL), so at least make the most important moment go fricking right!
And then they had the gall to try to “salvage” PCH bonuses by completely compromising the rules again… random PCH people + pity cash = NO ONE CARES.
Bottom line: this week was set up to be one of the worse weeks of the season anyways, nothing changed. You can’t insert high-stakes Plinko and expect the week to glorify, even if a couple more of those bonuses were won. This week is a clear example of how one game does not make the show, something I doubt Mike understands.
The SC management is starting to become more of a budget problem than the designer crap. What Mike should be doing is spraying some more cheapos – yes, 17xxx would still be acceptable you moron – and saving up to allow maybe 3-4 wins a week. All this sexed up crap the past couple weeks, today aside (had to avoid the DOB on a 25k bonus, har har har!!), tells me Mike is overvaluing the SCs and undervaluing the PGs when it comes to ratings.
The best hope, really, is that they realize what a dud this was and don’t try anything like it again. But I bet we get a version 2.0 next season anyways, because they’ll say “the luck must go better this time, and the ratings are getting worse!” … while screwing over the other 25 PGs.
If the ratings are really that bad, then they’re not going to improve until they learn to set everything up right down the middle (that would mean retiring Rent, of course), then ADJUST as the season goes on and tweak SCs, a couple PGs and stay on a budget. Don’t put prizes you’re hoping to get rejected on purpose for “free wins”, either. I don’t know if the lack of sponsored prizes makes this impossible, but any type of improvement – setting up for mid-40s% even – is the only way you’re going to establish an upward trend. Believe it or not, Mike, even the young demographic is not going to respond well to 35-40% seasons (or, god forbid, worse ones).
