Season 51 - Preseason discussion

[tpir04]

Some things that really stand out to me:
1) Now that we've hit the big 5-0, I wonder if every season hereafter will have the "xx Years" on Door 4.
2) If not for the logo itself (yet that is, I trust we'll all get used to it), I like that the pricedown sign stands out from the rest of the logo on Door 1.
3) Erm......guys? Now that you've changed the logo, shouldn't you get a new Giant Price Tag too?

[CJBojangles]

Some things that really stand out to me:
1) Now that we've hit the big 5-0, I wonder if every season hereafter will have the "xx Years" on Door 4.

It’s been the norm since Season 30 to only display the anniversary logo all season long on the big 5-year anniversaries. That “51 Years” logo like previous years will most likely only appear during premiere week.

3) Erm......guys? Now that you've changed the logo, shouldn't you get a new Giant Price Tag too?

 It’s long overdue for a redesign…  this would be a good opportunity.

[GameShowFan1987]

Now that I've seen the updates courtesy of Rachel, I think they look quite nice. I also strongly agree that the Giant Price Tag needs an update. It's looked out of place since season 37 and now that the design of the logo has changed it really sticks out.

[SeaBreeze341]

Maybe they'll wait until 2025 before updating the GPT.  I think it would be a record if so.

That's a joke, but who knows for sure.  I agree that an update to it would be great.  I wouldn't bet that they would wait until mid-decade before a refresh, but IMO, it might not be a big deal since the GPT is a small part of the show.  They might not ever upgrade it, but thinking twice about it, it's a surprise that it hasn't been changed given how a ton of things have changed within the past 14 years.


I actually love the big wheel design and the simple-red background.  No bulbs, no squares, no design.  Nothing but red with a giant pricedown logo.  A gold finish would've been okay, but now that necessary

[priceguy]

They might not ever upgrade it, but thinking twice about it, it's a surprise that it hasn't been changed given how a ton of things have changed within the past 14 years.

It's been tweaked with a little bit over the last number of years. The logo was changed and the lighting around the rim was altered. If anything, they'll just update the logo again.

[SteveGavazzi]

It's been tweaked with a little bit over the last number of years. The logo was changed and the lighting around the rim was altered.

Honest question:  When and how did they change the logo?

[CJBojangles]

Honest question:  When and how did they change the logo?

I think he’s referring to Season 44’s update to the silver-rimmed more 3D logo.

[priceguy]

^Yes.

[Drew Scary]

Do we know if contestants are still social distancing from Drew while on stage?

[essmhtvny165]

I say full capacity will be better than social distancing.

[JustAnotherSapphic]

Do we know if contestants are still social distancing from Drew while on stage?

My guess would be yes, but I really hope not cause I miss the days when people would hug him and jump on him and such.

I say full capacity will be better than social distancing.

Agreed. Hopefully soon, but I rather like the pods, too.

[troix]

I say full capacity will be better than social distancing.

Being Big Brother finally has live audiences on Eviction Nights, I am sure full audiences to Price and Deal are not too far behind.
Probably still distancing with contestants and hosts, however.

[PriceFanArmadillo]

Other than "more work for the staff", what does a full audience add that the pods don't?  When you get that many people in the room, it just becomes one faceless, nameless mob.

[Mr. Weatherman]

Other than "more work for the staff", what does a full audience add that the pods don't?  When you get that many people in the room, it just becomes one faceless, nameless mob.

From a die-hard fan's perspective watching the show from my home office, the quality of the production felt no different in Season 50 than it did pre-season 49.  I enjoyed watching, and I'm perfectly fine with pods to start S51, although I do hope the full audience can return sometime this season.

My wife, on the other hand, is very much a Jane Plinko.  Whenever she's watched bits and pieces of the show the past season in between scrolling through Facebook and TikTok on the couch, she has commented on the pods and doesn't seem to care for them.  Granted, I have a very small sample size of opinion, but if I'm a typical, average viewer, the pods certainly wouldn't look 'normal' to me in a world that is increasingly returning back to normal, and that might bother me to some degree.  I do think a full audience adds to the 'randomness' of the show for most viewers, and having a smaller contestant pool with the pods taints that magic just a bit.  The contestants may come across as more 'selected' than when a few hundred people from all over the country are present, and literally any person off the street can be called on down.  I've felt that myself a few times this past year, although Season 49 was quite exaggerated when no audience was present.

Now... As someone who has dreamed of making his pilgrimage to the Bob Barker Studio his entire life, it would absolutely pain me if I never get the opportunity to have the full taping experience whenever I finally make the trip from Tennessee to California -- from waiting in line and being interviewed, to being in the middle of the pure energy radiating from ~300 fellow wannabe-contestants.  The current online processing of potential contestants and pod-based audience of 50-60 people in the pit cannot replicate what we were accustomed to for 48 years.  If we never get that back, it won't stop me from getting tickets when the day comes for me to finally make the journey, but I'll always wish I could have experienced the 'old' way.  I do also miss seeing the full audience on TV each day, largely for reasons I can't quite explain other than I just miss it. 

[LiteBulb88]

Other than "more work for the staff", what does a full audience add that the pods don't?  When you get that many people in the room, it just becomes one faceless, nameless mob.

One of the things that has always made TPiR stand out from any other game show is the fact that the contestants were selected on the day of the taping. Everyone had a chance if they brought the energy to Studio 33/TBBS. By pre-selecting people who can be in the audience, they're giving people a chance to rehearse their act as much as possible and choosing people who know how to pander to the camera to be in the audience. This is why we've seen this very unfortunate uptick in social media personalities on the show the last two years. Yes, I know there are still interviews on-site still but just to get to those interviews, you have to be screened or be the friend of someone who's been screened. It's just not the same as finding people who love the show so much they'll plan a vacation around it and letting them show it naturally on camera.