This is based on a discussion I've had offsite I've had in the past week and I wanted to open the floor to everyone, especially while I'm on vacation. What are you looking for in a game show? This is a discussion I commonly have when it comes to Price and my proposed Super Ball idea, which if you've read discord, is $10000, $30000, $60000 balls 1-2-3, Super Ball with a chance for $100,000 more. If played perfectly, you could win $200,000. Now obviously, this is not happening. But I use it as the example for my point. When I watch a game show there are certain things I am looking for. The first is to show energy. There are certain games on Price that just have that energy flare. Like, you want to hook the viewer into watching and be glued to the television set. The next thing is interactive game play. I want to be able to play along as the viewer at home and not just be watching someone play a game. Gotta keep the focus that way. The third thing is a good budget. Price aside, Game Show Network has had a stupid run of almost every game show being a $10,000 jackpot. $10,000 felt cheap in 2003 when the big money game show craze was on. It looks really cheap now. To make things worse, it's all the shows but Master Minds. There's no variety. Guaranteed drama. The bonus rounds and final rounds are where the are drama is at its highest. Just look at the new version of Press Your Luck. You want a good host and announcer to keep you interested. Ones that fit the format well.
The show to me that (isn't The Price is Right) that hit every note that I want is the long canceled Russian Roulette. June 13 will mark TWENTY years since the show was canceled and June 2 will mark 21 years since its debut. That show to me, and I'm curious to your thoughts on this, was the pinnacle of Game Show Network originals. There has never been another show they made before or after that meets the absolute peak Russian Roulette set. Fantastic host (Mark L. Walberg), fantastic announcer (Burton Richardson), good budget (chance to win $100,000 in an episode if you take your chances), guaranteed drama (you watch those drop zones, you're guaranteed drama), and incredibly easy to follow along game play. Multiple choice options, questions. The strategy of who you challenge and vice versa. Of the 2002-2003 game shows, to me, only Cram was a show that was within its universe.
What are your thoughts?
