The Price is Right Live - On CBS

[PriceFan07]

Has anyone thought for a moment this could be a 90min or 2hr episode? I highly doubt they're doing this as a backdoor test of a format change. If I've learned anything from the train wreck that is The Price is Right Tonight, it's that the show doesn't work with 4 games and a weird 4-person SCSD. CBS isn't going to butcher the format of their #1 daytime show. Interestingly, Price is within the top 15 network TV shows (daytime and primetime). I never thought about its ratings in comparison to primetime dramas and comedies.

[illustriousrocket]

The timeslot allocated by CBS is a major question, although I did think of that in the context of it possibly being at least slightly scripted.

If they had attempted this during Bob and Roger's tenure, I would think there would be a higher chance they could perform a show that, if not a perfect 60 minutes, would come in at a fairly predictable runtime. The current crew runs things differently, and it works for them. It just poses more of an adjustment to make.

My point being, it's a big crapshoot what this could require. If CBS only budgets an hour and something goes catastrophically wrong, they're stuck with big overruns, but if they budget 90 minutes to two hours, it could end up working out smoothly and leaving a lot of time to be filled. It's going to require some very careful work and meticulous planning to figure out a slot that fits all scenarios.

[Nick]

Commercial time eating into the show has been a major problem for years.

A major problem CBS can stop creating and solve anytime it wants to by giving back to the show the time is absolutely needs. The hourlong format of The Price Is Right needs, at minimum, 42 non-commercial minutes, realistically 44. Anything less is not enough.

That we just got the Canadian version demonstrating a possible way of addressing it, followed by this news right afterward, feels like more than a coincidence.

There is no doubt in my mind that this is absolutely a backdoor pilot to reducing the format from six pricing games, and I wouldn't be surprised if, within the next five years, the show cuts down from six pricing games per show for CBS to add yet even more commercials.

[illustriousrocket]

It's going to require some very careful work and meticulous planning to figure out a slot that fits all scenarios.

On further thought I take this back. It's actually deceptively simple to solve.

As long as the bulk of this show - the games and prep for them, as the announcement says - is live, they can budget extra time and pre-tape some cast or crew interviews to use as padding if needed.

[jhc2010]

A major problem CBS can stop creating and solve anytime it wants to by giving back to the show the time is absolutely needs. The hourlong format of The Price Is Right needs, at minimum, 42 non-commercial minutes, realistically 44. Anything less is not enough.

There is no doubt in my mind that this is absolutely a backdoor pilot to reducing the format from six pricing games, and I wouldn't be surprised if, within the next five years, the show cuts down from six pricing games per show for CBS to add yet even more commercials.

I don’t see CBS ever reducing the number of commercials for Daytime TPIR. The show is a cash cow for a Daytime show and viewers have been trained over the years for the cadence and frequency of breaks. A reduction in breaks would undoubtedly reduce the show’s budget. At least we get approximately 10 minutes of uninterrupted play at the top of the hour. LMAD had 2 breaks in by 10:11 AM on yesterday’s show.