28Jul2008
Confirmed “Millionaire” Changes
Host of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, Meredith Vieira, today confirmed some changes for the upcoming season on her blog. A time clock is coming, as well as new lifelines Double Dip and Ask the Expert, which are both taken from Super Millionaire (Ask the Audience was with three people then). No word on the category situation yet, though. I think an important thing right now, as always, is to just wait to see the changes before we pass total judgement. Honestly, the only one I don’t like is the time clock, and we don’t know the limits yet.
So they’re keeping the 50:50, then? I think I can live with that, but the time clock…*shudders*
I’m with a majority of the group in that “tinkering” with Millionaire is not on my list of stuff I’d do with game shows these days, but at this point, seeing what’s happened these past few years, what do I know?
The Switch the Question lifeline I thought could be a bit boring, especially if the contestant did it straight off Meredith finishing her reading and the contestant staring with a gaze that looked as intelligent as Paris Hilton trying to find the library. Double dip was my personal fave from Super Millionaire, so I’m glad to see that returning also.
As for time limits: If you had to impose them *which I wouldn’t, this is why TV editor’s get paid too*, I might only impose them on the first 5 q’s, which really most people should know, and only a remote MAYBE on the second 5…
Hmm, maybe this is what Davies is up to *crosses fingers*. You can’t tell me there isn’t a great air of excitement and tension in the air when a person is on the final rung, and has to sit there and sweat and work through a question in front of 4 million people. It’s what made the original so popular. You could cut the tension with a spoon when a lot of money was at stake, and the people at home were all sitting there sweating bullets with the contestant for like 10 minutes staring at the same question, looking for some glimmer of light.
If Davies and the others are wondering why that hasn’t seemed to happen as much lately, they need to look at this past season again. Nobody is going to not support difficult material on a trivia game, but how many contestants recently have had to bail before $25k? Is there a running tally? I know it must be in the 75 percentile. It was NEVER that high with Regis, and to an effect, I think it’s beginning to catch up with the show.
It can’t be THAT high Wheelloon, I still see plenty of people get to the upper tier every season, and I still believe that will be the case as usual this season. Alex is right that we still need to see the changes in action to pass full judgment. I think have additional lifelines would compensate for having a time clock. I loved Double Dip and Ask the Expert(s) on Super Millionaire, they’ll be very good here!
Also, keep in mind, when you get to that upper tier, and you still have 50/50 in tact, you can play a guaranteed correct answer if/when you can.
Davies should be given the benefit of the doubt for now, he’s one producer who has earned it.