46 Responses

1. Brandon

   1

   May 1st, 2007 at 2:54 pm

   Long overdue, but would love to see this come back. It’s a great party game, and could work with a party-game setting, kinda like “Win Lose or Draw” was.

2. Donald

   2

   May 1st, 2007 at 4:07 pm

   The execs better not ruin this revival. Ever since Pyramid, I’ve been sketchy when they bring back classic game shows for todays audience. It’s been almost 20 years since there was a Password game show on the air, and a lot has changed since then. As long as they keep the format pretty much the same as Super Password, just extra features and of course an updated set. I got so many ideas on how to modernize the set if Password would ever return.

3. myke25

   3

   May 1st, 2007 at 4:37 pm

   My mother is convinced that the reason I could read and write before I entered kindergarten is that she would wake me from my afternoon nap in time to watch Password. I loved the original Password. But at the same time, I question whether today’s audience has the attention span for Password. Even Super Password was not the fastest-paced game show in history. (But then, neither is Lingo.) I think any attempt to quicken Password will just make it even MORE like Pyramid. Password begat Pyramid which in turn begat Password Plus. Maybe Password doesn’t need further tweaking in game play…just in set design and graphics like Donald suggests. One thing I would suggest: no celebrities. We don’t need to see second bananas from the Food Network playing.

4. Richard

   4

   May 1st, 2007 at 5:31 pm

   To:myke25

   Celberties are what made the PASSWORD format work for almost 30 years (1961-1989) (Betty White and others) and that will ruin the format of PASSWORD just Cilvians playing.

5. Intelligentfan777

   5

   May 1st, 2007 at 5:55 pm

   On the other side, having all Celebrities play isn’t a good idea either. Heck, they tried that once in the ’70’s.

   And Alex, what are you talking about. Password revivals HAVE been successful, P+ and SP were great shows. WHERE IS YOUR HEAD AT?!

6. Joe Capitano

   6

   May 1st, 2007 at 6:35 pm

   I think Alex is referring to revivals in general. Password has been revived with great success, but a number of classic games have not.

   Let’s just hope Fremantle takes this to heart: Remember Card Sharks ‘01 - and then don’t make the same mistakes again.

7. Alex Davis

   7

   May 1st, 2007 at 6:41 pm

   Yes, I mean revivals in general. Card Sharks was crap. Chain Reaction’s crap. Temptation’s starting to scare me. Really, the only good revival in a while in my eyes was I’ve Got A Secret.

8. Scott Meckley

   8

   May 1st, 2007 at 9:19 pm

   i agree with Alex Card Sharks revival was crap. I could’ve came up with a revival better than that. Chain Reaction is ok I just don’t like the set for the show. I hope Temptation is a good revival of SOTC. i haven’t seen IGAS so i really can’t say. i hope password is more like either password plus or super password because i like having the passwords and then solving the password puzzle.

9. Wheelloon

   9

   May 1st, 2007 at 9:56 pm

   The MOST overdue revival in game show history, I’d have to believe, is that of Password.

   As one of the most basic, yet really intriguing concepts for a game in the genre’s history, the basic premise of PW I don’t think can ever get old. It’s execution, however, is a different story…

   The Alphabetics bonus round from Super Password is one of the best in GS history, IMHO, and I think would work fine today. Have it start at 20k instead of 5k, and after a few times not won, when the jackpot starts getting around 100k, somebody will be taking notice…

   As for the main game, I could be here until doomsday thinking of ways that could be done, but it wouldn’t hurt if it was a bit more fast-paced then P+ and SP for today’s audiences. SP, as a whole, however, I thought was nearly flawless.

   BTW, to Alex or anyone, what’s the stat about that supposed Match Game syndie rumor from awhile back? Is that dead in the water, or… :-/

10. Marc Power

    10

    May 2nd, 2007 at 6:55 am

    well I just thought of something, Let’s say if it does come to life. Betty White NEEDS to and most likely will play at least one game. No doubt she’ll still be around. If she plays in 2010 (assuming it lasts that long) or later that would make her the first member of the 7-decade club. and in 2010 she’ll be 88. That would rank her pretty high up on the list for oldest contestants of all time. I think the oldest was a 92-year old woman who competed on TPIR.

11. myke25

    11

    May 2nd, 2007 at 8:55 am

    Well, OK…Betty’s gotta play. But, I still maintain that the show would work without modern-day “celebrities.” I was a Pyramid fanatic, but I didn’t know who half the celebrities on the Donny version were. Even in the 80s, would we know who Shelley Smith or Theresa Ganzel were if they didn’t play game shows? Look who was on Hollywood Squares after Whoopi left. Back in the 60’s, Password and HS had movie stars, Broadway stars, world-famous columnists. Today, anyone with a camera in their phone can become famous. Time, TV and technology has diluted the celebrity pool.
    But yeah…Betty’s gotta play.

12. Tom Jetland

    12

    May 2nd, 2007 at 10:03 am

    Well, interesting. I’ve been kinda soured lately to the whole idea of celebs on game shows. Would they go to a partners format, like Lingo? Assign teammates? Go the dreaded celeb route?

    And while some recent revivals have been pretty bad, I really like Chain Reaction and I have high hopes for Temptation as well.

13. Steve R.

    13

    May 2nd, 2007 at 11:56 am

    I love to hear that another one of the great games is being considered for another go-round. The problem with the people in charge of the revivals is that they go in convinced that there needs to be an injection of energy or other addition of glitz to keep the audience’s attention.

    The game of Password SHOULD be strong enough to carry the show on its own. The Plus/Super format is fine as is.

    But I’m afraid we’re now in a TV world where the game itself won’t be enough. Pyramid and Card Sharks were victims of the “sizzle over steak” mentality.

14. Brandon

    14

    May 2nd, 2007 at 12:38 pm

    I say keep the celebrities, but don’t focus so heavily on them. That’s one of the reasons “Pyramid” was so sub-par. The celebrities are gonna get a check either way; I’m rooting for the contestants to bring home some loot.

    Fremantle has gotten better since the early-2000s, so if this comes to fruition, I’ll have some hope for them to do at least a decent job. “Game Show Marathon” wasn’t the worst thing in the world, I just didn’t like the directing job.

15. Steven

    15

    May 2nd, 2007 at 2:44 pm

    I can definitely see an upscale in the money. Possibly a best 3 out of 5 match, winner gets $1,000 and goes on to play the bonus round for $20,000+$5,000 each bonus round miss. They can do a Jackpot system on the Cashword. Maybe $1,000 to start the pot, add a $750-$2,000 prize every day until taken, almost like H2 did midstream. But Password can definitely work.

16. Greg

    16

    May 2nd, 2007 at 5:28 pm

    Who’ll announce? They can’t do Gene Wood ’cause he’s dead. I hope they don’t choose Burton Richardson.

17. Brandon

    17

    May 2nd, 2007 at 5:36 pm

    I considered doing a bonus round that allows both “Lightning Round” and “Alphabetics” elements.

    Part one is five words in 45 seconds, at $200 a word. Then play Alphabetics for 10 times the amount, for up to $10,000. If you have returning champions, that’s still a nice amount of money.

    The original Passwords weren’t played for huge amounts of money, and the show was charming enough to where it wasn’t really needed?

18. Nick

    18

    May 2nd, 2007 at 6:20 pm

    Hopefully the announcer will be a familiar voice.

19. Jason

    19

    May 2nd, 2007 at 9:09 pm

    On a sad note, Tom Poston who appeared on the first and last episodes of Password Plus, passed away on Monday (April 30) at the age of 85. 1912-2007

20. dropzone5

    20

    May 2nd, 2007 at 9:49 pm

    Poston also appeared on some episodes of Super Password, IIRC. RIP, Tom.

    Getting back to the revival, we’ve had some talk about announcers, but what about the host? As much as I’d like to see it happen, I really doubt Tom Kennedy’s going to return to the screen; I mention Tom because he’s the only Password emcee still with us. I wonder…

    And as far as celebrities go, it isn’t Password until Betty White’s been on it at least once.

21. Alex

    21

    May 3rd, 2007 at 5:52 am

    The Alphabetics bonus on Super Password got up in the $50,000 range at least a couple of times, so having a bonus format where the jackpot could top $100,000 would be reasonable. That aside, I’d LOVE to see Password make a successful revival. If a primetime version of Password were done, I have an interesting thought about a big-money bonus round called the “Alpha-Bet”…

22. Tom

    22

    May 3rd, 2007 at 10:33 am

    I wonder if Fremantle may be preparing Password as a safeguard for CBS should Price is Right not work as well with the new host, whoever he may be. Granted it’s pure speculation on my part, but I’m sure Goodson’s successors still make lots of money with that hour.

23. CarShark

    23

    May 3rd, 2007 at 2:12 pm

    As much I would like to see a revival, I have this sinking feeling that what a contemporary producer would want, what the average viewer would want, and what the hardcore game show fans would want are so far apart, that even the middle ground would be unsatisfactory to all parties. As for what I want:

    * The host needs to be a combination of Ludden and Convy. Convy in terms of being personable and good humored, and Ludden in terms of…well…not screwing things up.
    * The set needs to reflect the light, upbeat nature of the show.
    * Feud offers $100,000 over five shows. Wheel offers $100,000+ in one show. Jeopardy is unlimited. The bonus round will have to give away at least $25,000, to start, so people can say it without laughing.
    * The music needs to be modern, but actually feel like it’s been composed. Not some half-assed faux party music I could tap out on my Yamaha keyboard at 2 o’clock in the morning while buzzed on caffeine.
    * Please get smart contestants. Watching bad gameplay on Password, just…ugh. No bigger turn-off.

24. Greg

    24

    May 5th, 2007 at 9:49 am

    If the theme to your show, well it just stinks.
    Who ya gonna call? EDD KALEHOFF

25. Scott

    25

    May 5th, 2007 at 10:35 am

    If Password comes back, they have to get a new scoring system if puzzles are used. Both Plus and Super used stupid systems. 100/100/200/200 playing to 300 means that the first puzzle was never of importance. Likewise, 100/200/300/400 playing to 500 means that the first puzzle was meaningless score-wise. The score for a puzzle should be based on how many clues it takes to solve the puzzle…that would allow some catch-up ball. Otherwise, go back to basics, play to 30 or 50 and have a revised Alpabetics. There is so much potential here…

26. Alex Davis

    26

    May 5th, 2007 at 10:59 am

    I’ve always been fond of a game that will combine the classic game of guessing words and the puzzles. Like, for example, give $25 per word and offer $250 for solving the puzzle. Just off the top of my head. I think Alpahabetics is one of the best end-games in the genre and doesn’t need tampered with. I just always feel that it’s rotten that you can get 4 passwords on the first clue, miss one word and your opponent can win the money. At least by offering some money per word you get some reward for solving words. Oh, one final thing: I’m hoping they just call the show “Password” instead of adding an adjective. Just call the bonus “Super Password”.

27. Greg

    27

    May 5th, 2007 at 7:48 pm

    OK, Alex. I see you deleted my e-mail with Jack Campion’s e-mail address. Well, I might agree with you. But, here’s how I see the show. The main game would be the same as Super Password, except each word would be worth $50. Each puzzle would be worth $250. But here’s the kicker. Each clue after the first would knock $50 off the value of the puzzle. The Cashword would be worth a prize jackpot. The bonus round (”Alphabetics”) would be played for $250 a word. 10 out of 10 in 60 would win $10,000 plus $5,000 each time it isn’t won. If a contestant wins 5 games in a row, s/he wins a new car (maybe a Buick) and a chance at $50,000 plus the jackpot in “Alphabetics”. A champion only leaves when defeated. How does that sound?

28. Intelligentfan777

    28

    May 5th, 2007 at 9:50 pm

    Good idea for the main game, but here’s how I would do the bonus round…..

    Played in two parts……

    1. You get 10 words starting with consecutive letters, $500 a word, try to get as many in 60 seconds.

    2. Then the Contestant tries for 10 times what was won in the first part if they can get the celeb to say a more difficult word in 15 seconds…for a potential top payoff of $50,000.

29. Greg

    29

    May 5th, 2007 at 11:14 pm

    Hmmmmm. A possible $50K payout? Sounds like you’re mixing “Alphabetics” with the “Betting Word” (from Password 1971). That’s good thinking. BTW, the first team to $1,000 goes to the bonus round. How about this, though? For every 5th game consecutively won, the contestant wins a new car and plays your bonus round for $1,000 a word. That’s a potential $100K right there.

30. Greg

    30

    May 6th, 2007 at 1:50 pm

    If anyone isn’t familiar with the Password rules, go here:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Password_%28TV_series%29

    I hate to mention this to you guys, but the odds are very unlikely that we will get to decide the rules for the actual show. This may be a revival that totally screws up the rules (think CS ‘01 or Chain Reaction) and will therefore fail. FremantleMedia doesn’t accept unsolicited ideas, and I doubt Midtown will either. Maybe this won’t be the actual Password we know and love. I just wanted to say that in case somebody gets disappointed. However, it is fun to pretend we call the shots.

31. Jason

    31

    May 6th, 2007 at 9:15 pm

    If there’s a revival I think it should be called Password Deluxe. Of course it will be hard to acquire the celebrity partners, with the money they are asking to be on the show. It’s probably why Pyramid was pulled because of the celebrities asking for too much money.

    Here’s how it should work:
    There’s two women vs two men One contestant teaming with a celebrity.
    First puzzle is 100 points, second puzzle 200 points, and so on.
    If there’s a tie, they play a sudden death Password with the team that solved the last puzzle going first.
    As time runs out after the last solved puzzle, the winning team plays the Alphabetics end game where the contestant can win up to $10,000 or get $100 for each word if they are unable to get all ten words in 60 seconds or less.

32. Greg

    32

    May 7th, 2007 at 6:11 am

    Buddy, you just described Super Password.

33. Elly

    33

    May 15th, 2007 at 2:55 pm

    Tom Poston just might have been responsible for one of the rule changes when the show was revived on ABC: playing only six clues instead of ten. It happened that on the original CBS version, it was his turn to give the one-point clue in a round that was obviously hopeless. With some mild disgust, he just uttered the password itself, just to get rid of it.

34. mrquiz

    34

    June 3rd, 2007 at 12:52 pm

    One of my all -time favorite game shows. I’d like to see it go back to its roots-no “Alphabetics”, no players switching sides midway through the game, and the “Ca$hword” become the second element of the endgame (if I had it my way, I’d bring back the original “Lightning Round,” but with each word worth $200. The Cashword element would be played the same as on “SP,” but with the payoffs being 10X; 5X or double the winnings from the Lightning Round. THe main game would played like the ‘71-’74 version, with the “play-pass” option, and the round ening after five points.)

    I realize that today’s producers need to skew younger demographics-wise, but why at the expense of older viewers who grew up with these game shows, the ones from the old Goodson-Todman stable in particular?

35. Greg

    35

    June 3rd, 2007 at 12:57 pm

    Yeah! That’s like tampering with the Coca-Cola formula. That’s like trying to play God. I’m a young viewer, but I like the old stuff. Actually, the 3-part Lightning Round from Password ‘75 sounds like a lot of fun. It might work if you just boosted up the prize money.

36. mrquiz

    36

    June 11th, 2007 at 9:59 pm

    Anything associated with the post-”PASSWORD ALL-STARS” format should be VERBORTEN!!! The concepts were purely reactionary to a bad idea, for which ABC was to blame. There was nothing wrong with the original format (the “play-pass” option, and the “Betting Word” were good, natural progressions on an established format). “Password Plus/Super Password” was more evolutionary than revolutionary. Think of it this way: when NBC brought “Jeopardy!” back in 1978, they altered the format, which was a mistake. When it came back again in 1983, it reverted back to the original format-only the stakes were changed. The rest is history, although frankly, this is another game show that’s a little long in the tooth, and the “Clue Crew,” the waiving of the five-game ceiling, and anything else post-Ken Jennings has made me lose interest in this classic. Evidently, Harry Friedman must’ve been listening to some radio industry programmers and/or consultants, who have adopted a new spin on an old saying…”if it ain’t broke, BREAK IT!” I’ll say it again, if PASSWORD comes back, then “the word game America grew up with” (anybody like that?) should come full circle, and back to its original format.
    Remember, too, “Classic Concentration” was NEITHER.

37. Greg

    37

    June 12th, 2007 at 8:24 am

    I didn’t say “Password All-Stars”. I said “Password ‘75″, it came at least a year after “All-Stars”.

38. Mike

    38

    June 12th, 2007 at 12:32 pm

    And mrquiz said the POST-Password All Stars era. Nothing mrquiz said was wrong.

    The Password format used in 1975 came immediately after Password All Stars, not at least a year later, as you assume, Mr. Gregory.

39. Greg

    39

    June 12th, 2007 at 4:44 pm

    And Mr. Michael, you’re very right. Well, Alphabetics is so overrated. I still like the 3-part Lightning Round.

40. Houston

    40

    June 14th, 2007 at 12:38 am

    Here is how I would do a Password revival:

    1) Whoever said get Edd Kalehoff to write the theme music, gold star for you! Kalehoff is a frickin’ musical genius.

    2) Dump the five clues/one puzzle format. Bring back the original game as it was ran on ABC during the 70’s.

    3) Scoring for each password could go as follows: (a) one clue, $1000; two clues, $900; three clues, $800; down to a maximum of six clues for a minimum of $500 with $2,500 being game, or (b) play the 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 and 5 point clues to reach 25 points with the winner receiving $2,000.

    4) Use “Alphabetics” for the bonus round; it’s a classic. Start with a jackpot of $75,000 and increase it $5,000 each day it isn’t won. In one week, you’d be talking about a six-figure jackpot if it grew enough! Award $200 or $250 for each word if all ten words weren’t completed.

    5) For the revival, use a modernized orange & yellow “honeycomb” set, since the ABC tapes of the 70’s version of the show were destroyed. This time we can ALL record it for good! Oh, and let someone other than Jimmy Cuomo design the set.

    6) Every six months, have a tournament of champions for $1 million top prize.

    7) Toteboards, dammit. Bring back toteboards to display the scores! No monitors to display the scores a-la “Wheel of Fortune”; get a huge frickin’ display from Daktronics or something!

    Keep your fingers crossed that “Password” returns!

    Cheers,
    Charles
    Houston TX

41. Greg

    41

    June 14th, 2007 at 8:34 am

    I was the one who mentioned Kalehoff. There is no better musical composer for game shows than him.

    However, the $75,000 jackpot may be a bit big and expensive. You’ve got to consider production costs.

42. mrquiz

    42

    June 14th, 2007 at 8:35 am

    Charles, I like your thinking…to a degree. If the main game needed “speeding up” (for the benefit of those young viewers who have the attention span of then inaimate object of your choice), and who are obsessed with using money rather than points as a scoring tool, like PASSWORD PLUS, each team has two chances apeice at the password, starting at $100, and dropping $25 on each subsequent clue. (the “play-pass” option is part of the play). When either team reaches $250, (in an idea inspired/borrowed from NOW YOU SEE IT) the dollar values double- $200; $150; $100; $50. As much as I loathed PASSWORD ALL-STARS, and the reversal back afterwards, one facet of that game woiuld play perfectly here; the “Double” option. Only this time, each team would only have one opportunity to opt for it. Like in the original concept, if the team who plays for it fails to guess the password, the other team has one chance to steal. $500 wins the game.

    For many years, a guy named Ted Cooper designed the sets for many Goodson-Todman (and some others’) game shows. Someone should be commissioned to look at old tapes/kine’s for ideas, and go from there. And you are so right!! Computer-powered flat panel video screens are “de rigeur” scoring devices these days; if I had it my way, the iconic “eggcrate” readouts would still be used. However, I’d be open to a compromise on the video-screen readouts; the digital graphics would at the least have to have the “spacing” of the old style readouts (in other words, each number would have to be placed like we learned in grade-school arithmetic; “ones/units, “tens,” and (if applicable) “hundreds.” They’d also have to “flash” during a game win.

43. Brad Hasbrouck

    43

    June 18th, 2007 at 4:29 pm

    Despite former Miss America-Jennifer Berry has yet to host a game show

    But, she hosted Pageant School last year on CMT.

    However, do you think she’ll be interested to host PASSWORD?

44. Mike

    44

    June 27th, 2007 at 9:08 pm

    THANK GOD!!!
    It’s about time someone decided to return Password to TV. Each version had its good points, and all can be incorporated in a new revival.
    Here’s how my version of Password would go…

    1) Play-in game: Like the qualifying round of the ‘75 Password, three or four players (returning champ among them) would have to ring in to guess passwords from clues given by the stars. First two players to score two words make the main game, while the other(s) have to go bye-bye. First to get to two chooses star of their choice as partner.

    2) Password Puzzle: best two out of three match, each puzzle worth $500. No
    changes from Password Plus or SP, and NO CHANGING PARTNERS!

    3) Endgame: Alphabetics (called Super Password) with each word $200 and the grand prize at $20,000. Could be followed by a Cashword segment to multiply the winnings by 5 (one clue), 3 (two), or 2 (all three); a possible $100K payday would result.

    4) Host/Announcer: Is Marc Summers interested (could he bring Harvey from Nick’s Double Dare)? Other than that, I don’t see who else would fit.

    5) Betty White: HAVE to have her on one week at least, or get her approval on format (this show was as much her pride as it was Allen Ludden’s).

45. Fred

    45

    July 3rd, 2007 at 5:07 pm

    Mike, I think you’ve got a great idea there. Since all previous incarnations of Password put together have been on TV for a combined total of close to 20 years from 1961-1989, I’ve been thinking that Password definitely needs to be brought back, too. My favorite version was the “Super Password” version from 1984-1989. Woulda been even nicer if Allen Ludden had been around to host that version, but sadly, that wasn’t meant to be. But Bert Convy did a good job with it, though, so I can’t complain. He did, however, make a few funny occasional screw-ups accidentally giving away some of the puzzle answers, which I’ve found you can see on YouTube just for grins.

    Anyways, I’ve thought how about have the puzzles like they did on P+ and SP, with the puzzles being worth $500/$1000/$1500/$2000, with $2500 being the goal. The Ca$hword idea I’m kinda take-it-or-leave-it on, although that might work as part of the endgame as a prize multiplier, kinda like they did with Body Language.

    On the endgame, I’d definitely have a win be worth no less than $25,000 if done just like they did on P+ and SP (that is, ten words in 60 seconds and that’s it). But your 2-part endgame idea is a neat idea, too.

    Also, as an alternate idea, I’ve been thinking it would be cool for a network to pick this up and make a million-dollar gameshow out of it by doubling my previously-mentioned puzzle dollar amounts ($5000 goal, with puzzles being worth $1000-$4000) having champions play for $50,000 on the first endgame with 10 words in 60 seconds, $100,000 on the 2nd endgame with 12 words in 60 seconds, and $1,000,000 on the 3rd endgame with 15 words in 60 seconds in order to make ‘em REALLY work for that million bucks. If they win the first two, have the champion decide if he/she wants to take the money they just won and leave the game or pass up the money to take on another opponent and another bonus game if they win, and losing the endgame results in the champ going home only with his/her frontgame winnings. In this form, the only fair way to deal with illegal clues in the bonus rounds would be to pop in a replacement word on the fly. After all, million-dollar gameshows have been quite popular on prime-time network TV in the last few years, with Deal or No Deal, 1 vs. 100, and Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader…just an idea.

46. Brandon Devers

    46

    July 14th, 2007 at 7:29 am

    PASSWORD being brought back? WOW! Having Alphabetics as the bonus round is an awesome idea.