Top 10 Moments of 2008: Number One
Most shows this day are teetering towards a million dollar top prize in daytime. Plus with Deal or No Deal debuting, which was a wild card in terms of what the ratings would do, it seemed like time to bring in the million dollar top prize. You have to land on one of three segments of a wedge, which is a $1,000,000 space surrounded by Bankrupts. You have to solve the puzzle to claim it, and win the game without hitting a single Bankrupt to take it to the end game. Then you have to spin it on the bonus wheel, a 1:24 shot, and solve that tough end game puzzle. They seemed to do nothing short of making you jump through fire and entering a cage match with Pat Sajak in order to win.
First, a little rumor disputing after we had a nice chat with Wheel executive producer Harry Friedman. Australian had Million Dollar Wheel of Fortune under the same format we had. You won the million the same exact way over there as here. I, as well as many others who follow this stuff, figured we took their idea. He told me that they were developing this end game for around a year. When Australia wanted to revive Wheel,they wanted something new, so Harry basically sent this end game over there as a test. I’m pretty sure if what happened in October happened so quickly in Australia, knowing how cheap they are it would have been gone quickly.
Sony’s press people sent out media alerts to watch in mid October for a very special event. No outright spoilers, but it was pretty clear what was going to happen. And it would happen to Michelle Loewenstein. She spun the million dollar wedge on her very first spin, so she could not hit a single bankrupt in any spin the rest of the game. And she still had to win. And spin it on the bonus game wheel. And solve the tough puzzle. She managed to and became Wheel of Fortune‘s first million dollar winner in what was a very exciting and nice moment. It’s come close to happening again, but so far no other millionaires yet. But the real shock of this moment was just how fast she won it. I was talking to someone before the season started and I said I’d be completely stunned if someone won the million this season. To win it in about five weeks blew me away. She basically played the perfect game of Wheel of Fortune and has the million dollars to show for it. Congratulations on making history, Michelle. And as a small consolation, our experts have voted you and the million dollar Wheel of Fortune win the most memorable game show moment of 2008. We’ll see you in 2009!
Moment of Truth: Do you think the million dollars is too easy to win, or was this just a freak accident and it’s just right? Plus, as always, throw in any additional comments you have about the win.
Too easy? It’s extremely hard, which is how it should be. $1,000,000 ain’t hay.
I said it when I blogged about it months ago, and I still stand by the statement. This is a hard format. Although I often disagree with other posters who seem to think that other games’ million-dollar jackpots are too easy to win (some are. I just don’t always agree with which ones are cited), this one simply isn’t. The odds are against it happening at all in a given year. The show just got lucky.
That’s a good thing. Not a bad thing. But it doesn’t mean that the million’s too easy to win.
I agree with Chad and Mark. It IS extremely hard…and I, also, was surprised by how fast it was won.
I didn’t like the spoiler on this, however. If WoF is still as highly rated as everyone says it is, people watch it anyway…so, why bother with the spoiler?
Also, since she got the wedge on her first spin, and had to keep it till the end…isn’t that THE hardest thing to do (save for doing that and solving every puzzle)? With that said, I’m worried…when someone wins “the big one” (whatever it is for the given show) nowadays, ratings start waning. I hope I’m wrong…but, I also hope others see my point.
Agree with this being the top moment, though I’d put the 5th Grader win at #2, but that’s just me.
I don’t see this win as being a threat to the ratings. The million dollar bit was one way to keep the show fresh, something Wheel has excelled at over the years. People don’t tune in just to see the potential big win as with some other shows; after two and ahalf decades, it’s the gameplay itself.
I’m going to make it unanimous (so far) and say that it’s very hard, but I’m glad she won it, and just a month into Season 26 at that. I agree with HomerJay, it won’t (and, so far, didn’t) hurt the ratings any, it’s still the #1 game show in America. And anyone who complains about the show adding a $1 million format, understand this, they’d added it just to keep the show fresh (a la the “unlimited appearances rule on Jeopardy!).
Well if you think the odds are hard here, it was harder on the short-lived Australian version- the million-dollar wedge was only available in round 1!
I didn’t have a problem with the MDW when it was announced- it’s part of the shows natural evolution, and the odds are high, but not necessarily impossible (we’ve had what- 4 or 5 times when the million dollar wedge went to the bonus round so far this season?). I was thinking it was 50/50 it was going to be won this season- I just didn’t expect it to happen so quick.
I can’t wait for the time the million is won in front of an on-the-road crowd..that’ll be a great moment, since it’ll be in front of potentially several thousand instead of a couple of hundred (though we’ll definitely know about it in advance, since it’ll be impossible to keep that quiet).
Jay , the MDW is only lost (as far as not answering the puzzle is concerned) in the round he/she picks it up:
To bring back a old phrase "Once you solve the puzzle, It's yours to keep." (a variation on the old "Shopping era" phrase. "Once you buy it, it's yours to keep.")
Of course, Bankrupts are notwithstanding on that quote.
I want you, smashwhammy, to watch an excerpt from the 2000 rival of the classic 1950s primetime quiz show Twenty One, fronted by talkmeister Maury Povich.