NEW AND IMPROVED

This blog is now sugar FREE, fat FREE, gluten FREE, all ORGANIC and all NATURAL!!

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

THEY’VE RUINED ‘WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE’


THEY’VE RUINED ‘WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE’
 

That’s right, another cranky TV rant.  I know a number of you only watch PBS and the evening news…you are excused.

Does anyone watch “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” anymore?  When this show first came out, it was so popular they ran it several nights a week.  It was fun, it was interesting, and it was entertaining.  It is now on afternoons every day.  It ain’t what it used to be.

I have several complaints about this show. 

The first is I miss Regis Philbin.  Regis was always more surprised at the answers than the contestants.  I like how he was sure of the correct answer and would sometimes convince the contestant to guess, only to find himself  very surprised that he guided to person to the wrong answer.  That was entertainment!

I think Regis left of his own accord, so not much to do about that.

The current host Terry Crews is a very good comedic actor; he is horrible as a host.  I hate how he overreacts every time the contestant gets a correct answer and how he acts as if every contestant is his good buddy.  I don’t blame Terry Crews I’m pretty sure he is told to conduct himself in this way by the producers.  He seems uncomfortable; I think it is because he knows his performance is lame and forced.

I hate the format change.  They used to have the questions get progressively harder and progressively increase the prize money.  Now the degree of difficulty is random as is the money for the correct answer.  It makes it harder because you don’t know if an answer is really easy, or it is a trick question.

I miss the fast finger question competition that determined who gets to be a contestant.  That used to assure the contestant was not an idiot.  Idiots are no longer weeded out.

My final complaint is the way contestants answer every question.  They have to explain their reasoning for eliminating every one of the multiple choice answers.  Even if they know the answer for sure, or if they are going to walk away, they drag out every decision.  This behavior is so universal you just know they are also instructed to do this by the producers.

“’Romeo and Juliet’ was penned by what famous Bard of Avon?”

A.   Steven King B. John Wilkes Booth C. William Shakespeare D. There is no such play.

“Well Terry, I’m pretty sure there is a play called Romeo and Juliet, I’ve heard about it and I think West Side Story was based on that play.  I kind of remember a line ‘ Romeo, Romeo, where for art thou Romeo.’ I’m pretty sure that is from the play Romeo and Juliet, so I think I can rule out D.  Steven King is a famous author who has written several books, but I don’t think he has written any plays, so I don’t think it is A.  John Wilkes Booth…I think he shot Lincoln, but he was in theater watching a play…hmmm still I don’t think it was him.  The name William Shakespeare sounds familiar…I think he wrote stuff.”

“You have $12000, if you walk you will leave with $6000.”

“Yes, that is a lot of money, but I came here with nothing, so I’m going to take a chance and guess C. William Shakespeare.”

“Is that your final answer?”

“Hmmm, yes…C. Final!”

 “Well Ralph, you gambled, you took a chance, but I have to say the correct answer is…WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE!! YOU ARE RIGHT!! LET SEE WHAT YOU’VE WON.” Click click click…” FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!!”

OMG.  Mrs. C. loves this show; I want to throw a brick through the TV screen.

Where have you gone Regis Philbin, a viewer turns his lonely eye to you…woo woo woo.

19 comments:

  1. LOL with the last line :) Sometimes it is good I work 9:30 to 6 p.m. I miss a lot of these shows; I think I would feel the same way about it.

    betty

    ReplyDelete
  2. I gave up on that show years ago! What you describe is horrible!

    ReplyDelete
  3. We have two similar shows; Million Dollar Minute on channel 7 and Millionaire Hot Seat on channel 9. I don't watch either of them.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'd flip it over and watch Andy Griffith.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I didn't know it was still on! I like Terry Crews on brooklyn 99 but idk about this. Doesn't he host another show too?

    ReplyDelete
  6. I haven't seen that show in years, and based on the way you describe the current version, I doubt I'll give it a second chance.

    ReplyDelete
  7. We watch it at our house because there is absolutely nothing else I want to see. I usually read and have it on just to see if I know the answer. I totally agree with you about Terry and his over reacting. His little leap onto the stage also drives me nuts. But my biggest peeve about the show is the explaining every answer and dragging it out and out and out and on and on and on. Just give the answer or get out.

    ReplyDelete
  8. haven't watched it since the days (nights) of 'hotness' when it first aired. loved your example of drawn-out explanations, though.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Good thing I don't watch it. How maddening. I can't afford a new TV after the brick I'd heave takes it out. You are right, it died when Regis left the show.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm not a fan of game shows, so I've never seen this show. Now I'm sure I don't want to see this show.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

    ReplyDelete
  11. Since i haven't watched TV in years, i guess i should be excused, but that would bug me, too. Answer already! i can hear myself yelling at the screen.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I actually went to a Jeopardy tryout years ago, and spent a year in the contestant pool, tho I was never actually called. That peek 'behind the curtain' was a bit of a downer for me, as I realized that, all appearances of meritocracy aside, it's a TV show, and it's all about entertainment, and the visuals that go across the airwaves. . .

    ReplyDelete
  13. Like millions of TV viewers, we watched this show when it first came out, but i don't watch much daytime TV and frankly didn't know it was still on the air.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I used to watch it. Meredith Vierra hosted as well. I didn't know it was still on.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh - I loved the show when Regis Philbin hosted it! Never heard of Terry Crews. I caught it once or twice after they changed the format, but didn't care much for it any more.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I watch a lot of TV, but not Millionaire any more. Too slow for me. I need Jeopardy to keep the questions moving, even though that smarmy Alex Trebek is a thorn in my side.

    I love Terry Crews on Everybody Hates Chris. The reruns are still on, you know.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I think I'll stick with 'Gunsmoke'.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I absolutely abhor the part where contestants explain every nuance of why they choose an answer. As others here have said, way too slow a show. I'll take Jeopardy every time. I haven't watched Millionaire since the second year of its existence (although some of that is due to this, which you may or may not have read before... http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com/2007/06/why-your-christmas-gift-this-year-will.html)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hate that game ....

    ReplyDelete