500 Questions

[TheConfessor]

I can think of lots of more legitimate complaints, especially how the rules are totally biased to favor the incumbent over the challenger.

This doesn't bother me, because (except for the first player and the successor to anyone who manages to answer all 500 questions) every incumbent starts out as a challenger. --Bob

Right. And usually loses.

[Bob78164]

I can think of lots of more legitimate complaints, especially how the rules are totally biased to favor the incumbent over the challenger.

This doesn't bother me, because (except for the first player and the successor to anyone who manages to answer all 500 questions) every incumbent starts out as a challenger. --Bob

Right. And usually loses.

Not enough sample size yet to evaluate that. But the game probably wouldn't be interesting if the challenger were 50-50 to win because then it would likely take years before anyone came close to 500 questions. --Bob

[ghostjmf]

Watched the tail end of what was a rebroadcast of the 1st ep yesterday. This show has 0 appeal for me as a viewer. As a contestant, well, I am for things where I can make $$, & this doesn't seem like a great route. I have to say, after having read here about how intensely they cast this thing, making people fly in for in-person interviews & then rejecting many of them, that I can't really see what their casting strategy was. The 2 I watched at the end of last night's rebroadcast seemed to be typical nerds, acting even nerdier than we nerds generally do. The 2 I watched were both white, male, & I'd have to say not generally appealing, not with the flop sweat that is. Making them banter while playing just shows why J!'s not allowing during-play banter, something in the past I've thought was cruel, is a good idea.


Also, the "name as many choices as you can come up with under a time limit" is an awful rule. Makes even smart people, as I'm sure these 2 are, look dumb. Time would be way better spent thinking toward the answer than free-associating under stress. Which the stress makes not real free-association at all. Just clearing your brain & hoping the answer pops into it would be better for me, but I guess makes bad TV.

I'll try to watch or tape Monday to see Rafferbee play if that's really when she's on (I'm not clear on this), but only for that reason.

[Rafferbee]

Yes, I'll be on Monday. I'll be on the last 10 minutes of tonight's rebroadcast, too. I gave a shout-out to the Bored in the local section of the Baltimore Sun today.

[TheConfessor]

Not enough sample size yet to evaluate that. But the game probably wouldn't be interesting if the challenger were 50-50 to win because then it would likely take years before anyone came close to 500 questions. --Bob

Why does the show's meaningless title make it any more interesting to you? Neither the viewers nor the contestants were told of anything special that happens if someone reaches 500 questions. It is implied that 500 questions just means that's all you're allowed to see, kind of like imposing term limits on a political office, which is hardly a compelling climax.

[Kazoo65]

I just saw tonight's repeat. I think Steve is very smart (and lucky). I will be watching tomorrow night to see if Rafferbee can knock him out.

How has the show been doing in the ratings? I wonder if anybody is watching it.

Are you ready for Celebrity Family Feud? That's coming up later this summer, and ABC is promoting it during the commercials.

[zachhoran1]

I just saw tonight's repeat. I think Steve is very smart (and lucky). I will be watching tomorrow night to see if Rafferbee can knock him out.

How has the show been doing in the ratings? I wonder if anybody is watching it.

Are you ready for Celebrity Family Feud? That's coming up later this summer, and ABC is promoting it during the commercials.

Most of us would rather see 500 questions, with the flaws it has, than more Steve Harvey Feud and third tier celebrities and PG rated questions. But Feud will unfortunately get higher ratings than 500Q will.

[silvercamaro]

My bottom line is that I don't particularly want to see any tv show with the word "celebrity" in the title.

[Catfish]

My bottom line is that I don't particularly want to see any tv show with the word "celebrity" in the title.

If the celebrities are Hugh Jackman, Liam Neeson, Neil Patrick Harris, and the people who play the following characters on Game of Thrones, I'm in: Daario Naharis, Khal Drogo, Tyron Lannister, Bronn, Sandor Clegane, that cute little Jon Snow, Arya Stark, and Brienne of Tarth

[Bob Juch]

I just saw tonight's repeat. I think Steve is very smart (and lucky). I will be watching tomorrow night to see if Rafferbee can knock him out.

How has the show been doing in the ratings? I wonder if anybody is watching it.

Are you ready for Celebrity Family Feud? That's coming up later this summer, and ABC is promoting it during the commercials.

Most of us would rather see 500 questions, with the flaws it has, than more Steve Harvey Feud and third tier celebrities and PG rated questions. But Feud will unfortunately get higher ratings than 500Q will.

Yes, just 5 million the first night and about 4.6 the second.

[Bob Juch]

I met Steve Bahnaman at TCONA last year. I think I saw James Holzhauer there as well.

[gsabc]

Caught part of last night's rerun, until I just couldn't stand the host any more. Wanted to reach into the television and rip his British accent out.

Show itself seemed reasonable. The two changes I would make would be to make it a little easier to win money while making it a little harder to keep going on forever. How about getting two strikes if you lose a battle to the challenger? Oh, excuse me, BATTLE. Gives real meaning to the title of "challenger".

[goongas]

I met Steve Bahnaman at TCONA last year

He wasn't there last year or any year.

[Estonut]

I met Steve Bahnaman at TCONA last year

He wasn't there last year or any year.

What a surprise!

[Kazoo65]

Just watched tonight. I liked when Megan (Rafferbee) told the host that we don't "tickle the categories" in the US.

If they bring the show back, they need a new host. This guy is annoying. You can't understand half of what he's saying, and you don't get to see the correct answers half the time, unless the contestant misses it.

I think Steve will go all the way.

[TheConfessor]

Just watched tonight. I liked when Megan (Rafferbee) told the host that we don't "tickle the categories" in the US.

If they bring the show back, they need a new host. This guy is annoying. You can't understand half of what he's saying, and you don't get to see the correct answers half the time, unless the contestant misses it.

I think Steve will go all the way.

All the way to what? We already know it's impossible for him to reach 500 questions in this run.

[zachhoran1]

Tonight's game finished up all but one question of the game starting Friday night. QUestion 150 which STeve must answer to stay in the game and keep Megan Rafferty Barnes from taking over airs at the top of tomorrow's show. An hour long game show straddling a game over three shows has never happened before. IIRC it's happened only once in the half hour WWTBAM format(JOhn Castellano in 2004)

[thejeopardyfan]

Rafferbee is appearing on our Live Panel tonight, talking about the show.

[Bob Juch]

I met Steve Bahnaman at TCONA last year

He wasn't there last year or any year.

I have met him. My memory isn't what it used to be. Maybe the TeamTrivia regionals?

[Jeemie]

All the way to what? We already know it's impossible for him to reach 500 questions in this run.

Just out of curiosity- if this run ended with Steve still going, does anyone know if he will be brought back should the show have another run?

Or is that something no one has revealed because they don't want to spoil whether or not Steve made it all the way to the end of this run?

[Rafferbee]

Let's see if this link works for my article. It doesn't seem to be on the Baltimore Sun website, but they have an e-edition, with bonus appearance by Phil Ken Sebbin! http://eedition2.baltimoresun.com/Olive ... w=ZW50aXR5

[zachhoran1]

Will Steve's elemental knowledge force him to light Megan's cyberial cigar? We'll find out in nine hours EST.

[Bob Juch]

Let's see if this link works for my article. It doesn't seem to be on the Baltimore Sun website, but they have an e-edition, with bonus appearance by Phil Ken Sebbin! http://eedition2.baltimoresun.com/Olive ... w=ZW50aXR5

“I would say ‘500 Questions’ is like ‘Jeopardy’ on steroids.”

I would say it's more like "Jeopardy!' on downers.

[Jeemie]

Let's see if this link works for my article. It doesn't seem to be on the Baltimore Sun website, but they have an e-edition, with bonus appearance by Phil Ken Sebbin! http://eedition2.baltimoresun.com/Olive ... w=ZW50aXR5

“I would say ‘500 Questions’ is like ‘Jeopardy’ on steroids.”

I would say it's more like "Jeopardy!' on downers.

Rafferbee, who has been on both shows, BTW, was referring to HER experience, not the audience's.

[Jeemie]

Let's see if this link works for my article. It doesn't seem to be on the Baltimore Sun website, but they have an e-edition, with bonus appearance by Phil Ken Sebbin! http://eedition2.baltimoresun.com/Olive ... w=ZW50aXR5

On TV, the "trash-talking" and the like seemed quite tame and muted.

Was it really intense between contestants on the set, though? To the point where you could see it affecting people's nerves?

Just curious.