WWTBAM Bored

Blogger Noel Murray reviews the new format of SyndieBAM, which he started watching again after his mother told him about adding the clock. And he likes it!

http://www.avclub.com/articles/a-better ... ire,23871/

He's got mixed feelings about the other lifelines though, criticizing TPTB's choice of experts and saying that the PAFs need more time and that they should be more upfront about that lifeline by calling it "Google it." (It won't happen unless Google pays for sponsorship, Noel.)

And then he takes back some of what he said about the clock, by agreeing with me that contestants should have some more time to work out the answers.

And what does he close with?

Still, on the whole I’d say that this new take on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? is worth getting behind. (My son likes it too, even though he can’t usually answer anything beyond the $1000 question.) Now if only they’d reinstitute the phone-in game and let actual smart people sit in the hot seat again, they’d have my undying gratitude. One step at a time, though. One step at a time.

'Nuff said!

After a few months of intermittent viewing, I believe that since they brought in the clock, the questions have also become easier. Am I hallucinating?

nitrah55 wrote:After a few months of intermittent viewing, I believe that since they brought in the clock, the questions have also become easier. Am I hallucinating?

Unless my intermittent viewing of the transcripts is just different from my experience of doing the MBFFB® thing in the previous seasons, I couldn't disagree with you more. The few transcripts I looked at from December and January were wicked compared with the norm from 2005-07....

lb13

nitrah55 wrote:After a few months of intermittent viewing, I believe that since they brought in the clock, the questions have also become easier. Am I hallucinating?

That's difficult to say, but according to the statistics 15QA lists on his web site, the average winnings per contestant and per show are up this season. There's a much larger increase per contestant than per show, indicating that they're managing to ask fewer questions per show, despite the addition of the clock.

I just don't think the Clock should start while the hostess is reading the 4 answers. As in Jeopardy, you start the clock after everything is read. That new Brit host read one of the first five Q's on last night's tape and finished with only 6 seconds left on the clock. Something's not right! Yes, it was an easy Q. If they want to continue in this way, then maybe they should give the hot seat contestant an answering pad instead of having them verbalize the answers. I always felt that less Meredith and more Q and A's would be better for the show. With the clock, we have more Meredith, less contestant and less time on Q & A's. They took this thing in the wrong direction.

MarleysGh0st wrote:

nitrah55 wrote:After a few months of intermittent viewing, I believe that since they brought in the clock, the questions have also become easier. Am I hallucinating?

That's difficult to say, but according to the statistics 15QA lists on his web site, the average winnings per contestant and per show are up this season. There's a much larger increase per contestant than per show, indicating that they're managing to ask fewer questions per show, despite the addition of the clock.

I don't believe the questions are any easier this season, and I see them all as I enter them into my own database.

Although the average winnings per contestant are up, the contestants per show is down by quite a bit. The apparent reason is that the clock prevents the editing down of each question. The length of the show (with commercial breaks removed) is the same as last season. Also, it does follow that if contestants on average are doing better, there will be fewer of them.

I'm presently taking a look at lifeline use compared to last season. My impression is that contestants are using lifelines earlier to stop the clock, but I need to take a more detailed look at the data to verify this.

15QuestionsAway wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote:

nitrah55 wrote:After a few months of intermittent viewing, I believe that since they brought in the clock, the questions have also become easier. Am I hallucinating?

That's difficult to say, but according to the statistics 15QA lists on his web site, the average winnings per contestant and per show are up this season. There's a much larger increase per contestant than per show, indicating that they're managing to ask fewer questions per show, despite the addition of the clock.

I don't believe the questions are any easier this season, and I see them all as I enter them into my own database.

Although the average winnings per contestant are up, the contestants per show is down by quite a bit. The apparent reason is that the clock prevents the editing down of each question. The length of the show (with commercial breaks removed) is the same as last season. Also, it does follow that if contestants on average are doing better, there will be fewer of them.

I'm presently taking a look at lifeline use compared to last season. My impression is that contestants are using lifelines earlier to stop the clock, but I need to take a more detailed look at the data to verify this.

One statistic I'd be interested in--but which I haven't taken the time to start calculating yet--is how much time the contestants actually take for consideration of the questions. Since we note how much time is left on the clock after each question is answered, it's possible to add up the time actually used: 15-X, 30-X, 45-X. Add in 30 seconds for the PAF usage and (how many seconds?) for the ATA. The ATE is more open-ended; we aren't timing that, but some of it is banter. Total up all the "thinking" time for the show and everything that's left over is basically chit-chat. And I'd bet there's more of that this season than in previous seasons.

MarleysGh0st wrote:

15QuestionsAway wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote: That's difficult to say, but according to the statistics 15QA lists on his web site, the average winnings per contestant and per show are up this season. There's a much larger increase per contestant than per show, indicating that they're managing to ask fewer questions per show, despite the addition of the clock.

I don't believe the questions are any easier this season, and I see them all as I enter them into my own database.

Although the average winnings per contestant are up, the contestants per show is down by quite a bit. The apparent reason is that the clock prevents the editing down of each question. The length of the show (with commercial breaks removed) is the same as last season. Also, it does follow that if contestants on average are doing better, there will be fewer of them.

I'm presently taking a look at lifeline use compared to last season. My impression is that contestants are using lifelines earlier to stop the clock, but I need to take a more detailed look at the data to verify this.

One statistic I'd be interested in--but which I haven't taken the time to start calculating yet--is how much time the contestants actually take for consideration of the questions. Since we note how much time is left on the clock after each question is answered, it's possible to add up the time actually used: 15-X, 30-X, 45-X. Add in 30 seconds for the PAF usage and (how many seconds?) for the ATA. The ATE is more open-ended; we aren't timing that, but some of it is banter. Total up all the "thinking" time for the show and everything that's left over is basically chit-chat. And I'd bet there's more of that this season than in previous seasons.

There may be more - I can't say. But it is more concentrated, since there isn't time during the questions for any banter.

I'm still waiting for TPTB to call me to be a guest host. I have my own TV show and I've been a celebrity contestant on "Wheel of Fortune" twice. I'm more qualified to host WWTBAM than Cat Deeley.

Carmelo Anthony wrote:I've been a celebrity contestant on "Wheel of Fortune" twice.

That's awesome, dude!

MarleysGh0st wrote:

Carmelo Anthony wrote:I've been a celebrity contestant on "Wheel of Fortune" twice.

That's awesome, dude!

That's another game show that rejected me. Apparently, I'm too smart for WOF.

NellyLunatic1980 wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote:

Carmelo Anthony wrote:I've been a celebrity contestant on "Wheel of Fortune" twice.

That's awesome, dude!

That's another game show that rejected me. Apparently, I'm too smart for WOF.

I don't think that is the reason.

15QuestionsAway wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote:

nitrah55 wrote:After a few months of intermittent viewing, I believe that since they brought in the clock, the questions have also become easier. Am I hallucinating?

That's difficult to say, but according to the statistics 15QA lists on his web site, the average winnings per contestant and per show are up this season. There's a much larger increase per contestant than per show, indicating that they're managing to ask fewer questions per show, despite the addition of the clock.

I don't believe the questions are any easier this season, and I see them all as I enter them into my own database.

Although the average winnings per contestant are up, the contestants per show is down by quite a bit. The apparent reason is that the clock prevents the editing down of each question. The length of the show (with commercial breaks removed) is the same as last season. Also, it does follow that if contestants on average are doing better, there will be fewer of them.

I'm presently taking a look at lifeline use compared to last season. My impression is that contestants are using lifelines earlier to stop the clock, but I need to take a more detailed look at the data to verify this.

Spoiler

Hey Jeff on this Friday's show you'll see a contestant use all four lifelines on one question. Had the contestant gone with their gut they could've saved all of their lifelines.

Millionaire Fan wrote:

Spoiler

Hey Jeff on this Friday's show you'll see a contestant use all four lifelines on one question. Had the contestant gone with their gut they could've saved all of their lifelines.

Spoiler

That's always good strategy on a $1 million question. John Carpenter saved two of his lifelines. I'm not sure what he does with them. They're probably just gathering dust in a trophy case.

TheConfessor wrote:

Millionaire Fan wrote:

Spoiler

Hey Jeff on this Friday's show you'll see a contestant use all four lifelines on one question. Had the contestant gone with their gut they could've saved all of their lifelines.

Spoiler

That's always good strategy on a $1 million question. John Carpenter saved two of his lifelines. I'm not sure what he does with them. They're probably just gathering dust in a trophy case.

Spoiler

This contestant used all four lifelines on the $25,000 question. Did they get it right or wrong you'll find out this Friday.

littlebeast13 wrote:Unless my intermittent viewing of the transcripts is just different from my experience of doing the MBFFB® thing in the previous seasons, I couldn't disagree with you more.

<ghostjmf>That asshole is you? I had no idea.</ghostjmf>

I think the clock makes it harder for the contestant to think about the answer.  If they are faced with a question that involves figuring out something mathematical, for example, the clock won't help them very much (I would have a hard time with this!) I wonder if TPTB will keep the clock next season.  As for this week's guest host-what made them pick somebody with a thick Brit accent?  I watched the show today and I'm glad I can read the questions! 

Estonut wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:Unless my intermittent viewing of the transcripts is just different from my experience of doing the MBFFB® thing in the previous seasons, I couldn't disagree with you more.

<ghostjmf>That asshole is you? I had no idea.</ghostjmf>

Are you kidding?

That's just about the only "merry man" I ever figured out right away.

Well, some others of beast's and mini's are pretty obvious, but I'm generally clueless on Merry Man identification.

TheCalvinator24 wrote:

Estonut wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:Unless my intermittent viewing of the transcripts is just different from my experience of doing the MBFFB® thing in the previous seasons, I couldn't disagree with you more.

<ghostjmf>That asshole is you? I had no idea.</ghostjmf>

Are you kidding?

That's just about the only "merry man" I ever figured out right away.

Well, some others of beast's and mini's are pretty obvious, but I'm generally clueless on Merry Man identification.

Yes, I was kidding.

I thought that using fake html tags was a common webspeak mechanism for channeling someone else, without going to the trouble of creating a MM to do it. I know I've seen it here before for Emily Litella and probably others. Maybe it's not so common.

I was riffing on Thursday's Fan/Doctor/"Outing"/MM/Clueless/facade thread. I am guessing you missed it!

Estonut wrote:

TheCalvinator24 wrote:

Estonut wrote:<ghostjmf>That asshole is you? I had no idea.</ghostjmf>

Are you kidding?

That's just about the only "merry man" I ever figured out right away.

Well, some others of beast's and mini's are pretty obvious, but I'm generally clueless on Merry Man identification.

Yes, I was kidding.

I thought that using fake html tags was a common webspeak mechanism for channeling someone else, without going to the trouble of creating a MM to do it. I know I've seen it here before for Emily Litella and probably others. Maybe it's not so common.

I was riffing on Thursday's Fan/Doctor/"Outing"/MM/Clueless/facade thread. I am guessing you missed it!

I knew Estonut was kidding and thought it was a funny little jab at our Bored's favorite ray of sunshine....

lb13

Estonut wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:Unless my intermittent viewing of the transcripts is just different from my experience of doing the MBFFB® thing in the previous seasons, I couldn't disagree with you more.

<ghostjmf>That asshole is you? I had no idea.</ghostjmf>

That was funny.

You may have awoken the bear.