WWTBAM Bored

It's the end of Week One of the "New Meredith Millionaire" (or SydnieMillionaire to some fans), and here's the question right up front - what about the clock?

Sure, the new time limits on each question speed up gameplay greatly, but that lovely banter between Meredith and the contestants, which I think keeps the show interesting after eight years, is all but gone now, because of the time constraints. (I think the current time limits are too short at the moment.)

So, is the new clock fine as it is now, or does there need to be more time on the clock - or do they need to lose the clock altogether?
Using your mice, please vote now.

Brit Canuck wrote:It's the end of Week One of the "New Meredith Millionaire" (or SydnieMillionaire to some fans), and here's the question right up front - what about the clock?

Sure, the new time limits on each question speed up gameplay greatly, but that lovely banter between Meredith and the contestants, which I think keeps the show interesting after eight years, is all but gone now, because of the time constraints. (I think the current time limits are too short at the moment.)

So, is the new clock fine as it is now, or does there need to be more time on the clock - or do they need to lose the clock altogether?
Using your mice, please vote now.

I haven't watched the show since the clock came in...can't they just banter in between questions?

Jeemie wrote:I haven't watched the show since the clock came in...can't they just banter in between questions?

Oh yes, they can and do! How else do you think they managed to tie the record for lowest number of questions in an episode, earlier this week? (Well, besides chatting with the contestant, Meredith can chat with the "Expert" now, too.)

I think what BC is referring to is all the banter and thinking out loud during the questions. That's certainly what I miss!

Jeemie wrote:I haven't watched the show since the clock came in...can't they just banter in between questions?

Apparently, they can and they do, since the number of questions per episode is down from last year. They also take some time to banter with the Expert.

Jinx, Ed!

All the banter is now scripted. Every microsecond of discussion is predictably sappy dwelling on children, dead grandparents and how you can "really use the money". The host-contestant discussions now sound like an eighth-grade French vocabulary drill with the contestant parroting back rejoinders to what Meredith has just said. "Are you excited to be here?", "yes I'm so excited to be here."

Maybe I'm sadistic, but I really liked watching contestants squirm uncomfortably. Even though there wasn't any clock, many of us still felt pressure to keep things moving but still wanting to take some time just to think. These were two great forces opposing each other while sitting in the hot seat and they were manifested in delightfully quirky, unique ways.

It is simply not interesting anymore and adding insult to injury, the show now moves so, so slowly.

The one change I really like is having the names and faces of the PAFs on screen.

I'm sure the conspiracy minded amongst us will posit that this is a deliberate attempt to put the final nail in the coffin. TPTB is just tired of producing this show and wants to accelerate the decline in ratings to kill it off.

If they wanted to stop doing it, they would just stop doing it. I at first thought the clock was not good, but I have changed my mind. Meredith seems to be enjoying herself now. I like the increased drama. I do think they should have thirty seconds to the five five questions though.

You don't have "I like the clock, but put less time on it." And start it when Meredith finishes reading the four answers. It's clear no one is going to interrupt Meredith to gain a few seconds. I don't know how they did it but the game goes slower now. Also the new contestant walking in as the old one walks out... rather bizarre. Reminds me of Weakest Link's walk of shame.

I still say they should put a clock on the pre-game banter.

The clock should start AFTER Meredith finishes reading the fourth answer.

hermillion wrote:The clock should start AFTER Meredith finishes reading the fourth answer.

I agree. The way they're doing it now is horribly unfair, and I'll bet that every contestant has signed an affidavit promising not to interrupr Meredith when the correct answer comes up just to save time.

Is there any chance they can change the rules mid-season?

I hate the clock with a passion, but I could be bias because I had to go up against it myself.

I had to sign a form indicating that I wouldn't talk about the then proposed changes to the show's format. But now that the first show of season 7 has aired, I think I am free to talk about the time WWTBAM invited me to try out the changes to the game, just to see if they liked the changes. I sensed that some of the people from WWTBAM genuinely thought the changes would make the game more interesting and faster. I tried to convince them otherwise with regard to the wisdom of using the clock, but evidently they think it is more interesting to see someone with a silent worried look on his or her face as the clock ticks down, over someone who is calmly trying to reason out the question. Well I guess ultimately the ratings will determine which is more interesting. I hope that the ratings prove me wrong.

lv42day wrote: I had to sign a form indicating that I wouldn't talk about the then proposed changes to the show's format. But now that the first show of season 7 has aired, I think I am free to talk about the time WWTBAM invited me to try out the changes to the game, just to see if they liked the changes. I sensed that some of the people from WWTBAM genuinely thought the changes would make the game more interesting and faster. I tried to convince them otherwise with regard to the wisdom of using the clock, but evidently they think it is more interesting to see someone with a silent worried look on his or her face as the clock ticks down, over someone who is calmly trying to reason out the question. Well I guess ultimately the ratings will determine which is more interesting. I hope that the ratings prove me wrong.

How did you get invited to help try out the changes? Thanks for trying to stop these changes!

If the ratings prove you right, I hope TPTB have the gumption to admit that the new rules were a mistake and to go back to the old ones.

Hi Marley. I've read so many of your posts, I almost feel I know you. But to answer your question, I was invited to try out their new ideas because I am a former contestant of the show. There was another former contestant there as well. She played a mock game that day. And I played a mock game after her. But that day I only questioned the time clock.

MarleysGh0st wrote:

lv42day wrote: I had to sign a form indicating that I wouldn't talk about the then proposed changes to the show's format. But now that the first show of season 7 has aired, I think I am free to talk about the time WWTBAM invited me to try out the changes to the game, just to see if they liked the changes. I sensed that some of the people from WWTBAM genuinely thought the changes would make the game more interesting and faster. I tried to convince them otherwise with regard to the wisdom of using the clock, but evidently they think it is more interesting to see someone with a silent worried look on his or her face as the clock ticks down, over someone who is calmly trying to reason out the question. Well I guess ultimately the ratings will determine which is more interesting. I hope that the ratings prove me wrong.

How did you get invited to help try out the changes? Thanks for trying to stop these changes!

If the ratings prove you right, I hope TPTB have the gumption to admit that the new rules were a mistake and to go back to the old ones.

This is typical of production companies. Sometimes you don't have to be a former contestant. I've worked on Tic Tac Dough, Monopoly and other shows. We would play the game with the producers watching to see how their changes worked under "real" conditions with contestants and not in their offices. They'd pay a nominal sum.

hermillion wrote:The clock should start AFTER Meredith finishes reading the fourth answer.

Me too!

Me too!

lv42day wrote:Hi Marley. I've read so many of your posts, I almost feel I know you. But to answer your question, I was invited to try out their new ideas because I am a former contestant of the show. There was another former contestant there as well. She played a mock game that day. And I played a mock game after her. But that day I only questioned the time clock.

I can see the future. Really.

Marley will now ask when you were on and he will then go look for your transcript.

or, someone will get to it before Marley.

peacock2121 wrote:

lv42day wrote:Hi Marley. I've read so many of your posts, I almost feel I know you. But to answer your question, I was invited to try out their new ideas because I am a former contestant of the show. There was another former contestant there as well. She played a mock game that day. And I played a mock game after her. But that day I only questioned the time clock.

I can see the future. Really.

Marley will now ask when you were on and he will then go look for your transcript.

or, someone will get to it before Marley.

Since you brought up the subject, does that count?

lv42day wrote:I had to sign a form indicating that I wouldn't talk about the then proposed changes to the show's format. But now that the first show of season 7 has aired, I think I am free to talk about the time WWTBAM invited me to try out the changes to the game, just to see if they liked the changes. I sensed that some of the people from WWTBAM genuinely thought the changes would make the game more interesting and faster. I tried to convince them otherwise with regard to the wisdom of using the clock, but evidently they think it is more interesting to see someone with a silent worried look on his or her face as the clock ticks down, over someone who is calmly trying to reason out the question. Well I guess ultimately the ratings will determine which is more interesting. I hope that the ratings prove me wrong.

It's funny you should say that, After I was finished with my taping I realized that I must of had the worst look of apprehension on my face for most of my questions. I would have enjoyed my experience so much more if there was no clock.

Thanks for trying to convince them to not use the clock, I just wish you had the influence to stop it.

MarleysGh0st wrote:

peacock2121 wrote:

lv42day wrote:Hi Marley. I've read so many of your posts, I almost feel I know you. But to answer your question, I was invited to try out their new ideas because I am a former contestant of the show. There was another former contestant there as well. She played a mock game that day. And I played a mock game after her. But that day I only questioned the time clock.

I can see the future. Really.

Marley will now ask when you were on and he will then go look for your transcript.

or, someone will get to it before Marley.

Since you brought up the subject, does that count?

nope.

I didn't ask and I don't expect an answer. I hope I don't get an answer. I hope she waits.

Based on the prior dialogue I am not sure if you want me to tell you which contestant I was or not. So for the time being, I will decide not to decide. But getting back to the main topic for discussion, the timer. I am afraid, in hindsight I could have argued much better against the timer than I did. I am afraid I argued a bit too strongly against it, and that might have caused them to disregard my comments.

lv42day wrote:Hi Marley. I've read so many of your posts, I almost feel I know you. But to answer your question, I was invited to try out their new ideas because I am a former contestant of the show. There was another former contestant there as well. She played a mock game that day. And I played a mock game after her. But that day I only questioned the time clock.

I know that week 1 was taped on Wed. July 23rd - that was the first day of taping of actual shows for the new season, I was in the audience for the 2nd day of taping - which looks like it will be week 2 - since I saw both the hold over contestant as well as the on-deck contestant on Thursday.

Did your practice games take place on either the 21st or 22 of July (Mon or Tues)? If so - then as far as I know the new rules had been sent out and the production work, graphics, computer programming, etc had probably had already been done - so I don't know how they could have made such a major change at that point without some major delays in the shooting schedule. If you tested much earlier and not just before production had started, then I guess your feedback could have changed their approach.

So, I was wondering, at what stage in the process did you play your test games?

---Jay

lv42day wrote:Based on the prior dialogue I am not sure if you want me to tell you which contestant I was or not. So for the time being, I will decide not to decide. But getting back to the main topic for discussion, the timer. I am afraid, in hindsight I could have argued much better against the timer than I did. I am afraid I argued a bit too strongly against it, and that might have caused them to disregard my comments.

Marley and I tend to confuse people.

I am not asking you to tell us. If you feel compelled to annouce yourself, like you want us to know who you are, by all means, spill the beans.

If not, I just think it will be fun to wait to see who asks and when they do that.

I am so easily amused.

I'm afraid I too am similarly way too easily amused as well. So I will wait. But more importantly, to answer the question asked of me, I played the mock game in the first week of June.