Supermarket Sweep - General Discussion

[springbarb]

On 10/23/2020 at 7:16 PM, Maverick said:

  They spent almost all their time on them gathering their bonuses and none on getting the groceries.  I also don't like the change that the can drag their inflatable around with them.   In the old version, you had to pick it up and immediately take it back to the register.

Contestants could always carry the inflatables/bonus items around; they just had to be at the checkout area (there's literally a line they had to cross) by when time ran out

[Racj82]

I just really like this silly little show. And we already got a big money win!

I really thought that mother/daughter team were sisters for a long minute there.

I loved team fried chicken the most this week. Little women but also beasts. If they had got more bonuses they could have pulled it off.

Also, leslie is right. All you can eat chicken wings has some shady mess going on right there.

[Irlandesa]

If you can get the first three (or is it five) items, there's really almost no reason not to go for it.  Apparently getting those first items is hard.

But Leslie almost crying during that last item is so typical of her and how she really wants them to win. 

Edited October 26, 2020 by Irlandesa

[Racj82]

19 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

If you can get the first three (or is it five) items, there's really almost no reason not to go for it.  Apparently getting those first items is hard.

But Leslie almost crying during that last item is so typical of her and how she really wants them to win. 

Yeah, she is 100 percent genuine in always wanting to see people win. I love her on game shows.

[Cherpumple]

On 10/22/2020 at 10:42 AM, Swenson said:

There's still one thing I wonder about regarding the rules.  If in the bonus sweep....the money is found without having solved the riddles....do they win?  Because on David's version....he never actually said they had to solve the clues first....just that you had to have the money in your hands before the Bell.   Because if it were me out there.... I'd claim the money and say I won.

The rules in the original show definitely stipulated that you had to find the clues in the correct order, in order to get the prize. So, for example, if you were on your way to the first item and spotted the money sitting on a shelf, you couldn't just grab it and claim victory. You would need to get the other items first. I think that's why this version is incorporating the produce section in the final sweep - to prevent the players from accidentally spotting the money in the main aisles and just remembering where it was, rather than actually solving the clues.

Speaking of the final sweep, is any else surprised by the tallies? I know prices have gone up since the original show was on, but back then it was a big deal when the teams broke $1000. In the four new shows we've seen, the average amount seems to be over $3000, and the guys who won the Halloween episode hit that number without their bonuses. This is another area where a designated commentator would be beneficial; in the original, he was great about mentioning the prices for the big ticket items.

[Yeah No]

8 hours ago, Cherpumple said:

Speaking of the final sweep, is any else surprised by the tallies? I know prices have gone up since the original show was on, but back then it was a big deal when the teams broke $1000. In the four new shows we've seen, the average amount seems to be over $3000, and the guys who won the Halloween episode hit that number without their bonuses. This is another area where a designated commentator would be beneficial; in the original, he was great about mentioning the prices for the big ticket items.

Food prices have gone up to almost double what they were in 1994, according to a food inflation calculator I found online.  A shopping cart with $1,000 worth of merchandise in 1994 would cost about $1,850 today.  Perhaps there are more higher priced items in the store in today's show plus better bonuses to account for the rest?  Just speculating.

[Racj82]

10 hours ago, Cherpumple said:

The rules in the original show definitely stipulated that you had to find the clues in the correct order, in order to get the prize. So, for example, if you were on your way to the first item and spotted the money sitting on a shelf, you couldn't just grab it and claim victory. You would need to get the other items first. I think that's why this version is incorporating the produce section in the final sweep - to prevent the players from accidentally spotting the money in the main aisles and just remembering where it was, rather than actually solving the clues.

Speaking of the final sweep, is any else surprised by the tallies? I know prices have gone up since the original show was on, but back then it was a big deal when the teams broke $1000. In the four new shows we've seen, the average amount seems to be over $3000, and the guys who won the Halloween episode hit that number without their bonuses. This is another area where a designated commentator would be beneficial; in the original, he was great about mentioning the prices for the big ticket items.

I go food shopping so I'm not surprised by the tallies. I don't think any of us should be at this point. Groceries are expensive as hell. Especially things like meat. 

[binky101]

I've watched two weeks and, like some other posters here, I'm feeling unsatisfied with the new version. I think, for me, a lot of the thrill was in actually seeing the sweep portion, watching a close-up of items being flung into carts as well as seeing and hearing how contestants were deciding on which items they wanted to "buy". I understand that the camera people might have to stay back due to COVID, but the camera angles and what's shown/ not shown is a real problems for me in enjoying this new version. And, yes, I could do without the "inept" grocery store employees -- that seems particularly odd or even disingenuous when an important part of the show is recognizing actual store employees/ essential workers who are going above and beyond every day in their own workplaces/ stores to deliver high quality service. Dial back the gimmicks, show more of the actual "sweep" and I think I'd enjoy this new version more. Leslie Jones is amazing, though, giving it her all every episode and reacting genuinely to the contestants (especially at the end of each show).

Edited October 26, 2020 by binky101
Typos...

[Swenson]

Week two of "Sweep" saw a decline.  From 4.8 mil viewers to 3.6.  A 25% decline.   America's Funniest Videos as the lead in program ahead of Sweep had 4.7 mil viewers so people tuned out.   Perhaps the fact that the Tampa Bay Rays scored a dramatic win in Saturday nights game 4 got people amped for baseball again because it enjoyed its highest number in years.  SNF featuring your Seattle Seahawks did better than last week.  So too for 60 minutes.

[gsnrocks92]

8 minutes ago, Swenson said:

Week two of "Sweep" saw a decline.  From 4.8 mil viewers to 3.6.  A 25% decline.   America's Funniest Videos as the lead in program ahead of Sweep had 4.7 mil viewers so people tuned out.   Perhaps the fact that the Tampa Bay Rays scored a dramatic win in Saturday nights game 4 got people amped for baseball again because it enjoyed its highest number in years.  SNF featuring your Seattle Seahawks did better than last week.  So too for 60 minutes.

It still did well in the demos though, in the 18-49 it got a 0.8 (down from 1.0 for the premiere) which is good for any show nowadays especially a game show. It did much better than Millionaire and Card Sharks (the latter of which looks dunzo after this season).
 

I agree the problem is that they don’t explain all the bonuses at the start which makes the big sweep (which is the main draw of the show) hard to understand and having all these “employees” isn’t really necessary. I could take or leave Leslie Jones but it’s the lack of explanation on the game that’s the real issue (since not everyone might be familiar with or remember the 90s version)

I do like the bonus round though and was surprised to see someone win the $100k so early in the season. It was an exciting moment but most of the later contestants will likely be less competent.

[RTPRays]

The problem with this version is the lack of an announcer during the sweep. If you go back and watch YT of the old show, the non-host announcer did a great job to narrate what was going on during the sweep. Now it's just a bunch of incoherent screaming. Go back to having an announcer and this show is fixed.

[Eireann3]

I loved the old Supermarket Sweet and have been so excited about this update. It's a bit hit + miss for me, though. Leslie's enthusiasm is wonderful and I Iike the updated games & expanded market. Don't miss those hideous sweatshirts a bit. It's also really nice that contestants can win more money now. That final sweep is awesome.

Where this isn't working for me is explanation of the rules and not knowing the value of anything that's being placed in carts. Most of the fun of the old version of the show, for me, was plotting routes through the market and understanding the high value items so you could create a strategy. Now, I have no idea what anything costs and if they're still allowed to put five of the same item in their cart or if that's changed. Also, random things pop up without ever being introduced and valued. Fancy honey! Yeti coolers! I wish they would just take a quick moment and tell us what the special items are that episode and what their value is. I feel less involved in the sweep when I don't know what kind of strategy the contestants should be employing.

So glad they were able to make this reboot happen, even in the middle of Covid, though. 

[qtpye]

I think it came together better in the second episode and the changes are less jarring.

[starri]

I love Leslie and how joyous she is doing this, but I've always thought that this is such a silly idea for a game show.

[mtlchick]

On 10/26/2020 at 12:02 AM, Racj82 said:

Yeah, she is 100 percent genuine in always wanting to see people win. I love her on game shows.

She's like Yvette Nicole Brown: totally invested in the game and wants to see people win so they will do their damn best to get it done. 

[Maverick]

Did I miss something?   Why were the bear/grill bonuses not added into the totals?   

[Racj82]

I hate how much I enjoy the jingle they play when they are waiting for answers. I even do a little dance to it sometimes.

[readster]

On 10/31/2020 at 10:05 AM, starri said:

I love Leslie and how joyous she is doing this, but I've always thought that this is such a silly idea for a game show.

Hard to believe it's been going off and on since the 1960s. 

[Taeolas]

It's not that hard to believe. It's a simple show that is basically 100% commercials for the brands used as questions and/or product placements. 

Frankly, I'm surprised the coffee kiosk in the "Supermarket" isn't Starbux branded (a big grocery store in my city has a Starbux kiosk in it now, opened in the middle of COVID at that). It probably isn't branded because if it is used in the sweep, it's used as a time killer (like we saw in the first eps) which would imply inept baristas and may not be what a brand would want to show. 

As long as it gets even passable ratings, the show practically pays for itself. 

[Irlandesa]

I liked the second episode a lot last night. I thought the female member of the exes team was really a good player in the questions section and Cecily, who did the shopping for the sweep portion absolutely killed it in the shopping portion.  To win after being down so much in time was pretty impressive. 

And I see how they're getting such high amounts.  It looks like there's at least one high value item available they can grab. Last night it was the grill.  I was waiting for them to reveal how much bonus amount it gave them when I realized it was being treated like a purchase instead of a bonus.

[Racj82]

3 hours ago, Taeolas said:

It's not that hard to believe. It's a simple show that is basically 100% commercials for the brands used as questions and/or product placements. 

Frankly, I'm surprised the coffee kiosk in the "Supermarket" isn't Starbux branded (a big grocery store in my city has a Starbux kiosk in it now, opened in the middle of COVID at that). It probably isn't branded because if it is used in the sweep, it's used as a time killer (like we saw in the first eps) which would imply inept baristas and may not be what a brand would want to show. 

As long as it gets even passable ratings, the show practically pays for itself. 

It was also perfect daytime tv. It still works as show now, but it's a show where millions of stay home parents could play along and have experience with. 

[saber5055]

I really liked the two guys who won the first sweep, and was disappointed they didn't win the big money on that final clue. My antenna cut out during that scene so I missed what product rhymed with "guy" in the chip clue. Can anyone help?

[Irlandesa]

30 minutes ago, saber5055 said:

My antenna cut out during that scene so I missed what product rhymed with "guy" in the chip clue. Can anyone help?

The brand was Wise Potato Chips.  I think I was frustrated by those guys and the women in the second round because it felt like they both ignored obvious "this is where this product is located" clues. 

[saber5055]

15 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

The brand was Wise Potato Chips.  I think I was frustrated by those guys and the women in the second round because it felt like they both ignored obvious "this is where this product is located" clues. 

Thanks. I've never heard of Wise chips, but I was yelling at those guys to go to the chips/snacks section and they might have seen/found the bag with the card on it.

Easy for me to say, watching from home!

[joanne3482]

3 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

And I see how they're getting such high amounts.  It looks like there's at least one high value item available they can grab. Last night it was the grill.

Last week, I think, near the mops they had yeti coolers. Leslie commented on someone grabbing one for $300, which based on Google, is right about the price for the size they grabbed. 

[qtpye]

This show is really growing on me (big fan of the original). My satellitee cut out just as they were doing the big sweeps.😭😢

[springbarb]

It looks like that one item--the Yeti cooler, the big teddy bear, the grill--is worth $300 and is just part of the normal things you can buy. (And apparently you just have to have your hands on it, not have it back over the line.) I'm still trying to figure out some of the nuances of the sweep; it seems like the limit on most things is 3 items, but the big cheese looked like you can only take 1.

[geauxaway]

Are they allowed to grab stuff off the shelves while they are waiting for their coffee?  I’m guessing not, otherwise I would think someone had done it by now, but it just occurred to me that’s a lot of standing around and there appears to be shelves of items right behind them...?

[springbarb]

I'm assuming they're not allowed to grab stuff while waiting for coffee (or the roses, in that first episode).

[Yeah No]

Those two women in the second round did so well in the quiz portion but then sucked at the sweep.  They didn't get any of the bonuses or inflatables.  I'm having trouble understanding why anyone would wait for the coffee when it's not worth wasting that much time to get.

[Taeolas]

Coffee (and Roses) are time wasters. You have to stand on a spot and apparently can't grab for anything else while waiting there. I assume that there's a timer visible to someone to make sure everyone stays the same amount of time. Whether it is worth it or not is arguable. 

 

One variant of the coffee I saw in the 2nd or 3rd ep I think ,was that there was a counter full of coffee cups and you had to find a particular named one. That felt fairer to me; it's still a time waster but if you get lucky you can get away quick. 

[HamSammich]

On 10/20/2020 at 10:03 AM, Swenson said:

It actually plays out more like a SNL skit based on Supermarket Sweep rather than the emphasis being on the actual game   We don't need inept employees or flirtatious cashier's.

Exactly. "Inept" employees add nothing, slow down the game and doesn't feel particularly respectful of essential grocery workers who have worked their asses off during the pandemic. YMMV.

I was a SAHM during the original runs and recently binge watched the previous seasons. I'm a huge fan and was fully prepared to love this.

Then I watched. I had liked Leslie Jones well enough, and thought her back story of truly loving the original would probably make her a great fit. Wrong. Leslie Jones absolutely kills it for me and I'm sad about it! Wah! The energy isn't "fun", it's effing frantic! I've watched for two weeks now and am so agitated by Leslie's non-stop screaming that I can't enjoy the show. Not even a little. STFU, Leslie! I won't be watching anymore episodes and I'm bummed about it. Boo. Hiss.

Edited November 5, 2020 by HamSammich

[Kromm]

On 11/2/2020 at 2:05 PM, saber5055 said:

Thanks. I've never heard of Wise chips, but I was yelling at those guys to go to the chips/snacks section and they might have seen/found the bag with the card on it.

I'm pretty sure they're a national brand. They also make Cheez Doodles. I know they used to be a division of Borden, but I think they got sold. 

[Maverick]

 They're only sold on the East Coast.   I assumed this was filmed in California but that would be an odd choice to have stocked in the store if so.  Either way, it's kind of crappy to pick a regional brand in the bonus round.   

[Racj82]

10 hours ago, Maverick said:

 They're only sold on the East Coast.   I assumed this was filmed in California but that would be an odd choice to have stocked in the store if so.  Either way, it's kind of crappy to pick a regional brand in the bonus round.   

It doesn't really matter. The clue was obviously for chips but they took forever to get to the aisle. That's what cost them. They could of skimmed the aisle easily enough when they got there. Wise is much more than a regional brand as well. Veryyy old chip company.

[Irlandesa]

I agree. I've heard of Wise and I don't live on the East Coast.  But the clues usually tell you what kind of product it is.  The trick is taking a beat to identify where the product is located and then getting there. 

I think the clues are pretty obvious once they get there.  It's not like they have to tear off packages to find it. Even when it's clear they don't know the brand name, people have been able to find the clues.

[Taeolas]

The only ambiguity with the clue is if you take "Chips" as in "potato chips" or "Chips" as in "French Fries". You could end up looking in the frozen section by mistake. But yeah, once you know the type of product you're after you should be going to that area and looking for the clue to jump out at you basically. 

[springbarb]

And these clues are SO much easier than in the original Supermarket Sweep. Some of the classic clues were really hard. I didn't get Wise, but the clue gave enough to get them to the potato chips aisle.

[geauxaway]

15 hours ago, Racj82 said:

It doesn't really matter. The clue was obviously for chips but they took forever to get to the aisle. That's what cost them. They could of skimmed the aisle easily enough when they got there. Wise is much more than a regional brand as well. Veryyy old chip company.

I’m not familiar with Wise chips and I was yelling “fries” at my TV, so I would have been heading straight to the freezer aisle looking for French fries 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Racj82]

On 11/5/2020 at 1:17 PM, Taeolas said:

The only ambiguity with the clue is if you take "Chips" as in "potato chips" or "Chips" as in "French Fries". You could end up looking in the frozen section by mistake. But yeah, once you know the type of product you're after you should be going to that area and looking for the clue to jump out at you basically. 

They were also saying the word snack in the clue if I remember correctly which would more likely lead you to the chip aisle. No matter how you shake it, that clue was easy enough to deduce in a moderate amount of time. But, you are in a rush, flustered, nervous, etc. Things will happen.

[eyelash]

On 11/4/2020 at 4:58 PM, HamSammich said:

Then I watched. I had liked Leslie Jones well enough, and thought her back story of truly loving the original would probably make her a great fit. Wrong. Leslie Jones absolutely kills it for me and I'm sad about it! Wah! The energy isn't "fun", it's effing frantic! I've watched for two weeks now and am so agitated by Leslie's non-stop screaming that I can't enjoy the show. Not even a little. STFU, Leslie! I won't be watching anymore episodes and I'm bummed about it. Boo. Hiss.

You might want to watch it muted with closed captions on if you like the show, just not the screaming.  I listen to the first part of the game (while they are earning their sweep times), because Leslie is more mellow then.  After that I mute it.  It's a relief to read "YAAAASSSS!!" in the closed captions instead of having to hear Leslie screaming it over and over.

On 11/4/2020 at 4:58 PM, HamSammich said:

 

[mtlchick]

Team Meatloaf had a full minute deficit, they beat the drag queens by EIGHTEEN CENTS, and smashed the final round. 
 
I highly enjoyed that.

[Irlandesa]

It was very impressive. 

The drag queens cracked me up.  

I was surprised how poorly the returning players did in their final sweep.  I wonder whether or not they can look around the store to see where things are. 

 

[lambertman]

There is no way I wouldn't go for the $50K, and no way that I *would* go for the $100k. Even though they seem to be equivalently easy, brain fade can happen at any time.

[readster]

27 minutes ago, lambertman said:

There is no way I wouldn't go for the $50K, and no way that I *would* go for the $100k. Even though they seem to be equivalently easy, brain fade can happen at any time.

The last clue was also hard, I mean they had a lot of time on their hands for the $50K and then the $100K. I mean I would have done it if there was close to a minute. However, if I had the $50K and didn't have enough time. I just cash out. I did love the first couple when he jumped up and grabbed the Krave. It was like he was making the winning game shot in basketball.

[Swenson]

The returning ladies who first appeared and won the $5000 in 1994 had reached the $50,000 level quite easily.  They had nearly 50 seconds to find that final item.  I think most of you would have thought they'd be crazy NOT to go for it.  Unfortunate for them.  So when contestants are left with just their cart total....do they get it in cash?

[Racj82]

7 hours ago, readster said:

The last clue was also hard, I mean they had a lot of time on their hands for the $50K and then the $100K. I mean I would have done it if there was close to a minute. However, if I had the $50K and didn't have enough time. I just cash out. I did love the first couple when he jumped up and grabbed the Krave. It was like he was making the winning game shot in basketball.

Wasn't the answer capri sun? A very popular brand? They even had something like you drink it out of a pouch in clue. It wasn't hard at all. These clues constantly tell you where to look even if you don't know the brand. Most of this is doable. They just got too flustered and couldn't find the aisle. Krave was a much harder pull. That brand of cereal isn't as big or hasn't been around as long. But, it was cereal as it was said in the clue. You can figure out the rest when you get there.

[Tdoc72]

On 11/2/2020 at 8:11 AM, Taeolas said:

 

As long as it gets even passable ratings, the show practically pays for itself. 

Plus they donated all the food to local food banks after filming the season. 

On 11/3/2020 at 9:35 AM, springbarb said:

It looks like that one item--the Yeti cooler, the big teddy bear, the grill--is worth $300 and is just part of the normal things you can buy. (And apparently you just have to have your hands on it, not have it back over the line.) I'm still trying to figure out some of the nuances of the sweep; it seems like the limit on most things is 3 items, but the big cheese looked like you can only take 1.

The cheese had a sticker in it that said 1. 

~~~

Coffee or flowers— I think the shopper just needs to decide if 5 or 10 seconds of fumbling is worth the $300. It does seem like every team gets the same amount of time. 

Edited November 11, 2020 by Tdoc72

[readster]

On 11/10/2020 at 11:39 PM, Tdoc72 said:

 

Coffee or flowers— I think the shopper just needs to decide if 5 or 10 seconds of fumbling is worth the $300. It does seem like every team gets the same amount of time. 

Especially when they use an actor that wastes more time by being silly getting said item. I mean, I get it, it's extra money, but I see a difference between when they used live actors and instead just had the players just look for the right one. 

[Taeolas]

Those bonuses can be very worthwhile. The second winners last wee won by less than 300$, and they had snagged the Golden Can, an inflateable AND the 300 coffee. So those were what put them over. 

I think for the flowers/coffee, it comes down to "Can I grab 300$ worth of stuff in the time I'm waiting?" When it's a "Search for your name" cup, the answer is probably not, so it's worth to search and grab, since you might get lucky and find quick. When it's an actor, that's a bit more debateable, but probably mostly worth it, even with the standing around time.