Discuss the Games

[Kromm]

Here's a place to discuss overall impression of the games played on this show.  Do they work well for TV?  Are they totally fair?  Can you play them at home?  What are your favorites and least favorite?  etc.

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For example, let me say that watching the latest episode as I type this (the one with Leah Remini, Scot Foley and Johnny Weir), I was reminded of a "problem" I've had with the "Lil' Picaso" game since Day 1.  The way they unveil the portraits means that the person on Jane's left (TV screen right) always sees it about a second earlier. You saw the effects of that illustrated very well in that episode, where the person on that side buzzed in first EVERY time.

 

There are a few other games that have a directional bias too (where they can see a card that Jane shows to both people at the same time earlier, for example), but Lil' Picaso is the most blatant example.

[April Bloodgate]

Yes! This has always driven me crazy. There's totally an advantage to the person on Jane's left. Ugh

[Actionmage]

Why can't the valet stand behind the drawing and pull the silk off revealing bottom to top? Would it affect the valet's screen time, hence creditable SAG/AFTRA credit? (Yes, on IMDb, the valets are credited, which is fine.) If the current way is affecting parity for contestants, though, another way needs to be worked out.

 

I had been wondering about Show Me The Music: If you pass on a song, but you give the correct name out later, would you get credit for the earlier song? The rerun of season 2's opener showed the lady contestant giving the right title, but for the wrong song (which was actually pretty funny.) For that circumstance, I can see the team not getting the point(s) for the title, but what if she had blurted out the correct answer for the passed song between other songs?

 

Example: Civilian X passes on Song D, names Song E and F, but before Song G starts she yells "Song D!" Is she given credit?

 

I know I've probably made it sound more difficult than it is, and I apologize for that.

[Prof]

My friends and I played the home version of the game and we had a discussion on what actually was allowed in TV ID.  

 

The TV show was "Sanford and Son".  One of the clues given was "Elizabeth" and the person was holding their chest like a heart attack."  The discussion was the clue was illegal because, though dead, was a character developed on Sanford and Son.  

 

The other was "All in the Family".  The clue given was "Meat Head".  The discussion was that Meat head was a character and then someone else indicated that Michael Stivic was the actual character's name and Meat Head should be allowed.    

[dcalley]

To me, no names = no nicknames.

[BobH]

My memory of the show is pretty hazy, did Archie ever use "meat head" as a general insult for other people as well as Michael, with Michael just being the most frequent target because of the nature of the show, or was it used exclusively for Michael? That would be the dividing line for me. So, for example, "Hot Lips" or "Radar" wouldn't be allowed for MASH (especially with the perfectly good clue "Career" available for that show), or "McDreamy" for GREY'S ANATOMY.

[Kromm]

Well, he had an exclusive insult name for Edith too--"Dingbat".

And it wasn't used as an insult as clearly, but Gloria was "Little Goil!"

[BobH]

The new season 3 games, as listed at here.

 

The best, hopefully to be used as often as possible

Where ya goin'?

Be Kind, Rewind
Movie Misprint

 

Pretty good, as long as they're not overdone

Lend Me a Hand
Pic-A-Name
Popped Quiz

Title Twist

 

May be decent with a few tweaks

Song Sung Wrong
Casting Couch

What's In a Name?
Literal Lyrics

 

I'd be happy never to see again

Trading Faces
Dance In Your Pants
Scary Poppins (but keep the style of questions for a better game)

[Kromm]

I'm okay with Scary Poppins. In a way it's the same premise as Clue-Boom--except instead of timing being the decider it's a balloon. Really in the end it's that same element of valid questions combined with luck.

[smrou]

I'm okay with Scary Poppins. In a way it's the same premise as Clue-Boom--except instead of timing being the decider it's a balloon. Really in the end it's that same element of valid questions combined with luck.

The major difference I see between these two games in terms of enjoyment of watching is that Clue-Boom has the hot potato aspect, which makes it fast-paced and a little chaotic. For me that's a big part of why I enjoy it. Scary Poppins seems to take the luck aspect and the explosive aspect and combine them with a much more boring game.

 

Be Kind, Rewind

I really like this one. I think it's my favorite new game.

[Taeolas]

Yeah, I like Clu-Boom because it is frantic. You know it is going to end.

 

Scary Poppins doesn't have that feel. As we saw, a good pair of teams could run out the clues (it was edited because the game obviously ran long) and the randomness is too uncontrollable. 

 

As we talked about in the episode threads, I can partly see the intent of Scary Poppins; the game doesn't end on the wrong answer. Instead it ends very randomly and you don't want to have the meta-Hot Potato (the last wrong answer) when that happens. But it just isn't working. 

 

Most of the rest of the new games worked well for me. I don't really like the Trading Faces one, or any of the other morphing ones (nor do I care much for Lil Picassos). 

 

I love Be Kind, Rewind, and any game that can trip the teams up basically. I'm a little bored with Popped Quiz already though.

[jhlipton]

Scary Poppins sucks.  Just plain sucks.  It takes way too long (even after editing) and then one team gets all the points.  Just no.

 

My wife and I watch via DVR and we like the morphing games -- she'll figure out one and I'll get the other of vice versa.  As long as we know both celebs (unlike Russel Wilson or whoever that NFL guy was).