500 Questions - General Discussion

[Scott]

Wow.  I can't believe the contestants are getting even more annoying. (I also can't believe I'm still watching, but that's a different issue.)

 

The only good thing about the current guy (especially when he was a challenger) is that it caused me to fast-forward through even more of the show than I had been.

[teebax]

Revealed on last night's show: The only person in America who has never heard of a Quonset hut.

I've never heard of it.

 

I wonder why they don't show all of the answers on the screen. This show is just not very well thought out at al.

[Rickster]

One of my pet peeves is that the questions are revealed in tiny type and you have to wait for a zoom in to read them.

[fourPLUSseven]

In my humble estimation, these questions are fair. I get about 30% of them right, which means I'd tank if really on this show. 

[90PercentGravity]

I know most of the answers, but I'm not a fast thinker. As soon as you put a time limit on how quickly I need to answer, my brain goes completely blank. I would totally suck at a contest like this, even if all the categories were about Star Trek, Quantum Leap, X-Files, and Arrested Development.

[saber5055]

I would totally suck at a contest like this, even if all the categories were about Star Trek, Quantum Leap, X-Files, and Arrested Development.

 

 

The second of which is currently being shown opposite this show.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Well that sucks -- I wanted to see Pam Mueller play.  First Megan, now Pam.  Based on the fact that this show ends tomorrow, it looks like there won't be any female contestants during this monumental piece of "television history".

[pandora spocks]

Damned thunderstorm knocked out my satellite signal.  Could someone tell me what happened during the last 5 minutes?

[bybrandy]

My mom yelled out Quonset Hut.  I said "What's that"   She read the question.   Thought she'd made it up.  Not so much.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Damned thunderstorm knocked out my satellite signal.  Could someone tell me what happened during the last 5 minutes?

 

Nothing of importance -- Adam answered some more questions, but was in no danger of losing.

[ProudMary]

My favorite part of tonight's episode was when Adam called Richard Quest, "Dickie Boy."  Hee-hee!

[bybrandy]

At one point he said he was saving US geography for when he had two xs.   Thought that was funny since his challenger unlikely to pick that topic for him.

[Padma]

I'm disappointed we didn't get to see either Pam or Megan play! Seems frustrating to get so far and do so little.

 

The biggest change I'd like to see --to get more chance to see the challenger and give it more energy--would be if when the contestant misses--and the challenger can answer correctly, the challenger starts answering questions.  Then when  s/he misses, the main contestant can take control of the board back until s/he misses. I really think that would help a lot, giving the challenger a chance to show their "smarts" (uh, genius) , earn some money and make it more competitive

[Ketzel]

I'm disappointed we didn't get to see either Pam or Megan play! Seems frustrating to get so far and do so little.

 

The biggest change I'd like to see --to get more chance to see the challenger and give it more energy--would be if when the contestant misses--and the challenger can answer correctly, the challenger starts answering questions.  Then when  s/he misses, the main contestant can take control of the board back until s/he misses. I really think that would help a lot, giving the challenger a chance to show their "smarts" (uh, genius) , earn some money and make it more competitive

But-but-but then Richard couldn't say "Three wrongs . . . ." and get us all to chant "AND YOU'RE GONE."  :-)

[ottoDbusdriver]

But-but-but then Richard couldn't say "Three wrongs . . . ." and get us all to chant "AND YOU'RE GONE."  :-)

 

That phrase reminds me how closely we are slowly approaching the moronic levels of the movie 'Idiocracy' -- bring on Monday Night Rehabilitation.

[teebax]

That phrase reminds me how closely we are slowly approaching the moronic levels of the movie 'Idiocracy' -- bring on Monday Night Rehabilitation.

At one point last night, he said it right before they went to a commercial and then did it again right after they came back from the commercial. I almost threw my shoe at the TV.

[Scott]

He also looked like he was about to wet himself from delight when the "genius" made a comment about three wrongs, which provided him the perfect segue to his (never-gonna-) catch (-on-no-matter-how-many-times-you-say-it) phrase.

[Ketzel]

Then there's that actual catch phrase, beloved of parents, "Two wrongs don't make a right."  The first and only time I watched, every time the host said "Three wrongs . . . " in his inimitable coyly leading manner, I thought to  myself "don't make a right? No, that's wrong, isn't it? What's he talking about? Oh wait, does he mean three strikes and you're out? What's so difficult to understand about that?"  Bleh.

Edited May 28, 2015 by Ketzel

[ottoDbusdriver]

Since when are Monopoly and Twister considered 'Classic Toys' ? Classic games maybe, but they certainly aren't toys.

 

ETA: I'm still confused about the Triple Threat question about Monopoly regarding tokens that have been added to the original Classic version.  The dog, the wheelbarrow, and the horse and rider (since retired) were added in the 50s, and the sack of money (since retired) and cat have been added since 1998.  So how were the dog, the sack of money, and the cat the only acceptable answers ?

 

ETA2: (moved over from the Stalling thread) 

They really should have made that Mathematics Prime number battle longer -- like the first 10 or 12 primes, because that seemed way too easy for a battle of geniuses.  And then in a later battle, they asked for the 10 Scrabble tiles with a value of 4 or greater.  WTF ?

Edited May 29, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[gameoff]

I didn't realize this was on for two hours tonight.  Still don't know how they could possibly get to 500 questions with all the extraneous chit-chat but we'll see.

[pandora spocks]

How weird is it that the first line of 1984 was featured in both 500 Questions and tonight's Jeopardy.  Of course, I was able to answer it correctly since I saw it first on Jeopardy? 

Edited May 29, 2015 by pandora spocks

[ottoDbusdriver]

Did Quest just tell Adam that he was the man with the geographic memory ?  I thought he had a photographic memory.

 

At the pace they are going, I don't think Adam will reach the end of this set of 50 questions before the end of the last episode -- so what happens to the money he has accumulated this round ?

 

ETA:  That solves that -- Adam is out, Richard is in, but gets no money.

 

Quest is being overly optimistic if they think this will be picked up.

Edited May 29, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[gameoff]

Oh, brother.  Even multi-tasking (by playing Facebook games, naturally) while this was on did not keep me from yelling at the screen to shut the fuck up and just play already!  

 

What a let-down of a show.  It could be good, there's just way too much reiterating of rules and babbling about why they picked which categories.  My most vehement STFU outburst came when the challenger was explaining why he WASN'T choosing certain categories for Adam to play.  

 

I know it's not really the contestants fault because I'm sure they are told to do that kind of thing, but really?  There was like 10 minutes left in the show and he spent two of them talking about what he wasn't choosing.  I guess that's something TPTB would've cut out if they needed to shave off some time.

 

And just once I would've loved for one of the contestants to reply "No, I don't understand.  Could you explain it for the 200th time?", or "Yes, for Christ's sake I understand.  I'm a freakin' genius."  

 

If this gets picked up for another 'season' I don't think I'll be watching it unless they change the format.

 

And yes, Otto, he did say geographic or geographical memory when he was originally introduced as having a photographic memory.  

 

I must've missed the part where they explained how Adam and the last dude knew each other.  Did they actually KNOW each other or was it they had just gone to the same school?

 

I didn't mention it then, but earlier in the week I thought it was a little disappointing that a couple of the challengers had already been on game shows (Jeopardy, I think).  I'm sure this show could've found some people with genius level IQs that hadn't already banked a bunch of dough from game shows. In the end I guess it's a Moo (TM Joey Tribbiani) point anyway.

[ottoDbusdriver]

In the end I guess it's a Moo (TM Joey Tribbiani) point anyway.

 

Nicely put -- that pretty much sums up this entire show.

 

All told the total prize money awarded by this "monumental TV event" in primetime on ABC was under $250K over 9 hours -- that's not even $30K per hour which is pretty embarrassing.  And to make it even worse, per a post in the Question 3 thread one of the 500 Questions writers was apparently complaining that they had to pay out that much even.

 

Heck, the current Jeopardy champ made nearly $40K in a half hour tonight.  What the hell ABC ?

Edited May 29, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[just prin]

I'm with you, gameoff:  Won't be watching again, (should there be an again) unless multiple changes are made, the main one being the addition of some competition! Next time, after watching a little of the premiere, I will tune out if I see that we viewers have been!

[DrScottie]

The first line of "1984" question from Jeopardy! was repeated nearly verbatim on 500 Questions. It's one thing to recycle from Jeopardy! but the same day! Great job, writers. 

 

As for the format, the challenger definitely does need a better chance to get in the game. As it stands, it is way biased towards the contestant. Erasing both strikes on a correct answer is just absurd. If you got two wrong in a row, you should have to get 2 right in a row to cancel it out. Also, the challenger answering the missed question should be for more than bragging rights. I suspect the system is designed to favor getting big money, but it just seems unfair and downright insulting to the multiple trivia winning champions who weren't able to play because the game is stacked against them. The main advantage is only to pick the category on two strikes, but that really doesn't help. It should be far more difficult to stay in the game. 

 

"Tickle" that's just wrong.

[Tabasco Cat]

Well I don't think this show comes back without significant changes. Trying to be the new Millionaire but falling way short. I guess if you're Burnett with a pretty solid track record you can pitch just about anything and the network with nothing better to do will pick it up.

 

On the one hand I hope the brand new contestant with no money, Richard, had some sort of consolation prize clause in his contract. On the other hand - and I respect Cal Tech greatly - his occupation said he worked for a "Think Tank", and if that's some scrub political organization (like most "think tanks" are) then I'm just as glad to see him walk away with nothing. Sort of like the last contestant on 2006's "Show Me The Money" who we never got to see finish his pretty good run. Wow, was that really in 2006??? Wikipedia says yes so I guess it's been 9 years. It's a fiesta!

 

TL;DR F500Q

[biakbiak]

Richard works for RAND.

Edited May 29, 2015 by biakbiak

[Tabasco Cat]

Thanks for that info. RAND has been around a long time.

Looking at a few old clips I found that I saved from Show Me The Money. It was hands down a better show than 500 Questions. It had an awesome theme song. And Shatner. Shatner > Quest in every possible instance of the multiverse.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Tabasco Cat

[QTBlueMoon]

The first line of "1984" question from Jeopardy! was repeated nearly verbatim on 500 Questions. It's one thing to recycle from Jeopardy! but the same day! Great job, writers. 

 

 

Really?  Same day?  Only if they wrote it after Jeopardy aired, and then aired 500 Questions live.  ?!?

Edited May 29, 2015 by QTBlueMoon

[DrScottie]

My mistake, it was taped ahead of time. It was quite coincidental because the "1984" question wasn't just a topic from the Orwell novel like Big Brother or being at war with Eastasia, it was the first line of it in just like on Jeopardy!. 

[Eolivet]

Never watched the show live, but just finished it via OnDemand. In my opinion, Adam was the smarter contestant, but Steve was the better, more likable contestant (TV-wise). And Richard Quest must get paid by every time he says "$1,000 for the first right answer, 10 seconds and the question is..."

 

It was actually kind of fun when it was about midway through the final show, because you could tell he was speeding up for time, so his line sounded like "Thousanmljadkajksajfklajfakfjadjtion is..."

 

Adam lost a lot of money, though. Wow. I feel like the show just wears down the contestants. Or...wore down in this case, since I doubt this show will ever see the light of day again. Congratulations to Richard, winner of the "priceless" title of "reigning genius." Maybe he can sell it for some actual money.

[Madding crowd]

I can't believe the host doesn't get exhausted by the end of a 2 hour episode, I sure do. I enjoy trivia shows in general, but I can't see this one coming back. As others have said, it is both too easy and too hard. Too easy in that you can blurt out numerous guesses and in most cases hit on the answer. Too hard in the parts where you have to remember long lists of things such as 5 out of 10 Tennessee Williams plays.

 

Also, it is one of my pet peeves to hear that only 'geniuses' can play trivia games. There are many smart people who don't have a clue about things like popular TV, beverages, Best Selling Albums etc. There are also many average intelligence people who study trivia, have good memories and/or like to look up and study topics. 

[saber5055]

Also, it is one of my pet peeves to hear that only 'geniuses' can play trivia games.

 

 

I totally agree with this. I know people with advanced degrees and doctorates who don't have a clue about so many things. However, I think this show just wanted to impress viewers with it being "the toughest game show in existence" by only having people on with "the best" academic qualifications and high-end professions. Because how would it look if the guy (or woman!) who lives in his/her van on the beach and sells driftwood for income ended up winning a cool million? (Not that anyone would ever win that much on this convoluted show.)

[LizBug]

Finally finished watching the final episode and feel like the whole experience was like a meal of Chinese food.  Lots of interesting things, some not digestible.  Now, two hours later, would like to see a really good trivia show.

[jhlipton]

It should be far more difficult to stay in the game. 

 

"Tickle" that's just wrong.

 

As long as it's easier to win actual money.  

 

And, yes, it is.

 

BTW, Quest, if "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" is one of your "favorite poems", you might want to learn how to read it...  (Hint, it ain't a lullaby!)

Edited June 1, 2015 by jhlipton

[opus]

Believe it or not, it's coming back:

http://deadline.com/2015/10/500-questions-renewed-season-2-abc-mark-burnett-1201564312/

[ProudMary]

Believe it or not, it's coming back:

http://deadline.com/2015/10/500-questions-renewed-season-2-abc-mark-burnett-1201564312/

I was wondering why this thread had been bumped.  I was getting ready to remove it from the shows I follow when I saw it highlighted.

Well, I guess we have no one to blame but ourselves for watching it and giving it good ratings!

[ottoDbusdriver]

Believe it or not, it's coming back:

http://deadline.com/2015/10/500-questions-renewed-season-2-abc-mark-burnett-1201564312/

 

I was wondering why this thread had been bumped.  I was getting ready to remove it from the shows I follow when I saw it highlighted.

Well, I guess we have no one to blame but ourselves for watching it and giving it good ratings!

 

I wonder if will also be for 7 consecutive nights -- because that will basically guarantee that no one will reach 500 Questions unless 1 contestant steamrolls through all seven nights.  I just hope they ditch Richard Quest.

[ProudMary]

On 10/2/2015 at 10:48 PM, ottoDbusdriver said:

 

 

I wonder if will also be for 7 consecutive nights -- because that will basically guarantee that no one will reach 500 Questions unless 1 contestant steamrolls through all seven nights.  I just hope they ditch Richard Quest.

Well, it's going to be on for only 5 consecutive nights, but they've gotten a contestant who just might be able to steamroll through:  Ken Jennings.  It returns on May 26th.
http://tvline.com/2016/05/02/ken-jennings-500-questions-season-2-jeopardy-champ/

[jhlipton]

8 hours ago, ProudMary said:

Well, it's going to be on for only 5 consecutive nights, but they've gotten a contestant who just might be able to steamroll through:  Ken Jennings.  It returns on May 26th.
http://tvline.com/2016/05/02/ken-jennings-500-questions-season-2-jeopardy-champ/

From the mini-article:

Quote

Nightline‘s Dan Harris will serve as the show’s new host, replacing CNN’s Richard Quest.

I don't know him but he has to be better than Quest!  Doesn't he???

[junemeatcleaver]

Dan Harris is most famous for having a drug abuse induced panic attack live on GMA:

[opus]

On 5/4/2016 at 5:38 PM, ProudMary said:

Well, it's going to be on for only 5 consecutive nights, but they've gotten a contestant who just might be able to steamroll through:  Ken Jennings.  It returns on May 26th.
http://tvline.com/2016/05/02/ken-jennings-500-questions-season-2-jeopardy-champ/

That was a quick steamroll  :)

[AuntieDiane6]

The show is definitely better than last year's edition ... 

[ottoDbusdriver]

Without all the bullshit and shenanigans by Richard Quest, this show definitely moves along faster.

Dan Harris does a decent job, even though he is a little monotonic.

But since it is a only a 5 night event, there is already no way anyone will get to 500 questions at the pace they are moving at.

They really are pushing the envelope for the so-called definition of 'genius'.

They should just call this show for what it is -- the Jeopardy Alumni show.

[jhlipton]

4 hours ago, ottoDbusdriver said:

They should just call this show for what it is -- the Jeopardy Alumni show.

Clever, but was Monica, the first winner, on Jeopardy?

[candall]

Well, I'm enjoying this.  The sliding degree of difficulty in Jeopardy means there's not much challenge until the top half of the board is gone, but these people don't waste a lot of time with softballs.

I was disappointed to lose Ken Jennings so quickly.  I tuned in to "Millionaire" specifically to see him--and he was ridiculous.  I swear he tanked it on purpose, which I still don't understand, but he seemed prepared to bear down with this one and then genuinely was caught off-guard by the elimination.

Young crazy fuchsia-hair Vietnamese woman turned out to be impressive.

 

ETA:  I spoke too soon.  Who doesn't know Celie from The Color Purple?  Book, movie, Spielberg, Oprah, Whoopie, hello?

Edited May 27, 2016 by candall

[ottoDbusdriver]

4 hours ago, jhlipton said:

Clever, but was Monica, the first winner, on Jeopardy?

I don't recall -- but I believe the 3 guys on the show after Monica had all been on Jeopardy and had won at least one game.

I found Monica to be a little to impressed with her own "greatness".

[Snow Apple]

Monica is book smart but wasn't too impressive with pop culture topics (like the other contestants). I was glad she lost the second round. She had quirks that annoyed me.

I liked the professor but wasn't surprised he lost the first round, with the way he struggled with all the topics. Again, having degrees doesn't mean you have street/pop culture smarts.

[DoubleUTeeEff]

3 hours ago, candall said:

I spoke too soon.  Who doesn't know Celie from The Color Purple?  Book, movie, Spielberg, Oprah, Whoopie, hello?

People's gaps in knowledge are interesting to me.  The Color Purple I can see missing but Romanov?  Wow!  Then he probably knew some stuff that he considers basic that I don't know.