The $100,000 Pyramid - General Discussion

[iMonrey]

That was another instance where Strahan was asleep at the switch. As soon as she got stumped he should have said "not the correct word" or something rather than leave her hanging until she cried out "the thing isn't changing!" Dick Clark would have been on top of that. I remember many similar instances on the original show where the clue giver thought they had the correct answer and Dick Clark would quickly say "look at your screen again" or something to indicate the answer wasn't correct.

[MarkHB]

It's a learning curve.  Michael has had quite a bit of TV experience, but in relatively controlled environments: football broadcasts, Live mainly doing celebrity interviews and things like that.  Dick Clark made his bones interviewing teenagers on live TV (think about that!) for years, even decades, before the Pyramid came along, and by the time it did he was a TV guy through and through.  They were obviously trying to get someone with Clark's laid-back demeanor, preferably someone who was already under contract to the network; I think he's doing quite well for the most part.

[theatremouse]

A fair point, although I'd also sort of argue...this is why new programs do practice shows. (At the same time, I admit for a summer limited run game show, I have no idea how many they actually did.)

[MarkHB]

Given some of the edits, etc. I've seen on this and Match Game, I think they're still stuck on "wait... you want to make TV in New York?????"  Let alone practice shows. :)

[Scott]

Strahan's doing ok.  The thing that's bugging me the most is that whenever he gives any particular part of his spiel, he says the exact same thing the exact same way every single time.  I'm sure he's just reading it off cue cards or something, but he either isn't able or isn't allowed to be more natural or conversational with what he has to say.

The other thing that bugs is that he asks every single contestant what they're going to do if they win the big prize, even if he just asked the same question of the same person in the earlier round.  That's not his fault, though, since a) he's obviously directed to do that, and b) they're doing it on Match Game as well, so that may be something they instituted across the board (Family Feud also? I don't watch that).

[mtlchick]

(Under Things That You Hit) "Your wife." 

I know you're desperate to win money, but GOOD LORD. 

[chitowngirl]

I definitely think he was desperate. What other parts of a bicycle could he name? Or other touristy things? If he would have said "YouTube", she might have said websites. But she didn't know what "jelly" was, so who knows?

[Mumbles]

I was very glad the contestant won the big money the first episode, given that he lost his job and has a young son (and he was a great player). But I am curious why he won $100k when he lost the first time. (That wasn't how the original worked.)  Not that I'm complaining!

What I don't get is that Natasha was so good at giving clues (very calm and good clues), why didn't they let her give in the winners circle?

I find Strahan a very genial host without being smarmy.

[opus]

Yeah, I'm going to credit the wife thing to panic, and not any type of behavioral confession.

[chitowngirl]

If you get to the Winner's Circle a second time, you go for $100,000, no matter what the outcome of the first time.

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, mtlchick said:

(Under Things That You Hit) "Your wife." 

I know you're desperate to win money, but GOOD LORD. 

I forgive him.  He was desperate and his partner was bombing.   Just bombing. 

Jonny was very good.  Too bad he let the "illegal" clue shake him for his $50K. 

[Mama No Life]

7 hours ago, Mumbles said:

I was very glad the contestant won the big money the first episode, given that he lost his job and has a young son (and he was a great player). But I am curious why he won $100k when he lost the first time. (That wasn't how the original worked.)  Not that I'm complaining!

What I don't get is that Natasha was so good at giving clues (very calm and good clues), why didn't they let her give in the winners circle?

I find Strahan a very genial host without being smarmy.

In this reincarnation, the celeb is always the guesser.  Not sure why.

[readster]

Yeah, I mean I don' t know what to say for this episode. The celebs were just bombing in the second episode and the panic with: "Your wife!" I was like: "He was in a panic." My wife even commented that if the Orange is a New Black woman doesn't know jelly then he was in trouble to begin with. It was just painful at the end there. 

[peeayebee]

The first game was excellent. Randall Park and Anna Camp were both good, and both contestants were good. Johnny was great. I liked how he kept the category name in mind so he could more easily guess when being given the clues. I can't remember which one specifically struck me.

For Salty Things, instead of saying "The water at the beach," Johnny should have just said, "Sea water." Other good salty things are pretzels and anchovies. For Things You Hold, I was thinking "Your toddler's hand, your horses..." I'm not sure if "Your horses" would have confused the person.

When she smiled, I thought Carmen looked a lot like Jackee.

 

14 hours ago, chitowngirl said:

But she didn't know what "jelly" was, so who knows?

I think it was a bad idea to use 'jelly' here because of Christina earlier using pudding to get to jelly. "Not pudding but...?" There are plenty of beans to refer to. Natasha might have gotten bean if he just said cannellini. 

I forgot about the contestants being the ones to give clues in the winners circle. Christina was too hyper giving the clues.

Things You Hit: a golf ball, a baseball, a nail, the bullseye. 

[readster]

46 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

The first game was excellent. Randall Park and Anna Camp were both good, and both contestants were good. Johnny was great. I liked how he kept the category name in mind so he could more easily guess when being given the clues. I can't remember which one specifically struck me.

For Salty Things, instead of saying "The water at the beach," Johnny should have just said, "Sea water." Other good salty things are pretzels and anchovies. For Things You Hold, I was thinking "Your toddler's hand, your horses..." I'm not sure if "Your horses" would have confused the person.

When she smiled, I thought Carmen looked a lot like Jackee.

 

I think it was a bad idea to use 'jelly' here because of Christina earlier using pudding to get to jelly. "Not pudding but...?" There are plenty of beans to refer to. Natasha might have gotten bean if he just said cannellini. 

I forgot about the contestants being the ones to give clues in the winners circle. Christina was too hyper giving the clues.

Things You Hit: a golf ball, a baseball, a nail, the bullseye. 

I agree and for things you hold: Hand, baby, ball, a ticket, a rope and handle. 

For hit I would have said the same or: punching bag, a wall, the ground. 

[iMonrey]

Well, at least the first game was good. I was so happy for Johnny - he was really good and really seemed earnest and enthusiastic. 

The second game was awful - just awful. I love Terry Crewes to pieces but he had no business being there. He was clearly unprepared, and this is something I've commented on before. Too many of these celebrities just don't know how to play the game. The old-school game show celebrities from the 70s and 80s knew these games like the back of their hands, and these new celebs are just winging it. 

Nathasha Lynonne was dreadful in the winner's circle, honestly. "Bicycle" couldn't have been more obvious, I don't know what kind of world she grew up in where she doesn't know the parts of a bicycle. The "jelly" thing I could sort of forgive, because "not pudding but" isn't a good clue for "jelly." But once she admitted even "peanut butter and" wouldn't have clued her in, I started wondering what other planet this woman was from. Instead of saying "you're wife" I'm surprised the contestant didn't say "You right now" for things you (want to) hit.

[readster]

Completely agreed. I think he would have made a better argument for things you want to hit. Terry was just sad, I mean he got it towards the end, but he was doing so bad and I like Terry. 

[how55]

I was a big fan of the old Dick Clark Pyramids, but not necessarily of Dick Clark himself. Though he did know how to keep the show going, and giving good examples of clues that should have been given. I don't know what they're doing now, but believe in the old days they actually gave the celebs practice rounds so they knew the game. Here it almost looks like they're being run in & out of the studio. Though Michael is personable enough it doesn't even seem like the rules were fully explained to him. How is "water in the ocean" a list clue? 

And the judging .... how do they take "flag" for American Flag, when the category was that specific? 

[iMonrey]

Agreed, they were way too lenient on the flag thing.

[mtlchick]

Quote

I love Terry Crewes to pieces but he had no business being there. He was clearly unprepared, and this is something I've commented on before.

I adore the man as well (White Chicks forever!) but that was ...tragic.  And to think he has hosted a game show (ok, it was short term but come on.) 

And to clarify: I know the contestant was desperate to win.  But there were SO many other things to suggest.  Though it was kind of worth it for the LOUD groan of the audience and Natasha's "Things that you HIT?!" at the end.

[TheOtherOne]

I've always found Terry Crews incredibly hot (because....well, hello), but this episode kind of killed it. As someone who knows I'd probably get flustered and not come off too well if I were on the show, I try not to judge too harshly...but the man just seemed dim. Like downright stupid. At one point I just sat there looking at him thinking, "I can't believe I ever found you attractive." And that made me sad.

That second episode was just horrendous. And I'm not going to blame the contestant for anything he said. He could have said "your kids" and I wouldn't judge him, because after Natasha couldn't get anything with even the best clues earlier, he was just blurting out anything in desperation. Natasha was so damn incompetent I can imagine him dismissing everything that came to mind as not good enough and not something she would have gotten...because she wouldn't have. Awful.

Edited July 25, 2016 by TheOtherOne

[Irlandesa]

7 hours ago, iMonrey said:

The "jelly" thing I could sort of forgive, because "not pudding but" isn't a good clue for "jelly." But once she admitted even "peanut butter and" wouldn't have clued her in, I started wondering what other planet this woman was from. Instead of saying "you're wife" I'm surprised the contestant didn't say "You right now" for things you (want to) hit.

Exactly.  "Peanut butter" or "Jam" would have been good clues. "Pudding" made no sense.  She said she didn't even know what jelly is but I wonder if that was truly the case or if she was just feigning for the sake of 'bygones.'

[theatremouse]

On 7/24/2016 at 7:07 PM, chitowngirl said:

I definitely think he was desperate. What other parts of a bicycle could he name? Or other touristy things? If he would have said "YouTube", she might have said websites. But she didn't know what "jelly" was, so who knows?

I think the key to the websites one was he never said "dot com". He said "Facebook, bing" etc. As soon as she said aps he could've probably gotten her there by adding the suffix.

Also I think the girl who gave "not pudding" for jelly, may have been confused and thinking of jell-o. (I mean, in the UK they often call that type of dessert 'jelly' but girl was super Brooklyn, so either she read it wrong or she's weird.)

[MarkHB]

58 minutes ago, theatremouse said:

Also I think the girl who gave "not pudding" for jelly, may have been confused and thinking of jell-o. (I mean, in the UK they often call that type of dessert 'jelly' but girl was super Brooklyn, so either she read it wrong or she's weird.)

I think she was trying to get to Jello and from there to jelly.  At least, that's what makes sense to me.

[peeayebee]

But didn't Natasha guess Jello? Even after that I think the woman said pudding again.

[MarkHB]

Yes, but I think she thought she'd be able to do a "coaxing nod" thing to get Natasha to take the next step.  She had no way of knowing that even "peanut butter and..." wouldn't have worked. 

[Seelouis]

That second episode made me so uncomfortable I had to shut it off.  Then I came back at the end just in time to see the debacle of a winner's circle.  It nearly erased all the good feelings I had after the first episode, where I was so happy they had celebs who could play the game and were clearly invested in helping the contestants win.  I mean, Randall Park got "things you strike" on the first guess for "a match."  That was amazing. 

[TheOtherOne]

I always thought the episode of Friends where Joey played Pyramid was a prime example of the destruction of Joey's character and making him far too stupid to be believed, because no one could be that dumb....and yet, after Sunday's second episode, this suddenly doesn't seem so implausible.

Edited July 26, 2016 by TheOtherOne

[readster]

1 hour ago, TheOtherOne said:

I always thought the episode of Friends where Joey played Pyramid was a prime example of the destruction of Joey's character and making him far too stupid to be believed, because no one could be that dumb....and yet, after Sunday's second episode, this suddenly doesn't seem so implausible.

 

I was just thinking the same.

[iMonrey]

Quote

I've always found Terry Crews incredibly hot (because....well, hello), but this episode kind of killed it. As someone who knows I'd probably get flustered and not come off too well if I were on the show, I try not to judge too harshly...but the man just seemed dim. Like downright stupid. At one point I just sat there looking at him thinking, "I can't believe I ever found you attractive." And that made me sad.

I wouldn't go that far. I will still enjoy the heck out of Crews on Brooklyn 99. He was certainly game for this, he just wasn't prepared. That's the difference.

And it's interesting to see the clip from Friends where Joey appeared on the Donny Osmond-hosted iteration of Pyramid, because that version was painful to watch. In the preliminary round the contestants only had to get six answers per round as opposed to the traditional seven, and few of them even managed to make it that far. Another example of why reboots of this classic never seem to work - the people they put on don't know how to play the game.

You need to practice, people. Practice, practice, practice. You can't just show up and wing it.

[readster]

12 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I wouldn't go that far. I will still enjoy the heck out of Crews on Brooklyn 99. He was certainly game for this, he just wasn't prepared. That's the difference.

And it's interesting to see the clip from Friends where Joey appeared on the Donny Osmond-hosted iteration of Pyramid, because that version was painful to watch. In the preliminary round the contestants only had to get six answers per round as opposed to the traditional seven, and few of them even managed to make it that far. Another example of why reboots of this classic never seem to work - the people they put on don't know how to play the game.

You need to practice, people. Practice, practice, practice. You can't just show up and wing it.

I completely agree, with the various version of Family Feud, they didn't change the concept but they have had some families and celebs that come on and just don't know how to play. I get that hosts from Lewie Anderson to Steve Harvey play around with it. But I also remember Pyramid with Donny and sometimes I just scratched my head going: "Didn't they just watch some old tapes of the original or do some pre screenings before they come on?" I hated that episode especially where Joey blows it at the end with the last question because they were working it where Joey worked in the final round because it was basic stuff he could answer. Having him bomb the super model answer was like saying: "you just can't let go that Joey is dumb as dirt now." However, I also thought it was too much and that no celeb would be that stupid, then this episode aired. 

Edited July 26, 2016 by readster

[BW Manilowe]

As far as I know, they do practice rounds--like celebs with each other & civilians with each other since potential partners aren't supposed to meet before the actual game. The week Martha Stewart & Snoop Dogg were on, ABC Tweeted this link from the show's Twitter & it's described, by them, as a practice round. I've watched it more than once; it's fun.

[iMonrey]

Huh . . . that's interesting. So either they need more practice rounds or they need to weed out some of these celebs when they see how bad they are at the game.

[chitowngirl]

Is this the last week for the Game Shows? To Tell the Truth had 6 episodes and next week shows repeats (probably because of the Olympics).

[TheOtherOne]

No, there's supposed to be 10 episodes, although the 10th was postponed due to the rerun being inserted and all the episodes pushed back a week, and hasn't been rescheduled yet. The same has happened with Match Game, though Celebrity Family Feud's 10th episode has been rescheduled for September, so hopefully Pyramid's will be as well.

http://thefutoncritic.com/showatch/100000-pyramid/listings/

[King of Birds]

Barbara Corcoran - so so terrible. Challenging the clock? WT .. FUCK Barbara.  As if they'd have a swear word for an answer.

Granted, she hasn't been The Worst. That's a whole 'nuther subject  (the Anthony Anderson Award?)

[jumper sage]

38 minutes ago, King of Birds said:

Barbara Corcoran - so so terrible. Challenging the clock? WT .. FUCK Barbara.  As if they'd have a swear word for an answer.

Granted, she hasn't been The Worst. That's a whole 'nuther subject  (the Anthony Anderson Award?)

Yes she sucked!  She was soooooo slooooooow.  The other shark wasn't too bad.  Mario B. was great!

[Irlandesa]

For a few seasons now, Mario's show, The Chew, has done a food version of "Pyramid."  So not only is he naturally strong at the game, he has had A LOT of practice.  It was nice to see him just nail the $50K portion both times.

[BW Manilowe]

The previous posters are right. Barbara Corcoran sucked as much as Mario Batali excelled. And I watch The Chew most days & completely forgot, until it was mentioned it here, they do a Pyramid version therein every so often, & Mario is very good at that version too.

[sugarbaker design]

Mario was great, but in all fairness the contestants were good too, especially that first woman.  The second half of the show, however, wasn't so great.

[iMonrey]

Mario was pretty good but his lack of pop culture knowledge was fairly astounding. I'm not really up on current music either but even I've heard of "Single Ladies." Alfonso Ribeiro rubs me the wrong way. There's something about him that screams desperation. I don't think he's ever gotten over the fact that Will Smith went on to become a superstar after Fresh Prince while he fell into obscurity.

I don't watch Shark Tank but both of those players sucked, Barbara more so than the other. Then again the players weren't very good either.  I have to admit "Things that are Strict" is a tough one to come up with.

[Accidental Martyr]

29 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Mario was pretty good but his lack of pop culture knowledge was fairly astounding. I'm not really up on current music either but even I've heard of "Single Ladies." 

Same here. That type of music is nothing I would listen to but even I've heard that song. 

The "Daniel Radcliffe" in the Harry Potter category was pretty astounding. I don't like the Harry Potter movies but I've seen several of them anyway because my wife likes them. It seems hard to believe someone still wouldn't know the actor that played Harry Potter. I guess my mother doesn't but she also doesn't have a computer and has never used the Internet. Hard to believe he had no idea who Radcliffe was especially since he works in TV/media.

[peeayebee]

Mario Batali was great. I've seen The Chew only a couple of times, and only part of the show at that, so I had no idea he'd gotten in some practice for this game. I noticed when the one contestant failed to get him to say "ladies," Mario told him "gentlemen" would have worked. I had been thinking that, too, but I was a little bugged that Mario told the person what clue s/he should have given. His perfectionism really showed there.

Barbara was terrible. Actually, there were a few times when she gave good clues and times when she was a good guesser, but her overall demeanor was bad. She wasn't entertaining, and if I was her partner, I'd be pissed. 

For Things That Are Strict, the only thing I could think of was "a Catholic school nun." 

[iMonrey]

I think Barbara was entertaining, especially for the studio audience. But she was too damn slow. Speed is essential in a game where you have to guess seven answers in 30 seconds and she had an entirely too laid-back delivery. I had to laugh when the contestant said "You and Daymond are" and she said "Enemies."

[Fable]

48 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

For Things That Are Strict, the only thing I could think of was "a Catholic school nun." 

My thought was overly-protective parents.   

[FormerMod-a1]

I, too, wondered about Mario not knowing All the Single Ladies.  He does have teen boys, and even if they don't listen to Beyonce I'm sure they have friends that do.  That said, the contestant got too hung up on the song title and should have tried something else.  Gentlemen, as Mario suggested, or "lords and _" or a scold like "listen here young ___", etc.

[WAnglais1]

The "Tank" folks did just that...tanked. Daniel Radcliffe is a pretty well-known actor. I kind of expected to have them say, "Oh, I don't know who he is...I made a billion dollars while you saw 'those films.'"

[Violet Penner]

Some of the players have glommed on to the "opposites" method of getting to the answer better than others.  I remember someone was stuck on "odds" (for the horse racing one) and I was like "Not EVENS, but ____"  Same for Ladies/Gentlemen.  

Mario was good.  I didn't think Daymond was terrible - he had a few perfect rounds I think.  But Barbara was awful.

I felt bad for the credit card clue in the winner's circle - seemed like they were setting the person up to say Mastercard and getting buzzed.  Needed to be very careful with that one.

[Kromm]

6 hours ago, Violet Penner said:

Mario was good.  I didn't think Daymond was terrible - he had a few perfect rounds I think.  But Barbara was awful.

Daymond was a good player, but man he reminded us what a total asshole he is at the same time.

On 7/27/2016 at 2:20 AM, BW Manilowe said:

As far as I know, they do practice rounds--like celebs with each other & civilians with each other since potential partners aren't supposed to meet before the actual game. The week Martha Stewart & Snoop Dogg were on, ABC Tweeted this link from the show's Twitter & it's described, by them, as a practice round. I've watched it more than once; it's fun.

This is hilarious. Clearly it was meant totally for comedy having Martha Stewart get Snoop to say drug words.

Although I notice they didn't buzz "The Low Road", which is an inappropriate clue.

[TheOtherOne]

All the Sunday night game shows have been renewed (presumably for next summer). Hooray!