DISQUS

Chris · 1 year ago

My question is what happens when someone uses a lifeline? Does the question clock reset, or freeze and restarts at that point, or will the contestant get unlimited time to answer?

Jay Temple · 1 year ago

As much as I complain about other shows dragging out the "suspense" over whether an answer is right, the time limits mentioned here go too far in the opposite direction.

As for the menu, I foresee a nightmare as contestants claim, not that their question was incorrect, but that it was improperly labeled. I'm sure many people whose strength is music would be horrified to learn that their question is, "A below middle C has a frequency of (I think it's) 220 Hz. What is the frequency of A above middle C?"

Shon · 1 year ago

I'm all for the most of the changes. The new category menu is awesome but..............WHY IS THERE A TIME LIMIT!???????!!!!

15 seconds for the first five questions!!!!! You’ve got to be kidding!? It’s a joke, right? You barely get enough time to analyze a question then you have to answer it right away. Unbelievable!! What gall!!!! I can honestly say that I am disgusted. Normally I wouldn't care about this much about a game but this is "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire". What was a great format is now ruined. I have been a loyal millionaire fan since its conception in '99 but no more. This time limit changes the format in such way where it's no longer a strategic game show where you plan out your steps. This idea makes it feel like a cheap 60-second bonus round from the 80s.

It seems like since Million Dollar Password brought back the idea of time limits that every game show is embracing it. It works on some game shows but not millionaire. They should at lease give you unlimited time for the million dollar question. WOW!

I know that the motto for this season is “cautiously optimistic” and I feel that most game shows this season fall in to this category but with Millionaire I am now "Mournfully pessimistic".

Bob H. · 1 year ago

So far, I like the changes. Again, the time limit does seem weird, especially for the Millionaire format. The category list adds more strategy and gives you a chance to look at your personal question stack for the game.

If the time limits were 30-60-90 instead of 15-30-45, that would've been fine. But then again, if you see the question and 4 answers within a few second, you quickly may snap judgments like "I have an idea" or "Forget it. I have no clue!" The time limits will only hurt those people who begin to second guess themselves or over-think. This now makes the game a first-hunch, gut instinct decision.

With the time limit, if you run out of time, and it is considered an automatic "walk away," and you lose no money, then I have no problem with that!

Keith · 1 year ago

This has a LOT of similarity to the time limits at the Disney "WWTBAM -- Play It!" attraction (see my post at the first article on this subject); the accumulation of time for question 15 being the new wrinkle. As to how lifelines affect the clock: at the attraction the clock was stopped when you used a lifeline, and once the lifeline was completed you got a new 20-second clock. HOWEVER, the attraction did not allow you to bank your time, so I would expect the show to do something a little different (maybe you get the 20 second clock, but that time does not bank; contestants are likely to wait until the last second to invoke a lifeline during gameplay under these rules, so banking would not always be an issue).

Jordan Hass · 1 year ago

I am NOT liking this idea, but the "Millionaire Menu" does have a vibe similar to "It's your Chance of a Lifetime" on FOX.

If at all, make the BASE time 30 seconds, then
add 15 seconds each question during "First 5"
add 30 seconds each during "Middle 5"
add 45 seconds each during "Final 5)"

and add the lifeline "STOP CLOCK" that will stop the ticking clock for one whole question, until a decision is made, but it won't add any time to the next question.

---

If it's played correctly, roughly 5:00 could be used for the million dollar question, which is plenty of time to answer a question (or decide to walk away)

It's rare that anyone would make it TO the $1,000,000 question, and have about 89 seconds to answer.

Bob H. · 1 year ago

If you go here and read the article:

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/08/millionaire_...

Davies says people won more money through the early tapings of the show than before.

He also goes on to say that the clock was NOT intended to pressure contestants in the first place. He then says, “We wanted to build energy inside the show because the amount of time a contestant can take can often deflate the momentum the show has been building. This will now immediately make the show more contemporary and makes it easier for Meredith.”

And that's something I didn't like about the show sometimes. Contestants would bring the show to a stand still after having a strong momentum. Still, I think the time will allow players to make quick guess, have more people sit in the seat, and produce tense and dramatic moments...

Meredith: "You have 10 seconds to make a decision..."

Player: "Um....Uh.....I don't know..."

Meredith: "5.....4.....3.....2.....1...."

Player: "D: FINAL ANSWER!!!"

Neville · 1 year ago

Bob H. brings up some good points. I've always enjoyed Millionaire when I don't have class during it. I hope that this will make it more exciting and even more efficient.

MrQuiz · 1 year ago

On ofthe reasons I never liked MILLIONAIRE, was the lack of a time limit. With this rule change, at best it's too little, too late. At worst, the time limits themselves are a joke!

Devon · 1 year ago

Oh my. You know contestants have found it terrifying enough just going though this game normally. Now with the timelimits, people will probably (hopefully not) pee their pants in fright all the more so. The Millionaire menu is 50/50 though. Being able to SEE what you're up against might just ease the tension a bit and is nice BUT like somebody said above, it could also be a downfall as such a thing that they might label the category wrong. Saying "Music" when it should be "Music Knowledge" or "Music Notes" We'll see. The new lifelines are fine. No complaints there. 50/50 never worked like people wanted and Switch The Question was just terrible altogether.

MrQuiz · 1 year ago

Is it at all possible that, maybe...just maybe, these new changes could mean MILLIONAIRE has (dare I say? Finally) "jumped the shark?"

I also find myself asking the same question about DEAL. After all this time, and with the advent of the "Million $$$ Mission," the "Deal Wheel," and whatever the next gimmick will be, it STILL hasn't made a millionaire out of some lucky contestant (some of whom could almost pose an argument for a national ban on caffiene!). Maybe this explains why I all of a sudden, can't get even a little excited with anticipation over when Howie & the Ladies will return to the "orthicon tube."

maybeway36 · 1 year ago

45 seconds for the $500,000 question? They should just go all the way and rename the show because it's not Millionaire anymore.

Alex · 1 year ago

Now, why did they get rid of 50:50? Are these the same guys that got rid of Hit Me and Poker Game on The Price is Right because it was "too confusing"? Screw that! :|

On the other hand, I'm glad they got rid of Switch the Question...that one was kinda half-assed. And it's nice to see that they're going to use the Super Millionaire Lifelines! ^^

But one thing that REALLY pisses me off are the time limits. That's one of the things that attracted me to Millionaire back on those first episodes with Regis in August 1999: no time limit! I thought Who Wants to be a Millionaire was all about slowing down and taking your time. Guess I'm wrong. If I want a fast-paced, rapid-fire quiz show, I'll watch Jeopardy!. You know, the game show in which one contestant stayed on for 74 days straight and won over TWICE Millionaire's top prize...!

15 seconds for the first five is not enough, IMO...although I see WHY they did that. The first five questions are, theoretically, the easiest ones. If they MUST use time limits at all, they need 30 seconds for the first five...then 60 seconds for the next four...then 90 seconds for the next four...and unlimited time for the last two questions.

I really don't see this working. I foresee the show going the way of Tom Bergeron's Hollywood Squares, which was cancelled on the very season they began imposing a "two out of three" format.

But, as usual, I will watch the show anyway just to see how it goes. I hope I'm wrong. After all, if there's one thing Golden Road.net taught us from Roger Dobkowitz's firing, you shouldn't knock it until you try it...

Xavier · 1 year ago

Alex, Michael Davies said they got rid of the 50:50 because it was not that popular of a lifeline with contestants.

Shon · 1 year ago

Just for funzees I decided to play the old “Who Wants To Be A Millioanire” for the playstation. The reason I did that was because there were time limits in that game (I can see why they have time limits in the video game and that is because they don’t want you to cheat.)

The thing that I noticed while playing WWTBAM with the time limits are if you already know the answer to a question then the time limits don’t affect you (Obviously) but once you get self doubt and are not sure to a answer to a question is when it’s apparent why there is a time limit. When you get to the tougher questions (In the new millionaire that’s around the $8K level) the time limit acts as a noose tightening around your neck, with each second that passes you can feel it more and more and next thing you know your screwed. I swear if I would have had a little more time in the video game I would have gone a lot farther.

Contrary to what the producer’s say these new time limits are not to help the contestants move along but rather a hindrance and a measure to save the show some money (and possibly add more commercial time considering how many more contestants they’ll go through with this).

Pat · 1 year ago

I just watched an episode of the new Millionare, and I think it's God awful! It went from being a "take-your-time-and-think-of-the-answer" to being a "you-got-30-seconds-to-either-use-all-your-lifelines-get-the-answer-right-or-wrong-or-run-out-of-time-and-automattically-lose" show. The new lifeline SUCKS cause the episode I saw the "lifeline" didn't have a clue, so the contestant used Double Dip and missed the answer twice and and had to leave back home to Connecticut (Whoot Whoot!) with only $1,000.

And they also give the subjects of each question, with really doesn't help when your getting timed. I rather watch reruns of Alex Trebek's "Double Dare" while smoking pot then watch another episode of WWTBAM? (and I'm straight-edge, so that's saying sumthing)

J Win · 1 year ago

I love Meredith Vierra, but after giving the new format a chance, I do not like most of them. Having 50-50 and Change the Question were good but not Double Dip or Ask the Expert are not.
Thanks for keeping Ask the Audience and Phone a Friend, but lets get back the 50-50 and Change the Question.

Vut · 1 year ago

They should change the name to Beat the Clock! I quit watching the game sucks now.