tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post3713672799379813016..comments2024-03-12T12:54:32.926-07:00Comments on Life After Mastermind: Ambience, Atmosphere, and A Few ChangesLondiniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871325359167581176noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-10425644870522989132010-02-18T09:03:47.965-08:002010-02-18T09:03:47.965-08:00Hello Myron, and welcome to LAM. Its a great pleas...Hello Myron, and welcome to LAM. Its a great pleasure to have a contributor from the US join us.<br /><br />I'm interested to hear that the US version has dropped the phone a friend lifeline. Obviously from my post this one is still with us here. TBH, for anyone to google the answer in 30 seconds is pretty good going. In fact its less than 30 seconds when you deduct the time that it takes to read out the question too. The changes to the UK show do affect the lifelines among other things. <br /><br />I think the new series in the UK is a different game from what it was too, although I haven't seen it yet, only been told about it by a contestant friend. <br /><br />I think that this kind of tinkering with and tweaking of a format is a dangerous game to play. I always come back to the old dictum of - if it ain't broke, then don't fix it - and then a new dictum ( new because I just made it up ) - if it is broke, then you're going to need a lot more than a sticking plaster ( band aid ) . Millionaire has been a top show in the UK since it was first created 12 years ago. There was a real wave of new, big money quiz shows in the UK which followed in its wake, but that wave washed itself out a couple of years ago now and even Millionaire is losing its popularity. Its had a good, long run,and was helped, I think , by the publicity over the film "Slumdog Millionaire" a year or so ago, but I can't help thinking that maybe this is a last attempt to push the ratings back up before they shelve the show. I may be wrong - I hope that I am. But you have to wonder. <br /><br />Thanks for dropping by<br /><br />DaveLondiniushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07871325359167581176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-23211984430363601422010-02-18T05:32:57.517-08:002010-02-18T05:32:57.517-08:00They've tweaked the Millionaire format here in...They've tweaked the Millionaire format here in the USA to within an inch of its life, and most of the fans on the unofficial WWTBAM message "Bored" hate-hate-hate it.<br /><br />Most significantly, they've dropped the phone-a-friend lifeline entirely, because people were googling, and that's not fair (the powers that be claimed). Never mind it's the thing that folks here most associate with the show. Although it is telling that most people are apparently not watching the current syndicated version and don't realize that lifeline is gone.<br /><br />Add a clock and a much steeper climb to the big money, and it really is a different game.<br /><br />I'll be interested to see what changes are being made to the grand-daddy show, and whether you think they be good or bad.<br /><br />-MyronMyronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12977781487816210942noreply@blogger.com