 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
|
Give The Pyramid A Chance
Originally posted: July 21, 2012
By Jim
Williams
It's official. After several years and several
failed attempts for various broadcast and cable networks, "The Pyramid"
has been given the green light by GSN. While I can't wait to see how the
powers that be have treated the venerable format, there are certain
folks on the internet who have already offered up perceptions of doom
and gloom. This commentary is geared towards those individuals, so
please pay attention. All I ask of those narrow minded folks is that
they give "The Pyramid" a chance.
Have any questions about the site? Submit them to us
via our
Facebook
page, our
Twitter,
and through e-mail. We'll
be sure to answer them to the very best of our ability. (c) 2009-2017 - A CQS Production.
From various sources that reported on the show's pilot earlier this
summer, the show will play like classic "Pyramid" with a rewarding
twist. The 6 words in 20 seconds format from Donny Osmond's run has
reverted back to the tried and true 7 words in 30 seconds. And the
rewarding twist? Each team starts with a Winner's Circle bank of
$10,000. Each time a team scores 7 out of 7 with a category, an
additional $5,000 goes into the bank and the contestant wins $500 in
bonus money. The winning contestant, therefore, could play for $25,000
in each Winner's Circle. Truthfully, I really like the idea of rewarding
good game play in the front game. "Pyramid" has always been a game with
built-in drama and adding extra incentives to play well will only
heighten the drama. While most people have no major problems with the
game as described above, there are those who have a problem with the man
who will be behind the podium emceeing the proceedings.
The man who is the host of "The Pyramid" is Mike Richards. Reality show
fans will know him as the host of "Beauty and the Geek". Game show fans
know him primarily as the executive producer of "Let's Make a Deal" and
"The Price is Right". His work on the latter program has drawn criticism
from some in the online game show community. When hearing the news that
Richards would be tapped to host "The Pyramid" there were certain
critics that lauded the move with the belief that he would be unable to
continue his executive producing duties on "Price". These critics are
what I'd like to call "dense". GSN has ordered 40 or so episodes of "The
Pyramid" which amounts to a handful of days worth of taping sessions. If
Dick Clark could run his production company, host "Bandstand" and
"Bloopers" and still find time to record 10 episodes of "Pyramid" in a
day, I think Mr. Richards can manage all of his responsibilities. And
speaking of the late great Mr. Clark, Mike Richards got his start in the
business working for Dick Clark Productions, so I'd like to think he's
learned some of the tricks of the trade from the master. Let me put it
to you this way...would you rather have John Davidson back as host? How
about Donny Osmond? If you said "no" to both questions, then just give
Mike Richards a chance. Maybe he'll be fine, and maybe he won't be.
Credit though should be given by the producers for not picking a big
name celebrity to host "The Pyramid". Would you really want to see
Patrick Duffy behind the podium for "Pyramid"? Didn't think so. There
are more important things to have valid concern for with "The Pyramid"
like say judging and casting.
Arguably the biggest complaint with "Donnymid" a decade ago was the
insane judging in the Winner's Circle end game. On all prior versions,
if a contestant at least said the keyword of the subject being described
to them, they got credit for that subject and moved on. On "Donnymid",
more often than not, you had to phrase things damn close to what the
monitor actually said to get credit. Of course, having to be so precise
didn't always matter when you have Z list celebrity partners who don't
know or don't care enough to know how to play the game. The powers that
be seemingly went for "names" over "names who can play games" when
casting celebrities for "Pyramid" from 2002-2004, and that lent itself
to less than stellar game play and a less compelling half hour program.
Hopefully, Embassy Row, Sony & GSN will put their heads together and get
quality judging and quality celebrity casting.
Michael Davies and the gang at Embassy Row
should be commended for their, seemingly, never ending efforts to bring
"Pyramid" back to television. This has all the makings of being GSN's
most anticipated original ever. I just hope that the critics and
naysayers give the show a fair chance. You may not hear a cuckoo or see
a "Mystery 7". There may be monitors instead of trilons. Heck, we may
not hear an updated version of "Tuning Up" as the show's theme. As long
as the game play, celebrities, and judging harkens back to the "Pyramid"
game we knew and loved in the 1970s & 1980s, then the cosmetic
differences will easily be forgotten. I have wanted the show to come
back for years, and you probably have too. And now, it's back...just
give it a chance.