) I guess the next on will be Poland then...
Post by Gagamillionaire on Sept 22, 2013 14:48:47 GMT -5
In the wake of the last millionaire, a poker player who applied poker strategies and used his lifelines economically (unlike most contestants), and probably also declining ratings, the German version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? held two special episodes last Friday and the one before.
Instead of just one million, a top prize of two million euros was up for grabs. In turn, however, the rules were tweaked a little. First of all, the money tree as a whole was tampered with, so that it looks more like the original one (money values for regular episodes in brackets):
15: €2 Million [€1 Million]
14: €750,000 [€500,000]
13: €250,000 [€125,000]
12: €125,000 [€64,000]
11: €64,000 [€32,000]
10: €32,000 [€16,000]
9: €16,000 [€8,000]
8: €8,000 [€4,000]
7: €4,000 [€2,000]
6: €2,000 [€1,000]
5: €1,000 [€500]
4: €500 [€300]
3: €300 [€200]
2: €200 [€100]
1: €100 [€50]
Because it's a gamblers special, only the risk format is played (only safe haven at €1,000, four lifelines). But it's even riskier than usual. For the first nine questions, the contestants are are not allowed to use any lifelines. That is, they are allowed to, but if they need to use one before they have won €16,000, they lose all the other ones automatically for the rest of the game. Once they get to the €32,000 question, however, they have all four at their disposal and can use them whichever way they like. Like always, the players may walk away whenever they like.
I personally think the idea is great. German Millionaire hasn't changed much since it started 14 years ago. It's only natural that viewers get bored with same the game after such a long time. Changing the rules is a delicate business, expecially for this version, which is immensely host-driven. It's Günther Jauch's banter with the contestants that makes the show different each time you watch. The clock format would completely destroy that, so they can't introduce it. And all the other changes to the rules there have been around the globe didn't really make the game better. Well, except if you love Latin dance, then I guess you can shake your butt much better to the Hotseat music than to a slow, deep choir.
One thing that frustrates viewers (not only in Germany) is that people are way too cautious and burn lifelines way too early even though they know the answers. The change does away with that. Either you go with the courage of your convictions or you'll be gone quickly.
Also, the rules work. It's thrilling to watch even the lower questions, which aren't harder than on regular episodes (so it's not like Super Millionaire). You get really excited when somebody gets past the first nine questions, because you know they have potential to get very far with four (useful) lifelines. They also got really lucky because one contestant did reach the €2 Million question on the first episode. He walked away with €750,000 after seeing the question (which, incidentally, I knew the answer to. I would never have gotten as far as him, not even by a long shot. Gotta love irony.), but it proved that the format change has potential. To be fair, though, two contestants before him both left with €1,000 because they didn't want to waste their lifelines in the middle tier. The second episode at had one person leaving with €1,000, one with €8,000, one with €32,000 (used a lifeline earlier and thus lost them all) and one with €125,000. Questions 6-10 usually include lots of popular culture or logical reasoning. They are absolutely solvable if you prepare properly and stay focused. Of course it's always easier in front of the TV than in the hotseat, but Millionaire still is, first and foremost, a quiz. Ten lifelines won't help if the contestant is too stubborn and doesn't read newspapers. You need to know a lot, but the lifeline twist is just a little push to trust your instincts.
Of course, they must not overuse it. One or two episodes once or twice a year is enough. That way they keep feeling like specials. The ratings were very good, too. So if the powers that be use it smartly, they might really have found a way to bring back some life to the game without screwing it up.
I'd really love to show you a video of the format in play, but they YouTube takes they down more quickly than I can upload them.
So, what do you think of the format? Is it a version you'd like to see played in your country? Do you think that it probably wouldn't work on a regular basis or could it be its own emancipated format? Or do you think it's complete nonsense and just another variation of the show the world didn't need? I'd love to hear your comments.
Instead of just one million, a top prize of two million euros was up for grabs. In turn, however, the rules were tweaked a little. First of all, the money tree as a whole was tampered with, so that it looks more like the original one (money values for regular episodes in brackets):
15: €2 Million [€1 Million]
14: €750,000 [€500,000]
13: €250,000 [€125,000]
12: €125,000 [€64,000]
11: €64,000 [€32,000]
10: €32,000 [€16,000]
9: €16,000 [€8,000]
8: €8,000 [€4,000]
7: €4,000 [€2,000]
6: €2,000 [€1,000]
5: €1,000 [€500]
4: €500 [€300]
3: €300 [€200]
2: €200 [€100]
1: €100 [€50]
Because it's a gamblers special, only the risk format is played (only safe haven at €1,000, four lifelines). But it's even riskier than usual. For the first nine questions, the contestants are are not allowed to use any lifelines. That is, they are allowed to, but if they need to use one before they have won €16,000, they lose all the other ones automatically for the rest of the game. Once they get to the €32,000 question, however, they have all four at their disposal and can use them whichever way they like. Like always, the players may walk away whenever they like.
I personally think the idea is great. German Millionaire hasn't changed much since it started 14 years ago. It's only natural that viewers get bored with same the game after such a long time. Changing the rules is a delicate business, expecially for this version, which is immensely host-driven. It's Günther Jauch's banter with the contestants that makes the show different each time you watch. The clock format would completely destroy that, so they can't introduce it. And all the other changes to the rules there have been around the globe didn't really make the game better. Well, except if you love Latin dance, then I guess you can shake your butt much better to the Hotseat music than to a slow, deep choir.
One thing that frustrates viewers (not only in Germany) is that people are way too cautious and burn lifelines way too early even though they know the answers. The change does away with that. Either you go with the courage of your convictions or you'll be gone quickly.
Also, the rules work. It's thrilling to watch even the lower questions, which aren't harder than on regular episodes (so it's not like Super Millionaire). You get really excited when somebody gets past the first nine questions, because you know they have potential to get very far with four (useful) lifelines. They also got really lucky because one contestant did reach the €2 Million question on the first episode. He walked away with €750,000 after seeing the question (which, incidentally, I knew the answer to. I would never have gotten as far as him, not even by a long shot. Gotta love irony.), but it proved that the format change has potential. To be fair, though, two contestants before him both left with €1,000 because they didn't want to waste their lifelines in the middle tier. The second episode at had one person leaving with €1,000, one with €8,000, one with €32,000 (used a lifeline earlier and thus lost them all) and one with €125,000. Questions 6-10 usually include lots of popular culture or logical reasoning. They are absolutely solvable if you prepare properly and stay focused. Of course it's always easier in front of the TV than in the hotseat, but Millionaire still is, first and foremost, a quiz. Ten lifelines won't help if the contestant is too stubborn and doesn't read newspapers. You need to know a lot, but the lifeline twist is just a little push to trust your instincts.
Of course, they must not overuse it. One or two episodes once or twice a year is enough. That way they keep feeling like specials. The ratings were very good, too. So if the powers that be use it smartly, they might really have found a way to bring back some life to the game without screwing it up.
I'd really love to show you a video of the format in play, but they YouTube takes they down more quickly than I can upload them.
So, what do you think of the format? Is it a version you'd like to see played in your country? Do you think that it probably wouldn't work on a regular basis or could it be its own emancipated format? Or do you think it's complete nonsense and just another variation of the show the world didn't need? I'd love to hear your comments.
