First, about MDP:
1 – While Regis isn’t a bad host, he wasn’t in the same element as he was in WWTBAM.
2 – The format removed much of the charm of Password, and instead made things tightly paced in order to add dramatical effect. I think there should be a new edition of Password: “MEGA PASSWORD”, and bring back the charm from Super Password and Password Plus. If you want to put an end game worth mega money… then go ahead, but at least make the main game have some charm to it. MDP seemed as if it was a hybrid between Password and Pyramid.
3 – Betty White was the only star worth watching. The others … meh. Maybe it was because the game was so fast-paced that we didn’t get to see the stars being themselves.
4 – MDP should have been a half-hour show, not an hour.

Now the problem with game shows in general
1 – It seems like every game show is looking for a young audience. Yes, the 18-34 demographic is the highest payoff for any series, but game shows are for everyone.
2 – So with that said.. stop with the attempt at young hosts. It’s not working. When Game Shows were king, everyone loved the hosts who were middle-aged or older. With the exception of John O’Hurley and Jeff Foxworthy, just about every show has had a youthful host.
3 – Stop with the over-dramatizing of game shows. Heavy music during the questions, long pauses before results are given — all that slow down game shows too much. It’s what hurt Deal or No Deal. All the stunts… it was too much. Play. talk. Have fun. But don’t slow down game play because producers want to milk every ounce out of the drama. “We’ll find out ……………. AFTER THE BREAK!!” – okay to do once in awhile, but don’t overdo it.
4 – Stop overscheduling game shows, either. It hurt Deal or No Deal’s run on NBC. It was what killed The Weakest Link. It’s what destroyed Who Wants to be a Millionaire on ABC. If something’s working, don’t change it. Keep the show running the way it is, and expand only if you have a special reason to [special editions, celebs, etc].
5 – Return to the roots of game shows. Game shows entertain, but game shows also are something you can play along with. There’s a reason why Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune still remain on TV after 25 years. People can play along. Same with The Price is Right.

And finally, I don’t think Pyramid failed. It just didn’t get quite as much attention as Dick Clark’s edition. There were too many changes from the beloved $100,000 Pyramid. From the set to the music to the 6 instead of 7 (which I can understand, but if you do 6 instead of 7, give contestants 25 seconds, not 20), the different host just added to the problems. I’m not going to say that Donny Osmond was a great host – some of his reactions on the show (The “OH! OH! OH! OH!!!” on a failed winner circle, for example) were dismal.

The reasons above are why I wished CBS went with $1,000,000 Pyramid instead of Let’s Make a Deal. I wanted to see if a returned-to-format would succeed. Maybe CBS will put LMAD to a 30 minute format after awhile. And one last note about LMAD — at least Monty Hall will be a creative consultant.

Problem #2. Virtually every game show that’s been revived within the last 15 or so years has bombed. Witness the failures: Pyramid with Donny Osmond, the revival of Card Sharks in 2003, Let’s Make A Deal hosted by the unlovely Billy Bush, Match Game (1998), To Tell The Truth, (the last version hosted by that obnoxious cretin John O’Hurley), GSN’s revival of I’ve Got A Secret in 2004 or 05, (a dud of a host and a panel of irritating dim-bulbs that never changed), etc…………………

Problem #3. The game play of Million Dollar Password should’ve remained much more like the older versions of Password. Instead the entire game is played in a “lightning round” fashion. Having contestants and celebrity guests stand throughout the game is bothersome, too. And the celebrity guests (except for the legendary Betty White) are unpleasant. Controversial sour-puss Rosie O’Donnell! YEEECH!

Problem #4. Television nowadays is the worst ever. It’s fake reality junk galore, raunchy sit-coms, and dark dramas. Some one gets the “bright” idea at a network and attempts to revive a much loved classic game show from the past and what happens? It’s brought into production in a much unlovely manner; it fails!

Problem #5. CBS cancels the 72 year old radio and television soap Guiding Light. And guess what they have to replace Guiding Light with in that time slot? Another revival of Let’s Make A Deal. And the host is Wayne Brady! I mean, what are they thinking??!!! Cancel a long running popular soap and replace it with an immediate failure! DUMB MOVE CBS!

And lastly, problem #6. CBS’s longest running game show The Price Is Right. Price’s ratings have taken a constant fall since BoB Barker left the show in 2007. Now the ratings were initially high at first when Drew Carey took over but it was out of viewers’ curiosity of the show’s new host. Since then the viewership amongst the core age group of TPIR has fallen steadily. Like I said, there are NO good hosts anymore. Since the major and cable networks are incapable of doing anything right anymore, why must they attempt to bastardize something that was once very successful and admired? If they can’t do it right then leave it alone!

Why does every show have to appeal to the young? What are those over 40 supposed to watch, those trash [un]reality series? Password is a GREAT game show – one of the best. There was plenty of viewership. CBS should definitely bring it back.

Groveman