Last winter, FOX launched a new primetime game show called Million Dollar Money Drop. This spring, FOX cancelled the primetime game show called Million Dollar Money Drop.
At the start of each game, host Kevin Pollack gives a pair of contestants a million dollars in cash. It’s theirs to keep as long as they can answer a series of trivia questions correctly. The trick is for them to put their cash on the right answer. Whatever money’s put on an incorrect answer in any given round, will drop away and is gone for good.
The series kicked off on December 20th with a 1.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 5.31 million viewers. The episode that followed did just a little better — not a bad performance for a holiday week.
The show was immediately hit with controversy as it turned out that one team of contestants, Gabe Okoye and Brittany Mayti, chose the correct answer but were told that it was incorrect and lost $800,000. As Pollack pointed out later, because they got the final answer wrong (in which they had to bet all of their money on one of two answers), it didn’t change the outcome of the game. FOX bent to public outrage though and offered to give the couple another chance on a future episode.
There’s a belief in Hollywood that any publicity is good publicity. Unfortunately, headlines from the controversy didn’t bring any additional viewers to the show. By the time the season ended Million Dollar Money Drop only averaged a 1.7 in the demo and 5.19 million viewers.
There was talk about possibly bringing back the show for a second season over the summer but FOX has instead cancelled the series. At last word, Okoye and Mayti were undecided about whether or not they would return to try again. Since the first season had already been shot by the time the controversy erupted, it seems the show’s cancellation knocks out any chances of a rematch — at least in the United States.
Though it won’t continue here in the States, there are more that 15 international versions of the show. Casting is currently underway for the latest version which will be produced for Singapore.
What do you think? Are you sorry there won’t be a second season? Will you miss the TV series?
Image courtesy FOX.
So Gabe Okoye and Brittany Mayti lost $800,000 on an answer that was correct? They never had a chance to win that money. Ever. The next team lost $580,000 on a bad question and sued Endemol and FOX for serious legal issues! 3M Innovation needs to get their facts straight on when Post-It Notes debuted nationally! This item was sold in stores in 1977. The Sony Walkman debuted in 1979 and the Macintosh Computer debuted in 1984. I’m correct and the host was wrong! I would reinstate this show for 2020.
Mr show host,,, “they would of lost it anyway”,,, if they hadn’t of been unnecesarily upset of loosing $800,000 due to a show blunder,, maybe they would of been able to concentrate correctly and they would of get it right. Million dollar drop didn’t get cancelled in the uk incident as they reinstated them at the point the show blundered. Kevin Pollack would you be able to concentrate after being made upset about loosing $800,000, I doubt it very much,
. I’m afraid you’ve made a robotic comment, without taking into account human feelings.
I will miss this show it was the best show I have ever seen and a long time my whole family
Used to watch every week
I will miss this show it was the best show I have ever seen and a long time my whole family
Used to watch
I agree with everyone here! It was the most stupid move I have seen Fox make!!! The show didn’t even have a chance. It should have given it a second season to see if the ratings and viewers would have gone up! No wonder I don’t watch Fox shows anymore! Everything is getting boring on there! BRING THIS SHOW BACK!!! But I also agree, find a better, more upbeat and fun host!!!
i am so dissappointed. i love this show. i cant believe they leave the crap they do on and take good stuff off. i agree fox programmers are morons. heck i wanted to be a contestant on it.
Fox programmers are the stupidest people in the business. Low ratings? Retool it. Find a better host. It was a challenging game and I enjoyed it, very much. Morons, morons, morons.
I am never surprised when a a show is cancelled, but I am quite disappointed. I know I speak for many when I say that it was nice to see people having a chance to win $1,000,000 for doing something intelligent as opposed to reality shows that pay you to screw your friends. Shame on you Fox…5.9 million viewers doesn’t suck for a holiday show.
I second what the last person said…This show was AWESOME!! The contestants were not the brightest…to say the least… But the show rocked and eventually would have to attract some serious players. What is Fox thinking?? I can’t believe that a 1.7 share was bad for this show. But, they cancelled Greed when it was the second highest rated Friday night show in their history, so I shouldn’t be surprised. UGGH!
This show was AWESOME!! The contestants were not the brightest…to say the least… But the show rocked and eventually would have to attract some serious players. What is Fox thinking?? I can’t believe that a 1.7 share was bad for this show. But, they cancelled Greed when it was the second highest rated Friday night show in their history, so I shouldn’t be surprised. UGGH!
This was the best game show I’ve ever seen and of course you take away every good thing I have
John, just a tad bit upset are we?