The Price is Right starring Drew Carey

[Zombie Englishboy]

I’ve been watching a number of episodes on YouTube and have to say that ultimately I think that the American version of this show is far superior to any of the British incarnations that have existed.

I love how excited the contestants get when commanded to “come on down” to take their place in contestants’ row.

I think that Drew Carey makes an excellent host.

Here are some questions for the Americans who post on these forums.

It’s been going for more than 50 years. Why do you think it has proved to be such an enduring format.

Also, what sort of ratings does it get. Is it one of the most popular shows on American daytime television.

How popular is it relative to the big American daytime soap operas.

Also, is it as popular now as it was under original host, Bob Barker or was there a ratings slide following his departure.

Finally, is the show fully networked across America or are there some CBS affiliates who do NOT carry it.

Thanks

 

[AndyB2008]

I think it is carried by most of the CBS stations at 11am\10am, and is very popular.

NBC moved ailing soap Texas to against TPIR (when Bob Barker presented it) and ABC later moved the Richard Dawson version of Family Feud from noon to against the 2nd half of TPIR when ABC shuffled the line up to give Loving the 12.30pm slot. Neither Richard Dawson nor Texas could compete.

There was a syndicated version of TPIR in 1994, hosted by Doug Davidson, aka Paul Williams from Y&R. (The theme was adapted for the Bruce Forsyth version).

The Doug Davidson version suffered from low ratings - in New York City on WWOR, paired with a new syndicated Family Feud, presented by Richard Dawson, the show was against The Oprah Winfrey Show (and Oprah was massively popular back then). In Los Angeles, paired with entertainment programme Extra on KNBC, it went against Wheel of Fortune (again massively popular).

WWOR dropped the Doug Davidson version (and Family Feud), replacing it with The Richard Bey Show, and KNBC followed suit. Without the key LA and NYC markets, the plug was pulled.

 

[DallasFanForever]

It’s been going for more than 50 years. Why do you think it has proved to be such an enduring format.

I think it’s endured because of a couple of reasons. Firstly, it’s always been a fun show to watch. I’ve always enjoyed playing along and trying to guess the prices of all the items.

Secondly, they’ve always been smart about how they run the show. They’ve always kept it fresh by continuously introducing new games to the show yet there were so many classic games that they kept for so many years to keep the longtime viewers coming back, some of which still continue til this very day.

And of course The Beauties never hurt to look at either.

I really don’t watch it much anymore though. Nothing against Drew as a host but after Bob Barker retired I kind of lost interest. I don’t think it was ever as exciting without him at the helm.

 

[Daniel Avery]

I lost interest in the final year or two of the Barker era, mostly because of the obnoxious "frat-boy" types who took up most of the audience. What used to be a cross-section of the general public became a room full of college-aged airheads mugging for the cameras. Of course that sort of "enthusiasm" can be entertaining to some, but I often felt second-hand embarrassment for their antics. Of course they have themselves to blame for the circus atmosphere since they have audience warm-up people who encourage audience members to act that way. PlutoTV has separate channels for "Barker Era" and "Carey Era" TPiR reruns, and I love watching the Barker era, the older the better. In the early episodes the audience had not been "conditioned" to be so over the top; they didn't even applaud at some points. I'd be curious to see which of their channels gets higher viewer numbers.

That said, I think Bob Barker's ability to put the contestants at ease (even joking with them) made him seen really approachable and likeable in those early years. There was also the same sense of continuity/repetition that can be very comforting (the same ticky-tacky set decor, the same "Come on Down!" battle cry, the general format). People in my age bracket probably have a soft spot for the show because we were out of school when we saw it, making it doubly enjoyable since the memories and good feelings mesh together.

By the time Drew Carey took over, the show was basically set in stone in the morning lineup. It's often the highest-rated show in daytime across all networks, and almost always in the top three. It's hard to calculate a single rating since they still give separate ratings to the two halves of the hour-long show all these years later (it was originally a half-hour show that expanded to an hour due to its ratings success). It's an iconic program for CBS, so I can't imagine any local affiliate not airing it. When CBS needs to fill a hole in their primetime line-up (holidays, summertime, etc.) they will produce primetime episodes of TPiR that will typically win their timeslots.

 

[Abby's Worst Nightmare]

I lost interest in the final year or two of the Barker era, mostly because of the obnoxious "frat-boy" types who took up most of the audience. What used to be a cross-section of the general public became a room full of college-aged airheads mugging for the cameras. Of course that sort of "enthusiasm" can be entertaining to some, but I often felt second-hand embarrassment for their antics.

Daniel,

Have you ever seen Hot Seat with Wally George? A talk show with exacly the kind of audience that infected TPIR.

Why has this show lasted so long? Three reasons I think. It's totally relatable because everyone buys groceries and other household stuff. Bob Barker is reason number two. People just loved Bob. He was totally charming. Third is that when it began, you had a ton of veterans from WW2 that were retiring and this was one of the first daytime game shows that didn't seem so geared toward women. So they got hooked. A lot of their home audience has always been retired men. Might be different with the advent of cable but the show was already well rooted by then.

People plan vacations around going on TPIR. It's still filmed in CBS Television CIty and you can always tell when the shooting is done for the day because the Farmer's Market shares a parking structure with CBS visitors and suddenly half the people in the market have a yellow name tag on.

 

[DallasFanForever]

It's still filmed in CBS Television CIty

I always loved it when Bob would say they were filming Y&R right next door. It seemed like he would say this quite often back in the 80s. I would sit there waiting and hoping for Victor Newman or Kay Chancellor to show up in contestant’s row.

 

[TaranofPrydain]

I always loved it when Bob would say they were filming Y&R right next door. It seemed like he would say this quite often back in the 80s. I would sit there waiting and hoping for Victor Newman or Kay Chancellor to show up in contestant’s row.

On one of the 24/7 channels a couple of weeks ago, they had a rerun from the 80s where part of the prize was to have lunch with one of the male stars of a CBS soap......

 

[Daniel Avery]

But technically they're no longer at Television City, since that facility was sold last year to a company who closed it down for a major overhaul/renovation.
After more than 50 years, "The Price is Right" leaves its iconic Television City studio for a new home - CBS News

IIRC, the studio TPiR used (which was renamed "The Bob Barker Studio") had also been home to The Carol Burnett Show.

 

[AndyB2008]

But technically they're no longer at Television City, since that facility was sold last year to a company who closed it down for a major overhaul/renovation.
After more than 50 years, "The Price is Right" leaves its iconic Television City studio for a new home - CBS News

IIRC, the studio TPiR used (which was renamed "The Bob Barker Studio") had also been home to The Carol Burnett Show.

I'm sure Y&R and B&B still tape at Television City, unless they are relocating too.

 

[Abby's Worst Nightmare]

But technically they're no longer at Television City, since that facility was sold last year to a company who closed it down for a major overhaul/renovation.
After more than 50 years, "The Price is Right" leaves its iconic Television City studio for a new home - CBS News

I haven't been to LA in two years. I know everyone wants that land because the location is fantastic but I would dearly hate to see the Farmer's Market pushed out. Also, I can't believe that no one had deemed it as a historical monument but that is Los Angeles for you.

 

[MarkSinacori]

I worked on this show! Back in 2007. I even worked at Bob Barker's final taping!

 

[booomasters9]

But technically they're no longer at Television City, since that facility was sold last year to a company who closed it down for a major overhaul/renovation.
After more than 50 years, "The Price is Right" leaves its iconic Television City studio for a new home - CBS News

The new place (where they are now) is called Haven Studios, and it's similar to what Television City was like, but flatter (one major difference-- the Row, the stage and the audience are all on one floor now; no more stairs).

 

[DallasFanForever]

I can't believe that no one had deemed it as a historical monument but that is Los Angeles for you.

Kind of surprising to me too. You would think after over 50 years and all the history there that this would’ve happened.

 

[booomasters9]

And believe it or not, come 2025, George's and Drew's ages will be reversed, in a way (by which I mean, George will be 58 come 3/11/25 [born 3/11/1967], and Drew will be 67 come 5/23/25 [born 5/23/1958]).

 

[Zombie Englishboy]

IIRC, the studio TPiR used (which was renamed "The Bob Barker Studio") had also been home to The Carol Burnett Show.

I believe that the Bob Barker studio (formerly stage 33) was also home to a multitude of CBS gameshows including “The Match Game”, “Card Sharks”, the short lived “Now You See It” and “the $25,000 Pyramid Game”

 

[booomasters9]

I believe that the Bob Barker studio (formerly stage 33) was also home to a multitude of CBS gameshows including “The Match Game”, “Card Sharks”, the short lived “Now You See It” and “the $25,000 Pyramid Game”

And many others-- I think Press Your Luck w/the late, great Peter Tomarken was there some of the time, and so was Bullseye in syndication w/Jim Lange on its second and final go (that second and final one being Celebrity Bullseye as well).

 

[Zombie Englishboy]

And many others-- I think Press Your Luck w/the late, great Peter Tomarken was there some of the time

And Rod Roddy was the announcer on that show who went on to become possibly the most famous of the announcers on “The Price is Right”

”Press your Luck” aired on UK cable television in the 1990s.

In contrast, the American version of TPIR has sadly never screened in the UK.

 

[DallasFanForever]

And Rod Roddy was the announcer on that show who went on to become possibly the most famous of the announcers on “The Price is Right”

Tough one for me. I think I preferred the legendary Johnny Olson on TPIR but Rod won me over rather quickly. He was so over the top and flamboyant but he was a lot of fun.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Rod Roddy also was the voice-over/narrator guy on the sitcom Soap, providing humorous comments and sarcastic quips about the insanity of those characters' lives.

 

[booomasters9]

Rod Roddy also was the voice-over/narrator guy on the sitcom Soap, providing humorous comments and sarcastic quips about the insanity of those characters' lives.

And on Whew!, a short-lived (1979-80) CBS game w/Tom Kennedy (first game show Roddy ever was on).