Anybody applying to NBC's new quiz show?

[georgetrev]

NBC finally came through on the "live bouts 24/7" part of the show.

Right now Lizzy is in the Money Chair at the $100K point.

[UniquePerspective]

Anybody trying around Saturday at 6 AM?

I tried to get in on this for much of Thursday, I only got as far as that Subway pre-qualifying area you see sometimes on the live stream. Got scheduled to come back at Saturday at 6 AM, so if any boardies are coming around then too, we'll converse. Interestingly enough, one of the people there was the legendary John Carpenter of millionaire fame, and he said that his time was almost up for the day without getting picked (you're only allowed to stay in the pre-qualfying area for up to 10 hours at a time). Rule of thumb: if you're impatient, this application process is probably not for you.

In terms of Jeopardy champs or even players competing, I only saw a couple play, Brandon Saunders of course, and also OTriviaNewtonJon played yesterday morning and lost. Not sure of any others off the top of my head.

[jeff6286]

3 of the 4 current occupants of Winners Row are Jeopardy! veterans:









Tune in at the end of tonight's show (ends at 9 PM Eastern) and you will see, most likely, one of them playing in defense of their position.

[davey]

I saw the very end of the show. I'm glad Brandon is winning, but he looks awfully stressed and worn - not like he's having fun.
How do they decide when a player in the chair gets a break? To win that big match, and then immediately have to keep defending....Also, I thought the live feed was 24 hours, but Seacrest just signed off and the feed went dead...

[jeff6286]

I saw the very end of the show. I'm glad Brandon is winning, but he looks awfully stressed and worn - not like he's having fun.
How do they decide when a player in the chair gets a break? To win that big match, and then immediately have to keep defending....Also, I thought the live feed was 24 hours, but Seacrest just signed off and the feed went dead...

There is about a 3 to 5 minute gap between every single match, 24/7, so there is always plenty of time to catch your breath, get a drink, re-compose, etc.

After Primetime, Seacrest hosts one match on the feed, then there is a break, maybe 15-20 minutes, then they continue after changing into the non-primetime studio and the non-primetime host.

I agree that Brandon looked stressed, but at the same time, I think he's a competitor, and he's having the time of his life.

[davey]

I saw the very end of the show. I'm glad Brandon is winning, but he looks awfully stressed and worn - not like he's having fun.
How do they decide when a player in the chair gets a break? To win that big match, and then immediately have to keep defending....Also, I thought the live feed was 24 hours, but Seacrest just signed off and the feed went dead...

There is about a 3 to 5 minute gap between every single match, 24/7, so there is always plenty of time to catch your breath, get a drink, re-compose, etc.

After Primetime, Seacrest hosts one match on the feed, then there is a break, maybe 15-20 minutes, then they continue after changing into the non-primetime studio and the non-primetime host.

I agree that Brandon looked stressed, but at the same time, I think he's a competitor, and he's having the time of his life.

I'm still confused...Aren't the 4 leaders undefeated? So when does someone else take over the chair?

[ComingUpMilhouse]

I don't think they're undefeated (other than winning any Winner's Defenses they're in), just have the four highest money totals.

I may be wrong, though, since I admit I do not understand all the rules.

[Bamaman]

You play until you lose a bout, so nobody is undefeated. The four in the winners circle are the top four money winners.

I saw the first two episodes and then watched the last three in a row tonight. Its much more tolerable with a DVR.

Some observations.....

1. Celebrity clue reading on this show makes me appreciate the speed reading ability of Oprah Winfrey.
2. Doubling strategy is worse than FJ wagering. One lady had been doubled on the last question of the game. she had a safe margin, but doubled back, giving the opponent a chance to win. Sadly, he got the question wrong and she won.
3. Then there is the genius strategy some use in picking who goes to the winners challenge match. The third place person was the power player and they picked the fourth place person. Which guarantees they'll get knocked down to fourth themselves.
4. The tie breaking method is lame.

[davey]

But I thought if you were defeated you lost all the money?? But not if you're in the top 4, I guess???

[Bamaman]

But I thought if you were defeated you lost all the money?? But not if you're in the top 4, I guess???

That's correct. The final match on TV is between whoever is in the chair and one person from the winners circle. The winner of that match gets the other players' money. In all other bouts, the loser's money simply vanishes.

[davey]

Doesn't that mean that one of the top 4 will always be playing? But I could have sworn I saw games when all 4 were watching 2 other players...Sorry if I'm being obtuse...

Wait, I'm sorry, I think I get it. The leaders are retired only if they lose that last match or are overtaken - but they can lose regular matches.

[teapot37]

Doesn't that mean that one of the top 4 will always be playing? But I could have sworn I saw games when all 4 were watching 2 other players...Sorry if I'm being obtuse...

When you are defeated, if you are in the top 4... you are in the top 4. And since when a member of the top 4 goes back into the game and takes the chair, when they are defeated again, they will still be in the top 4. (If they try to go back in the chair and lose, then they are gone and get nothing, while their conqueror, I believe, gets all their money and thus moves into the top 4.)

[davey]

Doesn't that mean that one of the top 4 will always be playing? But I could have sworn I saw games when all 4 were watching 2 other players...Sorry if I'm being obtuse...

When you are defeated, if you are in the top 4... you are in the top 4. And since when a member of the top 4 goes back into the game and takes the chair, when they are defeated again, they will still be in the top 4. (If they try to go back in the chair and lose, then they are gone and get nothing, while their conqueror, I believe, gets all their money and thus moves into the top 4.)

Thanks - what was confusing me was the idea of going back to the chair. But I think I have it now.

[Bamaman]

Its gooten better as I'm starting to understand the rules. They just didn't do a very good job of explaining how the game works.

[davey]

And the ratings have been bad and getting worse...
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/20 ... nderstand/

[econgator]

And the ratings have been bad and getting worse...
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/20 ... nderstand/

"Still, NBC’s Paul Telegdy, president of alternative and late-night programming, told The Hollywood Reporter he thinks viewers will become more attached to the show as the days go on.

“Every hour that passes, they'll care more about these contestants whose journeys they'll want to follow. That takes time,” he said."

What journey? They sit in a chair. They answer questions.

Granted, I still haven't watched 1 second of this, nor do I care to.

[Bamaman]

Each player is only in (at most) three matches per night, which last about five minutes (with time out for commercials), hardly enough time to bond with them. The rest of the time we see them sitting in a room doing nothing.

It will suck for Brendon if he has to hang around for ten days and then gets eliminated at the last minute and goes home with nothing.

The questions are too heavily loaded with pop culture, obscure nonsense and questions asked by celebs plugging NBC shows.

And they drag it out way too long. Cut out some of the crap and they would be able to show four games per night.

Based on what they said about how long people stayed in the chair and how many games they won, they only seem to get 3-4 games per hour in when they are off the air.

[heelsrule1988]

DR. JEOPARDY LIVES!!! What a finish to tonight's show!

[pinkfreud]

I've found the MSQ to be mostly a yawner, but Friday's finish, with Brandon and the Yale professor pitted against each other, was one of the most exciting quiz show experiences in recent times. The final tie breaker came down to button-pushing mojo, and Brandon's Jeopardy! background may have made all the difference.

The more I see of this show, the less I want to be on it. It must be heartbreaking to amass huge sums of play-money and then be sent home with nothing (as will happen to almost everyone involved).

[Bamaman]

It was an exciting finish, but I wish they'd had a better way to break the tie than a fastest finger question, which was very simple.