That's the best argument against the tiebreaker, and I have to agree with you there. I have no doubt that both contestants knew the correct response to the tiebreaker - it was a pretty simple clue, and I'm pretty sure I saw some hand action from Jack. It's not a perfect format, but it's easy to explain, and gets the job done.alietr wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 8:44 amI got back just a few minutes too late to say the exact same thing. A buzzer race for it all? Really? They could have made the question at least a little challenging.Woppy T wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 7:20 amMy thinking exactly. I don’t hate the concept of a tiebreaker, but it hate the fact that the tiebreaker is a one question buzzer race. I don’t have any strong opinions an alternative (a 1-minute lightning round maybe?) but I hate the one question win or go home.John Boy wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:25 pmAmen. I can't imagine that the reason for it is simply $$, as it can't possibly make that much of a dent in the J! budget if they have to give out two first prizes once per season or so. Doesn't strike me as more emotionally satisfying this way either.
I would just hate-hate-hate to get one chance in all my life to be on this show, play as well as our challenger did tonight, finish the regular game with a correctly-wagered and correctly-answered final, have ALL that $$, and then have to risk it all on one Who-Can-Ring-In-First playoff.
So yeah, boo, hiss to the tiebreaker.
There are a few problems with changing the format - how do they fit a 1 minute lightning round in, when the extra clue already takes a minute when you consider that Ken already has to explain the tiebreaker rules? The editors are going to have a heart attack whenever there's a potential tie situation.
Also, aren't a vast swath of clues on J! just simply buzzer races between at least 2, if not all 3, contestants? Instead of thinking of a tie breaker as a 62nd clue, you can think of it as a retroactive 31st clue on the J! board, worth $1.
You could have contestants have a sudden-death shootout, not unlike The Weakest Link's final round, but only have 1 clue given to each player. For added fun and website traffic, you only need to air the final, determining round - “portions of this program not affecting the outcome may have been edited". Toss up the other rounds online for fun.
But I think that's a little nitpicky - the current tiebreaker round is adequate, especially considering it seems to only happen once every other year.