Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

Regis Philbin is the best host for the best game quiz show of all time. He has enough humor to light up the television sets and he's serious enough to host the game like any other classical show. And the contestants are not all rocket scientists, which is what I like. I saw "Jeopardy!" before I wrote this and the contestants knew things I have never even heard of. However, contestants on Millionaire have ordinary jobs and even ordinary knowledge. And of course, it's geared toward everyone, so that the whole family can play and together. Personally, my favorite is the $1,000,000 question.

This show was a break out hit. It created a whole new category for TV network execs to exploit and finally destroy. It was a successful prime time game show which hadn't happened in quite a long time.

Regis Philbin is uniquely responsible for its success. Sure they had the bright lights, the tense music, the flash and the sizzle. But it's Regis' intensity that drives the whole thing. The concept is simple. Contestants answer trivia questions. Each one gets harder and the money gets larger. There are a few helps. It's simplicity is part of the charm. Although Regis left the show, others have tried to resurrect it. It was running out of steam anyways. After its newness wore off, it's just not much to watch especially without Regis.

I think WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? get too much bad press. Maybe not from this database, but it does from other places, like TV and magazines. I like the fact that you don't need a Harvard degree to answer these questions, and I don't think they are too easy or too hard. I think, even though I know a British version was done, that this is a very original idea for a game show. I think this show is pretty suspenseful for a game show because you can truly play along at home, which I often do. Regis is a great host too. I think he's funny, even though the "final answer" thing gets old. (But he has to say it!) I hope that this show lasts a long time and those loser insurance people realize they have a great thing here and don't stop it.

This may be a little blunt, but I cannot stand the show, the host, or anything else about it.

Why? Well, lets start with the title first of all. Who doesn't want to be a millionaire? Second, this show was good the first few weeks it was on. Remember when it was competing with 21 and all those other 'sweeps?' Sure we all tuned in to see someone in the hot chair answering questions that just may make them a millionaire. It was funny to think that I may just be one of the few lucky ones that made it to New York to meet good old Regis. Well, now when it's on like every night, the excitement is just a thing of the past. The contestants are no longer thought of as lucky, because look at how many chances everyone gets at the fastest finger question. Third, Mr. Philbin is one of the most annoying hosts I have ever seen. He wears the same tie all the time but that's not the thing that bugs me. 'Is that your final answer?' What's that all about? He can make a few cracks here and there but other than that, the show is drowning because of him. Stick with the daytime talk show. Fourth, the music. This isn't the most important thing and it doesn't even matter, but it is impossible to sit through one show listening to the same music over and over. Fifth, I could go on and on forever, the network is wasting precious time. It's basically the same situation. A person finally lands his/her spot in the center chair and just sits there staring at the question. I've seen people that waste five+ minutes just on one question. What's even worst is when lifelines are used on one question and they end up getting it wrong.

As you can see, I hate this show for many, many reasons. Why people are tuning in every week and keeping this show in the top five is beyond me. Considering that this is a reality show and it deals with people just like you and me, the public is going to watch this because they may have a chance of winning money. But seriously, for as long as it has been on, only two or three people have hit the jackpot. Has there even been that many? By the time this show goes off the air, almost the majority of the viewers will have been likely to be a contestant.

Who Wants to be a Millionare is a great game show for the whole family. If you read other reviews I have written, you will see that I am a Game Show fanatic but this one is probably our family favorite. It's one of few shows that the whole family can sit in front of the TV together and watch and I really enjoy times like that. Also, I think Regis Philbin is a great host for the show and he adds the drama to the show with the "Is that your final answer?" and before he says yes or no, he kind of stares at the ground and has us wondering for about a second and a half and then jumps up. That's really neat, I think. Who Wants to be a Millionare is a great show and I hope it lasts for a long time to come, and that is my final answer.