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 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.

If you want to be a millionaire, why not join this game show. It is fun and interesting to play and explore the given questions to earn a certain amount of money. If you win a million dollars, congratulations; you can spend all that cash with many valuable items. If you lose, too bad, but keep trying. Make your final answers very clear. Regis Philbin should be the best game show host in the nation. I'll make that my final answer.

BEING THAT TIMING is everything in Life, this quiz show series surely must have a perfect sense of it. Bowing on the ABC TV Network on Sundays (we think), it started out like the proverbial "Ball o' Fire" and quickly gained momentum. In a silent testimony to its power and unexpected success, prime-time quiz game money giveaway $how$ made quick appearances on CBS, NBC and FOX Networks all.

THE SHOW'S APPEAL and popularity were no haphazard case of dumb luck. It is obvious that careful planning and calculation went into the program's format, content and overall appearance of this production. No element was overlooked.

FIRST OF ALL, we see the framing of the appearance on the TV screens done up on a grand scale. Rather than having contestants appearing side by side with the MC/Quizmaster, the competitors are put into a sort of 'Roman Coliseum' arena of variable and sweeping beams of concentrated lighting. Much in the same manner of the Gladiatorial combatants, the challenger meets his foe (Quizmaster) face to face.

IN ADDITION TO this careful, micro-management of the lighting, we have both the obvious and subtle use of computer controlled recorded music. There is both incidental musical queues and the constant deployment of background mood manipulating instrumental and vocal soundtrack. Mood and "excitement" were very closely manipulated in this manner.

THE WORD THAT we are looking for is "Subliminal"; as the soundtrack quietly added the element of the dramatic and elevated our anticipation of excitement in this way.

EMPLOYMENT OF THE direction of the show rendered its overall running time and the highly dramatic pacing of the proceedings is done up to the maximum. Use of friendly chit-chat (interviews) with guests and timing of segments with stopwatch precision allows the padding out of the show to a full hour; where all ceremonies could probably be said and done within the confines of the 30 minute show limit.

CAPPING OFF THE totality of this late 20th & early 21st Century mega-hit was the ascent of Regis Philbin to the Throne of Ruling Potentate and overseer of all proceedings of the day. The highly durable Mr. Philbin was the perfect man for this position. Witty, energetic and always in control, he also possessed a genuine liking of the people who came to compete.

FOR SOME MONTHS after its initial show hit the airwaves, WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE was number one with the public. It was the topic of discussion around the old water cooler at many a break time.

BUT THEN, AS it seems much like all other "sensations" of the small screen, the novelty wore off. But this original, prime-time series ran from 1999-2002, or a healthy and respectable three seasons.

IT WAS FOLLOWED by the syndicated half hour version that went from 2003 until the present.

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.