The New Price Is Right

If Bob Barker didn't exist, television would've had to invent him. His folksy and highly-controlled approach is slick, witty, charming, disarming and utterly appropriate for the populist realm of game shows.

Until "Who Wants To Be Millionaire?," you could safely assert that there was no more populist a game show than "The Price Is Right." The cross-section of people who "come on down" to play the game is as culturally diverse a melting pot as you'll find on television. And because of this, it is easy for the viewer to relate to the contestants, and to feel for their ups and downs.

Skillfully facilitating all of this is Barker, who is refreshingly old-school in his across-the-board respect for the contestants. And he doesn't have to strain to "sell" the pricing games to the viewers -- most are clever, challenging and enduring.

One of the interesting elements about "Price" is that a contestant can be inept as a pricer, but if they're lucky enough, they could still advance to win the "showcase" at the end of the show. The "anything can happen" element this creates helps make the show even more interesting, if occasionally frustrating. (It seems unfair to disqualify an excellent showcase guest that is over by a few hundred, while the "winning" guest is under by several thousand. But those are the rules.)

Cheers to Mr. Barker, and to Rod and "the beauties."

I guess I am a Game Show fanatic! I have just finnished commentnig on Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! I love to watch the Price is Right on days off from School and over the summer. I like seeing the prizes and the reactions you get from people when they win something. It's a great show and I am so glad that CBS still shows it.

I really like Drew Carey. Amiable and witty. But the fake enthusiasm of the contestants is totally annoying. I understand getting chosen to Come On Down! (now from backstage) is a reason to be happy but come on now. Screaming, dancing, back flips, pirouettes, cartwheels, it's so over the top and phony. It comes across as being scripted and the contestants are from Central Casting. Oh, for the old days before Coronavirus.

Now in its 32nd year on CBS, The Price is Right is still a hit with no signs of going stale. If you're a regular viewer, you'll notice that no two episodes are the same since there are 70 pricing games in the show's repertory and nine contestants per show.

There have been a number of keys to Price's success. At the top is Bob Barker. He is the Babe Ruth of game show hosts, treating the contestants courteously and masterfully putting them at ease when he sets the scene for what they could win next. Another key is that Price has all the elements that contribute to a hit game show. A simple format where anyone can identify with the price of merchandise and the home audience can play along. The pricing games such as Plinko and Lucky Seven are simple viewer-friendly games that also create drama. The big question for Price is will it be Burton Richardson or Randy West that will replace the late Rod Roddy? Both are very good announcers but I'm going with Burton based on his successful track record and experience. He was also the announcer on the short-lived 1994 version that was hosted by Doug Davidson.

However, this review cannot be completed without mentioning the man who created this classic, Mark Goodson. Seven years after the original Bill Cullen version was cancelled, CBS called him to revive Price but he felt the old game wouldn't work so he overhauled the show and after three years as a standard half-hour show, the network made a bold move in expanding Price to an hour. Since then, it became a true classic. It's too bad Goodson's gone, because he would have been very proud of his long-running creation where ordinary people COME ON DOWN!!!

After over thirty years on the air, this I think it is right to call this show an institution. The Price Is Right is one of the few shows on television that is loved by young and old alike and that can be attributed to Bob Barker and the production staff who have done everything over the years to keep it fresh and innovative as well as exciting for the viewers. This is truly one show that I am proud to say that I grew up with.