"Whammy!" was a lower-budget re-hack of the CBS Television classic "Press Your Luck". Taped at the Tribune Studios in Los Angeles, the show had smaller prizes and the dopey gimmick of dumping things on contests hapless enough to spin a Double Whammy.
Hosted by the relatively fake Todd Newton, "Whammy" pitted three contestants in a contest of nerve and luck. The first round was, effectively, a game of chicken in which each contestant, one at a time, took turns stopping the computerized ring of video monitors (which replaced the rear-projection screens of the 80's). If you hit a Whammy during this first round, you were out for the rest of the round. Each successive series of turns, more Whammies were added to the board, making it increasingly risky to press your luck.
The second round is what used to be the first round. Contestants were asked a series of general knowledge questions. The first contestant to buzz in and give an answer correctly received 3 spins; other contestants selecting the correct answer from the first contestant's answer and two other answers received 1 spin.
The exciting final round is what most people remember from the original CBS show - the spins round. Each contestant would take turns trying to stop the flashing video monitors on prizes or cash, which would be added to that player's bank. Landing on a Whammy meant the contestant lost what was in his/her bank to that point. At any point, a player could pass his/her spins to another player in hopes that the recipient would hit a Whammy (unless the spins had already been passed previously, in which case the player would have to take them).
There were a number of things I found frustrating about this format of the show.
1. Todd Newton is no Peter Tomarken. Todd Newton might be better on some other show, but the quick pace called for someone just a bit snappier. Peter Tomarken was the perfect host - funny, just a bit of a smart aleck.
2. The structure of the show meant a commercial dropped in the middle of the spins round when the tension was greatest. Never kill momentum with a commercial. On the CBS version, there was a first question round, then a commercial, then the first spins round, then a commercial, then a second question round, then another commercial, then the second and final spins round - to completion! - and then a final commercial before the contestants' prizes were read back to him/her.
3. The toteboards on the CBS version of the show were larger and easier to read. Presumably because it was less costly, "Whammy" went with video monitors with pretty small fonts instead. This made the prizes look even smaller.
4. You didn't get two rounds of spinning, just the one at the end.
5. The reading of the prizes at the end of the show would, often times, be a laundry list of things without brand names, suggesting there was nothing special about them. On the CBS version of the show you heard about everything. On "Whammy" it was more like, "You've won a pool table... how about a new jacuzzi... and a golf cart." They needn't have bothered.
6. Dump the Double Whammies. This is "Press Your Luck", not "Beat The Clock" or Nick's "Double Dare". Leave the messes for stunt-based game shows.
If there is a remake of "Whammy", I hope it's called either "Press Your Luck" as it was before, or the more appropriately titled "Big Bucks!". And I certainly hope Todd Newton isn't hosting it!
Hosted by the relatively fake Todd Newton, "Whammy" pitted three contestants in a contest of nerve and luck. The first round was, effectively, a game of chicken in which each contestant, one at a time, took turns stopping the computerized ring of video monitors (which replaced the rear-projection screens of the 80's). If you hit a Whammy during this first round, you were out for the rest of the round. Each successive series of turns, more Whammies were added to the board, making it increasingly risky to press your luck.
The second round is what used to be the first round. Contestants were asked a series of general knowledge questions. The first contestant to buzz in and give an answer correctly received 3 spins; other contestants selecting the correct answer from the first contestant's answer and two other answers received 1 spin.
The exciting final round is what most people remember from the original CBS show - the spins round. Each contestant would take turns trying to stop the flashing video monitors on prizes or cash, which would be added to that player's bank. Landing on a Whammy meant the contestant lost what was in his/her bank to that point. At any point, a player could pass his/her spins to another player in hopes that the recipient would hit a Whammy (unless the spins had already been passed previously, in which case the player would have to take them).
There were a number of things I found frustrating about this format of the show.
1. Todd Newton is no Peter Tomarken. Todd Newton might be better on some other show, but the quick pace called for someone just a bit snappier. Peter Tomarken was the perfect host - funny, just a bit of a smart aleck.
2. The structure of the show meant a commercial dropped in the middle of the spins round when the tension was greatest. Never kill momentum with a commercial. On the CBS version, there was a first question round, then a commercial, then the first spins round, then a commercial, then a second question round, then another commercial, then the second and final spins round - to completion! - and then a final commercial before the contestants' prizes were read back to him/her.
3. The toteboards on the CBS version of the show were larger and easier to read. Presumably because it was less costly, "Whammy" went with video monitors with pretty small fonts instead. This made the prizes look even smaller.
4. You didn't get two rounds of spinning, just the one at the end.
5. The reading of the prizes at the end of the show would, often times, be a laundry list of things without brand names, suggesting there was nothing special about them. On the CBS version of the show you heard about everything. On "Whammy" it was more like, "You've won a pool table... how about a new jacuzzi... and a golf cart." They needn't have bothered.
6. Dump the Double Whammies. This is "Press Your Luck", not "Beat The Clock" or Nick's "Double Dare". Leave the messes for stunt-based game shows.
If there is a remake of "Whammy", I hope it's called either "Press Your Luck" as it was before, or the more appropriately titled "Big Bucks!". And I certainly hope Todd Newton isn't hosting it!