Rumor Control: “Million Dollar Money Drop” Returns This Summer; Gets Board Game
Given the ratings and the overall reception the show got, as it got past its initial week-long event and sped the game up, this may not be a total surprise. An Endemol insider is telling readers, through Bother’s Bar, that the Fox game show Million Dollar Money Drop will return this summer for a new series of episodes. The show averaged around five and a half million viewers generally during its first run, nearly identical to what Minute to Win It got during its initial run this time last year (and still gets). And as we say constantly, Money Drop is cheap in broadcast network terms, it’s good time filler, and it did well enough to deserve another season.
We choose to post about this and the Endemol insider because he’s never been wrong about anything like this before, but it’s still listed as a rumor until network confirmation. He’s clearly on the inside of Endemol and has posted inside information regarding the entire franchise of Money Drop, including the airing pattern of The Million Pound Drop and the fact that it’s been picked up by Channel 4 through at least 2012. He also gave information of NBC’s singing competition The Voice far before it was announced, so I think it’s a pretty safe bet all things considered.
I, for one, am pretty happy to see it come back. Yeah, it started out rocky, but what shows these days don’t? When the show got quicker and started becoming more European with its presentation, including the inclusion of the online interactive game, Million Dollar Money Drop became far more enjoyable. Incidentally this is when ratings started to perk up a little bit and finally settle at the roughly 5.25 million viewer range. To repeat, as well, it’s practically the same rating, if not a bit better on occasion, than Minute to Win It which gets touted around constantly, so seeing it come back isn’t a big shock but it is very welcome. We don’t get many relatively solid quiz shows on the air these days and this is great to see.
Fans of the show may be excited to know that a board game version will be coming out soon also, so stay tuned.
Me personally, I think MDMD is just another skid mark in the American game show industry and I wish it would just be gone. Outside of the classics, there’s not much going for game shows.
I disagree. I think the original British format was excellent; it was just that Fox overtweaked the game a little too much for most to handle. Then again, some people might equate Fox’s overtweakings to the UK’s hostess, Davina McCall, lol… Some do say she’s a bit annoying, but I like her. :)
I have to tell you the truth Josh…Davina McCall is a bit annoying…
…
Actually lol, it’s not that she’s annoying at all. It’s just that I find her too serious at times. It’s like that weird Richard Branson-looking host on the UK’s version of Deal or No Deal. The guy looks and acts so serious that it seems like he’s going to have a mental breakdown halfway through the show. Now, Davina isn’t THAT serious, but still, she’s too serious for my liking.
Someone throw a pie or something to lighten up the mood…
That’s the problem with many American game shows. They’re too lighthearted. The British version of Deal and MPD are amazing. They understand the simplicity behind the two shows and work with it that way. Watching their shows is definitely a refreshing change from American game shows, new game shows that is.
I am happy to see MDMD getting a summer run, it was a great show and I can’t wait to watch it.
I can’t wait to get a copy of this board game. Perhaps my kids and I can get through 3-4 questions in an hour.
I gave it another shot when it was said the show moved faster and it did come off better, but it’s still too slow for my taste. It is now TiVo worthy though.
I’ll watch on the following conditions:
1. Speed the game up more
2. No more fake contestants
3. Try straddling a bit
4. Bring back the live online game on fox.com
5. Give the East Coast a chance to play it.
Well, Adam:
1. Speed the game up more. Safe to say Fox did that in the last few episodes
2. No more fake contestants. Agree.
3. Try straddling a bit. See #1.
4. Bring back the online game on fox.com. I think they will.
5. Give the East Coast a chance to play it. Yeah, give everyone a chance to play
6. ( I added this one) Add prizes (like a HDTV, laptop computer, a MP3 player, etc. Just don’t go overboard with it).
To put it in short: I agree with you, Adam.
#6 meaning to the online game.
Cool. I can’t wait. And I hear Gabe & Brittany would returns to make up from the Post-It notes question. Do you think we might see them again this summer?
I love this show and I want to get this board game. Now i hope they come out with it on PC, Wii, XBOX 360, PS3, PS2 and a hand held game.