History Main / WhoWantsToBeWhoWantsToBeAMillionaire

In 1999, things were looking bleak for the TV GameShow genre. There were no prime-time network game shows, and the only shows around were holdovers from the 1970s and 1980s — ''ThePriceIsRight'', Whoopi Goldberg's ''HollywoodSquares'' revival, the latest (and lamest) ''MatchGame'' revival, and evergreens ''WheelOfFortune'' and ''[=~Jeopardy!~=]''. Then ABC decided to try out an American verison of a little British show called ''WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire'', and quicker than you could say "A MarkGoodson/Bill Todman Production", a new era in the old format was born. With the ratings success of ''Millionaire'' came a sea of shows with semi-tough questions, million-dollar jackpots, darkly-lit studios, swooping down cameras, and hosts in purple ties.

* Gratuitous {{Padding}}, such as excruciatingly long pauses before revealing the answers (often spilling over into commercial breaks or even the end of an episode), unnecessary vamping by the host, or recapping previous gameplay, often done to the point that they could probably fit twice as many games into the show if they didn't resort to so much fluff.
* Overly hyper or otherwise caricatured contestants: high school coaches, pregnant women, boisterous New Yorkers and Bostonians, and players with sob stories about family members or a loved one in the military are favorites of casting directors.

* ''DontForgetTheLyrics''

* ''ThePriceIsRight'': The "$1,000,000 Spectacular" primetime specials, which augmented the Showcase Showdown bonus spin with a $1,000,000 bonus prize and had a much higher prize budget than the daytime episodes.

* ''TheWeakestLink'', which got its '''own''' imitator in ''Friend or Foe?''

In 1999, things were looking bleak for the TV GameShow genre. There were no prime-time network game shows, and the only shows around were holdovers from the 1970s and 1980s — ''ThePriceIsRight'', Whoopi Goldberg's ''HollywoodSquares'' remake, the latest (and lamest) ''MatchGame'' remake, and evergreens ''WheelOfFortune'' and ''[=~Jeopardy!~=]''. Then ABC decided to try out a little British import called ''WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire'', and quicker than you could say "A MarkGoodson/Bill Todman Production", a new era in the old format was born. With the ratings success of ''Millionaire'' came a sea of shows with semi-tough questions, million-dollar jackpots, darkly-lit studios, swooping down cameras, and hosts in purple ties.

* A large top prize, usually $1,000,000 or any other number with a lot of zeroes.
* A single contestant or team competing against "the house", as opposed to standard game shows where multiple contestants compete against each other.
* A "money ladder" or "money tree", in which each right answer moves you up to a higher amount.
* [[AllOrNothing Losing all of your money if you answer wrong,]] unless certain levels of the aforementioned money ladder are considered "safe havens" where you're guaranteed to win that amount as a minimum.
* {{Lifelines}}.
* Gratuitous {{Padding}}, such as excruciatingly long pauses before revealing the answers (often spilling over into commercial breaks or even the end of an episode), unnecessary vamping by the host, or recapping previous gameplay, often done to the point that they could probably fit twice as many games into the show if they didn't resort to so much fluff.
* Overly hyper or otherwise caricatured contestants: high school coaches, pregnant women, boisterous New Yorkers and Bostonians, and players with sob stories about family members or a loved one in the military are favorites of casting directors.
* Dark theater-in-the-round sets adorned with complex lighting setups.
* Foreboding music, oftentimes involving a HeartbeatSoundtrack.
* Zero spontaneity, as every moment has been carefully edited (most hour-long game shows take upwards of ''eight hours'' to tape a single episode).
* [[TrailersAlwaysSpoil Giving away the outcomes of upcoming games,]] in the ill-conceived hope that it'll entice people to watch.

* ''AreYouSmarterThanAFifthGrader?'': Uses ''Millionaire''-style {{Lifelines}}.
* ''CashCab'': Despite the fact that it uses ''Millionaire''-style [[{{lifelines}} shout-outs]] to family and audience/street people, its relatively low-stakes.
* ''DealOrNoDeal'': Features the sweeping cameras, if not the tough (or any) questions.
* ''DontForgetTheLyrics''
* ''Series/{{Downfall}}'': Same premise of climbing the money ladder up to $1,000,000, with the added risk of throwing [[strike: props representing]] your prizes off the size of a building.
* ''Series/{{Greed}}'': One the first (and most blatant) ''Millionaire'' imitations. Fox ads gleefully bragged that you could win ''two'' million dollars on its show. Became a cult hit due to the hosting job being carried by forgotten original ''WheelOfFortune'' host Chuck Woolery.
* ''It's Your Chance of a Lifetime'': Added the gimmick of the first question paying off your credit card bill.
* ''[[{{Password}} Million Dollar Password]]'': Hosted by Philbin himself.
* ''[[{{ptitleqcbxbsu4}} 1 vs. 100]]'': Uses ''Millionaire''-style {{Lifelines}} ("Poll the Mob", etc).
* ''{{Pyramid}}'': The Donny Osmond version.
* ''ThePriceIsRight'': The "$1,000,000 Spectacular" primetime specials, which augmented the Showcase Showdown bonus spin with a $1,000,000 bonus prize, and had a much higher prize budget than the daytime episodes.
* ''TwentyOne'': The Maury Povich version. Like ''Greed'', the fact that anyone was going for a game show winnings record was played up big time. "You are the new Game Show King!"
* ''TheWeakestLink''
** Which had its ''own'' imitator: ''Friend or Foe?''
* ''WheelOfFortune'', which added a $1,000,000 DoubleUnlock to its 2008-2009 season.
* ''WinningLines'', which was ironically created by the creators of ''Millionaire''.

* ''CashCab'': Uses ''Millionaire''-style [[{{lifelines}} shout-outs]] to family and audience/street people.

* ''Winning Lines''

* A large top prize, usually $1,000,000.
* A single contestant or team competing against "the house".
* A "money ladder", in which each right answer moves you up to a higher amount.

* Foreboding music, complete with ominous heartbeat samples.

* ''Series/{{Greed}}'': One the first (and most blatant) ''Millionaire'' imitations. Fox ads gleefully bragged that you could win ''two'' million dollars on its show.

* ''TheSingingBee''

In 1999, things were looking bleak for the TV GameShow genre. There were no prime-time network game shows, and the only shows around were holdovers from the 1970s and 1980s — ''ThePriceIsRight'', Whoopi Goldberg's ''HollywoodSquares'' remake, the latest (and lamest) ''MatchGame'' remake, and evergreens ''WheelOfFortune'' and ''[=~Jeopardy!~=]''. Then ABC decided to try out a little British import called ''WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire'', and quicker than you could say "A MarkGoodson/Bill Todman Production", a new era in the old format was born. With the ratings success of ''Millionaire'' came a sea of shows with semi-tough questions, million-dollar jackpots, swooping down cameras and hosts in purple ties.

* ''{{Pyramid}}'': The Donny Osmond version.

* ''[[{{ptitleqcbxbsu4}} 1 vs. 100]]''

!!Shows that tried to follow in Regis Phillbin's footsteps:

*AreYouSmarterThanAFifthGrader?: Uses ''Millionaire''-style lifelines.
*DealOrNoDeal: Features the sweeping cameras, if not the tough (or any) questions.
* Series/{{Greed}}: One the first (and most blatant) ''Millionaire'' imitations. Fox ads gleefully bragged that you could win ''two'' million dollars on its show.
*It's Your Chance of a Lifetime: Added the gimmick of the first question paying off your credit card bill.
*[[{{Password}} Million Dollar Password]]: Hosted by Philbin himself.
* [[{{ptitleqcbxbsu4}} 1 vs. 100]]
*{{Pyramid}}: The Donny Osmond version.
*TwentyOne: The Maury Povich version.
*TheWeakestLink

*AreYouSmarterThanAFifthGrader: Uses ''Millionaire'' style lifelines.

* Series/{{Greed}}: One the first (and most blantant) Millionaire imitations. Fox ads gleefully bragged that you could win TWO million on their show.
*[[{{Password}} MillionDollarPassword]]: Hosted by the man himself.

*{{Pyramid}}: (The Donny Osmond version).
*TwentyOne

*YourMillionDollarChanceOfALifetime: Added the gimmick of the first question paying off your credit card bill.

*Pyramid: (The Donny Osmond version).

*[[OneVsOneHundred 1 vs 100]]

*1Vs100

*{{Greed}}: One the first (and most blantant) Millionaire imitations. Fox ads gleefully bragged that you could win TWO million on their show.

*{{Greed}}

*MillionDollar{{Password}}: Hosted by the man himself.

*DealOrNoDeal

In 1999 things were looking bleak for the TV GameShow genre. There were no prime time Network game shows, and the only shows around were holdovers from the 70s and 80s - ThePriceIsRight, Whoopi Goldburg's HollywoodSquares remake, the latest (and lamest) MatchGame remake, and evergreens WheelOfFortune and {{Jeopardy}}. Then ABC decided to try out a little show called WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire, and quicker than you could say "A Mark Goodson/Bill Toddman Production", a new era in the old format was born. With the ratings success of Millionaire came a sea of shows with semi-tough questions, million dollar jackpots, swooping down cameras and hosts in purple ties.

*TheWeakestLink

In 1999 things were looking bleak for the TV GameShow genre. There were no prime time Network game shows, and the only shows around were holdovers from the 70s and 80s - ThePriceIsRight, Whoopi Goldburg's HollywoodSquares remake, the latest (and lamest) MatchGame remake, and evergreens WheelOfFortune and {{Jeopardy}}. Then ABC decided to try out a little show called WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire, and quicker than you could say "A Mark Goodson/Bill Toddman Production", a new era in the old format was born. With the ratings success of Millionaire came a sea of shows with semi-tough questions, million dollar jackpots, swooping down cameras and hosts in purple ties.

Click the edit button to start this new page.