Whammy! The All New Press Your Luck

I am among those who were a little disappointed when Whammy! premiered with a number of departures from the original PYL. However, W! addressed some of their flaws and made some nice changes for the second season.

The most notable is the addition of the Big Bank. All of the loot lost to the Whammy goes into the Big Bank, and he who hits the Big Bank space on the board must answer one question correctly to claim the cash & prizes within. This adds an element of excitement and an increased chance -- albeit small -- of hitting some really "big bucks."

Thankfully, the producers eliminated the GEM electric car (top speed: 25 mph) in favor of a more necessary internal combustion engine variety. The whammies themselves are far more easier to see on the board with the yellow background than the blue they had in season one. Also, it seems the producers have cut back a bit on the Double Whammies. They did creep across the overkill line a bit.

Todd Newton took a heap of criticism for shouting in season one, and overemphasizing a bit ("one thousand, one hundred dollars!" instead of "eleven hundred dollars"). Usually, such things come from producers instructions. I have to suspect that was the case, as Todd has dialed it down in season two.

I'm still not a fan of the oval-board (the rectangular board is more visually pleasing), and the elimination of the first question round. I also wish W! would bring back defending champions. (GSN discourages this, so they can mix up the episodes.) Still, Whammy! addressed its season one flaws and made up for them. It's not GSN's best original show, but I hope it sticks around nonetheless.

I watched the new game show Monday night. The host Todd Newton didn't seem to have the spark like Peter Tomarken had in the 80's. It lacks what the whammies of the original Press Your Luck gave it. Also I didn't like the new board setup. Press Your Luck in the 80's was more exciting to watch. Maybe because I'm more of an 80's generation kind of guy.

This is the coolest gane show in the world! Anyone who think Whammy! isn't a good game show, think again and change your mind. Todd makes the coolest game shows. No game shows can beat this game show. I also like the original Press Your Luck. Both Peter and Todd are good game show hosts of Press Your Luck.

Being a big fan of the '80s show Press Your Luck, I was excited when I heard they were filming new episodes. After watching two weeks of nearly nonstop commercials, the previews disappointed me somewhat, as the show looked like nothing compared to the original show. I watched the first episode, and it was just about what I expected, overly high-teched and glitzy show, but it wasn't bad. I'd give it 6 out of 10. However, if you are a big fan of the original, don't get your hopes up for Whammy!

Alright, some people apparently believe "Whammy!" should be a carbon-copy remake of the original "Press Your Luck." I disagree. For instance, what would have happened had "The Price is Right" -- when it returned to TV in 1972 after a seven-year absence -- returned in an identical format as the original?

"Whammy!" adds some exciting twists and turns to the original game. In round one, you can keep spinning as long as you avoid hitting the Whammy, with the understanding there's increased odds in hitting the ol' red hedgehog! And yes, that 3-D computer-animated Whammy cartoons are quite funny. The questions are what you'd expect -- pop culture, basic general knowledge and surveys, but no worse than the original PYL. And the final round is just like the original (though there's fewer "plus one spin" spaces because of more chances to earn spins in the question round). The only disappointment is seeing your favorite contestant get four Whammys (and thus be eliminated from the game). Sure, the merchandise prizes are somewhat chintzy, but there's the traditional fare of trips and cruises, furniture and appliances that's decent enough.

I saw "Whammy" once or twice, and I think its rather promising. Plus, I've seen Todd Newton host before, and he did a great job on "Hollywood Showdown." He is a promising new host, and should help give "Whammy!" its own charm.