The $100,000 Pyramid

This show is a nice example of how important it is to pick the right host for your game show to work. Just like Steve Harvey makes the latest incarnation of Celebrity Feud work, Michael Strahan (who looks and sounds like Dr. Jekyll to Mike Tyson's Mr. Hyde) is a very fine fit for the type of show the latest incarnation of The $(xyz) Pyramid is. He's funny when he needs to be, he's quick on his feet, and he makes sure that everyone is having fun despite the huge cash prize that's at stake here.

Every contestant gets his or her celebrity partner, often a comedian, and the more competitive the celeb is, the better the episode turns out. The contestants themselves can also get highly emotional, especially when they lose their money over one dumb word-association question, but then again, there's always the chance of winning the paid 7 days trip to some exotic location as a consolation prize (or an added bonus, if they win both the trip and the money).

The categories that hide the words and phrases the contestants have to guess usually have spectacularly tacky puns or very intentional double entendres for titles (which, ironically, makes this in-theory-family show pretty edgy). As for the words and phrases themselves, they are mostly really simple yet often surprisingly hard to mime or describe. That's one of the things that engages the viewer the most - how will the contestants or the celeb try to explain the word to their game partner, and will the game partner get it? Also, as each game is timed, things really do get pretty tense when there's only 10 seconds left and the celeb guest simply can't figure out what his or her game partner's clues "Attenborough" and "Duchovny" refer to.

At the end of each turn, the contestant and the celeb switch places (the one who was guessing now gets to explain the words and vice versa), at the end of every round, the celebs switch places (each celeb helps one player during the first part of the show, and then goes to assist the other during the second half), and at the end of the game another two teams of celebs and contestants arrive, as each episode actually features two full games.

All in all, it's mostly a tense, fun show with a fitting host that gives you a tiny insight into the ways people associate things both in their minds and under pressure thanks to the show's ticking timer.

I do like this show, but has anyone else noticed that they hardly ever have straight, white male contestants? That's a bizarre thing to say I know. But it's true. Why? It's up to them what they want to do, but...

When he was first selected as a co-host with Kelly Ripa, I was pretty disappointed because I thought others would have been much better. Then, I watched him and he was great.

He is absolutely the perfect person as host of this program. He is witty and really gets into the game as well.

I like some of the guests especially Leslie Jones. I love her on SNL but I watched her help someone win $100,000 and she was so overwhelmed and happy that she was a part of it. Most of the celebrities are huggers especially after helping someone win either 50G or 100G. But watching a celebrity recoil away from a hug didn't make it for me. But I understand everyone is different.

I loved seeing Rita Moreno on and she was great.

10/1/21 you have 2 of the dumbest stars on science guy and Godfrey in pajamas . Hell Godfrey couldn't even get a clear thought and science guy wasted time playing charades. You need to have that black lady back on with intelligent people so she has a chance .

This version of $100,000 Pyramid is the best remake of this show. In the early 2000s, we got the slick Donny Osmond version, which was style over substance. A few years back, we got one on GSN that suffered budget issues, weak contestants and bad celebrities. This one checks off most of the boxes accurately.

First off, host. Michael Strahan takes over the podium and he does a great job. He's friendly, upbeat and really projects a good Dick Clark vibe but with his own touch. He knows when to crack a joke, he knows when to keep the game moving, he even knows when to give the perfect clue. He doesn't do the back rubs like Clark did, but in 2019, that likely would be frowned upon.

The celebrities are pretty solid. The show moved back to NYC, where it taped in the 70s, and maybe it's just me, but it seems the celebrities from NYC are just a bit more cerebral than the ones in L.A. Not all of them are great, but more of them have been strong players than weak players.

The game goes back to the 7 in 30 format, with a set that harkens to the 80s version but modernized. No 7-11 bonus, but the Mystery 7 remains and the prizes are solid. I wish they would change the tiebreaker rule, I don't like the fastest time gets to go to the Winner's Circle format.

Speaking of the WC, the bonus round is way too easy. One of the things I liked about Pyramid was the bonus round was challenging and rewarded intelligence, similar to Final Jeopardy. This one is way too relaxed on enforcing the rules. I've watched multiple episodes where contestants would have been buzzed in the 80s version for what they say. For the big money this show gives out, we should make it a bit more of a challenge.

Overall though, this is definitely one of the better versions of Pyramid. They did a great job remaking it to follow similar format to the 80s.