Is there really a need for a National Lottery game show every single Saturday night?!

Go Harvey Go

I don't watch Winning Streak and the like - but I can't be the only one who's asking that question.

After all, it's not as if the National Lottery would lose an awful lot of money - and RTE would lose an awful lot of viewers - if these desperate shows took a break for even three or four weeks, would it?

Plus the auld wans from the west of the country can always do the Lotto draws or buy All Cash scratchcards in the meantime...

Elmo

Go Harvey Go wrote: »

I don't watch Winning Streak and the like - but I can't be the only one who's asking that question.

After all, it's not as if the National Lottery would lose an awful lot of money - and RTE would lose an awful lot of viewers - if these desperate shows took a break for even three or four weeks, would it?

Plus the auld wans from the west of the country can always do the Lotto draws or buy All Cash scratchcards in the meantime...

They need to rotate the show much more so than they do. Winning streak for 10 weeks, something new the rest of the year. Russian Roulette with Derek Mooney might be enjoyable.

Derek: So your from Tipperary, Billy.
Billy: Das right.
Derek: And your here with your family.
Billy: Das right
Derek: And that must be your wife.
Billy: Das right
Derek: That's a funny hat she is wearing does she always wear that silly looking thing? Does she think this is Ladies day.
Billy: No only when she has cancer.
Derek: Oh! Well gets get on to the game. Which chamber do you think the bullet will come from?
Billy: 4
Derek: Number 4 are you sure.
Billy: Yeah
Derek: Right just press the button there. ..... So that's now locked in I hope it turns out well for you. For €50,000, number 4. Before I pull the trigger and in case your right. I just have to say Byeeeeeeeeeeeeee, eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Click

The BBC have a National Lottery Game Show on each weekend also.

Go Harvey Go

Elmo wrote: »

The BBC have a National Lottery Game Show on each weekend also.

Well, the UK National Lottery game shows are way more cerebral and thus way more enjoyable...

And they're not quite on every weekend - there are occasional breaks, like at Christmas.

But then again, the folks at the Beeb and the UK National Lottery don't quite think the same as those at RTE and the Irish National Lottery, do they?

Elmo

Go Harvey Go wrote: »

Elmo wrote: »

The BBC have a National Lottery Game Show on each weekend also.

Well, the UK National Lottery game shows are way more cerebral and thus way more enjoyable...

And they're not quite on every weekend - there are occasional breaks, like at Christmas.

But then again, the folks at the Beeb and the UK National Lottery don't quite think the same as those at RTE and the Irish National Lottery, do they?

Just a tiny bit, hymning and hawing over lists, choice etc can become just as redundant.

Go Harvey Go

Apologies for resurrecting this thread, but...

I see that the brilliantly-titled Big Money Game is back for a fifth series - and as if RTE and the National Lottery couldn't sink any lower... :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

They've obviously now decided "Well, Winning Streak works well with two presenters, so there's no reason why the same can't happen with the Big Money Game." :rolleyes:

And it has to be two kids' presenters at that, too. :rolleyes:

And the games are worse than ever before, AND they're still bringing down bleedin' confetti even when only €20k is won on the Balldron... :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

As I said in the first post, it's not as if lots of money and viewers would be lost if these shows didn't take a break, is it?

In fact, I honestly think summer would be a perfect time for such a break.

Think about it:

The cash-strapped RTE would actually save quite a bit of money by not having to film twelve or so shows during June, July and August. And to fill the gap in the schedules, they could always show longer Big Big Movies, or reruns of other family shows that get decent ratings, like (er) Pat Shortt's comedies. I doubt they would lose a lot of viewers as a result...

The National Lottery would also save money, as they wouldn't have to pay out over €100k in each of these shows. And whenever someone buys a scratchcard with three stars on it, they could enter into a draw for the usual holiday to New York or the Caribbean, with those who don't get picked winning a decent cash prize instead.

(Yes, I know the euro is French Connection UK-ed - but that's irrelevant here.)

Of course, Marty and Geri would have to point this arrangement out on the last Winning Streak before the break. And the draw to find the players for the first show after the break would have to be shown somewhere, so as to keep everything above board - probably on the National Lottery's site. But neither of these things are too inconvenient, are they?

In summary: RTE and the National Lottery save money, RTE more than likely doesn't lose too many viewers, there's still a good reason to buy the scratchcards, and summer Saturday nights on the first channel, while still awful, are somewhat less of an exercise in pulling teeth. EVERYONE WINS.

Except that trying to get those at Montrose and Abbey Street to take any of this on board would probably be like trying to cut through rock with a plastic knife... :rolleyes:

T.C.O.B

Go Harvey Go wrote: »

The cash-strapped RTE would actually save quite a bit of money by not having to film twelve or so shows during June, July and August. And to fill the gap in the schedules, they could always show longer Big Big Movies, or reruns of other family shows that get decent ratings, like (er) Pat Shortt's comedies. I doubt they would lose a lot of viewers as a result...

In summary: RTE and the National Lottery save money, RTE more than likely doesn't lose too many viewers, there's still a good reason to buy the scratchcards, and summer Saturday nights on the first channel, while still awful, are somewhat less of an exercise in pulling teeth. EVERYONE WINS.

Except that trying to get those at Montrose and Abbey Street to take any of this on board would probably be like trying to cut through rock with a plastic knife... :rolleyes:

Not really sure where this thread is going. If they shelved the Lotto shows for a bit they'd only show some other inane nonsense that appeals to idiots and the infirm. Are you telling me that if they stuck on double episodes of Killnaskully there wouldn't be several threads about RTE recycling the same old rubbish etc?

There might be a case in terms of cost but realisitcally the leading station in the country can't really be sticking repeats into the prime time shedule of a Saturday evening.

Elmo

T.C.O.B wrote: »

There might be a case in terms of cost but realisitcally the leading station in the country can't really be sticking repeats into the prime time shedule of a Saturday evening.

The summer schedule is mainly repeats, TG for Euro 2012 and the Olympics.

RTÉ just need to think about a rotating set of game shows rather then the same one under a different name giving out less money.

10 Weeks of one show, 10 weeks of the next. Variety.

Go Harvey Go

T.C.O.B wrote: »

If they shelved the Lotto shows for a bit they'd only show some other inane nonsense that appeals to idiots and the infirm. Are you telling me that if they stuck on double episodes of Killnaskully there wouldn't be several threads about RTE recycling the same old rubbish etc?

What? No.

I don't disagree that RTE would only show some other inane nonsense - after all, just about all of their entertainment shows are just that, aren't they? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

But the point I'm trying to make is, surely just about anything would make a timely change from luck-based game shows whose contestants are mostly auld wans from the west of the country?

Elmo wrote: »

RTÉ just need to think about a rotating set of game shows rather then the same one under a different name giving out less money.

Oh, it'll be a long time before they think about that. :rolleyes:

As I said, trying to get them to take such ideas on board would probably be downright impossible... :rolleyes:

T.C.O.B

Go Harvey Go wrote: »

What? No.

I don't disagree that RTE would only show some other inane nonsense - after all, just about all of their entertainment shows are just that, aren't they? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

But the point I'm trying to make is, surely just about anything would make a timely change from luck-based game shows whose contestants are mostly auld wans from the west of the country?

I think we're in agreement alright, it would be nice if they could mix it up a bit, take a risk with something that might turn out to be moderately entertaining. I'd like to see them try some Ant and Dec-like quiz/entertainment show, I know it would probably be a disaster but maybe it would be something the whole family could watch/tolerate. I fear the best we could hope for is some banel quiz show fronted by Grainne Seoige or God forbid Craig Doyle!

I suppose the long and the short of it is that a certain constituency watch Winning Streak (and the like) on a consistent basis and RTE are happy with the viewing figures they get so even if they do try something a bit different it won't be much diffferent! But I agree, a change would be nice!