The Price is Right has changed in many ways from its debut in 1972. However, at the same time, it's still the same show of guessing the prices on items. I was one of the many that thought the show should call it a day when Bob Barker hung up his microphone in 2007, but Drew Carey has done a remarkable job of taking over and making the show his own. Sure, he's not the suave, charming, ladies man that Bob Barker was in his hey day, but he makes the show fun. He's more along the lines of Pat Sajak in that he's more laid back and isn't afraid to be self-deprecating. It comes off more genuine and honest than Bob did. Drew has had his speed bumps (the infamously awful "Drewcases" being the most visible example) but he's overcome them to make his mark on the show. Sure, sometimes I miss Bob building up the excitement of a huge prize or a big win, but I've gotten over it. I also like the updating of sets, prizes and more. Long time favorites like Lucky Seven, Plinko, Cliff Hangers and Hole-in-One fit in just as much as new games such as Gas Money, Rat Race, and Pay the Rent. The prizes, which got kind of stale under Bob, are fresh and lucrative. Drew isn't afraid to mix things up with theme weeks or other specials that keep the variety of the show strong. I also know this has nothing to do with the program, but it's nice to see Drew get along with the announcer and models, unlike the cold relationship Bob had with them in his later years. It makes the show more enjoyable to sense that everyone gets along. However, through and through, this is still the same old show that survived the daytime game show purge of the 90s and the same one that gave stay at home moms, seniors, and college students 60 minutes of fun every morning. That sense of nostalgia and familiarity have always been the core of the show's appeal, and it's nice with all the updating that they haven't lost that. The Price is Right, like Saturday Night Live, 60 Minutes and The Tonight Show, is one of those television institutions that, no matter how much things change, they will underneath it all, remain the same.
Review of The Price is Right
