Millionaire 2018-19 Season Discussion [SPOILERS]

[seaborgium]

Today's episode had a contestant whose first name I've forgotten, but I remember his last name was Levy. He made it to the $50,000 question, which asked for the movie with "Heil Hitler" as its final line of spoken dialogue. The choices were Schindler's List, Inglourious Basterds, Saving Private Ryan, and The Pianist.

Spoiler

He didn't think it was Schindler's List or Saving Private Ryan; he had the strongest inclination toward The Pianist, but wasn't sure, and he used the 50:50, which left Schindler's List and The Pianist. He stuck with his original instinct, and he finished the game with $5,000.

About the four movies' ends, I only knew for sure that Private Ryan's flash-forward epilogue ruled that movie out. I also remembered stones being placed on Oskar Schindler's grave, but didn't think any words were spoken at that point. I didn't know anything about the other two, but I felt drawn to The Pianist for some reason. After the 50:50, I was surprised enough that Schindler's List was still up there that I might have switched to it as a contestant, first instinct notwithstanding.

(Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth says "Heil Hitler" just before being hanged at the start of the epilogue.)

[MarkBarrett]

Today's episode had a contestant whose first name I've forgotten, but I remember his last name was Levy. He made it to the $50,000 question, which asked for the movie with "Heil Hitler" as its final line of spoken dialogue. The choices were Schindler's List, Inglourious Basterds, Saving Private Ryan, and The Pianist.

Spoiler

He didn't think it was Schindler's List or Saving Private Ryan; he had the strongest inclination toward The Pianist, but wasn't sure, and he used the 50:50, which left Schindler's List and The Pianist. He stuck with his original instinct, and he finished the game with $5,000.

About the four movies' ends, I only knew for sure that Private Ryan's flash-forward epilogue ruled that movie out. I also remembered stones being placed on Oskar Schindler's grave, but didn't think any words were spoken at that point. I didn't know anything about the other two, but I felt drawn to The Pianist for some reason. After the 50:50, I was surprised enough that Schindler's List was still up there that I might have switched to it as a contestant, first instinct notwithstanding.

(Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth says "Heil Hitler" just before being hanged at the start of the epilogue.)

Not his first rodeo: http://www.j-archive.com/showplayer.php?player_id=299

[seaborgium]

Today's episode had a contestant whose first name I've forgotten, but I remember his last name was Levy. He made it to the $50,000 question, which asked for the movie with "Heil Hitler" as its final line of spoken dialogue. The choices were Schindler's List, Inglourious Basterds, Saving Private Ryan, and The Pianist.

Spoiler

He didn't think it was Schindler's List or Saving Private Ryan; he had the strongest inclination toward The Pianist, but wasn't sure, and he used the 50:50, which left Schindler's List and The Pianist. He stuck with his original instinct, and he finished the game with $5,000.

About the four movies' ends, I only knew for sure that Private Ryan's flash-forward epilogue ruled that movie out. I also remembered stones being placed on Oskar Schindler's grave, but didn't think any words were spoken at that point. I didn't know anything about the other two, but I felt drawn to The Pianist for some reason. After the 50:50, I was surprised enough that Schindler's List was still up there that I might have switched to it as a contestant, first instinct notwithstanding.

(Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth says "Heil Hitler" just before being hanged at the start of the epilogue.)

Not his first rodeo: http://www.j-archive.com/showplayer.php?player_id=299

So I didn't forget his first name; I misspelled it and assumed I had misremembered it entirely when I got a more famous person in the results.

[morbeedo]

Oh, man, that Yahtzee probability question!

Spoiler

Hard to watch the +1 steer the contestant away from the right answer. Total bummer.

[seaborgium]

Oh, man, that Yahtzee probability question!

Spoiler

Hard to watch the +1 steer the contestant away from the right answer. Total bummer.

I looked it up on bobbymgsk.wordpress.com (I wish there were more discussion of the other airings, as those are the ones I actually watch), and I have to ask: was his transcript of one of the choices as

Spoiler

1/7,876

a typo? I was doing the math, and I suspect I would have made a mistake had the number not given me pause by not jibing with my calculations, making me realize that

Spoiler

1/6^5 gives you the odds of rolling a Yahtzee of a particular number, and six different Yahtzees are possible, making the answer 1/6^4.

That reminds me of the Whiz Kids Week (or whatever it was called) contestant on Millionaire who was asked, given the tradition of each Supreme Court justice shaking hands with all the others before entering the court, how many handshakes occur before they go in.

Spoiler

He correctly figured out that each justice would shake hands with eight others, and multiplied 8 x 9 = 72 for his final answer. However, he overlooked the fact that after, say, Alito shakes hands with Thomas, Thomas doesn't have to then go and shake hands with Alito, and so the total only needs to be half of 72.

[MarkBarrett]

The Yahtzee should be cued:

Spoiler

[Linear Gnome]

I looked it up on bobbymgsk.wordpress.com (I wish there were more discussion of the other airings, as those are the ones I actually watch), and I have to ask: was his transcript of one of the choices as

Spoiler

1/7,876

a typo? I was doing the math, and I suspect I would have made a mistake had the number not given me pause by not jibing with my calculations, making me realize that

Spoiler

1/6^5 gives you the odds of rolling a Yahtzee of a particular number, and six different Yahtzees are possible, making the answer 1/6^4.

Thanks to Mark for posting and cueing the question. Turns out that it was not a typo;

Spoiler

the question writers (purposely, I assume) made the question a little easier by making (D) 1 in 7876 rather than 1 in 7776. Too bad she didn't pick up on it (like you did).

[xxaaaxx]

Spoiler

That hurt my brain, and my teeth, and a bit of my soul. I gave up any hope of her realizing that it was only (1/6)^4, but I thought for sure if she trusted her math she'd realize that D didn't add up...and then came that plus minus one. Oh dear lord. "6x6 is 36, carry the 3, 6x9=54 plus the 3 so that's 76"...KEEP GOING!!!!

That Gettysburg Address clue wasn't much fun to watch, either.

[alietr]

Spoiler

From a contestant who was in the audience for the Yahtzee question: "It was hard to watch live. One thing you didn’t see due to heavy editing on the $20,000 question...they invoked the “you have to make a decision in 10 seconds” rule. She took a LONG time. There was a ton of squirming going on in the audience, and I had to bury my face in my hands so I wouldn’t yell out the answer. It was the last episode of that tape day, too. The energy evaporated from the room as we left. I felt bad for her."

I felt bad for the woman whose +1 talked her out of walking on the railroad miles question. I looked it up later; those four countries are the four countries with the most miles. But the U.S. has more than twice as many miles as second place China (then Russia, then India). That was a tough one.

I could have sworn the Heil Hitler answer was Inglorious. Then when they took that away, I could have sworn it was The Pianist. That was a very tough question, and I still can't place how that was the last line of the movie. I remember them going through Yad Vashem(?) (a cemetery?) as well.

Fun fact: I was in Krakow when they were filming Schindler's List, but had no idea what that meant at the time other than that Spielberg was around.

Even though that's what they tell you to do in the Green Room, I think the last words I've heard before someone loses big money this season have always been, "I'm going to go with my gut." I think the worst thing about it now being taped in Vegas is that people say "I'm in Vegas, so I'm going to gamble." It seems like it's always been a losing gamble.

[dinghammer]

Thanks to Mark for posting and cueing the question. Turns out that it was not a typo;

Spoiler

the question writers (purposely, I assume) made the question a little easier by making (D) 1 in 7876 rather than 1 in 7776. Too bad she didn't pick up on it (like you did).

+1 for the thanks, though that was hard to watch. I watched the first week of new shows this season, but I haven't been keeping up, so...

Spoiler

I expect the $20,000 question to usually be a little difficult, but having only one of the 3 "big number" answers be divisible by 6 made that one really easy without multiplying anything. It's a shame neither of them noticed it.

[morbeedo]

Spoiler

That hurt my brain, and my teeth, and a bit of my soul. I gave up any hope of her realizing that it was only (1/6)^4, but I thought for sure if she trusted her math she'd realize that D didn't add up...and then came that plus minus one. Oh dear lord. "6x6 is 36, carry the 3, 6x9=54 plus the 3 so that's 76"...KEEP GOING!!!!

Spoiler

Exactly. She even said, I’m multiplying 1,296 by 6 and not getting D. They could have rounded to 1,300 and multiplied by 6 to get 7,800 and realize D was wrong.

His final observation that “it’s probably really hard to roll a Yahtzee” didn’t help.

All that said, having recently taped the show, strange things happen under the lights

[seaborgium]

Spoiler

I could have sworn the Heil Hitler answer was Inglorious. Then when they took that away, I could have sworn it was The Pianist. That was a very tough question, and I still can't place how that was the last line of the movie. I remember them going through Yad Vashem(?) (a cemetery?) as well.

I explained it in my post about it.

Spoiler

(Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth says "Heil Hitler" just before being hanged at the start of the epilogue.)

[LucarioSnooperVixey]

I just watched Thursday's episode on YouTube because the episode was pre-empted on my network due to the Kavannaugh debate.

Only 5% of the audience knew DO NOT DRY CLEAN?!?!?

Old Pale all over again.

[morbeedo]

I just watched Thursday's episode on YouTube because the episode was pre-empted on my network due to the Kavannaugh debate.

Only 5% of the audience knew DO NOT DRY CLEAN?!?!?

Old Pale all over again.

Classic case of the player (and +1) leading the audience. I see how the circle led the +1 to the washing machine (my pre-call was do not tumble dry), but do not wash isn’t really a logical answer for a standard care label (or is it?). But still a tricky question

The degree of difficulty by question value seems to be all over the map. Is there a randomized element to the question order, or do the writers set the questions and dollar values?

[MarkBarrett]

...

The degree of difficulty by question value seems to be all over the map. Is there a randomized element to the question order, or do the writers set the questions and dollar values?

I would say the questions are matched to dollar value without a random factor. I'm looking forward to Wednesday with a S1 J! champ (plus other accomplishments on his trivia resume) having a Regis era $1M winner as +1.

[Woof]

...

The degree of difficulty by question value seems to be all over the map. Is there a randomized element to the question order, or do the writers set the questions and dollar values?

I would say the questions are matched to dollar value without a random factor. I'm looking forward to Wednesday with a S1 J! champ (plus other accomplishments on his trivia resume) having a Regis era $1M winner as +1.

You're such a tease.

[MarkBarrett]

...

The degree of difficulty by question value seems to be all over the map. Is there a randomized element to the question order, or do the writers set the questions and dollar values?

I would say the questions are matched to dollar value without a random factor. I'm looking forward to Wednesday with a S1 J! champ (plus other accomplishments on his trivia resume) having a Regis era $1M winner as +1.

You're such a tease.

Does that "bug" you?

[morbeedo]

Even though that's what they tell you to do in the Green Room, I think the last words I've heard before someone loses big money this season have always been, "I'm going to go with my gut." I think the worst thing about it now being taped in Vegas is that people say "I'm in Vegas, so I'm going to gamble." It seems like it's always been a losing gamble.

So true! So sad! But it makes for more exciting TV... If anything, my risk-tolerance nose dived as I ascended the ladder

[MarkBarrett]

This is the video for the complete 10/3 episode:

Spoiler

[SwanShadow]

This is the video for the complete 10/3 episode:

Spoiler

Four feet?! Seriously?!