It's Official: August 9! And Regis Returns!

[RegisFan]

Great news, everyone!

The original primetime edition of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" returns on August 9, 2009 to ABC! Regis Philbin is returning as host, and the series will air as a special 11 episode event over a two week period.

The episodes will air as a nightly event starting on August 9. It will not air on Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22, and the finale will be shown on Sunday, August 23.

The format is being described as a hybrid between the original primetime series and the syndicated show. That's all that is being released at this time, although it does ensure fans that nothing dramatic will be changed in the format (as in, no "Millionaire: Hot Seat" rules). I doubt they'll keep the timer, not that I would mind terribly seing it in primetime. I imagine the only syndicated elements that will appear in primetime will be some of the lifelines (such as "Double Dip"), possibly the Millionaire Menu, and maybe some of the graphics.

This is a huge victory for the Millionaire fan community! Rejoice, everyone, the original returns, with the master himself, Regis Philbin, at the helm!

[RegisFan]

Here is Buzzerblog's posting, if anyone wants another link to the story: buzzerblog.flashgameshows.com/who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-returns-to-abc-in-august/

[FrankT]

HOORAY!!! And I'll be the first British spectator! If I can find a way to watch it, of course..

[Deleted]

Now here's an interesting question, which music will they use?

A: Original
B: Super
C: UK
D: US (clock rythym)

Me personally, I like them all. But if I had to choose, I could defenitely see either Super or UK.

[FrankT]

A bit of all of them, I think

[jpsesq]

This is great news. By the way, rumor has it that the phone game will be used to select contestants.

[RegisFan]

Apr 23, 2009 20:50:45 GMT -5 @divvy said:

Now here's an interesting question, which music will they use?

A: Original
B: Super
C: UK
D: US (clock rythym)

Me personally, I like them all. But if I had to choose, I could defenitely see either Super or UK.

I really don't like the UK music too much, outside of the background music for the first set of questions. I'd like to see a slightly altered version of the original music used. Super Millionaire tweaked the music just slightly, and that really brought a lot to the game. I think the same should be done again, just slightly tweak the music to match the new feel of the show.

I'd actually like to hear the clock music without the ticking clock sounds worked in. The music itself, sans clock, is still very good. The opening theme packs a lot of punch with extra bass thrown in.

[FrankT]

My money is on that it'll be the UK music..

[FinalAnswer19]

I think they will use NO UK music at all. Michael Davies doesn't like one thing about the new UK version (no offense), so, I don't think he will want to use any of it at all. Plus, ABC would need to get the rights to that music in addition to the Strachan's music since the UK music was done by a third party.

[RegisFan]

I agree with everything you said, finalanswer19. The combination of the need to obtain the necessary rights and Michael Davies' general hatred of the current UK version of the show will probably (thankfully) prevent almost anything from the UK version making it into this revival.

I think a mix between the classic cues and some newly created cues from the Strachans will probably make up the revival's soundtrack.

[FrankT]

Michael Davies is right... we got to fight for our original UK version back, not put up with it!

[RegisFan]

And it's not that the UK format is necessarily horrible, it just takes a lot away from the format. I could live with the shortened money tree, but the new music just makes me cringe.

[Deleted]

from listening to the UK music, the music (chords wise) is exactly the same. its just the instruments . the only real different thing in UK music is the upper tier. for our music theory junkies out here, the chord progression is (questions 3-7) major, minor 7, submediant, major w/3rd inversion. And for questions 8-14, it's minor, minor 7, minor augment, minor w/3th inversion.

[RegisFan]

I know that most of the music is the same in terms of the chords. In fact, as I've said before, I really like what they did with the first tier question music. But the music itself just isn't dramatic enough for Millionaire- a dance mix does not lend itself well to the soundtrack of such a serious game. I really don't see them using that music for the U.S. revival.