Say Goodbye to Phone A Friend!

[RegisFan]

buzzerblog.flashgameshows.com/phone-a-friend-lifeline-removed-from-millionaire/#idc-container

The latest in an onslaught of changes to Millionaire this season, Phone A Friend is being removed from the game. It's not being replaced with another Lifeline, either. Instead, the contestant will just get Ask the Expert from the outset.

I'm willing to defend the Millionaire production crew's decisions on almost everything, but this is a bad move. "Can I phone a friend" is a phrase that is part of the nation's culture. It's burned into people's brains. I think removing the Lifeline is just an all around poor decision. Contestants will win much less by having one less Lifeline to use, which defeats the purpose of having an easier money tree. Also, if I were in the Hot Seat, I'd much rather have Phone a Friend over Ask the Expert.

What do you think about this development? Personally, I'm really shocked the Michael Davies would even consider removing the Phone a Friend. The Double Dip is a logical improvement over the 50:50, but this just seems like such a strange change to put into effect.

[romeijnland]

I think this is a bad decision.
I don't see how this would make the show better at all.

[FrankT]

WHAT??!!!! They've ruined everything!

[FrankT]

I'd like to have a go at the person who let this one through! First the money tree, now the Phone-A-Friend? The way they're going about things, the good old Millionaire will be axed right enough!!!!!!!!!!

And I thought the original British version had gone bad...

[khicks]

I absolutely agree with everything you said Regisfan! As much as I am a huge fan of the franchise this might be the worst move I have seen made to the American version of the game. WOW! This is really going to make the game harder than it already is and might turn casual viewers off UNLESS Davies institutes another lifeline to replace it. Also I thought the Phone A Friend was evolving nicely with the friend pictures and nice graphics. Maybe "Ask the Expert" is the evolution of the Phone A Friend itself?!?!? Hopefully this news is just a "test run" to see how the game show community feels about it.

[khicks]

However, I believe in Michael Davies and I think he knows what he is doing (he created Supermillionaire and brought Regis back for the anniversary episodes) but WOW that is a big move to drop the "Phone A Friend"!

[FrankT]

America will be so left out about the classics now!!

[Tim0n]

In Poland we've dropped PAF and replaced it with Expert in this season.

[FrankT]

Really?

[Tim0n]

Yeah, really. Apparently, they want "someone to finally win a million".

[FrankT]

I can't believe Michael Davies is doing this.. if Chris Tarrant hears about this, he just might have a fit!

[Tim0n]

Well, 2waytraffic has turned Chris' world upside-down when they introduced the 12-question Fasttrack. BTW. Look at your posts counter - 666 lol

[FrankT]

Er... not now!

Anyway, if I had to choose between losing the Phone-A-Friend or having a 12-question money tree, I'd pick the 12-question money tree - any day! I'm sure the others would agree with me here.

[FinalAnswer19]

I would almost be willing to bet money that the reason that they're getting rid of the lifeline is because people would sit at a computer with Google up waiting for the call.

If that's not cheating, I don't know what is. I know that in the official rules it doesn't say that, but that is not fair to the show.

[FrankT]

Yes! They should've implemented a rule about that! Something like the UK rules:

The persons used as friends in the "Phone a Friend" lifeline must not confer with others or consult any reference materials of whatever nature in order to provide the answer for the Show Player; in the event that the Company has reasonable suspicion that such conferring or consultation has taken place, the provisions of Part B: General Rules clause 4 shall apply.