A reboot of Press Your Luck that only lasted two seasons, it did some interesting things, especially in the second season, where the added a Big Bank where cash and prizes lost when a player landed on a Whammy would be put in, and a space for it was on the board, and the contestant who lands on it and correctly answers a question would "Whammy the Whammy" and win whatever was in the Big Bank at the time. In fact, I prefer this over any new original game show that GSN has today (in a time before they decided to air poker games and reality competitions, which ruined the original purpose of the channel). And yeah, I liked it, even with all the flaws. I used to watch this with my grandparents while on vacation. It's not GSN's best original show, but I hope it sticks around nonetheless. (GSN discourages this, so they can mix up the episodes.) Still, Whammy! addressed its season one flaws and made up for them. I also wish W! would bring back defending champions. I'm still not a fan of the oval-board (the rectangular board is more visually pleasing), and the elimination of the first question round. I have to suspect that was the case, as Todd has dialed it down in season two. Usually, such things come from producers instructions. Todd Newton took a heap of criticism for shouting in season one, and overemphasizing a bit ("one thousand, one hundred dollars!" instead of "eleven hundred dollars"). They did creep across the overkill line a bit. Also, it seems the producers have cut back a bit on the Double Whammies. The whammies themselves are far more easier to see on the board with the yellow background than the blue they had in season one. This adds an element of excitement and an increased chance - albeit small - of hitting some really "big bucks." Thankfully, the producers eliminated the GEM electric car (top speed: 25 mph) in favor of a more necessary internal combustion engine variety. All of the loot lost to the Whammy goes into the Big Bank, and he who hits the Big Bank space on the board must answer one question correctly to claim the cash & prizes within. The most notable is the addition of the Big Bank. However, W! addressed some of their flaws and made some nice changes for the second season. I am among those who were a little disappointed when Whammy! premiered with a number of departures from the original PYL. Plus, I've seen Todd Newton host before, and he did a great job on "Hollywood Showdown." He is a promising new host, and should help give "Whammy!" its own charm. I saw "Whammy" once or twice, and I think its rather promising. Sure, the merchandise prizes are somewhat chintzy, but there's the traditional fare of trips and cruises, furniture and appliances that's decent enough. The only disappointment is seeing your favorite contestant get four Whammys (and thus be eliminated from the game). And the final round is just like the original (though there's fewer "plus one spin" spaces because of more chances to earn spins in the question round). The questions are what you'd expect - pop culture, basic general knowledge and surveys, but no worse than the original PYL. In round one, you can keep spinning as long as you avoid hitting the Whammy, with the understanding there's increased odds in hitting the ol' red hedgehog! And yes, that 3-D computer-animated Whammy cartoons are quite funny. For instance, what would have happened had "The Price is Right" - when it returned to TV in 1972 after a seven-year absence - returned in an identical format as the original? "Whammy!" adds some exciting twists and turns to the original game. Alright, some people apparently believe "Whammy!" should be a carbon-copy remake of the original "Press Your Luck." I disagree.
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