Secret Millionaire
8 pm/ET Fox
Millionaires work anonymously — and for the minimum wage — alongside folks they don't ordinarily see in their corner offices in this feel-good reality series.
Read on for previews of Million Dollar Password, Celebrity Rehab, Faith Hill, Joy to the World: A Soundstage Special Event and LA Ink.
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Question: Do you know when Million Dollar Password is coming back?
Answer: No, but I would assume that should one of CBS's new shows flame out and a time period open up, this would be an easy and effective stopgap. It's also possible that during the holidays, CBS could relaunch the show, which was a solid player during the early summer off-season. I can think of worse shows I could gather around with my family when I'm back home than this one. The good news is that it was successful enough to get a pickup. (Can I help it if I still prefer the old-fashioned version which actually involved passing the word back and forth? ...
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Question: Love your work for TV Guide and have read your stuff religiously dating back to USA Today. Small question in the grand landscape of television: What the heck is going on with Million Dollar Password? The show is a hit and started off with some strong celebrities: Rachael Ray, Neil Patrick Harris, Rosie O'Donnell and Betty White. But now, after just a few short weeks, it's already scraping the bottom of the barrel with "celebs" like Shanna Moakler, Susie Essman, Monique Coleman and Damien Fahey. I honestly had no idea who any of them were (and I follow pop culture), and the Damien guy was the single worst player I have ever seen in the many incarnations of the show. I love the game, but seeing actual famous people playing is at least part of the appeal. What gives?
Answer: I blame cable for making a lot of people believe they're celebrities when they really, really aren't. But to address your specific gripe, I would imagine that Monique Coleman (who at least did appear in the
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Question: I've been a fan of the original Password, and so when CBS decided to air a new edition with Regis Philbin (who I think is one of the best game show hosts from his days on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire), I was pretty excited. The first few episodes, despite their frenetic pace with the elimination clock, felt like the relaxed, classic version on speed. Nonetheless, I've still found it enjoyable. My one major complaint is in regards to its bonus round. In it, players go through six levels with increasing difficulty that earns them increasing amounts of money, similar to the structure on Millionaire. Unlike Millionaire, however, players have only one "safe" level after which their earnings are secure: the second level (Millionaire has them after the fifth and 10th questions). Structurally, this encourages the player to attempt the third and fourth level, but discourages them from ever reaching the fifth or sixth levels, as they would lose too much money. I would suggest either ...
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Was Lost hasty in giving Michael the hook? Which of the Law & Orders has bid adieu to some fans' favorite? Is ABC's Life on Mars already on a shaky mission? In this launch of Mega Buzz, a new weekly column, I'll field your questions about your favorite shows. If there is a topic you want to see covered or a question you'd like to ask, this e-mail is the place to do it.Since we're just starting out here, I'll have to settle for answering my own questions. Hope I'm not a smart-ass to myself.Question: What's your take on Harold Perrineau's Lost exit Q&A?Mitovich: It's an incendiary topic, but I hear where Perrineau is coming from, on Michael's too-short return. Sure, it (partially) explained what became of the Dawson men after their Season 2 sail-away. But to leave Walt fatherless — and in doing so rob the series of its second barely-used African American character (Mr. Eko, we barely knew ye) — was a questionable move. This country now has its first for-real African-...
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