Whammy! The All New Press Your Luck (2002–2013) User Reviews

Todd Newton No Peter Tomarken

[shelbythuylinh · 7/10 · 1 December 2021]

The Whammy TV game show is not as good as the original Press Your Luck there. As the Whammies are much more laughing but not like that over in an evil version of Elmo from Sesame Street in the original. But still the same fun from the Press Your Luck.

Todd Newton hosts the show and wished he gotten the Price is Right there. No offense to Drew Carey. But Newton is not the late Peter Tomarken who made an appearance there.

Too bad he had to die in a plane crash with his second wife in 2006 there.

Not as good as the original

[truegenius-1 · 6/10 · 12 October 2006]

"Whammy!" was a lower-budget re-hack of the CBS Television classic "Press Your Luck". Taped at the Tribune Studios in Los Angeles, the show had smaller prizes and the dopey gimmick of dumping things on contests hapless enough to spin a Double Whammy.

Hosted by the relatively fake Todd Newton, "Whammy" pitted three contestants in a contest of nerve and luck. The first round was, effectively, a game of chicken in which each contestant, one at a time, took turns stopping the computerized ring of video monitors (which replaced the rear-projection screens of the 80's). If you hit a Whammy during this first round, you were out for the rest of the round. Each successive series of turns, more Whammies were added to the board, making it increasingly risky to press your luck.

The second round is what used to be the first round. Contestants were asked a series of general knowledge questions. The first contestant to buzz in and give an answer correctly received 3 spins; other contestants selecting the correct answer from the first contestant's answer and two other answers received 1 spin.

The exciting final round is what most people remember from the original CBS show - the spins round. Each contestant would take turns trying to stop the flashing video monitors on prizes or cash, which would be added to that player's bank. Landing on a Whammy meant the contestant lost what was in his/her bank to that point. At any point, a player could pass his/her spins to another player in hopes that the recipient would hit a Whammy (unless the spins had already been passed previously, in which case the player would have to take them).

There were a number of things I found frustrating about this format of the show.

1. Todd Newton is no Peter Tomarken. Todd Newton might be better on some other show, but the quick pace called for someone just a bit snappier. Peter Tomarken was the perfect host - funny, just a bit of a smart aleck.

2. The structure of the show meant a commercial dropped in the middle of the spins round when the tension was greatest. Never kill momentum with a commercial. On the CBS version, there was a first question round, then a commercial, then the first spins round, then a commercial, then a second question round, then another commercial, then the second and final spins round - to completion! - and then a final commercial before the contestants' prizes were read back to him/her.

3. The toteboards on the CBS version of the show were larger and easier to read. Presumably because it was less costly, "Whammy" went with video monitors with pretty small fonts instead. This made the prizes look even smaller.

4. You didn't get two rounds of spinning, just the one at the end.

5. The reading of the prizes at the end of the show would, often times, be a laundry list of things without brand names, suggesting there was nothing special about them. On the CBS version of the show you heard about everything. On "Whammy" it was more like, "You've won a pool table... how about a new jacuzzi... and a golf cart." They needn't have bothered.

6. Dump the Double Whammies. This is "Press Your Luck", not "Beat The Clock" or Nick's "Double Dare". Leave the messes for stunt-based game shows.

If there is a remake of "Whammy", I hope it's called either "Press Your Luck" as it was before, or the more appropriately titled "Big Bucks!". And I certainly hope Todd Newton isn't hosting it!

Great remake of a classic

[briguy_52732 · 20 April 2002]

Alright, some people apparently believe "Whammy!" should be a carbon-copy remake of the original "Press Your Luck." I disagree. 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. 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. The questions are what you'd expect -- pop culture, basic general knowledge and surveys, but no worse than the original PYL. 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 only disappointment is seeing your favorite contestant get four Whammys (and thus be eliminated from the game). Sure, the merchandise prizes are somewhat chintzy, but there's the traditional fare of trips and cruises, furniture and appliances that's decent enough.

I saw "Whammy" once or twice, and I think its rather promising. 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.

Nice Reboot

[jeremycrimsonfox · 8/10 · 11 June 2019]

I used to watch this with my grandparents while on vacation. And yeah, I liked it, even with all the flaws. 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).

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.

Also, this show did have some special episodes, like the Michael Larson reunion episode where the two opponents come to take on Michael's brother, James, in a game (as Michael died back in 1999), and even doing a tournament for some of the contestants who lost, giving them a chance to redeem themselves.

But I do agree this show does have flaws. The Double Whammy is a useless addition, as it's basically just the same as landing on a Whammy, the only difference being stuff also gets dumped on the unlucky contestant (which only works on kids' game shows). Another flaw is the Whammy itself, as it is now all CGI, and has various voices (stripping it of any charm it had in the original PYL). But this is a good reboot that deserves checking out.

IGNORE THE BAD REVIEWS!! This is good stuff!!

[schaitelh · 10/10 · 20 February 2017]

The host is Todd Newton. Round 1: Press your luck and avoid the whammy. You could win a car! Big Bank in Season 2. After that round comes the question round. Round 2: Final round. Same as Round 1. Big Bank in Season 2. I record videos of the whammies and it's phenomenal. I LOVE WHAMMIES!!!!!! They're funny. And this game show that does it all. OMG. Rating 10 stars to raise the overall rating. I dislike the 5 point something average.

Update: I am just now starting to watch this show again, and how underrated it is is unbelievable.

I Just Love the Remake of this Game

[johnnymacfox · 27 August 2003]

The Big Bank gives contestants a chance to retrieve all that was lost to the whammy in previous spins! The whammies are now 3 dimensional and more entertaining. I remember on the original show, when the pizza making whammy twirled the dough, tossed it in the air and it fell on his face. Now the 3D whammy does just about the same thing, only this time the flat wad of dough lands on the contestant's face instead. I kinda like the one who shreds the documents and the scraps fly all over the contestant. It's just so funny. (No offense to the contestant.) I like being able to play on line interactive as I watch the show on GSN and the GSN site has a fun Whammy game called Whammy Plus where you can get the feel of the game. Peter Tomarken was not bad at all as the host of the old show but I think the new emcee Todd Newton is cool! I hope this show and interactive game runs for a very long time!

Fun game show

[Catherine_Grace_Zeh · 10/10 · 14 July 2006]

First off, I must say that this is a fun game show. Also, I'm not sure if I've seen every episode. However, I do know the show very well. Every time I've watched it, I've had a lot of fun playing along and watch. When new episodes were being filmed, this made me long to be a contestant. The thing I liked most about it are the questions. Despite the fact that I don't know that many answers, I still have fun playing along. I hope the Game Show Network keeps it on so I can play along and watch again. If that happens, I will be really happy. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say that I'll always remember this show in my memory forever. Now, in conclusion, I hope that you catch it one day before it goes off the air for good.

this show must come back!

[kevinreyesreyes · 10/10 · 7 July 2020]

I watched this show when i was a kid and this is the game show i really wanted to be on. If i were to ask for anything in the world, i'd wish for this show to be back on the air with some new contestants and a new host

Better than the original.

[knt2000 · 15 November 2002]

The new version of PYL is much more exciting than the original when it was aired back in the eighties on CBS. I just love it when the contestant gets a whammy stuff happens like they get food dumped on them or ping pong balls comes from the top and gets them or whatever else happens when they strike out. That's what made the show more exciting.

Better than the original

[aaronpro-48574 · 9/10 · 5 August 2020]

All of the negative reviews are entirely nostalgia-based, and have absolutely no valid points. This version is a major improvement of the first version in the 80s. They improved every flaw that was in the old version. Every round is exciting and new, and everyone looked like they were having fun as well.

Great game show Press your Luck

[lorighiraldi-49615 · 10/10 · 3 November 2023]

Love this Game show, it's fun and you never know what's going to happen. Elizabeth Banks cares about her contestants. It keeps you on the edge of seat. Excited, family show, great prizes. Love to see people win and the don't hit that Whammy. So happy it's back also. Love to see people win money and prizes!! They are awesome prizes. Love this Game Show, I never miss an episode. Watch it if you love surprises. I watch it on Hula , no commercials and you don't have to wait to see what happens next. I must say I hope it's on for more seasons to come. Love love love the face on their faces when they win.

Wow! What a good new season (2003-2004)!

[trainer_lr5432100 · 21 March 2003]

The new season of Whammy! (2003-2004)is better than the last one, and I like the way they did their studio. There are new graphics on the big board (I no longer have to look at the Whammy's foot) and there is now a big bank. If you land on the "Big Bank" square, Todd Newton will read a question and if you get it right, you get the whole bank (Cash, prizes, and car keys [if applicable]). The "Big Bank" always starts out at $3,000. When you hit a Whammy, All the cash, prizese, etc. go into the big bank. I think that's all... Also, to all people who don't like the new PYL, then so be it. There are lots of other people who like it and some make it on the show.

Todd Newton & Whammy are cool!

[I_Love_Janelle_BB6 · 16 July 2002]

This is the coolest gane show in the world! Anyone who think Whammy! isn't a good game show, think again and change your mind. Todd makes the coolest game shows. No game shows can beat this game show. I also like the original Press Your Luck. Both Peter and Todd are good game show hosts of Press Your Luck.

Get Over It!

[dhansen2k · 16 December 2002]

What is with these old folks, wishing for the old days? This Whammy is great! Too bad for these people who have to live in the past. The new Whammy is a very fun show, never saw the first one, and don't care to. The new one is a great show. I think these people should get on with life.

Improvements made for season two

[bainsey89 · 30 July 2003]

I am among those who were a little disappointed when Whammy! premiered with a number of departures from the original PYL. However, W! addressed some of their flaws and made some nice changes for the second season.

The most notable is the addition of the Big Bank. 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. 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. The whammies themselves are far more easier to see on the board with the yellow background than the blue they had in season one. Also, it seems the producers have cut back a bit on the Double Whammies. They did creep across the overkill line a bit.

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"). Usually, such things come from producers instructions. I have to suspect that was the case, as Todd has dialed it down in season two.

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 also wish W! would bring back defending champions. (GSN discourages this, so they can mix up the episodes.) Still, Whammy! addressed its season one flaws and made up for them. It's not GSN's best original show, but I hope it sticks around nonetheless.

A decent enough show

[youngmensch · 16 April 2002]

Being a big fan of the '80s show Press Your Luck, I was excited when I heard they were filming new episodes. After watching two weeks of nearly nonstop commercials, the previews disappointed me somewhat, as the show looked like nothing compared to the original show. I watched the first episode, and it was just about what I expected, overly high-teched and glitzy show, but it wasn't bad. I'd give it 6 out of 10. However, if you are a big fan of the original, don't get your hopes up for Whammy!

I want my Tammy Whamette!!!

[UrsTrulyKristy · 15 April 2002]

I watched the new game show Monday night. The host Todd Newton didn't seem to have the spark like Peter Tomarken had in the 80's. It lacks what the whammies of the original Press Your Luck gave it. Also I didn't like the new board setup. Press Your Luck in the 80's was more exciting to watch. Maybe because I'm more of an 80's generation kind of guy.

Um, it isn't that bad as everyone is yelling about...

[lildrchris25 · 8 June 2005]

OK, I've read the reviews about how bad it is. I for one, think it isn't that bad of a show, but of course not without it's flaws.

The double whammy - OK, I"ll agree it is useless and really didn't need to be in there. I guess GSN/Fremantle wanted to find someway to add mess to it, but this isn't it.

The host - Newton, well, I guess he is OK, though he tended to overemphasize a lot.

New Round 1 - Just a different strategy, I guess.

Prizes over cash - Budget's fault. GSN is no CBS when it comes to budgets. Obviously CBS had the cash to give away during its run, and it reaches out to a bigger audience than GSN does.

Overall - Not that bad of a remake. Could be better if it was on some other station, but I guess no one else was willing to take a chance.

Not As Good As The Original

[charles_2 · 26 July 2002]

I remember, with some surprise, hearing of the revival of CBS' game show classic being renamed "Whammy: The All-New Press Your Luck". It seemed to me from the show's retitling that the emphasis had moved from the game itself to the animation of the whammies.

My suspicions have been confirmed. The new version of the show, now airing on Game Show Network, isn't as good as the original. While the animations of the whammies themselves have gotten more impressive, the show itself has not.

To begin, the new show's first round doesn't have the rhythm of the original show. Contestants take turns spinning at the prize board, one spin at a time (now an oval of large-screen TV monitors), deciding on each turn whether to continue spinning to build up their bank, or freezing with their current amounts. The first round on the new show has no momentum; there's no chance for a contestant to get "on a roll", and lets the energy out of the show for me.

The second round, the question round, now has five questions, but is the same as it was on the previous version of the show. I just wish that they would bring this round back to a first and second half of the show, as before.

The final round should be recognized by everyone who's seen the show; this is the classic PYL game. Contestants have the opportunity to use their spins on the prize board or pass them to other contestants. But even this round loses its momentum, too, because midway through this round the producers decided to add a commercial break -- dumb, dumb, dumb.

There's also a feature called "Double Whammy", which I had thought would mean a contestant would get 2 whammies, but in actuality is a sight gag for the unfortunate contestant - players are doused with confetti, silly string, or pizza dough. The original PYL didn't need such theatrics to be entertaining.

PYL 1.0 had a much more of a Vegas-like feel to it; the new version of the show feels disappointedly low-energy. Todd Newton of "Hollywood Showdown" is a lightweight as far as hosts are concerned (his voice occasionally squeaks when he gets excited); Peter Tomarken was far better - funnier and cleverer. I even liked the original theme music better. "Whammy" is proof positive that sometimes change is bad.

incredibly bad

[ganderman2000 · 20 April 2002]

This show is not even close to the original press your luck. I say bring Peter Tomarken back. I think this show won't be on the air for very long. I don't know who came up with this stupid idea but I'm sure who ever it is, is going to find out that this show looses money. if you are going to remake a game show you should at least raise the stakes.

Don't Watch it.

[AmericanGolf2002 · 30 June 2002]

Anyone that has seen Press Your Luck with Peter Tomarken would know that this has no right to be called Press Your Luck in anyway. The old show starred Peter Tomarken whom is a fun loving guy who made the show interesting. Now we have Todd Newton who is obnoxious and the show isn't bad enough we have Newton as well to ruin it. I feel that this updated version is childish with the double whammies. What is the purpose of this? No one will ever know. The new board is terrible. First of all the contestants seem to land more whammies than prizes and the old board looked more like it belonged on a game show. So all in all if you have seen Press Your Luck from the 1980s and you haven't seen this don't watch it because you will most likely see what I see. Press Your Luck is the greatest game show and I was hoping for it to be brought back the way we all loved and remembered it.

Once Again, Another Disgrace for a Remake

[warlock162 · 16 March 2004]

As a fan of the original `Press Your Luck', I was curious about this modernized version. What can I say about it…IT STINKS. How does it stink? Let's do a breakdown.

The Host- Peter Tomarken on `Press Your Luck' was terrific. He was natural, stern when he had to be, and kept the show moving very nicely. He never tried too hard, and he didn't have to. Todd Newton, on the other hand, is unnecessarily loud, his demeanor is very plastic and insincere. Tomarken applied for this job. My guess is, Newton got the job because he is younger. Youth wins in TV.

The Game Board- Both boards contain 18 screens. On the original, it was finely organized in the simple rectangular pattern with the rectangle in the middle for the camera shot of the contestants. The new board is confusing. The screens appear bunched together. They are awkward to look at, and the small circle showing the contestants is far too inadequate. There needs to be a larger area to show the contestant closeups while they are spinning, which worked so well on the original.

The Sound Effects- The theme music on the original show was cute. The new theme music is artificial hip-hop. The sounds of the game board in motion on the original series was terrific to listen to. It created the suspense that got your heart pounding, which is good TV. The sound effects of the board in motion in the new series, I don't think you can call them sound effects. I don't feel suspense at all.

The Whammys- On the original, the cheesy cartoons were cute, yet simple. Their simple charm alleviated any need for further complexity. On the new show, too much emphasis is place on the computer artwork done by their computer graphics experts. The charm of the original is simply not there.

The Question Round(s)- The original had two question rounds. Obviously, the second round had bigger stakes. In the new version, there was only one question round, which preceded the higher-stakes second round. I don't care for that.

In addition to all of this, there are other considerations:

The Double Whammy- It became stale after the first episode. Any more comments about this debacle don't need to be mentioned.

The Contestants- In the original series, the contestants were cheerful, sometimes fun and jolly. In the new version, as a result of changing social decorum, these contestants come across as a bunch of Generation X, college-aged, informally-dressed airheads. They look as if they want to go party at some frat house after the show's over.

When the Game Show Network initially aired the show, it was in primetime. For its new beginning, primetime is where the action is. However, as the viewing public realized what a joke this show is, it has been relegated to a meaningless afternoon time slot, when younger people are in school or at work, and are not at home to watch this tripe. The BIG BANK element added did not help. End this disgrace, and bring back the original `Press Your Luck' reruns.

This doesn't come CLOSE to the original PYL

[kicking222 · 28 April 2002]

"Press Your Luck" was a great show that gave out much more money than most game shows of its time did. "Whammy" isn't even remotely good. I find it insane that the prize given out on "Whammy" are CHEAPER than the ones given out 18 years ago! Moreover, you aren't allowed to play for more than 1 day on "Whammy," where as you could keep coming back without hitting the prize limit on PYL. Worst of all on the new show are Double Whammys. They're completely idiotic- how many times can someone get crap dropped on their head? I'll take the old PYL any day of the week- the original is my favorite show of all time, this is just a piece of junk where every prize on the second round board is worth $500.

Sorry Excuse of a remake

[MidNYteStorm · 20 March 2004]

So they wanted to remake the classic game show Press Your Luck? When I heard about Whammy I was excited and couldn't wait to see what it was about. So I tuned in to see if I could relive my childhood in modern times. My reaction? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!. The board isn't all that bad, but the rest of it has to go. Especially that Double Whammy (Or what ever they call it). Give me a break, if I wanted to see stuff dumped on someones head, I'd write TV Land and demand that they carry reruns of "You Can't Do That On Television" and Super Sloppy Double Dare!! Lets just keep the classic a classic and leave it at that!!!!!! There never will be another Press Your Luck.

Misguided Attempt

[peacefrog3333 · 9 November 2002]

Okay, I admit that this show has a HUGE number of flaws. First off, the new board is the most confusing mesh of computer monitors I have ever seen. I don't know what the motivation of that is. Also, the double whammys are really stupid and obnoxious. They don't have very much comic charm. But not all hope is lost. The show stopped airing over a decade ago, and for most of us who grew up watching the reruns on USA Network (I believe that's where I once watched it), we hoped for years they would bring Press Your Luck back on the air. Of course, CBS who first aired the show is a much wealthier network than Game Show Network, so they could afford to give over 20,000 to their contestants. Since no other network would take the chance to air it, I am willing forgive the crappy 500 dollar prizes. Also, the original whammies are still around, and they are still very cheesy and funny. If any of you complainers don't like them, write to GSN and suggest better comic gags for the whammies. The show has promise; it just needs time to evolve. And hey, at least it's not Friend or Foe!!!