$ALE IN IMAX [NBC]: Episode 61 [TOC2 Heat 1]

[palmer7]

All right, it's time once again for our Tournament of Champions. This year, because people will basically put anything in IMAX, we're going to be in IMAX, too. That's right, 100% of this tournament (and some other exciting features) will be filmed using a modified version of Arri's Alexa 65 digital camera. We're testing this for IMAX's effects on television. (Even though this is just a website.) 


For those who hadn't seen it last year, we run our tournament like Jeopardy! runs theirs. There are three 3-player heats, and the winner of each heat wins a prize and a chance at $50,000 in Ten-in-a-Row. On Thursday (Episode 64) and Friday (Episode 65), we have a two-game cumulative final (scores from both Game 64 and Game 65's score combined to determine winner).


1st Place: $1,000,000 Cash, 2017 Lamborghini Aventador S, plus a chance at another $1,000,000 in 10-in-a-Row
2nd Place: $100,000 Cash
3rd Place: $50,000 Cash


So, here are the first three players for Heat #1:
John Lopez ($107,176)
Evan Hatfield ($89,964)
Sam Ryan ($25,090)


Will all three of them please check in?

[Deleted]

Checking in.

[Deleted]

Checking in as well!

[Twentington]

Checking in.

[palmer7]

[OK. So, in real life, ABC is releasing the first two episodes of Marvel's Inhumans in IMAX theaters. So, why not do that here in this alternate reality? Posts are going to be longer than usual because I have to come up with the content for the "IMAX Experience".]

---

("IMAX Experience")

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX & NEW WORLD PICTURES
PRESENT:


A PRODUCTION OF:
GRUNDY INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS, B.V.


IN ASSOCIATION WITH:
IMAX CORPORATION

(We start at sunrise outside a home in the Beverly Grove neighborhood of Los Angeles, 20 minutes from all the major studios. Locking his front door is none other than our compere, Greg Palmer. He tosses his keys in the air and catches them, then puts them away in a safe place on his person. Waiting for him is a black Range Rover. The shotgun window lowers, and we find a familiar face.)


James Corden: Oi! Greg!


Greg: Coming.


(Greg gets in the car and buckles up. We get a shot of the two in the car.)


Greg: All right, I brought my flash drive, but James.... look, I know you enjoy doing Carpool Karaoke, but that's not how I roll. You know Apple owns it now, and I've already done my segment.


James: All right, all right. That's fine.


(Greg puts the flash drive in and the first song to come up is "The Secret of My Success" by Night Ranger. As it starts playing, Greg secures his "Make America Great Again" baseball cap. The two drive off.)

(and as usual, James feels the compulsory need to start singing along loudly with the song.)

James:
Think of it, I hold the world in the palm of my hand
Run a comb through my hair, head on out for some new foreign LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND

Greg: James.....

(The two stop at McDonald's and order breakfast combos)

James/Greg:
Worlds collide and hearts will be broken
Over and over it's the same every day-
How can I say what has never concerned me

Greg:
The secret of my success is I'm living


Greg/James:
TWENTY-FIVE HOURS A DAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

(And along the way, they pick up another person on this carpool, Ed Sheeran. By this point, they've started the song over, and we get to hear Ed sing a verse)

Ed:
It's amazing to me, what a fool will believe to get by
With a...

James/Greg:
change of your mind,


Ed:

I can live, I can fly
The harder they come, the harder they fall


James/Ed/Greg:
I never say maybe and I go for it all

Ed:
Just like the sound of electric guitars

Greg: Here comes the chorus!

James/Ed/Greg:

Worlds collide and hearts will be broken
Over and over it's the same every day-
How can I say what has never concerned me
The secret of my success is I'm living
TWENTY-FIVE HOURS A DAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

(they finally pull up at 20th Century Fox Studios in Century City, which is where Greg gets off. Greg takes his flash drive out and gets out, and Ed takes his spot in the front seat)


Greg: Thanks for the ride, guys. (Ed waves, and the two drive off. Greg then walks inside.)

---

(drumroll, as we get a shot of the darkened set, the boxes of our nine contenders pop in one by one, filling in the screen.)


Burton Richardson: (VO) This is the $ale of the Century Tournament of Champions. Nine of our biggest money winners are back to compete for cash and prizes worth.... over 2.5 million dollars!



[MAIN THEME]
(shots of winning contestants)


This week, one of our contestants will win the title of Champion of Champions, and will take home a fortune in cash and prizes including....

This Lamborghini Aventador S and....

$1,000,000 in cash! It's Heat 1 of the 2nd Annual......




(echo)

And now, here's the star of the show, Greg Palmer!



(the doors open and I run to my lectern to cheers and applause)


Greg: Thank you, Burton Richardson, and welcome to the $ale of the Century 2nd Annual Tournament of Champions. In IMAX! (audience cheers) We have nine of our biggest winners in terms of cash and prizes. They may not have won their games, but they have won the most in cash and prizes. Three different players will play in each of three heats, and the winner of each heat will compete in a 2-day cumulative final. The winner of that will get $1,000,000 in cash, and the most expensive car ever offered on network television, a Lamborghini Aventador S! (audience cheers) Now, I have some bad news. Jon Darrall, who won last year, is still on his cruise around the world and was not able to compete this year. But, the show must go on, and so here to introduce the challengers is Stacey Wren!


(Stacey comes in wearing a very hot dress, to cheers and applause)

[palmer7]

Wow. You look stunning, Stacey.


Stacey: I know, and in IMAX, too. But do you know how much makeup they put on me?


Greg: How much makeup?


Stacey: A lot. They had to submerge my face in cold water, then quickly dry it off so they could put the makeup on.


Greg: Ah, so they used the old Korean trick on you, too? I think they did that on everybody. Now, who do you have for us?


(As Stacey introduces the contestants, models of the opposite gender escort them to their seats)


Stacey: Well, first, we have a man from Wales who didn't win his match but did pick up the $25,000 off the Fame Game board in Las Vegas. He's a fan of game shows, video games, and board games. With a total of $25,090, here's Sam Ryan. Next, he lost on our last regular episode of $ale, but he's made it back here, anyway! He's a student originally from Chicago, Illinois and has a total of $89,964. Please welcome Evan Hatfield. And finally, he's a pinball wizard from Titusville, Florida who took us for quite a bit. With a total of $107,176; please welcome John Lopez!


(audience cheers)


Greg: Thank you. First, let's say hello to John. Hiya, John. Welcome back. What have you been up to since last we saw you?

[Deleted]

Not a whole lot, to be quite honest. I've been busy the past couple of weeks studying up for the Tournament of Champions, I hope I can redeem myself from my last unlucky appearance.

[palmer7]

Yes, that's right. Most people don't realize that knowledge can only take you so far. You can know all the answers, but if you can't get to the buzzer fast enough, they won't do you any good.

Now, John, 20th Century Fox and NBC want to know... has this show changed your life?

[Deleted]

It certainly has. Personally speaking, this is the one show that's really meant a lot to me as far as pushing my limits and moving with risks. I'm going to give it my all this time.

[palmer7]

(to the promotion people at NBC) Did you get that? (off-mic chatter) Yes, they did. The network thanks you, John. Good luck to you.


Next, we have Evan Hatfield. Evan, just think, on our last regular episode, you were our champion and you lost. And now, here you are, not only in the Tournament of Champions, but in IMAX theaters around the country, and possibly the world. ....Your thoughts, sir?

[Twentington]

First of all: Hello, world!

Second: When you put it that way, maybe it's for the better I lost last week. I've basically been given a shot at redemption, and I hope to take full advantage of it! Great to be back.

[palmer7]

See, we didn't need writers to get that out of him. It's great to have you back, Evan. I would ask you something else, but I think that says it all. Good luck.


Next, Sam Ryan. Sam, you picked the $25,000 off the Fame Game board during Big Money Week in Las Vegas, and that was enough to get you here. What have you done with the money, if anything?

[Deleted]

Well... basically sorted out a couple of old problems and such, nice to be back here though.

[palmer7]

I'll say it is. Now, what kind of old problems are we talking about?

[Deleted]

Helped my family and maybe treat them to a holiday or two, that is all.

[palmer7]

American translation: Vacation. But Stacey knew what he meant. Good luck to you, Sam. Stacey?


Stacey: Good luck to you all, $20 to start.


(the board initializes)



John: $20
Evan: $20
Sam: $20



Stacey: And I'll see you later. (she blows a kiss and walks off)


Greg: All right, let's get to it. Now, during regular gameplay, we have the Winner's Board, but we don't do that during normal gameplay. So, here's how this works. The winner of this game will become a finalist and will win a first-class trip to The Turks and Caicos. (audience cheers) However, if you win with a score of over $100, then not only do you get the trip, but you also get the keys to this!


(The car appears in an IMAXified version of a 60s VW showroom as "Cue 30" from Concentration plays)

Burton: (VO) It's a blast from the past updated for today. Along with top-dropping sunshine, the 2017 VW Beetle Convertible Classic also offers standard turbocharged power, iconic style, and a tech-savvy interior all under its retractable roof. Iconic style gets advanced technology in the form of a touchscreen navigation system with a proximity sensor and voice control. You can sync up with VW Car-Net® App-Connect to use select apps from your compatible smartphone right on your dash display, and set the mood with 3-color ambient lighting. To round out this classic trim, it has the 17" Rotor alloy wheels to complete the package. We've also included a license plate frame, nickname badges, and Monster Mats. Furnished by Volkswagen. And it's worth.....

(cheers and applause)



Greg: And remember, that car only goes to the winner if they win with a score above $100. With three good players, the game could be evenly matched. Who knows? Good luck to all three of you, here are your first questions for $5.


1. What legendary comedian's last words were reportedly - "That was the best ice-cream soda I ever tasted"?
2. According to legend, who cut the tree-bark rope tied into a "Gordian knot"?
3. The British passed the Intolerable Acts as punishment for what act by the American colonists?
4. Which guitar manufacturer was responsible for the Stratocaster?
5. Correctly spell and say the last name of the comedian who was reportedly the subject of Alanis Morissette's hit "You Oughta Know".


(buzzcodes and answers, please)

[palmer7]

1. What legendary comedian's last words were reportedly - "That was the best ice-cream soda I ever tasted"?
(buzzcode: 49)
*Sam buzzes in (50)*
Sam?
Sam: Lou Costello
That's exactly who it is, and you draw first blood.
(ding)


John: $20
Evan: $20
Sam: $25


2. According to legend, who cut the tree-bark rope tied into a "Gordian knot"?
(buzzcode: 54)
*John buzzes in (48)*
John?
John: Alexander the Great
Precisely, and you go to $25.
(ding)


John: $25
Evan: $20
Sam: $25


3. The British passed the Intolerable Acts as punishment for what act by the American colonists?
(buzzcode: 3)
*Sam buzzes in (39)*
Sam?
Sam: Coercive Acts?
(wrong)
Oh no. The Boston Tea Party. Sorry, Sam, you go back to $20.


John: $25
Evan: $20
Sam: $20



4. Which guitar manufacturer was responsible for the Stratocaster?
(buzzcode: 51)
*Sam buzzes in (60)*
Sam again?
Sam: Fender?
That's right, and you're back at $25.
(ding)


John: $25
Evan: $20
Sam: $25



5. Correctly spell and say the last name of the comedian who was reportedly the subject of Alanis Morissette's hit "You Oughta Know".
(buzzcode: 52)
*Evan buzzes in (50)*
Evan?
Evan: Coulier, C-O-U-L-I-E-R
Dave Coulier. Correct, and you go to $25.
(ding)


John: $25
Evan: $25
Sam: $25



[INSTANT BARGAIN]


Instant Bargain time, the player in the lead can buy bargain merchandise. And, we have a three-way tie. I believe Tony would call that Triple Sale, am I right?


(shot of Tony at producer's table) Tony: That is correct.


Greg: Tony Barber, my $ale mentor. Anyway, only one of you can buy this. Buzz in when you hear the low $ale of the Century price and this could be yours.


(Mitch and Kelly operate this drone as the theme from The Streets of San Francisco plays)





Stacey: John, Evan, or Sam, you and a friend could make your own movies with this professional cinematographer's 4K video drone. This drone is equipped with the same Micro Four Thirds camera used by professional aerial cinematographers for capturing 4K RAW images and video. Two radio remotes—one for flight and one for camera—enable two operators to partner for optimal content capture from up to three miles away. A three-axis gimbal system stabilizes the camera as the drone pitches, yaws, and rolls while multiple flight modes manage all four of the drone’s 9" propellers simultaneously, allowing it to hover in-place, circle, or fly over a point of interest, navigate to a waypoint, or escort a moving object while taking pictures and video. Furnished by Hammacher Schlemmer.

And you can use that drone on your week-long trip to San Francisco! You and a guest will travel round-trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco aboard Amtrak's Coast Starlight. Widely regarded as one of the most spectacular of all train routes, the Coast Starlight links the greatest cities on the West Coast. Furnished by Amtrak Vacations. This prize package is normally priced at...

But is yours on $ale of the Century for only....

(cheers and applause as I join the two)


Greg: Hey, guys. (the drone continues to fly around) Oooh, look at it go. (back to the three players) Now, John, Evan, and Sam, in the interest of full transparency, I'm going to tell you that the bulk of this prize package is the drone. It alone is worth $5,400. The reason Stacey didn't mention a hotel is because there isn't any. You get to find your own! Yeah..... I mean, you have your own money. You can find your own hotel, can't you? Anyone interested in this? Somebody, make me an offer.

[Deleted]

I'll pass on this one.

[Deleted]

I'll pass too...

[palmer7]

Evan, how about I throw in $1,000 in cash? And cut the price in half?

[palmer7]

All right, final offer, $2,000 in cash for three bucks. Going once.... (audience shouts suggestions, shot of audience shouting suggestions) Going twice...... (audience shouts some more)

[Twentington]

GAH! With the game being as it is, I think $3 is still $3 too much. Sorry Greg, it's gonna have to be No Sale.

[palmer7]

No Sale. Well, the drone goes back in the warehouse, but I'll leave the $2,000 cash and the Amtrak trip to San Francisco up for a door prize. (audience cheers) Now, this next set of three questions all has to do with a piece of music I'm about to play. Listen carefully to it.


(the music plays)


OK, here are the three questions.


1. What three consecutive months make up the title?
2. Who composed this piece of music?
3. Name the two Jeopardy! hosts associated with this theme.


(buzzcodes and answers, please)

[palmer7]

1. What three consecutive months make up the title?
(buzzcode: 76)
*Evan buzzes in (65)*
Evan?
Evan: January, February, March
Considering this sounds like a marching tune, I'd agree with you. Up to $30.
(ding)


John: $25
Evan: $30
Sam: $25



2. Who composed this piece of music?
(buzzcode: 57)
*Evan buzzes in (47)*
Evan?
Evan: Merv Griffin
Right you are, up to $35.
(ding)


John: $25
Evan: $35
Sam: $25


3. Name the two Jeopardy! hosts associated with this theme.
(buzzcode: 43)
*Evan buzzes in (50)*
Evan, for the hat trick.
Evan: Art Fleming and Alex Trebek?
That's right, it was used in a 1983 pilot. Glad they changed it, though. You have the hat trick, and go to $40.
(ding)


John: $25
Evan: $40
Sam: $25



[FAME GAME]


Fame Game time. We're putting a $10 Money Card up on the board, and John and Sam, you could use it. Now, a few episodes ago, Doug Morris introduced a new format that borrows from the Winner's Big Money Game from the 80s. Listen up, John and Sam. In a moment, you'll see a grid of six spaces. Each space will contain a word that makes up a clue leading to a person, place, thing, or fictional character. If you buzz in and you're right, you get control. Buzz in and you're wrong, we pop in another clue for the next person. Should two of you get it wrong, the third person gets all six clues and will have three seconds to answer. All right?


This time, we're looking for a famous brand.


(whoosh as the puzzle board appears on screen)



[_____________] [_____________] [_____________]

[_____________] [_____________] [_____________]


(Players, please PM me a number between 1 and 6 clues that you would think you would need to correctly identify the famous brand. Also, please PM a buzz code from 1-100 just in case more than one of you picks the same number of clues. Lowest clue bidder -- with a buzz code nearer/nearest to the number from random.org will "buzz in first".)

[palmer7]

Ready? Go.



[___DIECAST___] [_____________] [_____________]

[_____________] [_____________] [_____________]


(beep)

Diecast.



[___DIECAST___] [_____TOY_____] [_____________]

[_____________] [_____________] [_____________]


(beep)

Toy.



[___DIECAST___] [_____TOY_____] [____CARS_____]

[_____________] [_____________] [_____________]


(beep)

Cars....

(buzzcode: 55)
*Sam buzzes in (58)*
Sam?

[Deleted]

(ponders)

Big guess, Hot Wheels?

[palmer7]


[___DIECAST___] [_____TOY_____] [____CARS_____]

[__"LEADING___] [_____THE_____] [____WAY"_____]


(ding)
(cheers and applause)

And you got it in just under the buzzer, well done. "Hot Wheels Leading The Way". Stacey, where is the $10?

[tmann3x]

(flips door)

Stacey:  It's behind number 4.

[palmer7]

(lights in motion)


Sam, you could really cut into Evan's lead if you hit that $10 Money Card. We have the lights locked into your buzzer. Good luck, and you may fire when you are ready, Gridley.


(two-shot of Sam vs. the flashing lights)
(a letter from A-I, please)

[Deleted]

Let's see the money card!

C'mon, 10! (hits buzzer)

(I pick B.)