Break the Bank (1985 game show)/YMMV

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Complacent Gaming Syndrome: During the Stunt era, the number of seconds earned per correct answer was 5-10-20-40-80-100. Couples who knew the solution from clue 1 would only have 10 seconds after winning the best-two-out-of-three match, while those who couldn't figure it out were rewarded with more time.
  • Replacement Scrappy: Joe Farago, a guest early in the run who replaced Rayburn following his firing. This doesn't make Farago a bad host in his own right, as he and his tenure (including the Master Puzzle) have their fans...but he's only put here when compared to Rayburn.
  • They Changed It, Now It Sucks:
    • Inverted, when the Prize Vault rules were slightly changed to stop the clock while Rayburn/Farago described the chosen stunt.
    • Subverted, when the Master Puzzle format was introduced in January 1986 (which also altered the main game to reaching a goal of $2,000). As hinted at above, Farago's first few weeks actually used the Stunt format.
  • What the Hell, Casting Agency?: If you wanted a serious host in a silly stunt-based game, then why did you hire a guy known for his spontaneity and who essentially built his career through being a goofball when he could?
    • It should be noted that Rayburn wasn't always a goofball — when time came for contestants to go for the big jackpots, he toned-down the joking just enough so that all present could concentrate on what was at stake; on Bank, Gene got semi-serious once the Bank Cards were tabulated.
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