Back to '76 debuted on September 20, 2021 (#9511K, aired out of order on September 14, originally rescheduled to air on September 13) as Back to '72. It is a pricing game in which contestants are tested on their knowledge of historical prices of actual items that appeared on the show during its early years to win a large (modern) prize. Originally, the game was intended to be played only during Season 50, but resurfaced as Back to '73 on January 2, 2023 (#0051L), and the game changes its name on January 2 every year, for whatever year it was 50 years ago. This is similar to how the 1970s version of Match Game updated the years in its title as they changed.
Gameplay[]
- The game board is (appropriately) a vintage antenna television set, with the show's original logo from The New Price Is Right (as Back to '72) or the 1973-2007 logo (as Back to '73 or later) below it, with the appropriate Turntable Backdrop behind it (1972-75 for Back to '72-'74, and 1975-82 for Back to '75-'76). A daisy dial is on the left side with the number "50" above it in the channel display, to denote the contestant's bank. Beneath it is a rangefinder that resembles an old radio that represents the price range in which the contestant guesses, with the needle denoting the price.
- George Gray describes three small prizes that were featured on the show 50 years prior, one at a time, reading an exact copy of Johnny Olson's script from that year. He often sometimes intimate Johnny Olson himself.
- After George describes the item, the contestant turns the dial to move the needle to guess the actual historical price of the item. For every dollar they are off, a dollar is deducted from their $50 bank. If it hits $0, they lose.
- The first item always has a $0-50 range. The second item also has a $50 range, though not always from $0. The third item has a $100 range.
- If the contestant has any money left in their $50 bank after all three prizes, they win a large prize.
History[]
- On its debut playing, it was played for $50,000, which was won.
- The game had its first loss on December 15, 2021 (#9633K).
- The game had a win-loss record of 16-4.
- On September 30, 2021 (#047SP), Back to '72 was played second. This is the only time this game was played as the second pricing game.
- On its final playing as Back to '72, it was played first despite needing a lot of time to start up and a $47,000 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu was offered and was won. This is the only time this game was played as the first pricing game.
- The game returned as Back to '73 on January 2, 2023 (#0051L), the first show of that year, for $25,000 and was won. Drew Carey said they never intended to bring it back as Back to '72, so they just changed the name. It's worth noting that the game technically was removed from the rotation from the start of the 51st season until the first aired episode of 2023.
- On January 2, 2024 (#0432L, aired out of order on January 5), the game was renamed to Back to '74.
- On January 2, 2025 (#0833L), the game was renamed to Back to '75, and depicted the major set color change of that year (which actually occurred on August 20 - #1552D). The game was also played for $25,000 and was won. This was cut due to a CBS Special Report: the New Orleans truck attack in the East Coast.
- On January 2, 2026 (#1235L), the game was renamed to Back to '76.
Appearances Outside of The Price is Right[]
A September 8, 2021 & March 28, 2024 segment episode of Inside Edition featured a "Behind-the-Scenes" look at the shows 50th Anniversary, including two clips of Back to '72 & two clips of Back to '74.
On a segment of the September 10, 2021, April 26, 2022, December 28, 2022, February 24, 2023, April 7, 2023, December 26, 2023, March 26, 2024, April 10, 2024, September 23, 2024 & January 28, 2025 segment episode of Entertainment Tonight[1], Back to '72, Back to '73, Back to '74 & Back to '75 was seen as a sneak peek of the 50th, 51st, 52nd & 53rd season of Price as reporter Kevin Frazier gets a chance to play it and won.
Trivia[]
- Since Season 51, Back to '76 has never been the first or second pricing game to be played in the lineup because like games such as 3 Strikes, Hole in One (or Two), Pathfinder, Pass the Buck, Pocket ¢hange, Balance Game, Stack the Deck, Rat Race, Double Cross, Time is Money, Hot Seat, Gridlock!, To The Penny, or The Lion's Share, it needs time to start up and the game can be played no earlier than third on the show.
- In September 30, 2021 (#047SP) and June 22, 2022 (#9893K, aired out of order on September 5), the game was played first or second.
- This was the first pricing game of the 2020s.
- This game bears similarities to Cliff Hangers and Mystery Price.
- Despite the game being renamed, its crate still says "Back to '72".
- Drew referred to the G-T asterisk as the daisy dial.
- The game changes its year (and sometimes its set) and is always played on the first episode to air in the new year - typically January 2. If January 2 falls on a Sunday, it will air on January 3. If January 2 falls on a Saturday, it will air on January 4.
- This is the second game that currently uses the show's original logo, after Take Two; however, it's the only one to use the original title, The "NEW" Price Is Right after 1973.
- All of the descriptions of the items used in this game are identical to their original airings in the 1970s.
- This game uses rectangular "wipe" effects when transitioning to and from the small prize descriptions. While fades and cuts were the only transition effects actually in use from 1972-1975, the show did begin to transition to wipe effects around 1976.
- A few months after the games' introduction, the game began to use original, unedited "classic" cues for the prize descriptions (but not necessarily 1972-1976 cues). Also the cues could be anything from the classic library - not just "small prize" cues. Barring extremely rare circumstances when they show up, this is the only game where you can still hear them at all.
- The most number of times this game was played in any season was 15 (season 50), while the least number of times this game was played in any season was 6 (season 51).
- This game was played 15 times as Back to '72, 8 times as Back to '73, 7 times as Back to '74, 8 times as Back to '75, and twice as Back to '76.
- Due to its longer playtime, Back to '76 has been played less than 10 times per season since Season 51.
- This and Triple Play are the only active games that can end before all their prizes have been described, although it has not yet actually happened.
- While the price range of the first two items is always within the range of typical small prizes, the third item is sometimes much more expensive and more in line with the price range of a typical One Bid item.
Gallery[]
To view the gallery, click here.
Videos[]
- Debut of Back to '72 September 20, 2021 (#9511K, aired out of order on September 14, originally rescheduled to air on September 13)
- First Back to '72 Loss (December 15, 2021, #9633K)
- Final Playing Under "Back to '72" (June 22, 2022, #9893K, aired out of order on September 5)
- First Playing Under "Back to '73" (January 2, 2023, #0051L)
- Only Loss Under "Back to '73" (April 5, 2023, #0183L, aired out of order on April 4)
- First Playing Under "Back to '74" (January 2, 2024, #0432L, aired out of order on January 5)
- First "Back to '74" Loss (June 6, 2024, #0654L)
References[]
| 2020s Pricing Games |
|---|
| Back to '75 | To The Penny | The Lion's Share |