I think Holly's appeal was that she was able to make fun of herself and didn't mind being the awkward "kid" who was constantly botching the prize presentations. The first few times, it might have been a little nerve-wracking, but once it became an endearing part of her role on the show, her getting stuck with a refrigerator that kept popping open or crashing a moped into the set was just as good as, if not better than, everything going according to plan. Janice and Dian (and Anitra) were more polished as models, but Holly leaned slightly into being an entertainer, and the others followed her lead and loosened up a little as time went on.
Any time we get some new early 70s Password is worth celebrating, but I always have to remind myself that they were still playing the game in its original, basic format. In my mind, once the 60s series ends, the puzzle is added as a permanent part of the game. I think even the more recent revival just stuck to the original format, which is silly to me. It's like debuting a new TPIR and going back to the Bill Cullen format of just having the contestants bidding on various prizes.
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All My Shadows ·
