ABC revives ‘Millionaire’ for special run

If it wasn’t for the color of Regis Philbin’s shirt, it might seem like 10 years hadn’t flown by.

He was back on a colorful Manhattan soundstage, sitting across from nervous contestants hoping to strike it rich, taping a prime-time version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”

The game show will air on ABC for 11 nights this month, starting tonight and ending two weeks from now.

Seeing the Oscar-winning movie “Slumdog Millionaire,” where a version of the game show played a central role, left Philbin yearning for another chance to relive the best time of his career.

“The most striking thing is how much this means to Regis and therefore how much this means to me,” says Michael Davies, who also returns as executive producer.

Nostalgia aside, the game’s corporate owners saw a chance to revive the brand for another generation of viewers and electronic devices.

“This is a business play,” Davies said.

The show premiered modestly in August 1999 with just under 10 million viewers and caught fire, drawing 22.4 million by the end of its summer run and even more upon a November return. “Is that your final answer?” became a national catchphrase.

ABC rode the hit hard until it expired in 2002. Including a handful of “Super Millionaire” specials in 2004, the network aired 363 prime-time episodes.

There are subtle differences to the new version of the game. The old “50-50” lifeline, where two of the wrong answer choices are wiped off the screen so a contestant has just two remaining choices, is replaced by the “double dip,” where a player can make a second choice if their first is wrong.

Along with the chance to phone a friend for advice, contestants will be able to ask a celebrity expert. ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and “Jeopardy” ace Ken Jennings are among those who help during the two-week run.

The biggest change is the introduction of a clock. Players have 15 seconds to answer the easiest questions, up to 45 seconds for the toughest ones.

The show had to adapt to a faster-moving television world, says Davies.

Davies has always liked the idea of “Millionaire” appearing annually as a special event, much like ABC is doing now.

Philbin, who turns 78 on Aug. 25, wouldn’t mind such a schedule, either.

“If they wait another 10 years, I don’t know,” he says. “But I’m grateful that they thought about it (this time) and I’m enjoying the heck out of it.”