Recently, during one Wheel of Fortune episode, contestant Vivian Tran was in a sad instance when she missed the coveted $1,000,000 prize from the show. Tran, in the category “What Are You Doing?”, got the puzzle: “_ E R I N G, S _ M E, HELP.”
With tensions high, Tran threw out a few guesses, such as “Answering some help.” The correct phrase was actually “Offering some help.” Perhaps the most emotionally weighted of all came when it was revealed that Tran held the $1,000,000 envelope.
It fell to host Ryan Seacrest, himself a recent successor to long-time host Pat Sajak, to immediately try and soothe the heartbroken Tran. Indeed, Tran had been so close to the jackpot. She wasn’t leaving empty-handed, though, as she took $27,300 in winnings, plus an exciting trip to Europe. A nice return by all accounts, but it was yet another example of bittersweet, given the life-changing prize that had slipped through her fingers.
The immediate moment went viral on social media, and viewers felt so bad and were even disbelieving. Many did sympathize with Tran and thought about just how close she was to going home with one of the biggest prizes that has ever been handed out on the show. “I can’t believe she was that close! ” one viewer wrote, voicing the sentiment shared by many who had watched the episode.
Some debated whether this puzzle was also much more complex than it seemed, while others referred to the tremendous pressure that contestants face when they are under the spotlight with millions up for grabs.
The emotional weight of Tran’s near miss puts into perspective just how much stress and tension game shows like Wheel of Fortune bring. Indeed, in the comfort of your home, it is amazingly easy to solve puzzles, want it or not, yet standing before the cameras, with life-changing sums of money at stake, is quite another story. Usually, contestants are racing against the clock as their nervous attempts try piecing together phrases that, in retrospect, are more obvious.
This was quite the emotional roller coaster for Tran, but her journey taught a lesson in how such competitions can get really unpredictable. Immediately, fans were sending words of encouragement as many noted the pressure she faced could have thrown off even the most confident of players.
It was also a magic moment in Wheel of Fortune history, as the bank million-dollar envelope still lures contestants into the game due to the promise of immense fortune. Yet, the show is unpredictable, and not every contestant will go away with their dreams from the show, even with the best wheel-spinning effort for solving the puzzles.
