Correction, September 8, 2026: An earlier version of this article said Season 55 would open on Tuesday, September 8 with a Star Trek-themed episode. That was wrong. The Star Trek episode broadcast that day was a Season 54 episode, listed by CBS as #54.190, and it marked the 60th anniversary of the original series rather than starting a new season. Season 55 premiered on Monday, September 21, as CBS later confirmed. Thanks to reader Cav12 for spotting it.

The Price Is Right does not change much from year to year, which is a big part of why it has run since 1972. So when a single season brings a new audience size, a new model rotation, two new weekly gimmicks, and the first live episode in its 54 years on CBS, it is worth a closer look. Season 55 premiered Monday, September 21, as CBS announced on September 10. Here is what's different this season.

Drew Carey's 20th Season

Carey took over from Bob Barker in October 2007, which makes this his 20th season as host, with George Gray back as announcer. As always, the show airs weekdays at 11:00 am ET, with episodes streaming next day on Paramount+.

About That Star Trek Episode

On Tuesday, September 8, both The Price Is Right and Let's Make a Deal aired Star Trek-themed episodes, with Strange New Worlds stars Rebecca Romijn and Ethan Peck joining Drew Carey to hand out interstellar prizes. The date was chosen because Star Trek: The Original Series debuted on September 8, 1966, exactly 60 years earlier. It was a themed special inside Season 54, not the Season 55 premiere: CBS's own press materials list it as episode #54.190.

The One-Model Rotation

According to TV Insider, episodes so far this season have featured a single model instead of the usual two or three, with the six models taking turns. Fans who attended summer tapings noticed it first, and BuzzerBlog reported a small ripple effect: with only one model working, Carey already has his microphone in hand when he appears, rather than having it handed to him during his entrance. The roster itself is unchanged: Rachel Reynolds, Amber Lancaster, Manuela Arbelaez, Alexis Gaube, Devin Goda, and James O'Halloran all continue, just not all at once.

The show also now tapes three episodes a day instead of two, O'Halloran told TV Insider, so the same model often appears in several episodes in a row, which is why some viewers have gone a week or more without seeing a favorite. We have not seen CBS give a public reason for the change.

CBS lists both James O'Halloran and Alexis Gaube for its October 30 Dungeons & Dragons-themed Halloween episode, an exception to the reported rotation.

A Smaller Audience

Roughly 160 people used to fill the studio for each taping. For the 2026 to 2027 season that number drops to about 100, with a new holding area for audience members before the show. Randy West, whom TV Insider identified as the show's warm-up performer, called it “strictly a cost-cutting measure” in a Facebook post. For anyone hoping to hear their name called, it cuts both ways: fewer seats means fewer tickets to go around, but once you are in, a smaller audience means fewer people competing for each call. Read our ticket guide and contestant guide before you plan a trip.

Wild Wheel Wednesdays

The Showcase Showdown gets a weekly boost. On Wild Wheel Wednesdays, additional prizes are available during the wheel spins, including the chance to win more than $100,000, plus a special prize chosen by Drew Carey. The show has experimented with big-wheel bonuses before, but making it a standing weekly feature is new, and it gives the middle of the episode a jackpot moment it never had.

Bendy Fridays

This one is pure fun. On Bendy Fridays, if the big wheel's pointer bends but does not flip over to the next space, everyone in the audience wins free donuts. It is the kind of low-stakes, high-cheer gimmick the show does well, and it turns a wheel quirk that used to cause groans into something to root for.

Live for the First Time on CBS

The Price Is Right at Night: Live Holiday Special is set for Sunday, Dec. 13 (8:00-9:00pm, ET/PT) on CBS, the show's first live episode in its 54 years on CBS. CBS promises backstage access and Plinko, Cliffhangers and Lucky $even. The primetime retrospective The Price Is Right: 20 Seasons of Drew Carey follows Tuesday, Dec. 15 (8:00-9:00pm, ET/PT), revisiting his hosting highlights. Both specials stream on Paramount+.

What Fans Are Saying

Not every conversation this summer has been about the changes. A widely shared Reddit thread in August argued that the show has drifted toward too much screaming, jumping, and playing to the camera, a complaint that has followed the Carey era for years and that the show's producers have generally embraced rather than fought. Whether the smaller audience changes the energy in the room is one of the more interesting things to watch this season.

In its October 6 report, TV Insider described complaints about awkward staging when George Gray helps the single model and missed model pairings. Some others told the outlet they were unfazed. The report also says some prizes now appear on a screen on set. The outlet says the reason for the change is unknown; budget cuts remain speculation.

The Bottom Line

Season 55 is a lot of small changes rather than one big one, and most of them are additive. The games are the same, the wheel is the same, and Carey is the same. What is new is the rhythm of the week: a Wednesday jackpot, a Friday joke, and one December night with no safety net. For the daily schedule and streaming options, see our Price Is Right how-to-watch guide.

Sources (checked October 2026): BuzzerBlog; TV Insider (season 55 return); CBS press release (Star Trek specials); CBS, daytime premiere dates; TV Insider (models); TV Insider (audience); TV Insider (James O'Halloran); Variety (live special); TV Insider (fan reactions); CBS (Halloween); On Camera Audiences

Corrected October 4, 2026: CBS bills the December special as the first live episode in the show's 54 years on CBS, so we no longer call it the first in the show's history. Source: CBS, The Price Is Right Live.

Updated October 7, 2026: Added reported viewer reactions, the Halloween model exception, and Drew's Wednesday prize.

Updated October 13, 2026: December special titles, dates and times confirmed by CBS.