Online Pick of the Week (6/24) - Jeopardy! 3000th Show

Well, this last weekend, Alex Trebek had a heart attack. He's doing better from what I've read and will return to the Jeopardy! set very soon. So for this week (which I'm a little late on), I picked the Jeopardy! 3000th show from September 19, 1997. This was a good show, which featured clips from the 1984 premiere. The Jeopardy round also featured the exact categories from the premiere in the Jeopardy round. The Double Jeopardy round had different anniversary categories, the future, September 1984 (when the show debuted), 3000, and more. Very cool episode. So, that's what I picked. Alex also listed other game shows that made it to 3,000.

The show is still going today. Jeopardy!'s 3000th Show My Online Pick of the Week

Success

Well, I usually don't blog as much as I'd like, but I figured this is a subject that is worthy of a post here on my blog. As many know, GSN is attempting to revive the classic Pyramid series with new episodes. Mike Richards is supposed to be the host. They taped the pilot this last Saturday. From Buzzerblog, here's how the gameplay worked:

The game is played like the old version.  Two teams compete in two games per show.  You have seven clues to convey within 30 seconds.  The main difference is how money is handled.  Whenever you go to the titular Pyramid you play for a base of $10,000.  In the main game if you score a perfect 7-out-of-7 you earn a $500 bonus plus you play for $5,000 more on the Pyramid.  So one perfect round means you win $500 and have a chance at $15,000.  Two perfect rounds is $1,000 and a chance at $20,000.  A perfect game means you win $1,500 and play for $25,000.  Of course no perfect rounds mean you play for the base $10,000.  There are no bonus categories such as Mystery 7 or 7-11.  If you can’t beat the Pyramid you get money for each box you do beat.  In order, from left to right, the first row is worth $100, $200, and $300; the second row is $400 and $500; the top box is $750.

Well, I would like to see it made to air. As I said Mike Richards is the host and there has been some positive feedback from what I've personally heard. Here's the casting call. Almost looks like it's a go.

What Works? Somebody tell me

Well, another week of GSN ratings has come in. For the week of June 11-17, GSN averaged 347K/265K in primetime/total day ratings. That's awesome. It ranked 39 in both areas based on other networks ratings. That's actually pretty good. Harvey Feud is the thank for this. There's a reason it gets multiple slots during the week. Well, of course people (sometimes myself) like to speculate, and chat. Well, here's some of this from the GSN board.

Poster #1: Hopefully GSN won't take the approach this Fall of airing The Newlywed Game and The $100,000 Pyramid after 8pm. They are going to do the best at 6 and 6:30pm, so that's something to think about for the Fall.

Poster #2 replied:  Why would they do best at 6 & 6:30PM? New originals have aired at 7PM or 8PM and have done just fine. If Harvey keeps those numbers up at 6PM, I'm sure they won't be replacing him in that hour.

Poster #1 returns and says:  The Newlywed Game and Baggage were killed there last Fall because that's when J!/WOF air on most affiliates. Most people would rather watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.

Poster #3 replies:  It's always Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune huh? Because they air at 7pm they kill GSN's ratings? Let me tell you something, when Deal or No Deal was new and airing at 7pm on GSN years ago, it did quite well if I recall. That's not a GSN original, but it's just an example.

 Not to mention not everyone lives on the east coast. (For me, WOF and J! always come on at 10:00pm EST yeah I'm really far on the west coast), so around here, that excuse doesn't work. It's 4:00PM over here when that happens.

Poster #1: It's almost better if GSN didn't air anything except a new acquisition that would do well in the 7pm hour, maybe Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (half hour)

 Considering the fact Meredith bombed last time, I wouldn't expect to see her back. I can't explain why 7:00pm gets bad ratings (WOF/J! may be part of the problem).

You know thinking back, when Lingo with Chuck debuted with Shandi, they aired new episodes at 7:30pm with a previous season repeat at 7:00pm. Can't see why that wouldn't work, also considering Lingo had various lead-ins when it was there.

However, I don't see GSN moving Harvey out of the 6:00pm slot for awhile.
There's more there. Here's that thread if you want to read.

Online Pick of the Week (6/17) - Hot Potato Closing Theme

Well, I listened to the closing theme from the short-lived 1984 game show Hot Potato. All I have to say is the closing theme is groovy. I'm hooked, and will probably burn out the song later on in the week. But right now, I'm just listening to it. Pretty cool if you ask me. As for the show, I'll probably review it later this week.

Closing Theme of Hot Potato My Online Pick of the Week

A Sucky Revival

Well, I was reading the Game Show Forums and a post from March 2008. And I saw a post I'll share later in this blog post. It had something to do with The Match Game Hollywood Squares Hour. I saw a couple episodes of this, and I puked. Yeah, Gene didn't seem to enjoy it that much, and it was just stupid. I'm sorry but it was putrid, and very unwatchable. Jon Bauman, I'm sorry, I liked the Gangsta Bowzer that I've seen on the Late 70's Match Game and Password Plus in which he was cooler and enjoyable (OK, I liked his Super Password appearance). However, yeah, the stars weren't that great, both shows were weary and tired, and needed longer rests.

Now what brought me to this horrid review, it was this post. What was a normal tape schedule for The Match Game Hollywood Squares Hour


8:45 - Drag Gene kicking and screaming into the studio
9:00 - Tape first show
10:00 - Chase Gene back to dressing room. Call locksmith.
10:15 - Locksmith arrives
10:30 - Lock picked on dressing room door, drag Gene back into studio...

Yeah, I got a kick out of that. Well, this revival beat the 98 version of Match Game and Davidson's Squares, although the 1960's Match Game was much better.

Online Pick of the Week (6/10) - Phoenix Love Theme

I'm in love, I'll explain more, well, never. Anyway, here is a song I discovered on a Friday morning in April. It was catchy, I only heard part of it, and looked it up and heard the whole thing. I was hooked. This is now one of my favorites, very catchy. Love the saxes. Listen for yourself. And enjoy, this song from The Brass Ring and is called The Phoenix Love theme. Very sentimental I might say.

The Phoenix Love Theme, My Online Pick of the Week

One Last Dawson Post for Today

Well, Richard was always brilliant on Match Game, but he could give some funny answers sometimes. This was one of them. A friend of mine uploaded it as part of a YouTube Richard Dawson tribute. Enjoy.

Online Pick of the Week (6/3) - Family Feud Unaired Speech

After Richard's passing, for my pick this week is an unaired finale speech from Richard Dawson. This is really amazing. He really was awesome. Enjoy.

Richard Dawson's unaired Family Feud finale speech, my online pick of the week.

Richard Dawson Had Other Works Too!

Here are a couple videos uploaded by a good YouTube user. One is of Richard hosting Tattletales while Bert Convy played the game. The other is an episode of I've Got A Secret with him as a panelist.

GSN pays tribute

To those who say GSN has no class, they're wrong. They still have some. Here is what GSN said in a thread of theres

On Thursday, June 7th we will air a tribute to game show great Richard Dawson from 7:00pm to 11:00pm ET (check your local listings). The 4-hour stunt will feature some of his best moments on both Family Feud and Match Game. 

In addition, we aired an extra episode of Dawson Family Feud tonight (6/4) at 8:00pm, pre-empting an O’Hurley Family Feud. A special Richard Dawson tribute spot premiered tonight during the 8:00pm episode, and will air in regular episodes of Family Feud throughout the week.

Below is the episode schedule for Thursday:

7:00 pm ET Family Feud 78-070: Richard’s son Gary is on the show because he has won an acting award

7:30 pm ET Match Game 259 TM: Contestant wins matching Richard; she kisses him, McLean Stevenson kisses Richard

8:00 pm ET Family Feud 80-189 TM: Well known and beloved “September” episode

8:30 pm ET Match Game 236 TM: Gene & Richard get into a fight on Loretta Swift’s behalf

9:00 pm ET Family Feud 81-073 TM: Richard meets 2nd wife Gretchen, who is a contestant on the show

9:30 pm ET Family Feud 80-226 TM: Taped on Richard’s birthday, his two sons are on the show

10:00 pm ET Family Feud 001: (60 minutes) Richard returns to Family Feud after 9 years

Awesome. The 7:00pm episode is not in GSN's current range, so that otta be cool to see again. The other episodes look good too, but when I read the 10:00pm episode, I had to rub my eyes. Yup, his 1994 return. This is gonna be good, and I'm recording every episode of this.

GSN, you're great.

Remembering a Legend - Richard Dawson

Well, on Saturday, it was the 16th anniversary since Family Feud host Ray Combs passed away. Unfortunately, the original Feud host, Richard Dawson, passed away at age 79. Unfortunately, 2012 isn't at the halfway point yet and 4 game show personalities have passed on. However, death is a part of life, and no one lives forever. I will now take this time to pay my own tribute to Richard and his accomplishments, as he is one of my favorite television personalities of all time, by far.

First, Richard got his start on Hogan's Heroes. That was one of my favorite shows, and he did a good job as Corporal Newkirk. That was a funny show. Hopefully some episodes will appear soon. He did good. I enjoyed it. In 1972, he was a panelist on the revival of I've Got A Secret with Steve Allen as host. He did very good on that I thought. That is one accomplishment that is often overlooked.

Another one of my favorites was Match Game. He was a regular panelist on that show from 1973-1978.  He sat in the 5th chair. He was a bright panelist, and very hilarious, such as this moment. He made tons of matches on the show and won a lot of contestants money.A star wheel was introduced to combat people choosing Richard, and the First time the plan failed, and everyone rage quit (almost, they walked off). Very many funny moments on this show. It was very fun to watch, and he was my favorite. At least he's with Gene, Brett, Charles, McLean, uh, Bert, Allen Ludden, and others who played the game who have passed on. This is what I enjoyed him best on, no doubt about that. Weird I was watching the last segment of Match Game 74 on GSN this morning, and I logged on the computer after a couple days absence, and read that Richard had passed away.

His best known accomplishment is Family Feud. He started in 1976 and was picked due to his brilliance on Match Game. He was known for kissing the female (and jokingly some male) contestants. He was the best when it came to the Feud, his class and more was just amazing. He handled it best. The show ended in 1985, and produced more than 2000 episodes. He was definetely the master at this. He was my favorite, and the original. He also returned in 1994 and didn't kiss the ladies. In 1981, he met a woman named Gretchen Johnson on the show, and they eventually married. That was a special moment. There was also a hilarious moment when a contestant gave a very STUPID answer. What made this interesting is Richard could not stop laughing.

R.I.P. Richard. You were great