Wheel of Fortune season 38 debuts 9/14/2020

[nowhammies10]

Is it just me not watching for a while or was the category graphic on the very bottom of the screen a new thing?

Certainly seemed lower than ever before. Isn't it usually on or about the steps of the puzzleboard?

[Kevin Prather]

I mean, the two of them have been working together so long, they're basically seen as America's Platonic Couple. I'm sure they're tested often and both trust each other like members of their immediate families.

It just seems to me that keeping them socially distant would have been the easiest part of the whole thing. Have Pat enter from behind the wheel, Vanna enter from behind the puzzleboard, they greet each other six feet apart center stage, then go to their stations. Even if they're both safe, appearances are important too.

[nowhammies10]

I think appearances went out the window when they awarded a trip to a foreign country.

[Allstar87]

I think appearances went out the window when they awarded a trip to a foreign country.

To be fair, I think the Wheel staff has forgotten that Prize Puzzles don't necessarily have to be played for a trip.

[Unrealtor]

Is it just me not watching for a while or was the category graphic on the very bottom of the screen a new thing?

Certainly seemed lower than ever before. Isn't it usually on or about the steps of the puzzleboard?

That's where I usually think of it unless they've zoomed way in because it's a small puzzle.

The change I noticed was the shot of the puzzleboard on the toss-ups was a lot tighter, and it seemed like the contestants got more space as well. On one of them, the first row of screens wasn't visible at all. Shifting the category down would have allowed both.

[nowhammies10]

Here's a collection of shots from last season and Monday's game (spoilers in photos).  The white lines are the 4:3 safe area.

Direct comparisons show that the shot of the puzzleboard is zoomed in a little tighter in all cases, the category strip is lower, and the contestant insert in the Bonus Round is slightly larger.

[Joe Mello]

I wonder how much of the new blocking is due to distancing guidelines and how much is wanting to make the things bigger so old folks can see them better.

[PYLdude]

Wheel tweeted yesterday that the big first thing is supposed to happen this Wednesday, saying there was a hint dropped in last night’s episode.

Take from that what you will.

[Loogaroo]

Remember when you were encouraged to watch a show every day because you never knew when a big moment would happen?

I remember.

[Joe Mello]

Wheel tweeted yesterday that the big first thing is supposed to happen this Wednesday, saying there was a hint dropped in last night’s episode.

I had started to think that it was from this week and all 5 winners might've played the Bonus Round for the car but real life got in the way of confirming that in my market.

[PYLdude]

Remember when you were encouraged to watch a show every day because you never knew when a big moment would happen?

I remember.

Yeah, but don’t forget the landscape of television circa 2020 is much different than the one circa when Wheel was at its peak. You didn’t have as many viewing options.

Nowadays they’re just about forced to do that, just to get some extra eyeballs on the product for a given day so they can look at Alex and Steve and Judge Judy and Sheldon Cooper and say “ha”.

[Allstar87]

I had started to think that it was from this week and all 5 winners might've played the Bonus Round for the car but real life got in the way of confirming that in my market.

As it turns out, the Friday show blew that streak. It was played for $45,000 instead.

[chrisholland03]

What if they never tell us what 'it' is and this is just a (successful) ploy?

[PYLdude]

What if they never tell us what 'it' is and this is just a (successful) ploy?

I’m pretty sure the FCC doesn’t take kindly to baits and switches.

[SamJ93]

I’m pretty sure the FCC doesn’t take kindly to baits and switches.

Geraldo Rivera has entered the chat