Wheel NBC to CBS and back to NBC

[wheelloon]

Yes, most of us probably know that in 1989, daytime WOF went from appearing on NBC to CBS, and underwent a needed emcee change. In 1991, however, Wheel went back to NBC for a few more short months before being gone from daytime for good.

My question is, how did Wheel get to CBS in the first place? Was NBC planning on cancelling it after possibly seeing Rolf's performance on the show, and CBS decided to pick it up immediately after the fact? Also, why exactly was shopping taken away, and the "el cheapo" money format instituted? Was Rolf's tenure on the show even a factor in the first place? Were bad ratings a factor?

With that, how the heck did Wheel get back on NBC? Did NBC decide to pick it back up for the remainder of the season after CBS decided they were going to take it off for one reason or another? Did NBC make a deal with CBS to get it back? Were bad ratings on CBS a factor with that as well?

I know, lots of questions for one post, but I've never found anyone or anyplace that has any real information on how this all happened. It's all very blurry...

[aaron sica]

This is something I've always wondered, too.

IIRC, when they went back to NBC, there was no fanfare or anything, like "We're back on NBC". It was as if nothing had happened...


I just remember being a bit baffled that what was replacing WoF on NBC's daytime schedule (in 1989, when it moved to CBS) was "Golden Girls" reruns.

Not to pile question on top of his, but I also always wondered why the delay of a few weeks from the NBC version to the CBS.

[JasonA1]

Also, why exactly was shopping taken away, and the "el cheapo" money format instituted?

I know you're looking for concrete answers, but I'm making an educated guess in saying shopping was dumped because nighttime went without it for 2 years and obviously fans weren't alienated by that fact. Looked mighty cheap to flip from Wheel at 7:30 at night where thousands in cash was thrown about to Wheel in the daytime for T-Fal cookware and overpriced secretary units. Of course, they couldn't afford to give away as much cash as they did at night, hence the amounts we saw. Which in the process might've made them look even cheaper than they did before. Hmm.

-Jason

[BobbyLankford_83]

I only saw part of the CBS WOF on KXTV 10 Sacramento-Stockton (which changed to ABC when KXTV and KOVR-TV swapped networks in 3/1995),because I think 10 wanted to air Joan Rivers or one of them talk shows that Fall in 1989. Then when WOF moved back home to NBC, I saw the rest of Goen's WOF on KCRA 3 daily after CC.

[Ian Wallis]

According to what we've heard before, Wheel's ratings were actually pretty good until Rolf took over as host.  Even he admitted he wasn't good at it.  At the time, CBS's redo of Now You See It wasn't faring well and (this part is speculation) probably figured they could save the daytime version by getting a new host.  For the most part they were right as it lasted almost 2 years before the final run on NBC.  It's likely they didn't have anything better of their own to throw on the schedule anyway.

Apparantly the last few weeks of the NBC '91 run were repeats of earlier broadcasts.  (The last original episode aired featured a Home Viewer Summer Bonanza contest and no direct mention it was the finale).  Usually when a network aired reruns it didn't bode well for a continuing run.  By Sept '91 daytime television was starting to change.  NBC did try a few other game shows after that, but I believe it was also around this time they let the stations air the shows in any order they wanted, and that could have contributed to declining ratings.

[Don Howard]

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'119197\' date=\'May 23 2006, 12:00 PM\']
I also always wondered why the delay of a few weeks from the NBC version to the CBS.
[/quote]
Just a suspicion, this is, but I remember the original intent being that WOF would premiere on CBS the Monday after leaving NBC. Next thing we knew, though, the start date was skedded for July 17th. Perhaps the new set wasn't ready yet.....who knows. But we did get two more weeks of NYSI as a result and I was happy about that.

[splinkynip]

Agreed.  I believe when Pat left the daytime show was still the second highest rated game show after TPIR.  I remeber e-mailing Pat several years ago when you were able to contact him through his website and asked him if he thinks the show would have been around longer on NBC if he didn't leave.  He didn't believe so, citing the changes in daytime at the time.  

Rolf tried, but he turned the show into a train wreck waiting to happen.

And it was actually BOb's longest running show (two years, and a few weeks)

[bellbm]

Thats funny, I emailed Pat the same question a few years ago, and received the same answer.  At least he was smart and picked the right version of the show to stay with.  But I  can't help wonder if, in fact, Wheel was right on the heels of Price is Right in the ratings, I belive the daytime version might still be around today if he had stayed on board.  Who knows, NBC could still be programming 3 hours of games shows today.

Also, lets look at the fact that Wheel is STILL the # 1 syndicated show, after 20 some years.  And the majority of the people watching it, I have to belive, are home in the mornings as well, and would tune it.

[joshg]

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'119201\' date=\'May 23 2006, 09:48 AM\']
Apparantly the last few weeks of the NBC '91 run were repeats of earlier broadcasts.  (The last original episode aired featured a Home Viewer Summer Bonanza contest and no direct mention it was the finale).  Usually when a network aired reruns it didn't bode well for a continuing run.  By Sept '91 daytime television was starting to change.  NBC did try a few other game shows after that, but I believe it was also around this time they let the stations air the shows in any order they wanted, and that could have contributed to declining ratings.
[/quote]

So this is what NBC did to its game shows... cancel new episodes and run reruns and no one will notice. Hmmm, let's see. Classic Concentration, Scrabble (93), Scattergories and Wheel all ended in reruns.

Looking back, we were really lucky to have 3 hours of game shows on NBC in the late 80s, weren't we?

[The Pyramids]

[quote name=\'matchgame\' post=\'119238\' date=\'May 23 2006, 05:58 PM\']
[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'119201\' date=\'May 23 2006, 09:48 AM\']
Apparantly the last few weeks of the NBC '91 run were repeats of earlier broadcasts.  (The last original episode aired featured a Home Viewer Summer Bonanza contest and no direct mention it was the finale).  Usually when a network aired reruns it didn't bode well for a continuing run.  By Sept '91 daytime television was starting to change.  NBC did try a few other game shows after that, but I believe it was also around this time they let the stations air the shows in any order they wanted, and that could have contributed to declining ratings.
[/quote]

So this is what NBC did to its game shows... cancel new episodes and run reruns and no one will notice. Hmmm, let's see. Classic Concentration, Scrabble (93), Scattergories and Wheel all ended in reruns.

Looking back, we were really lucky to have 3 hours of game shows on NBC in the late 80s, weren't we?
[/quote]

While were on the subject was Richard Dawsons 'You Bet Your Life' pilot made for NBC?

[Allstar87]

[quote name=\'PaulD\' post=\'119245\' date=\'May 23 2006, 06:54 PM\']
While were on the subject was Richard Dawsons 'You Bet Your Life' pilot made for NBC?
[/quote]

Yes it was, according to the Game Show Pilot Light.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'119197\' date=\'May 23 2006, 12:00 PM\']

IIRC, when they went back to NBC, there was no fanfare or anything, like "We're back on NBC". It was as if nothing had happened...


[/quote]

The returning champion from the last CBS show the previous Friday was still there, and IIRC Bob and Vanna did make mention of their return to NBC during the goodbye segment of the 1/14/91 episode.

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' post=\'119208\' date=\'May 23 2006, 02:13 PM\']

Just a suspicion, this is, but I remember the original intent being that WOF would premiere on CBS the Monday after leaving NBC. Next thing we knew, though, the start date was skedded for July 17th. Perhaps the new set wasn't ready yet.....who knows. But we did get two more weeks of NYSI as a result and I was happy about that.
[/quote]

I'd not heard that WOF was moving from NBC to CBS until the next to last week of NYSI's run, when CBS did a promo promoting its return.

[bellbm]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' post=\'119255\' date=\'May 23 2006, 06:41 PM\']
[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'119197\' date=\'May 23 2006, 12:00 PM\']

IIRC, when they went back to NBC, there was no fanfare or anything, like "We're back on NBC". It was as if nothing had happened...


[/quote]

The returning champion from the last CBS show the previous Friday was still there, and IIRC Bob and Vanna did make mention of their return to NBC during the goodbye segment of the 1/14/91 episode.
[/quote]


She did, and Bob made mention of the fact that it wasn't welcome home for him, only for her and the rest of the staff (although they were still at CBS).

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'119197\' date=\'May 23 2006, 12:00 PM\']


I just remember being a bit baffled that what was replacing WoF on NBC's daytime schedule (in 1989, when it moved to CBS) was "Golden Girls" reruns.

[/quote]

TV Guide mentioned it was the last show of the series and that GG reruns would debut the following Tuesday or Wednesday(Wimbledon coverage aired on Monday 7/3 and possibly 7/4). However, there was no direct mention made on-air of Rolf's or NBC's last WOF, with the only subtle mention being a longer than usual credit roll that some last episodes of NBC game shows had in the 80s(Go and Super Password among them). The 1991 NBC finale had no goodbye from Goen or Vanna either.

[gsgalaxy82]

Yeah, it was kind of a welcome back, as they still taped at CBS (which wasn't really as strange a thing as some might think). Even the returning champ went to NBC with them. It was almost like the show was switching channels, like syndicated shows do all the time. Very bizarre circumstances. Have any other shows had champions move with them to another network?

David