The Pyramid

[Jay Temple]

I know this is ridiculously nitpicky, but I wish the chyron had an outline around the text; it's a little bit hard to read against the yellow background.

Interesting...I noticed the back shadow, but didn't think it was too bad. I see what you mean though.

Same here. If memory serves, the very first shows had black lettering. Even that would be an improvement.

\I recall having a difficult time reading some of the words on MDP, so font choices do matter.

[JMFabiano]

I know this is ridiculously nitpicky, but I wish the chyron had an outline around the text; it's a little bit hard to read against the yellow background.

Interesting...I noticed the back shadow, but didn't think it was too bad. I see what you mean though.

Same here. If memory serves, the very first shows had black lettering. Even that would be an improvement.

\I recall having a difficult time reading some of the words on MDP, so font choices do matter.

I was able to read them OK, myself...

[Chelsea Thrasher]

GSN put out a Press Release yesterday with a celebrity list. Recognize about a third of the names, myself:

GSN ANNOUNCES LINE-UP OF CELEBRITY GUESTS FOR  THE PYRAMID PREMIERING MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
                         
Santa Monica, CA – August 14, 2012 – Bringing star  power to its fast-paced word guessing game, GSN (formerly Game Show  Network) announced today a stellar lineup of celebrity guests for THE PYRAMID.   The daily strip show will air Monday through Friday at 6 pm ET, and will premiere on Monday, September 3 at 6 pm ET. "Community" stars Yvette Nicole Brown and Danny Pudi will be featured in the premiere week.
 
A contemporary take on one of television's most beloved game shows, THE PYRAMID  brings back the classic game show format: the celebrities, the Pyramid  game board, the Winner's Circle—everything viewers know and love about  the iconic format is returning in GSN's lively new version.  In keeping  with the classic format, each celebrity pair will appear for a full  week. THE PYRAMID is hosted by producer and TV personality Mike Richards ("Beauty and the Geek").
 
The lineup of celebrities who will appear on THE PYRAMID this fall include:
 
Yvette Nicole Brown (Community)
Kate Flannery (The Office)
Samantha Harris (Host, Stars Earn Stripes and Dancing with the Stars)
Dot Marie Jones (Glee)
Wallace Langham (CSI)
Joshua Malina (Scandal)
Lamorne Morris (New Girl)
Oscar Nunez (The Office)
Jim O'Heir (Parks and Recreation)
Melissa Peterman (Baby Daddy)
Megyn Price (Rules of Engagement)
Danny Pudi (Community)
Jai Rodriguez (Malibu Country and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy)
Aida Turturro (The Sopranos)
Nick Turturro (Blue Bloods)
Chandra Wilson (Grey's Anatomy)
 
THE PYRAMID is produced by Embassy Row in association  with Sony Pictures Television with Michael Davies and Maureen  FitzPatrick as executive producers.  In addition to "The Newlywed Game"  and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," Davies has brought audiences  fan-favorite shows such as "Power of 10," Bravo's "Watch What Happens  Live" and "Kathy," Oxygen's "The Glee Project" and the GSN original  "Chain Reaction." Maureen FitzPatrick has been a producer on "Donny  & Marie" and "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"
 
About GSN
GSN is a multimedia entertainment company that offers original and  classic game programming and competitive entertainment via its  75-million subscriber television network and online game sites.  GSN's  cross-platform content gives game lovers the opportunity to win cash and  prizes, whether through GSN's popular TV game shows or through GSN  Digital's free casual games, mobile and social games, and cash  competitions. GSN is distributed throughout the U.S., Caribbean and  Canada by all major cable operators, satellite providers and telcos.   GSN and its subsidiary, WorldWinner.com, Inc., are owned by DIRECTV and  Sony Pictures Entertainment.  For further information, visit GSN at www.gsntv.com.
 

[TLEberle]

Five. I count five people from that lot that I've heard of.

[BrandonFG]

Pretty nice list given the network. I found  about 10 that I could actually identify or place a face with.

[TLEberle]

Pretty nice list given the network. I found  about 10 that I could actually identify or place a face with.

If I were more inclined to watch prime-time television, I could probably get to ten. Alas, I'm not so I didn't.

[BrandonFG]

Pretty nice list given the network. I found  about 10 that I could actually identify or place a face with.

If I were more inclined to watch prime-time television, I could probably get to ten. Alas, I'm not so I didn't.

I actually don't watch that much myself (though I've heard nothing but good things about "Community"). It's just I recognize more than a few names from various projects (Wallace Langham from "Larry Sanders", for example)...

[Matt Ottinger]

(Wallace Langham from "Larry Sanders", for example)

Joshua Malina from Sports Night and West Wing, for example.  I don't even know what "Scandal" is.

As I said before, the star wattage isn't the issue.  Most of these are no different from Teresa Ganzel and Charlie Siebert.  The difference is that those two and others in Bob Stewart's quasi-famous stable could play the game.  If this bunch can play, then I don't have any problem at all.  If they can't, and it turns out that these really are just the biggest celebrities GSN could come up with, then I'm less thrilled.

/Make no mistake, however.  I'm still thrilled.

[Clay Zambo]

Joshua Malina from Sports Night and West Wing, for example.  I don't even know what "Scandal" is.

It's a new ABC show he's on, and it apparently hasn't found much of an audience yet.  (He tweets about it with some regularity.)  Also, he said he had a blast at the taping.

West Wing is sadly old news, and Sports Night even older. He's gotta plug what's fresh, I imagine.

/Malina-adjacently: I was talking with a friend about Sorkin the other day; I asked what he thought of Newsroom.  He said he'd only seen the pilot, but, "I liked that show better when it was called Sports Night."  Dude needs to be a critic.  And never review anything I write.

[BrandonFG]

Scandal is a new ABC show about a political (sex?) scandal (like THAT would ever happen in real life!)...premiered earlier this year, Kerry Washington stars. It's one of those ongoing saga type shows that's become popular since 24 premiered, but aren't primetime soaps...I have a few friends who say it's quite intense.

As for The Newsroom, I've heard mixed reviews from both extremes...no middle ground. I thought Studio 60 had potential, but I've said before I thought it was like reading a Variety article: loaded with too much TV jargon that even lost me as someone who worked in the industry. Plus, the characters all seemed to be married to their jobs, and after awhile, working in TV is just like any other day at the office. Whether or not Newsroom remedies that, I dunno...

[clemon79]

Five. I count five people from that lot that I've heard of.

Okay, this comes off as a bit of a complaint. Which when followed up with...

If I were more inclined to watch prime-time television, I could probably get to ten. Alas, I'm not so I didn't.

...kinda invalidates the complaint. It's roughly equivalent to "I hate hockey because I don't know any of the players." "Well, have you tried watching any so you can learn about them?" "Hells no, why would I watch something I hate?"

I went 10-for-16, myself, but what Matt said. If they can play the game I don't care if their biggest credit is playing Junkie #2 on CSI: Wichita.

Whether or not Newsroom remedies that, I dunno...

I think it's brilliant, but then again I like Sorkin. Which, really, is how Sorkin works. If you like the formula, you'll like the show. If you don't, you won't.

[TLEberle]

Five. I count five people from that lot that I've heard of.

Okay, this comes off as a bit of a complaint. Which when followed up with...

If I were more inclined to watch prime-time television, I could probably get to ten. Alas, I'm not so I didn't.

...kinda invalidates the complaint. It's roughly equivalent to "I hate hockey because I don't know any of the players." "Well, have you tried watching any so you can learn about them?" "Hells no, why would I watch something I hate?"

Just noting the number of people that I'd heard of, is all. I cannot praise or condemn something I haven't seen (and I do intend to make it so I see The Pyramid), so all I'm saying is "of that list of people, I've heard of five.

[TonicBH]

I'm hoping these celebs aren't total duds, if they can play the game well enough then they're okay in my book.

Would've been nice to get at least one or two classic Pyramid vets even if they ain't doing anything recent...

[Jeremy Nelson]

Would've been nice to get at least one or two classic Pyramid vets even if they ain't doing anything recent...

Even someone like Levar Burton, who just relaunched Reading Rainbow (as an app), would still have something to plug. But more than likely, they're not going to old names, especially if some of these new celebs end up becoming fairly good players in their own right.

[BillCullen1]

I'm hoping these celebs aren't total duds, if they can play the game well enough then they're okay in my book.

Would've been nice to get at least one or two classic Pyramid vets even if they ain't doing anything recent...

I agree (X gets the square). Looking forward to September 3rd at 6 pm EST.