$ale of the Century to GSN.

[Sodboy13]

If the attitude when celebrity casting was \"hmm, they\'re not that good, but that\'ll save us a few bucks\", then yeah, that\'s a massive problem.

 

2-for-1 on Turturros. They had a Groupon!

[snowpeck]

Speaking of Press, someone at Buzzerblog noted that prior to the \'83 lease, GSN went as far back as Episode #110. This new lease only accounts for 107 of the first 109.

They\'ll probably get all the way to #109... there\'s likely a problematic tape or a skipped episode number in there somewhere.  I seem to remember a thread once about how the online episode guides account for an episode on 1/2/84, but according to all of the TV listings from the time the entire CBS daytime lineup was preempted. 

[Chelsea Thrasher]

Speaking of Press, someone at Buzzerblog noted that prior to the \'83 lease, GSN went as far back as Episode #110. This new lease only accounts for 107 of the first 109.

They\'ll probably get all the way to #109... there\'s likely a problematic tape or a skipped episode number in there somewhere.  I seem to remember a thread once about how the online episode guides account for an episode on 1/2/84, but according to all of the TV listings from the time the entire CBS daytime lineup was preempted. 

Don\'t recall if there was an episode or two that was overly Christmas themed, but if so that could easily account for the skippage, as GSN has shown a past inclination to omit those in normal rotation.


For what it\'s worth, the press release uses different language to describe the PYL compared to the others. It\'s section specifically mentions the new-to-GSN episodes. Though there are obviously no guarantees, wouldn\'t be surprised to see PYL\'s lease extend beyond the aforementioned 107/109.

[snowpeck]

There were a few episodes with Christmas-themed Whammies, IIRC, but as Christmas was on the weekend that year, I don\'t know how overly holiday themed the episodes were.

[jjman920]

Sounds like everybody wins: GSN picks up a show that lots of people like but I don\'t end up subscribing to the channel again because the episodes that GSN picked up are ones that I saw on USA of the least interesting format and have no interest in watching again.


This is truly a great day for America.

Yeah, I understand this sentiment, but I\'d make an exception just because these will be in such beautiful quality. So in this case you get quality crap, and who doesn\'t want that?

 

That and the fact that I\'ve only seen Sale episodes on YouTube considering I was probably 2 or 3 when USA stopped rerunning it.

 

/Yeah, I know, I know. Lawn, Hell, Off.

[Johnissoevil]

I stopped thinking this show would ever make it to GSN once the big overhaul of 2009 came.  I figured the classics would from then on be nothing more than what they\'ve aired in the past.  I\'m pleasantly surprised at this.  Nice going, GSN.

[TLEberle]

Yeah, I understand this sentiment, but I\'d make an exception just because these will be in such beautiful quality. So in this case you get quality crap, and who doesn\'t want that?

If you enjoy it then that\'s terrific for you. I\'m not going to resubscribe to see the least interesting episodes from a series when I\'ve seen them online and on two previous networks (believe me the episodes with the money game are by far the least interesting that the six-year-run has to offer). If that\'s all GSN can get then at least they took a stab and they should be applauded for having a punt and going off the reservation for once in their 20 years.

I think it says something about the format when the show has to drop in the various tournaments to give away cars because the regular games don\'t give away the top prizes naturally. Hm, what NBC show nearly 20 years later lived by that dictum as well?

[aaron sica]

Speaking of Press, someone at Buzzerblog noted that prior to the \'83 lease, GSN went as far back as Episode #110. This new lease only accounts for 107 of the first 109.

They\'ll probably get all the way to #109... there\'s likely a problematic tape or a skipped episode number in there somewhere.  I seem to remember a thread once about how the online episode guides account for an episode on 1/2/84, but according to all of the TV listings from the time the entire CBS daytime lineup was preempted. 

Yep.....January 2, 1984 was the parades/bowl games day since the 1st was on a Sunday.

[40onTheBlue]

The holy grail would be \"Scrabble\" for me.

 

The holier grail would be the original 1969-1973 run of $ale of the ¢entury.

[clemon79]

Ya know, nothing bad has ever come out of claiming one grail is holier than another. Nope. Not ever.

[Matt Ottinger]

I am vaguely disappointed that they appear to be using the end of the NBC run and not, as I had hoped and somewhat expected, the syndicated version.  For totally selfish reasons.

[Joe Mello]

 

If this hypothetical $otC revival is in the plans, the Top Two Things That Could Go Wrong would be the format and the question writing. A whole different animal.

 

I honestly wouldn\'t trust a revival of $otC to anyone but a network bringing the show back for prime-time - which we all know is never going to happen - because that\'s the only way you\'re going to have a prize budget that could possibly make any of the purchasing decisions worthwhile. The show doesn\'t work if the best prizes they can offer someone on an Instant Bargain are Orbitz travel vouchers and espresso machines.

 

I agree and disagree. Yes, $ale is about glitz and glamour and getting top of the line stuff for dirt cheap. But I don\'t think that the prize budget needs to be sky high for it to work. I\'d be just fine seeing a $25K cash jackpot, a decent car, and some other things that are nice upgrades to my current standard of living. If a retired champ left with around $75K, I wouldn\'t be miffed- especially if they got everything else right.

 

I figure a decent rule of thumb would be to use TPIR as a benchmark: one-bid items for the instant bargains, pricing game and showcase stuff for shopping (presuming you have shopping), throw in a car and a cash wad and Bob\'s your uncle.

 

I think it says something about the format when the show has to drop in the various tournaments to give away cars because the regular games don\'t give away the top prizes naturally. Hm, what NBC show nearly 20 years later lived by that dictum as well?

 

Odd, I thought of an ABC show first.

[WarioBarker]

The holier grail would be the original 1969-1973 run of $ale of the ˘entury.

...Despite the 1973-74 syndicated run being more likely to turn up because, well, syndicated shows just seem to have a better chance than contemporary network ones.

[EDIT 12/18/14: Fixed mangled quoting.]

[DJDustman]

I am vaguely disappointed that they appear to be using the end of the NBC run and not, as I had hoped and somewhat expected, the syndicated version.  For totally selfish reasons.

 

I agree here. It\'s great we have this coming to GSN. Fantastic even. But why the last 13 depressing weeks of the show?

[PYLdude]

Well, do we know for sure if it IS the last 65, or is it just a random 65 from the last year? 

 

Although I\'m with the resident Sale guru here...probably not the best batch to pick from but hey, it counts for something and I guess it shows they\'re at least a little willing to take a gamble on a classic they never showed before..

 

(I\'d figure they\'d want to try to get the set that would include the lone $50,000 WBMG win, no? Or at least the second try at it?)