Game Shows in High Definition

[inturnaround]

We got a new HDTV for Christmas at our house and one of the channels is called inHD. It's basically a 24 hour mishmash of programs in High Definition so you can demo HD. One of the shows is a local show from WRAL (Raleigh-Durham, I believe) called "Brain Game". It's shown in widescreen High Definition. The show is basically a teen quiz show featuring NC high school students, but AFAIK, it's the first and only game show in high definition.

Are there any others out there? Does anyone know of any others that plan to make the leap to HD soon? TPiR would be amazing in HD, I would think and CBS is a leader in HD programming.

inHD is available on almost all Comcast systems across the country that have a HD package. It's free with a digital package.

[TonicBH]

Didn't Double Dare 2000 show a few eps in HDTV format?

[inturnaround]

[quote name=\'TonicBH\' date=\'Dec 28 2003, 09:12 PM\'] Didn't Double Dare 2000 show a few eps in HDTV format? [/quote]
 I'm not sure how they would because there is no Nickelodeon HD channel and Nick has never done anything else in HD. But I have no definitive knowledge of it one way or another.

[cyberjoek]

I can verify the fact that Double Dare 2k did 5 episodes in HDTV.  These were done because of several cable company requests, they wanted the programing for HDTV displays so Nick complied (in our area the first showings of each episode the ad breaks were just infomerchials for AT&T HDTV)
-Joe Kavanagh

[inturnaround]

[quote name=\'cyberjoek\' date=\'Dec 28 2003, 10:08 PM\'] I can verify the fact that Double Dare 2k did 5 episodes in HDTV.  These were done because of several cable company requests, they wanted the programing for HDTV displays so Nick complied (in our area the first showings of each episode the ad breaks were just infomerchials for AT&T HDTV)
-Joe Kavanagh [/quote]
 Huh, that's interesting. Were these for broadcast on a demo channel or were they simply for the demo setup at the office?

[JayC]

On those episodes, the grand prize was a HDTV.

All TVs will have shows shown in HD in 2006 or 2007.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'JayC\' date=\'Dec 28 2003, 09:23 PM\'] All TVs will have shows shown in HD in 2006 or 2007. [/quote]
 Not _quite_. Yes, the deadline for the conversion to HD is currently 2006. But it's quickly looking like no way no how is that deadline going to be made, and there will probably be an extension. As for programming, yes, all television stations and networks are obligated to broadcast in HD by said deadline, but that doesn't mean the individual shows are under any requirement to produce their programming in HD.

[jalman]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Dec 28 2003, 11:26 PM\'][quote name=\'JayC\' date=\'Dec 28 2003, 09:23 PM\'] All TVs will have shows shown in HD in 2006 or 2007. [/quote]
Not _quite_. Yes, the deadline for the conversion to HD is currently 2006. But it's quickly looking like no way no how is that deadline going to be made, and there will probably be an extension. As for programming, yes, all television stations and networks are obligated to broadcast in HD by said deadline, but that doesn't mean the individual shows are under any requirement to produce their programming in HD.[/quote]
As much as I'd like most programs in the immediate future to be HD, the deadline is for DTV (digital television).  DTV includes HD, but can also include the same ol' TV format we're used to seeing, only in digital format.  This requirement is for broadcast stations (i.e. ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, WB, UPN, PAX, other over-the-air stations), not cable.

Take a look-see.

[cyberjoek]

[quote name=\'inturnaround\' date=\'Dec 28 2003, 10:38 PM\']
Huh, that's interesting. Were these for broadcast on a demo channel or were they simply for the demo setup at the office?[/quote]
They broadcast on Nick and then were used for their in-office demo, the episodes occasionaly show up on Nick GAS (with out the HDTV ads though).
-Joe Kavanagh

[whampyl03]

Didn't Double Dare 2000 show a few eps in HDTV format?

If I remember correctly, Nick taped an entire week of DD2K in HDTV.

[Jimmy Owen]

"As you all know, 'The Joker's Wild 2006' is a game in high definition...."

[GS Warehouse]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Dec 28 2003, 11:26 PM\'] [quote name=\'JayC\' date=\'Dec 28 2003, 09:23 PM\'] All TVs will have shows shown in HD in 2006 or 2007. [/quote]
Not _quite_. Yes, the deadline for the conversion to HD is currently 2006. But it's quickly looking like no way no how is that deadline going to be made, and there will probably be an extension. ... [/quote]
That's because even then, only Bill Gates can buy an HDTV.

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Dec 29 2003, 9:45 AM\']"As you all know, 'The Joker's Wild 2006' is a game in high definition...."[/quote]
[throws DVD-Rs at Jimmy]

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Dec 28 2003, 11:26 PM\'][quote name=\'JayC\' date=\'Dec 28 2003, 09:23 PM\'] All TVs will have shows shown in HD in 2006 or 2007. [/quote]
Not _quite_. Yes, the deadline for the conversion to HD is currently 2006. But it's quickly looking like no way no how is that deadline going to be made, and there will probably be an extension. As for programming, yes, all television stations and networks are obligated to broadcast in HD by said deadline, but that doesn't mean the individual shows are under any requirement to produce their programming in HD.[/quote]
And in his interview with the Perfesser, Rich Cronin made the comment that game shows really don't have anything additional to add by being in HD (not to mention increasing the production costs).  I tend to agree with him, since the format was really meant for things like sports, feature films, travelogues and the like and not for more bread-and-butter programming.

One of the less-discussed things about HD is that it can potentially amplify the flaws in people's faces and bodies that make-up can hide in conventional formats.  In some cases, it can make some people look *uglier* than in real life.  Barker's Beauties could be demanding that Bart Eskander cool it on some of the close-ups if "TPIR" shoots in HD and they don't look particularly gorgeous in that format.

[cmjb13]

Most of the pricing games would look terrible unless they were touched up.

[inturnaround]

[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Dec 29 2003, 11:42 AM\'] One of the less-discussed things about HD is that it can potentially amplify the flaws in people's faces and bodies that make-up can hide in conventional formats.  In some cases, it can make some people look *uglier* than in real life.  Barker's Beauties could be demanding that Bart Eskander cool it on some of the close-ups if "TPIR" shoots in HD and they don't look particularly gorgeous in that format. [/quote]
 If we've learned one thing this year it's that if you want to play in the big room at TPiR, you don't demand anything, you don't do anything to call attention to yourself. The less you rock the boat, the more likely you are to fit into the current structure of the show.

But I do think that if The Tonight Show with Jay Leno can benefit from being in High Def, TPiR could, too. I'm not at all saying that all game shows should be in HD, but a few select shows could benefit from the switch.

One benefit from the launch of Digital broadcasting will be the rise of multicasting. I can see this opening the door for more syndicated game shows, though they will have to be played for far less money than they're being played for now. Think more Lingo than syndie WWTBAM. I wonder how many GS producers have thought of that, as daytime would be the most open time for channels to multicast (primetime and late night being open to HD)