Which would you write for?

[pyrfan]

Let's say that you could be the head writer on one of the game shows listed below. Assume that the show in question pays you more than handsomely each year and will be on the air five days a week from the time you graduate high school/college until you're ready to retire. You can only choose one for your entire life. Which is it, and why?

$100,000 PYRAMID
BLACKOUT
FAMILY FEUD
HOLLYWOOD SQUARES
MATCH GAME '90
ROCK & ROLL JEOPARDY!
SALE OF THE CENTURY (Perry)
SUPER PASSWORD
TATTLETALES
WHEW!

[TLEberle]

I think the question for me is more which ones to rule out. I don't have nearly the breadth of knowledge required for r&r jeopardy.

[clemon79]

I think I pick the one that requires twenty questions PER WEEK.

"We've got Friday's show in the can? Great. What time is it? 10:30? Kickass, who wants pizza? It's Mozzarella Monday down at Cici's."

[TLEberle]

I suspect/hope that's why he said 90.

[PYLdude]

Boy, is that a tough call.

And I've actually done question writing for a quizzer before. So I know the stress.

Well, I feel I would be strongest at either straight quiz or word games considering the subject matter of the shows listed. Which leaves me Sale and SP. I would probably pick Sale, because to me it's easier to find trivia subjects consistently and I would run out of ideas for password puzzle combos

[Don Howard]

FAMILY FEUD

If only to get rid of the penis questions and to have the pleasure of firing the sorry arse of anyone who suggests that one be used.

[SuperMatch93]

I would pick Sale, since many of the questions are easier general-knowledge ones, and seem easier to write. Even the Fame Game ones are linear in structure.

[pacdude]

I write 10 Whew questions every week for the Game Show Gauntlet and I HATE it. It's surprisingly difficult for me. Out of all of these, I think I would best write for Super Password. It doesn't seem that hard.

[clemon79]

I suspect/hope that's why he said 90.

I was thinking Tattletales, actually. Even MG '7x got through more than four questions a show, if you count Super Matches.

[TLEberle]

I figured TT might be what you were driving at. So here's my thing: what all goes into being "head writer"? I assume that if you're writing a week of Tattletales questions (or even overseeing the writing process) you can't have two questions that start "Let's say you and your partner are stranded on a desert island" or repeating key elements--wasn't the practice on Pyramid that the writers were allowed to use something again after a month long wait?

The shows where I would have the least fun doing it would be TT, Squares, Rock&Roll Jeopardy, and in the current incarnation Feud. With the proper host I think I'd go off the board and choose to write for Card Sharks. That said I reject the idea of being shackled to a single show for my entire working career.

[clemon79]

So here's my thing: what all goes into being "head writer"? I assume that if you're writing a week of Tattletales questions (or even overseeing the writing process) you can't have two questions that start "Let's say you and your partner are stranded on a desert island" or repeating key elements--wasn't the practice on Pyramid that the writers were allowed to use something again after a month long wait?

I am sure there was some sort of cooldown period for TT subjects, too. I don't believe that changes the fact that among the titles in the given list, it is GLARING how little work TT requires as opposed to the others. I was mostly pointing out that major shortcoming in the question, which to me demonstrates a lack of actual thought put into it. And if the asker isn't going to put thought into it, why should I?

[Matt Ottinger]

I was mostly pointing out that major shortcoming in the question, which to me demonstrates a lack of actual thought put into it.

It does seem to be both a strangely arbitrary and a strangely specific ("Rock & Roll" Jeopardy?) list of ten shows.

But yeah.  Tattletales.

[TLEberle]

He probably wanted to make sure no one was confused and thought they'd be writing for Joe Garagiola's Sale of the Century.

It reminds me of the question" If you could go on ONE game show what would it be?" and I said "all else equal, I want to cut down on the competition and increase the chance at my prize, so Deal or No Deal."

Blackout requires a certain sense of humor that I can't wrap my brain around. The thing working in Whew!'s favor is that there seems to be about twenty different categories so you take whatever was unrevealed (and 17/23rds of the board will be unrevealed) throw it into a bucket for the next game and fill the gaps. Knowing what I know about the writing process for Only Connect, I think I would need to be very well compensated to deal with the deadlines and requirements for what material can and can't make it into a game.

[TimK2003]

Super Password / Password Plus would be my first choice, with Blockbusters a close second. 

My "off the board" game show would be Trebek's Double Dare.

[TLEberle]

My "off the board" game show would be Trebek's Double Dare.

I can't imagine writing for that and staying sane very long.