Time Capsule: Cross-Wits

[Matt Ottinger]

I haven't watched the shows yet, but I wondered what everybody though, and since it's nearly November, I wanted to preemptively start an original thread for it so it doesn't become yet one more thing that we talk about in the "Major late September changes" thread.

[aaron sica]

Funny how things come back to you after so many years..I'd completely forgotten the music cue upon introducing a new puzzle and the sound when the word's highlighted until I heard it.  I wouldn't mind the show being an addition to the morning block...

[MikeK]

I don't remember it being so colorful.  It looked really nice last night.  I also liked how the backdrop behind the players matched the color of the puzzle squares, which itself designated a certain category (yellow = thing, etc.)

Vahan mentioned the goofiness factor which I agree with, especially when talking about Charlie Callas.  I remember him being nutty on his somewhat regular appearances on this show.  I think this was around the time he was on Dom DeLuise's self-titled syndicated show.

The writing, at least compared to the handful of Clark episodes out there, leaves a ton to be desired.  I did not care much for the "inventors" puzzle.

[JasonA1]

When the written entirety of your clues is "____ belt" or "wheelers and..." and one half hour contains two variations of "Frank Sinatra was one" with the same answer (SINGER), you're setting a low bar. This version's lasting legacy is exactly what they ran it for - before-they-were-big appearances from the likes of Kelsey Grammer, Jenny Jones, etc. The music was cheap as all get out, but I've always liked it.

-Jason

[TLEberle]

So this goes to Vahan's question: the clue of "_____ belt" provides no material to riff off of; you either guess a color or maybe "Bible" if it would fit the puzzle. If instead the clue is "Constellation that sounds like the all time strikeout king is of Irish descent," you not only have something to puzzle out and talk through, you get the inevitable groans when somebody comes up with the actual answer. Maybe it wasn't intended to be a comedy vehicle, but the writing guided it so that the celebrities did more than sat there and guessed a word when it was their go.

[JasonA1]

Whether Ralph wanted it or not, the original article was totally a vehicle for comedy. The celebrities gave prepared zingers (but with far less frequency than even the original Squares) and the clues were wackier. The most straightforward words would often be treated with a long-winded clue to reach a pun - i.e. "sounds like something Barbie would use to pay for a $5 meal" for DOLPHIN.

I honestly don't know what they were thinking for this version, comedy or otherwise. Like you said Travis, the material provided little place for the celebrities to go, from both a challenge standpoint, or an entertainment one. Playing armchair celebrity, when David read "Louisa May Alcott wrote about these type of women" I shouted out "loose!" In both episodes he warned the players their writers could get pretty clever, but it wasn't more than a few times per show in '86 that you had to look for another context.

To answer Vahan's question from the schedule-change-turned-Cross-Wits thread, Fremantle has the MGHS masters.

-Jason

[BrandonFG]

I don't remember it being so colorful.  It looked really nice last night.  I also liked how the backdrop behind the players matched the color of the puzzle squares, which itself designated a certain category (yellow = thing, etc.)

Other than an occasional Youtube episode, I prolly haven't seen an episode since the Family Channel era. But yes, the changing backdrops were the one thing that looked pretty cool.

Haven't seen last night's episodes, but it seems like the set was so cramped yet so spacious, and I remember it looking pretty cheap all around, esp. with a computerized gameboard and no totes on the desks.

For some reason, I always liked the music too, as simple as it was.

[Chief-O]

Watched the shows this afternoon. David kind of got on my nerves---stiff and a little obnoxious at times. Celebrity selections were pretty questionable. And yes, I thought the theme music was quite chintzy. Otherwise, the set wasn't too bad, the graphics were pretty good for the era, and the game itself---well, it was still the same for the most part [though the car game was awkward]. It was just a superlative example of how a good game can be ruined by poor execution.

[TimK2003]

Watched the shows this afternoon. David kind of got on my nerves---stiff and a little obnoxious at times. Celebrity selections were pretty questionable. And yes, I thought the theme music was quite chintzy. Otherwise, the set wasn't too bad, the graphics were pretty good for the era, and the game itself---well, it was still the same for the most part [though the car game was awkward]. It was just a superlative example of how a good game can be ruined by poor execution.

The Game Show Hosts episode in the trading circles was an interesting show.  As much as I liked the veteran group of Jim Peck, Tom Kennedy, Peter Tomarken and Bob Goen just piling it onto the rookie emcee (Sparks), it was pretty much the only episode I ever had to watch to say that this show was a klunk.

And since I have only seen 3 or 4 episodes of this version, were the same celebs on the entire weeks worth of episodes? 

[WarioBarker]

A couple of questions about the episodes GSN aired:
1) Who were the contestants? Particularly curious about the Rosie O'Donnell episode, since there's one or two episodes of that week out there.
2) Were all four celebs involved in the "pick a key" part of the bonus round? I know at least once, the car game had a fourth box containing $1,000.

were the same celebs on the entire weeks worth of episodes?

More than likely, although as far as I know there's only one group of celebrities (Richard Kline, Edie McClurg, Stephen Bishop, Lois Bromfield) that has more than two episodes circulating.

[clemon79]

I know at least once, the car game had a fourth box containing $1,000.

Citation, please.

[WarioBarker]

I know at least once, the car game had a fourth box containing $1,000.

Citation, please.

Below video, starting at 8:09.

[clemon79]

Below video, starting at 8:09.

I'll be farked. Fair enough.

[TLEberle]

Was it as labored and awkward as it was on Card Sharks?

[beatlefreak84]

I just finished watching the two episodes, and, to be honest, I didn't mind the show, and I didn't mind it when I first saw it on Family Channel in reruns many years ago, either.  It has a good play-along factor, and interesting premise.  But, seeing it again now, I'm also not surprised it didn't make it a full season:

-I've said it before when we saw that pilot, but David Sparks really looks like he'd rather be doing anything else but hosting a game show.  He tried a bit harder here than on the episodes I remember, though...
-I know the intent was to have the celebrities joke around before giving a serious answer, but it seemed really awkward doing so against a clock.
-And to Travis's point:  The car round does seem unnecessarily tacked on, especially since, if the contestant wins the trip but loses the car, it seems like a major letdown.  The car round also required absolutely no skill whatsoever, unlike everything else with the game.  At least contestants had to win the trip to take a crack at the car, which seemed a bit better than giving everyone a crack regardless of performance on CS.

It was fun to relive this show for a few episodes, but, yeah; that should satisfy me for quite a while.

\still better than Merv Griffin's Crosswords, though...
\\David Sparks vs. Ty Treadway?  Anyone?

Anthony