Hollywood Squares apparently is canceled.....

[tyshaun1]

Going by the headline on Mediaweek.com, H2 has officially received its walking papers. Unfortunately they have restricted access to the article, so I cannot confirm it yet, but it's in the headline. Has anyone heard similar news? I know it was considered only a matter of time, but this is the first I've heard on concrete word.

Tyshaun

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'Jan 12 2004, 11:55 AM\'] Going by the headline on Mediaweek.com, H2 has officially received its walking papers. Unfortunately they have restricted access to the article, so I cannot confirm it yet, but it's in the headline. Has anyone heard similar news? I know it was considered only a matter of time, but this is the first I've heard on concrete word.

Tyshaun [/quote]
 If this is indeed true, then 'tis a shame. I guess they'll play out the rest of this season first(hope the game on the last show is finished before time runs out LOL). THe writing was pretty much on the wall for Squares, unfortunately. They got six seasons out of it, though, the last new syndie game show to survive that long was 1988-95 Feud.

[cmjb13]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Jan 12 2004, 12:02 PM\'] [quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'Jan 12 2004, 11:55 AM\'] Going by the headline on Mediaweek.com, H2 has officially received its walking papers. Unfortunately they have restricted access to the article, so I cannot confirm it yet, but it's in the headline. Has anyone heard similar news? I know it was considered only a matter of time, but this is the first I've heard on concrete word.

Tyshaun [/quote]
If this is indeed true, then 'tis a shame. I guess they'll play out the rest of this season first(hope the game on the last show is finished before time runs out LOL). THe writing was pretty much on the wall for Squares, unfortunately. They got six seasons out of it, though, the last new syndie game show to survive that long was 1988-95 Feud. [/quote]
Apparently the season ends in late Feb. Usually they shoot until April/May.

If true, it is a shame. It had gotten better after Whoopi left.

But it had 2 seasons to improve the ratings, and I guess that wasn't enough.

Tom joked during the break back in October that this season would be it's last. I really wish it wasn't, but they had a good run.

[gameshowguy2000]

And this all stems from its rule changes, I assume....

I knew that going to a "Best 2-out-of-3" idea was gonna hurt the show's ratings!

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'gameshowguy2000\' date=\'Jan 12 2004, 02:32 PM\'] And this all stems from its rule changes, I assume....

I knew that going to a "Best 2-out-of-3" idea was gonna hurt the show's ratings! [/quote]
 Tell me you are not serious. That is about as ridiculous as the idea that GSN's ratings are down because of monkey mistakes. H2's ratings have been going down since the end of Whoopi's tenure. The ratings stayed about the same last season, and peaked this year during John Ritter's posthumous week. Other than that, the ratings have not done enough to make waves.

Besides, we've been speculating cancellation for about two years, when it was revealed "The Insider" (fall 04 entry) would be taking H2 slots on CBS O&O's.

[Jimmy Owen]

Wasn't the cancellation a fait accompli even before the season began?

[cmjb13]

So would you say that Whoopi helped or hurt the show?

[joe_capitano]

Ratings notwithstanding, I think the bigger problem might be clearances. Remember that the CBS O&Os (WCBS, KCNC, etc.) are already committed to replacing Squares next season with what appears to be a spinoff of Entertainment Tonight.

Personally, I thought the changes made this season were for the better. They brought in more of the flavor of the original run, but still had room for plenty of jolly good giggles. It's too bad the ratings didn't uptick more than they did.

...and I wanted to see a third Game Show Week, too! Rats!

[GSWitch]

It's too bad that H2 is going down the drain.  At least it lasted longer than John Davidson's.

You wanted to see a 3rd Game Show Week, how about a 3rd Blondes Have More Fun Week.

There hasn't been a special week for civilian gentlemen contestants since the 1987 Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions.  That's 16 years!

[Don Howard]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Jan 12 2004, 02:41 PM\'] [quote name=\'gameshowguy2000\' date=\'Jan 12 2004, 02:32 PM\'] And this all stems from its rule changes, I assume....

I knew that going to a "Best 2-out-of-3" idea was gonna hurt the show's ratings! [/quote]
Tell me you are not serious. [/quote]
 Consider the source.

[Thad Dixon]

Ratings notwithstanding, I think the bigger problem might be clearances. Remember that the CBS O&Os (WCBS, KCNC, etc.) are already committed to replacing Squares next season with what appears to be a spinoff of Entertainment Tonight.

This may be the dumbest question I've asked since we first got here on Invision but, couldn't King World put a clause in those stations' contracts for H2 saying "if the show is renewed for another season, you must and you will keep it where you have it now on your schedule OR ELSE!"?

Personally, I thought the changes made this season were for the better. They brought in more of the flavor of the original run, but still had room for plenty of jolly good giggles. It's too bad the ratings didn't uptick more than they did.

Last I heard, it was still getting at least a 2.0!  If I were the syndicator and I knew one of my shows was getting that kind of a rating, I would've renewed it!

...and I wanted to see a third Game Show Week, too! Rats!

Personally, I didn't just want the show to come back for a seventh season, I wanted H2 to stay on....

FOREVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a number of reasons why, one of them being a third Game Show Week, which I wanted to see, too....AND I MUST!!  Come on, King World, RECONSIDER!!  Take away its walking papers and KEEP H2 ON FOREVER SO WE CAN SEE A THIRD GAME SHOW WEEK!  and for other reasons which I shall discuss in later posts.

[cmjb13]

Last I heard, it was still getting at least a 2.0!  If I were the syndicator and I knew one of my shows was getting that kind of a rating, I would've renewed it!

It's the cost v. ratings. I think the cost is too high. Remember Studio 33 isn't cheap to rent.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'Jan 12 2004, 02:50 PM\'] So would you say that Whoopi helped or hurt the show? [/quote]
 In the first couple of seasons, I think she definitely helped. The show brought in respectable ratings, but the show simply got stale, and I wouldn't say it was so much her fault, although I never liked the fact that she was regarded as the "star" of the show. I think the show was losing steam, and they tried to pick it up with the "double or nothing" bonus round. Worthy effort, wrong show.

H2 was a great change of pace, and Henry Winkler showed he could do game shows as well as he did his other TV shows. And I honestly think that the 2 out of 3 format showed what was wrong with the first 5 seasons: the show dragged out way too long. The 2/3 format allowed for decent game rotation, even though there's been some episodes without bonus rounds.

[DrBear]

[quote name=\'Thad Dixon\' date=\'Jan 12 2004, 02:29 PM\']This may be the dumbest question I've asked since we first got here on Invision but, couldn't King World put a clause in those stations' contracts for H2 saying "if the show is renewed for another season, you must and you will keep it where you have it now on your schedule OR ELSE!"?

[/quote]
Whereupon the station would say "oh, we have about 20 other shows that want good time spots and won't be as restrictve. Don't let the door hit you in the Secret Square on the way out." Syndication is a buyer's market; there are always more shows wanting to get on than space available, especially since the WB and UPN were formed.

[quote name=\'Thad Dixon\' date=\'Jan 12 2004, 02:29 PM\']
Last I heard, it was still getting at least a 2.0!  If I were the syndicator and I knew one of my shows was getting that kind of a rating, I would've renewed it!
[/quote] At what price? Doing a dating show on the cheap is one thing, doing one where you're paying nine people five days of AFTRA scale plus Bergeron host pay PLUS a prize budget is another.

[tommycharles]

[quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'Jan 12 2004, 03:41 PM\']

Last I heard, it was still getting at least a 2.0!  If I were the syndicator and I knew one of my shows was getting that kind of a rating, I would've renewed it!

It's the cost v. ratings. I think the cost is too high. Remember Studio 33 isn't cheap to rent. [/quote]
 And you've got 11 on air personalities to pay, and while most of them (I would imagine) get scale, Martin Mull/Tom Bergeron probably aren't cheap, particularly the latter.

I just hope Bergeron finds a vehicle other than AFV when H2 does disappear. I also hope we get a finale show. I've always thought Tom could handle a late night talker fairly well (he even brought it up on his Kilborn appearance not too long ago).

T