Author Topic: Confirmed: Squares is canceled (Read 5983 times)

dzinkin · « **on:** January 15, 2004, 04:19:41 PM »

Hollywood Squares Boxed Out
By Paige Albiniak
Broadcasting & Cable, 1/15/2004 1:55:00 PM

King World Productions’ Hollywood Squares has not been renewed, and the show will go off the air after this season, King World confirmed Wednesday.

The writing has been on the wall for Hollywood Squares ever since Paramount—also owned by King World parent company, Viacom—announced it had a deal with seven CBS owned-and-operated stations to air The Insider in the game show’s access time periods. King World had hoped it could sell the show to other stations or clear it in other time slots.

King World's low-rated Living it Up! With Ali & Jack, is not going off the air imminently, the syndicator said, but the show has hired Maureen FitzPatrick to be the new executive producer, replacing Bruce McKay. King World also has hired a new supervising producer, Cordelia Bowe.

Going into NATPE, which starts this Sunday in Las Vegas, Sony’s Pyramid and Ricki Lake and Warner Bros.’ The Sharon Osbourne Show all are on the fence.

Pyramid will kick off February sweeps with a guest appearance on NBC’s Friends, scheduled to air on Feb. 5. The game show has a big sweeps planned, with stars to appear including former favorite TV personalities, soap opera stars, celebrity couples and cast members from Trading Spaces.

********************

I expect that B&C will be getting a letter in boldface, italicized, underlined, 50-point type soon. And that's all I'll say for now. :-D

- David

calliaume · « **Reply #1 on:** January 15, 2004, 04:25:21 PM »

[quote name=\'dzinkin\' date=\'Jan 15 2004, 04:19 PM\'] Hollywood Squares Boxed Out
By Paige Albiniak
Broadcasting & Cable, 1/15/2004 1:55:00 PM

King World Productions’ Hollywood Squares has not been renewed, and the show will go off the air after this season, King World confirmed Wednesday.

The writing has been on the wall for Hollywood Squares ever since Paramount—also owned by King World parent company, Viacom—announced it had a deal with seven CBS owned-and-operated stations to air The Insider in the game show’s access time periods. King World had hoped it could sell the show to other stations or clear it in other time slots.

King World's low-rated Living it Up! With Ali & Jack, is not going off the air imminently, the syndicator said, but the show has hired Maureen FitzPatrick to be the new executive producer, replacing Bruce McKay. King World also has hired a new supervising producer, Cordelia Bowe.

Going into NATPE, which starts this Sunday in Las Vegas, Sony’s Pyramid and Ricki Lake and Warner Bros.’ The Sharon Osbourne Show all are on the fence.

Pyramid will kick off February sweeps with a guest appearance on NBC’s Friends, scheduled to air on Feb. 5. The game show has a big sweeps planned, with stars to appear including former favorite TV personalities, soap opera stars, celebrity couples and cast members from Trading Spaces.
[/quote]
Really, I don't think any of us should be terribly shocked -- the writing had been on the wall all year, and I doubt King World was making much money on the show this year. At least they got two more years post-Whoopi.

Still shocked by Sony's decision to dump Pyramid -- I would think maybe the Friends thing would help out ratings. The writers on that show have always had a knack for parodying quiz shows (anyone remember the trivia contest over the apartments? Bamboozle?), so the episode could be a hoot and a good promo piece.

Geez, how long has Ricki Lake been on? 11 years? 12? Before she was born?

BrandonFG · « **Reply #2 on:** January 15, 2004, 04:26:27 PM »

[quote name=\'dzinkin\' date=\'Jan 15 2004, 04:19 PM\'] Sony’s Pyramid and Ricki Lake and Warner Bros.’ The Sharon Osbourne Show all are on the fence.

Pyramid will kick off February sweeps with a guest appearance on NBC’s Friends, scheduled to air on Feb. 5. The game show has a big sweeps planned, with stars to appear including former favorite TV personalities, soap opera stars, celebrity couples and cast members from Trading Spaces.
[/quote]
I'm assuming this article was actually written before word broke out, judging by the "on the fence" statement.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #3 on:** January 15, 2004, 04:27:01 PM »

With the demise of the two strips, do you think there is a possibility that a syndicator could announce a surprise game show candidate at NATPE?

aaron sica · « **Reply #4 on:** January 15, 2004, 05:12:24 PM »

[quote name=\'calliaume\' date=\'Jan 15 2004, 04:25 PM\'] Geez, how long has Ricki Lake been on? 11 years? 12? Before she was born? [/quote]
Ricki has been on since the fall of '93. How she survived this long, I have no idea.

ilb4ever2000 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 16, 2004, 12:38:15 AM »

Quote

Ricki has been on since the fall of '93. How she survived this long, I have no idea.

And just how many years has it been "on the fence"?

Track Man 876 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 16, 2004, 12:47:23 AM »

That's too bad. I'm going to miss Hollywood Squares. It was fun while it lasted. Even though Tom Bergeron is still doing America's Funniest Home Videos, I wonder if he's going to do any more game shows.

Winkfan · « **Reply #7 on:** January 16, 2004, 01:02:29 AM »

Quote from: Track Man 876 on January 16, 2004, 12:47:23 AM

Even though Tom Bergeron is still doing America's Funniest Home Videos, I wonder if he's going to do any more game shows.

I wouldn't bet on it. I'm certain that 'Tommykins' has other career venues in his future. After all, Johnny Carson, Mike Wallace, and even Jim McKay among others, were hosting game shows early in their careers; and look how much they've accomplished since those times! So, maybe the same thing could happen to Monsoiur Bergeron as well! And I wish him all the best!

Cordially,
Tammy Warner--the 'Anita Gillette of the Big Board!

Brandon Brooks · « **Reply #8 on:** January 16, 2004, 02:58:31 AM »

[quote name=\'Track Man 876\' date=\'Jan 16 2004, 12:47 AM\'] That's too bad. I'm going to miss Hollywood Squares. It was fun while it lasted. Even though Tom Bergeron is still doing America's Funniest Home Videos, I wonder if he's going to do any more game shows. [/quote]
Oh. My. God.

Your name looks familiar. You joined last June. You figure out the answer.

However, I do concede that time will only tell.

Brandon Brooks

uncamark · « **Reply #9 on:** January 16, 2004, 11:45:30 AM »

[quote name=\'ilb4ever2000\' date=\'Jan 16 2004, 12:38 AM\']

Quote

Ricki has been on since the fall of '93. How she survived this long, I have no idea.

And just how many years has it been "on the fence"?[/quote]
At least two or three years--she and Frank Nicotero have dodged a lot of bullets in recent years.

It would seem to me that she would want to try to salvage her wrecked acting career (and we forget that she was a pretty good actress), she would want to get out of the talk show as soon as she could. Look at Jenny Jones' non-existent career now that her talk show is gone.

ObGameShow: Ricki did this last incarnation of "Squares," didn't she?

BrandonFG · « **Reply #10 on:** January 16, 2004, 11:51:29 AM »

[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Jan 16 2004, 11:45 AM\'] [quote name=\'ilb4ever2000\' date=\'Jan 16 2004, 12:38 AM\']

Quote

Ricki has been on since the fall of '93. How she survived this long, I have no idea.

And just how many years has it been "on the fence"?[/quote]
At least two or three years--she and Frank Nicotero have dodged a lot of bullets in recent years.

It would seem to me that she would want to try to salvage her wrecked acting career (and we forget that she was a pretty good actress), she would want to get out of the talk show as soon as she could. Look at Jenny Jones' non-existent career now that her talk show is gone.

ObGameShow: Ricki did this last incarnation of "Squares," didn't she? [/quote]
I think she did, but I know she did Pyramid last year.

bricon · « **Reply #11 on:** January 16, 2004, 02:46:24 PM »

Quote

ObGameShow: Ricki did this last incarnation of "Squares," didn't she?

Several times, yes. Sweet lady.

Don Howard · « **Reply #12 on:** January 16, 2004, 08:26:09 PM »

[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Jan 16 2004, 11:45 AM\'] Look at Jenny Jones' non-existent career now that her talk show is gone.

[/quote]
I had plum forgotten all about the lady whose talk show resulted in a murder until I read your post one minute ago. Which proves your point about how she's just vanished--and it's no loss.

TimK2003 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 16, 2004, 08:56:24 PM »

[quote name=\'dzinkin\' date=\'Jan 15 2004, 04:19 PM\']
Going into NATPE, which starts this Sunday in Las Vegas, Sony’s Pyramid and Ricki Lake and Warner Bros.’ The Sharon Osbourne Show all are on the fence.

[/quote]
More than likely, it's because of the lackluster ratings, but I wonder if Sharon herself is the one who'll make the ultimate decision to stay or go, given what has happened with the Blizzard of Oz lately...

ChuckNet · « **Reply #14 on:** January 17, 2004, 05:42:48 PM »

Quote

I had plum forgotten all about the lady whose talk show resulted in a murder until I read your post one minute ago. Which proves your point about how she's just vanished--and it's no loss.

Indeed. :-) And to her few remaining fans, at least her show got 1 more year after that 11th-hr. deal w/the Tribune station group for the 02-03 season...personally, I think she should've ended it after the Scott Amedure murder 9 yrs ago, but oh well...

ObGameShow: Jenny was a contestant on MG, TPiR, and PYL.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")