"$100,000 Pyramid" primetime this summer on ABC

[brianhenke]

Bob Stewart and Dick Clark must be smiling up above. This is indeed good news.

I agree (oops, wrong show!)

Brian

[NickintheATL]

In all seriousness, though, it would make the most sense...Strahan's based there, hosts GMA and Live there, and doesn't need to go to SoCal until football season, why not?

Since they are doing a limited run, they are probably going to knock them out in 1 or 2 days, plus rehearsals.  He could go to the west coast just for that long.  So I wouldn't totally rule out Hollywood.

/Although it would be nice if it was in NYC

[jjman920]

This is wonderful news! It certainly deserves another chance. I also hope it's in NYC, but not for any nostalgia reasons, just because it's closer to me and I'd attend a taping in a heartbeat.

Here's hoping the celebrities this time around will be a bit brighter than the GSN version. It was one of the things that turned me off.

With a broadcast network attached, the show being in primetime,and the amount named in the title, that hopefully means the prize in the Winner's Circle won't be attached to the performance in the front game.

[TimK2003]

Here's hoping the celebrities this time around will be a bit brighter than the GSN version. It was one of the things that turned me off.

If those involved with this primetime show, they can easily create a short-list of potentially GOOD celebrities just by watching Celebrity Name Game. 

If they want to make sure NOBODY has a chance at the $100K, here's one CNG'er to consider:  http://www-scf.usc.edu/~younghaw/graphic2.jpg

[TLEberle]

😄 I thought the GSN revival did a decent job of modernizing without destroying the stuff that makes Pyramid the perfect game show format. They also had a few really good celebrity players and several decent ones.

I agree and disagree on the celebrity partner casting, but having watched the reruns daily for several months I think that the GSN version misses out on the ebb and flow of a whole week of competition. (I came up with it yesterday: the show could have had the four winners from Monday-Thursday back on Friday to compete for $25,000 one last time to cap off the week) Having standalone episodes takes away lots of the charm for me.

[tpirfan28]

I don't think they've all been confirmed yet, but ABC could have quite the games lineup this summer - Pyramid, 500 Questions, Celebrity Feud, and To Tell The Truth (plus Battlebots, if you consider it a "game").

Cautiously optimistic.

[colonial]

According to Deadline, Strahan Pyramid will tape in NYC (end of article, which also discusses renewal of CFF) ...

http://deadline.com/2016/01/celebrity-family-feud-renewed-season-2-steve-harvey-pyramid-michael-strahan-abc-1201679003/


JD

[BillCullen1]

Since I live in NYC, I will try to get tickets for this. I would love to see this latest version in person.

[That Don Guy]

I'm wondering if it'll be an hour or half-hour; if it goes an hour how will they format it? (If it's an hour I'm guessing 4 players per show; either 2 qualifying rounds with a 25K WC, winners play a championship round for a shot at a 100K WC, or one ep is two separate games, two rounds per game with 25K WC for one trip and 100K if you win both rounds). A lot of this is counter-programming I suspect- it is an Olympic year for NBC, and CBS has Big Brother (though CFF did hurt it a little on Sundays).

I doubt they would put anything new directly against Olympics coverage; Fox even ran reruns of So You Think You Can Dance? for two weeks in 2012 against them (then again, the viewership is an important part of that show, as it decides who stays and who goes).

As for how it would work, my first thought was your first idea; the only problem is, there would only be time for 2 rounds per player in the head-to-head sections.

[Tony Peters]

I'll certainly check out the premiere and see how it goes (with my avatar, how could I not? ).

[Jeremy Nelson]

I'm wondering if it'll be an hour or half-hour; if it goes an hour how will they format it? (If it's an hour I'm guessing 4 players per show; either 2 qualifying rounds with a 25K WC, winners play a championship round for a shot at a 100K WC, or one ep is two separate games, two rounds per game with 25K WC for one trip and 100K if you win both rounds). A lot of this is counter-programming I suspect- it is an Olympic year for NBC, and CBS has Big Brother (though CFF did hurt it a little on Sundays).

As for how it would work, my first thought was your first idea; the only problem is, there would only be time for 2 rounds per player in the head-to-head sections.

I'd love to see the daily tournament format for the first 8 eps, with those winners getting to come back for the final 2 eps for the shot at $100K.

The mistake they need not make is having celebs who are so bad that they can't play the game properly- if I recall, someone here mentioned that the GSN version had to reshoot eps/retrain the celebs because they were so bad. Get people who know the game and would be excited to play. They don't need to be Billy Crystal/Vicki Lawrence caliber at the game, but they needn't be a major factor in why a contestant loses either.

[jimlangefan]

Here's a question I've always had.  Did they audition celebs for '70s and '80s Pyramid (not as rigorous as the contestants, but have them rehearse a few games and see how they do) or did they just book them and hope for the best?  There weren't too many rookies on Clark's $100K Pyramid from what I've seen.

[GSFan]

Here's a question I've always had.  Did they audition celebs for '70s and '80s Pyramid (not as rigorous as the contestants, but have them rehearse a few games and see how they do) or did they just book them and hope for the best?  There weren't too many rookies on Clark's $100K Pyramid from what I've seen.

As I recall, celebrities were not auditioned thought they did rehearse, playing the game prior to the start of taping.   Some celebrities were not invited back following their one appearance on the show.  Shelley Winters played a week opposite Jack Carter in the summer of 1973.  She lost every game. 

[JasonA1]

Here's a question I've always had.  Did they audition celebs for '70s and '80s Pyramid (not as rigorous as the contestants, but have them rehearse a few games and see how they do) or did they just book them and hope for the best?  There weren't too many rookies on Clark's $100K Pyramid from what I've seen.

I don't know if it went for all celebrities in every run, but it did happen. I've heard a couple of the 80s regulars discuss having an informal meeting with a couple producers to play some material and see how they did. I doubt, for example, Gladys Knight & Smokey Robinson had to audition and weren't going to be booked based on how they played, but they always had lighter material to give anybody "new."

-Jason

[Jeremy Nelson]

Here's a question I've always had.  Did they audition celebs for '70s and '80s Pyramid (not as rigorous as the contestants, but have them rehearse a few games and see how they do) or did they just book them and hope for the best?  There weren't too many rookies on Clark's $100K Pyramid from what I've seen.

I don't know if it went for all celebrities in every run, but it did happen. I've heard a couple of the 80s regulars discuss having an informal meeting with a couple producers to play some material and see how they did. I doubt, for example, Gladys Knight & Smokey Robinson had to audition and weren't going to be booked based on how they played, but they always had lighter material to give anybody "new."

-Jason

The beauty of the 80s version was that you could use the daytime version as a farm team of sorts to decide who would be suitable for the $100K Pyramid

Jackee was notably bad and only did a week, but I recall Tom Poston being no better and getting invited back to play another time or two.