A network show, an accompanying syndicated show, and a conundrum. Sorta.

[PYLdude]

So I was watching the early CBS Feud episodes tonight and I had this thought going through my head.

Over the years there's been dozens of examples of shows having editions that aired on a network and a concurrent edition for local stations.

In these particular cases, when someone decided to go audition for a program that fit these descriptions, would the searches be conducted separately or would they draw contestants from the same pool? And if you were picked, would you then have the choice of which edition you wanted to play?

[SuperMatch93]

I doubt they'd have let you have the choice of which to play, because then why would anybody pick the $25,000 Pyramid over the $100,000 Pyramid?

[The Pyramids]

Or daytime 'Wheel' over the nighttime show after they went to all cash.

[Matt Ottinger]

I know I've said this before, but when I auditioned for Sale of the Century, the contestant coordinators decided whether they wanted you for the daytime show or for the syndicated show.  You had zero input into that decision. 

When they had the pool of us that they selected for the syndicated version, they implied pretty strongly to us that they chose what they thought would be their better contestants for the syndicated show.  I can sort of see that, since there's more money to be made by the producers if the syndicated show is a success.  Still, it's entirely possible they told their daytime contestants exactly the same thing!

[PYLdude]

Fair points all and much appreciated. I figured it was simple enough but I was all curious just the same.

[colonial]

IIRC, when Barry/Enright had auditions for TJW and TTD, contestants were auditioning for both shows -- they couldn't choose which show they wanted to do.

Those who were tops in testing were invited to compete on TJW, while those "one level down" were invited to play TTD.

JD

[SuperSweeper]

Those who were tops in testing were invited to compete on TJW, while those "one level down" were invited to play TTD.

JD

It wasn't the other way around? TTD seemed to have harder material. Maybe it was a budget-saving move?

[TLEberle]

It wasn't the other way around? TTD seemed to have harder material. Maybe it was a budget-saving move?

I don't find one to be materially harder than the other, but it's interesting that the better contestants are going on the show where lady luck is queen, and the weaker contestants are going on the show where you can stay on for a month at a time and win much more per game.

From what I recall, the daytime and evening editions of Wheel of Fortune were almost exactly alike in terms of wheel layout and the only way you would tell them apart would be the round two goody, $5,000 space, and returning champions or not.

[Jamey Greek]

I wondered about that.  Because in LA Law, when Brackman told CJ that he wanted to go on Wheel of Fortune and her old firm that Pat Sajak as a client, he asked her to hook him up and he ended up on Goen's version.

[Dbacksfan12]

I doubt they'd have let you have the choice of which to play, because then why would anybody pick the $25,000 Pyramid over the $100,000 Pyramid?

It has been years ago since the post was made, but I seem to recall someone saying the better contestants ended up on the nighttime version.  I can't confirm this either, so I'd be happy to be corrected...after 1985 scores on the daytime version went down to the 16-17 point range.

[splinkynip]

Remembering back to 1986 auditions on Wheel of Fortune, if you were from out of the L.A. area, you would call them up and let them know when you will be in the area in the next 18 months. Based on that, they put you on whatever version was scheduled to tape them, if any. (Teens like me had no choice, the nighttime version had no teen weeks then).

My sister made it through auditions in 1989 and was told the same thing. She ended up on the nighttime taped the following August, as that's what was taping at the time. They tell you this on the phone when you call them.

[BillCullen1]

IIRC, when Barry/Enright had auditions for TJW and TTD, contestants were auditioning for both shows -- they couldn't choose which show they wanted to do.

Those who were tops in testing were invited to compete on TJW, while those "one level down" were invited to play TTD.

So Thom McKee was considered to be "one level down."  Interesting.

[BrandonFG]

I wondered about that.  Because in LA Law, when Brackman told CJ that he wanted to go on Wheel of Fortune and her old firm that Pat Sajak as a client, he asked her to hook him up and he ended up on Goen's version.

Wouldn't read too much into that. It's still a work of fiction.

Not disputing Barry & Enright's word, but I too would think it would be the other way around. Joker seemed a little simpler in difficulty...it also seems like it focused more on current events or recent entertainment than Tic Tac Dough or Bullseye. I could be wrong there.

[Nick]

there's more money to be made by the producers if the syndicated show is a success.

Why is that?  And do we have any dollar figures we can peg on the difference between network and syndication to put it into perspective?

[parliboy]

Nick, I don't have numbers, but consider it this way: the market leans in the direction of whichever side is smaller.  If there are more sellers, it's going to be a buyer's market. If there are more buyers, it's going to be a seller's market.

There are a LOT more buyers in syndication.