Alternate Timeline: Jack Barry's heart attack is not fatal

[BrandonFG]

TJW was on a slow decline anyway. The writing was on the wall even before Barry's death.

Some numbers from May 1984 in Variety shows it was only being seen in 62 markets, compared to 110 for Wheel, 139 for Feud and even 90 for TTD. As far as ratings, TJW was pulling in a 4.8 compared to Wheel's massive 12.3, Feud's 9.6 and TTD's 5.7.

I found the thread in question that included what I found in the World Almanacs. By the November 1984 sweeps, both Joker and Tic Tac fell out of the Top 20. Interestingly enough, Feud remained a Top 5 show.

Also in that thread, you linked to another Variety article from April 1985. By that point, TJW plummeted to the bottom of the pack, and lost nearly another two dozen markets. I'm genuinely surprised that and TTD (62 markets at that point) made it to the next season.

[chrisholland03]

While we're on the subject, something I've wondered for a while was why TJW and TTD 90 were produced/distributed by different companies. Joker reverted to being a Jack Barry Production, in association with Kline and Friends, dist. by Orbis. Meanwhile Tic Tac remained a B&E Production, but dist. by ITC. Was it a rights issue, or was Dan Enright simply not interested in taking on both shows?

Semi-factual speculation:  Wasn't Joker wholly owned by Jack Barry?

[Jamey Greek]

"Divorce Court" was a go before Jack Barry died, so Jim Peck would have been unavailable.  Ronnie Greenberg could probably confirm (if he still checks the forum).  As far as the show with Barry, our local station moved it from prime access to 4pm in the 83 season, to make room for WOF.  Maybe a couple more years; same as it did with Bill.

Jim would not join Divorce Court until September 1986 so TJW would have still been canned in 1986 making him available to do Divorce Court.

[Ian Wallis]

Also in that thread, you linked to another Variety article from April 1985. By that point, TJW plummeted to the bottom of the pack, and lost nearly another two dozen markets. I'm genuinely surprised that and TTD (62 markets at that point) made it to the next season.

Personally, I always liked Joker's Wild better than Tic Tac Dough, but it appears I'm in the minority.  Pretty well all the ratings reports I've seen rank TTD over JW.

[Winkfan]

Jim would not join Divorce Court until September 1986 so TJW would have still been canned in 1986 making him available to do Divorce Court.

Wrong! The 1980s version of Divorce Court actually got re-launched in 1984; same season that Cullen took over TJW.

Cordially,
Tammy

[Jimmy Owen]

Jim would not join Divorce Court until September 1986 so TJW would have still been canned in 1986 making him available to do Divorce Court.

Wrong! The 1980s version of Divorce Court actually got re-launched in 1984; same season that Cullen took over TJW.

Cordially,
Tammy

I agree with Tammy.  Another thing to remember is that if your local market didnt clear TJW, you could stll see it on USA or WOR on cable.

[Kniwt]

If this happened, and it only sidelined him for a short time, how much longer would "The Joker's Wild" have lasted?

Aware that TJW's ratings were in possibly-fatal decline, he opened the 1984-1985 season with a blockbuster: A one-week, million-dollar, winner-take-all tournament between ... Van Doren and Stempel. Ratings skyrocketed, syndicated Wheel was decimated. To this day, TJW remains must-see daily viewing with its host since 2008, Maury Povich.

I'll show myself out.