More Concentration!

[chargeradiocom]

BUZZR may not be top-tier in ratings, but it's a niche network with a loyal audience. I'm noticing a lot more actual commercials lately (as opposed to pay-per-response spots), which is an indicator that there are more eyeballs are on the network, & advertisers see value in them. (I'm just talking about the straight feed, not the inserted Pluto TV ads--though apparently BUZZR gets a cut from those too.) So it seems BUZZR is doing exactly what it was created to do--make a little money off Fremantle's large classic game show library.

As for the Concentration build-up, this is a show that, to my knowledge, hasn't aired anywhere in 40 years, so it's "new" content to many of us. Even many of the YouTubers & tape traders have limited exposure to it. So BUZZR is pushing it hard as a new show. They know their audience & are engaging it.

Anyway that's my $.02.

[Bryce L.]

The only "meh" thing is it comes at LMaD' expense. It's my fav on BUZZR right now. I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

Nothing "meh" about it. Per a comment on Twitter, LMAD moves to 8:30pm.

[weaklink75]

Maybe the schedules for the intervening weeks are already set in stone?

They may well be, considering everything up through 6 am on the 30th has already been published on the website.

It might be a rights issue (does NBC still have them?)- the contract might start on the Monday of the week containing April 1st...

[JakeT]

From the standpoint of attracting casual viewers, I am a bit puzzled about the 7:30 timeslot. I’d think they’d want to put the more familiar Trebek-hosted version in a prime viewing slot. (I’m a bit surprised they haven’t put Trebek CC somewhere between 7:00 & 11:00 Eastern already—though I understand if they can’t/don’t want to run it against new episodes of Trebek’s far more familiar show, which would be happening in some markets almost anywhere in that timeframe.) It concerns me a bit that casual viewers will see 70’s Concentration as a downgrade from Trebek CC and walk. Although, being a lesser known, less well-regarded version in its franchise(s) hasn’t seemed to hurt this Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour run. (And to the extent that social media is an indicator, the response to the Concentration announcement seems to be much more positive so far.)

I honestly think you're selling the 70's version short...first, BUZZR skews older so, believe it or not, the Narz version may well be the more familiar of the two versions...while the Trebek version was network, it failed to get clearance in some major markets during different periods of its run...plus, by the time it premiered, game shows were on the decline...the Narz version aired during the glorious game show heydays...

As for the "casual viewers", I have CC airing at my place of employment (that dare not speaketh its name) on a 50" monitor on Saturday afternoons...the most attention it ever seems to get is "boy, Trebek sure was young there...." and then they move on...on the other hand, people seem to stop and watch when something older is on...CC simply wasn't that visually interesting in spite of the "newer" technology...the 70s version is a cornucopia for the senses...the moving trilons, the thumpity-thump sounds, the 70s color schemes...it just begs to be watched...

I think BUZZR knows exactly what they're doing by putting it in that time slot...

BTW, very happy to see that LMaD is moving into the later spot because, in spite of popular opinion, I can't stand "Supermarket Sweep"...

JakeT

[chrisholland03]

I giggle each time that Marjorie Goodson's wardrobe is provided by Ginger Bort. 

[aaron sica]

I giggle each time that Marjorie Goodson's wardrobe is provided by Ginger Bort. 

That reminds me of this:

[Clay Zambo]

...the 70s version is a cornucopia for the senses...the moving trilons, the thumpity-thump sounds, the 70s color schemes...it just begs to be watched...

And HEARD. That music package is so interesting and diverse! It wasn’t until I heard the cues in the clear on TVPMM that I recognized that most of what I know about Theme and Variations I learned from Concentration.

[Tim L]

Loving that Concentration is on the schedule.  Supermarket Sweep is one of the few Buzzr shows I cant get into. 

[Ian Wallis]

...the 70s version is a cornucopia for the senses...the moving trilons, the thumpity-thump sounds, the 70s color schemes...it just begs to be watched...

And HEARD. That music package is so interesting and diverse! It wasn’t until I heard the cues in the clear on TVPMM that I recognized that most of what I know about Theme and Variations I learned from Concentration.

Agreed on that.  While each decade had a number of really good game show themes, I always thought the '70s were the best decade of all for game show music.

[chrisholland03]

Last night's ep was great!  It felt like Jack Narz was in his element and loved the cheeky quips he made along the way.  My favorite was his quip about 'Name that Tune' and 'that guy with the funny name'

[calliaume]

Agreed on that.  While each decade had a number of really good game show themes, I always thought the '70s were the best decade of all for game show music.

Seconded. The 1980s started out okay, but eventually became nothing but tuneless synth music.

I'm predisposed toward the show anyway, but I always thought The Money Maze had a great music package (which only exists on YouTube in a short promo). The tunes were repurposed for two other shows by different production companies: The Guinness Game, of course, but also Match Game used one of the themes as think music for a very short time (presumably somebody recognized it).

[Eric Paddon]

Tonight's show is the debut of the "Free Look" space.   And Jack makes a goof that has to be corrected later.

[Mike Tennant]

And Jack makes a goof that has to be corrected later.

But was it Jack's goof or a producer's goof? Someone offstage seems to have told Jack he'd missed a Take, so he then had the contestant exercise it. During the break, they must have reconsidered and reviewed the tape and realized he hadn't missed one, so they returned the gift to the other contestant.

[BrandonFG]

Like most people, my evening job has me working from home for at least the rest of the semester. At 7:30 p.m., I should probably spend my time watching Jeopardy!, but instead Concentration has my attention. The only other show I can remember that became "appointment television" was Monty's Split Second.

There's a car cue that Concentration and TPiR used for years. I dunno how it took me so long to catch that it's a rendition of the Concentration theme.

/Still partial to CC's car game over the Double Play
//It's a generational thing

[Mr. Matté]

Are a lot of the second Double Play puzzles like 2000s Wheel of Fortune puzzles written like a sentence (e.g. "The Hatfields battled the McCoys," "Magellan was an explorer," "Jupiter is the largest planet")?