Today's LC Marathon

[bandit_bobby]

I am just watching a few episodes of LC today, and I notice the music back in 1988 was synthesized rather than the jazzy one in the 1990s.

[DJDustman]

It's a neat little theme.  I am guessing they are showing only from the year of 1988?

[Brandon Brooks]

[quote name=\'bandit_bobby\' date=\'Feb 14 2004, 09:48 AM\'] I am just watching a few episodes of LC today, and I notice the music back in 1988 was synthesized rather than the jazzy one in the 1990s. [/quote]
 Oh, yeah.  The '86 theme is the one I personally remember.  The '93 one sounded off.

Brandon Brooks

[Starkman]

looks like they only purchased the 88-89 season, shame, but not suprising, The looks on the promos looked like earlier selected eps. The dancing hearts open is the worst though. Forgot how cheesy it was. Still miss the slot machine open.

Be happy at least it's not bullard's version :-P

[zachhoran]

Johnny Gilbert announced the 1988-89 season of LC IIRC(this was the earliest season of shows USA showed when they reran LC as part of USA Live). This season was also the last to have end of show fee plugs, which no doubt are either edited out for commercials or shown during a split-screen promo. USA cut out the fee plugs too.

[catnap1972]

Did John Cervenka take over during 88-89 (9pm episode had him announcing)?

[PeterMarshallFan]

These eps are better than the ones from the 90s for some reason. I just can't put my finger on why though.

I will say that I like the synthesized theme though.

[catnap1972]

[quote name=\'PeterMarshallFan\' date=\'Feb 14 2004, 09:08 PM\'] These eps are better than the ones from the 90s for some reason. I just can't put my finger on why though.

I will say that I like the synthesized theme though. [/quote]
The set is brighter for one thing.  Why did they ever go to that dark purple and pink later on?

BTW, looks like they might've leased at least part of the '89-90 season as well this time around.

[Starkman]

Well for one, the comedic element of bad dates seemed to come out more in the 80s, in the 90s eps and Bullard's version the emphisis was more on the talk show concept (as evidenced by the people first open), while the 80s eps seem to make it more of a trial and error comedy where the focus is on the choice and audience vote, not the people themselves. Chuch also seems more involved in the 80s, he looked stiff during the 90s eps.

[gamed121683]

I watched a good majority of this marathon and liked it. One poster said that "Chuck was a bit more stiff in the 90's shows then the 80's?" how so? I didn't notice anything offbeat. Also, the theme song. Yes also put me down for the synthezized 80's theme being better than that jazzy 90's theme. I don't know, it just fits better. A cheesy theme (although a good one) for a cheesy show. I too can't put my finger on why the show was really on top of its game round the late 80's. Maybe bad dates and 80's go hand in hand?

-Any other guesses?

[JasonA1]

Agreed with Starkman. The whole show seemed like it was being mass produced by 1991 and everything was going through the motions. Chuck comes out, acknowledges the audience for the same amount of time each show, does the sweeping hand gesture to cue the camera switch and goes through the intro. At least in the older ones there was some variance in that. But then again, all eps. of LC run together. :)

-Jason

[CaseyAbell]

I noticed no difference in quality at all between the 1980s shows and the 1991-92 shows...except the 1980s animated intro was an intentional embarrassment. I also liked the jazzier music on the 1991-92 shows.

Chuck seemed just as involved on either set of shows. That's not surprising. His great strength was always contestant interaction rather than game show bookkeeping, and Love Connection required almost none of the latter. No wonder he named Love Connection on Naturally Stoned as his favorite show.

As for bad date comedy, there was plenty on both sets of shows.

[ChuckNet]

Johnny Gilbert announced the 1988-89 season of LC IIRC(this was the earliest season of shows USA showed when they reran LC as part of USA Live). This season was also the last to have end of show fee plugs, which no doubt are either edited out for commercials or shown during a split-screen promo. USA cut out the fee plugs too.

They also reduced the credits to a semi-visible view on a studio monitor so they could get more mindless chit-chat in.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")