Game Show "Channels" On Roku,...Etc... Thread.

[SuperMatch93]

Pluto TV's J! channel will begin showing episodes from Ken Jennings' 75-show run this coming Monday, though it's unclear if all of the shows will be featured.

https://www.tvinsider.com/1100912/ken-jennings-jeopardy-winning-streak-pluto-tv/


JD

There's a few skips along the way, possibly because of audio/video clues that couldn't be cleared.

[Chelsea Thrasher]

Pluto TV's J! channel will begin showing episodes from Ken Jennings' 75-show run this coming Monday, though it's unclear if all of the shows will be featured.

https://www.tvinsider.com/1100912/ken-jennings-jeopardy-winning-streak-pluto-tv/
JD

The episodes are already available on demand, and 66 out of 75 shows from Ken's run are currently present. Given the way Pluto typically operates, this is likely it.

[snowpeck]

Somewhat randomly, the season 10 premiere from 1992 has been added to the Wheel of Fortune on demand offerings on Pluto.

[Chelsea Thrasher]

Somewhat randomly, the season 10 premiere from 1992 has been added to the Wheel of Fortune on demand offerings on Pluto.

There's a subheader on that episode only that says "Vanna's Fashion."  Even if it's a one-off it's cool they uploaded it, but if they're about to dig back into the archives for really the first time for a themed collection, this is going to be super exciting to see.

FWIW, It's the first time an episode from prior to 2002 has turned up anywhere since GSN benched mid 90s episodes at the start of 2010 (13 years ago), and is the oldest episode seen anywhere since the Merv tribute marathon in 2007, 16 years ago. (In fact, until Pluto added a bunch of 2000s weeks a couple months ago, no episode with Charlie announcing had aired anywhere in around a decade.)

[snowpeck]

Now there's eight shows from fall 1987 up, right before the switch to all cash. So this is the first time shopping-era shows have been seen anywhere official (not counting the Merv Griffin tribute marathon) in over two decades.

[nowhammies10]

Adding on to this, #795 is apparently the last ever syndicated shopping episode. The following Monday introduced the Big Month of Cash.

[SuperSweeper]

They added an additional handful of S10 episodes, too - from the first two weeks of the season.

[Casey Buck]

Rolf Benirschke episodes when? /s

In all seriousness, Sony seems to finally be loosening its grip on their back catalog. It almost felt like they were ashamed of their classic library.

FAST and AVOD (ad-supported video on demand) might be the best thing to happen to classic game shows in decades, since the economics work out more favorably than operating a linear cable network like GSN.

It's kind of incredible that 10 or 15 years ago, the idea of watching classic game shows on-demand in an official capacity would have been laughed off as a crazy fantasy.

One unusual thing I noticed about the first Season 5 show (#781) that's up is they took a break right after the first puzzle was solved, had the contestant do her shopping during the commercial break, and had Jack describe them when they came back from the break.

[snowpeck]

25 episodes from seasons 3 and 4 (which never aired on GSN) are up now.

[Chelsea Thrasher]

One unusual thing I noticed about the first Season 5 show (#781) that's up is they took a break right after the first puzzle was solved, had the contestant do her shopping during the commercial break, and had Jack describe them when they came back from the break.

Just skimming the season 5 episodes that have been uploaded and a couple I already had, there are several little tells that they've pretty much already decided what they're about to do - generalizing here; shopping during the break, a round where a contestant wins $200 so they don't even bother and just offer a gift certificate, the last Battle of the Sexes show (and last taped shopping ep) having a big $20K cash prize at the end. At moments, it almost feels like a sneak preview of what's about to happen (without formally committing yet)

[Blanquepage]

25 episodes from seasons 3 and 4 (which never aired on GSN) are up now.

And with this, another "they're lost" rumor put to bed. Frankly I'm not at all missing that other More TV Game Shows channel now. Are we clear that it was to be another channel and not just them adding more to the current catalogs?

[gamed121683]

UPDATE: Christmas is really coming early for Wheel Watchers today as Pluto TV has now added episodes from Seasons 1 and 2.

[BrandonFG]

UPDATE: Christmas is really coming early for Wheel Watchers today as Pluto TV has now added episodes from Seasons 1 and 2.

Be still my beating heart. I don’t think GSN’s shown these in close to 25 years.

[tpirfan28]

There’s also a single random season 12 show available too.
(because we all want to see animated Pat and Vanna crystal-clear.)

[Chelsea Thrasher]

A couple of friends (who are generally in the "like game shows but are a person outside of the genre fandom" category) have introduced their zoomer and (whatever is next) kids/friends to shopping on wheel today via these episodes.  Reactions from the young ones include:

"wtf"
"WHY ARE THEY ONLY GETTING SIX LETTERS for the last puzzle"
"why are they not getting real money this lasted HOW long?"
"okay the ceramic dog thing is funny i guess but what IS THIS!?"
(and even the parents/my friends are very much glued in to "yeah, I can see why this was dropped")

As someone who has never cared for the "shopping" format, their shock has made me feel vindicated and youthful, tbh.  Still, it's GREAT to get to see these.