When the host wears the same outfit every time ...

[Kniwt]

Back in the Good Old Days, game shows used to record (and mostly aired) sequentially. Uncle Bill would mention the day of the week, and hosts would joke about "yesterday," even though we all knew several episodes were recorded at once.

But at some point (in the '00s?), many shows started recording just segments, rearranging them in post-production for maximum dramatic effect. The giveaway usually is that the host wears the exact same outfit in every episode. This originally landed on my radar with the beginning of The Cube, but it's grown considerably since then. And on the just-completed S01 of Limitless Win, the producers clearly arranged contestants so there would be a big win in the first episode, and a dramatic loss in the final episode.

It was nice when nobody knew when a dry spell would end on Whew!, for instance. But I'm sure ratings are a big factor, as shows no longer are given time to breathe and grow -- they have to deliver (key-demographic) viewers, and fast, or it's fabulous parting gifts for the producers.

I'm interested in some discussion of how production/editing has changed to deal with the take-no-prisoners marketplace.

[nowhammies10]

Penn & Teller: Fool Us has Alyson wear the same dress/outfit for all of their filming for a particular season, and the episodes are arranged such that there's usually always one act who fools the title duo on every episode.

[BrandonFG]

I'm interested in some discussion of how production/editing has changed to deal with the take-no-prisoners marketplace.

At some point in the last 20 or so years, a lotta shows stopped recording live on tape. In other words, the taping went in real time with the occasional stopdown or retake. Regardless, one 22-minute episode might take an hour at most to record. Around the time Deal or No Deal premiered on NBC, it seems producers started taking longer and longer and longer to put together an hour-long episode because everything had to be perfect and to a T. The switch in technology to non-linear computer editing makes it even easier to manipulate a show.

I also think the rise in social media plays a role...as a result, shows are more interested in a good blooper. Unfortunately it seems that it rarely happens organically anymore. I know we criticize Family Feud a lot, but the writers go out of their way to get Youtube material quite often. I'm surprised they haven't come out with a "Best of Steve Harvey" compilation video yet.

[Bryce L.]

I'm surprised they haven't come out with a "Best of Steve Harvey" compilation video yet.

Dear God, don't encourage them.

[Casey Buck]

Kirk Fogg wore the same light blue shirt & jeans combo on every Season 2/3 episode of Legends of The Hidden Temple, likely because they pre-taped his entrance.

[Kevin Prather]

And on the just-completed S01 of Limitless Win, the producers clearly arranged contestants so there would be a big win in the first episode, and a dramatic loss in the final episode.

Welp, guess I don't have to watch it now.

[Kniwt]

Welp, guess I don't have to watch it now.

Sorry; just added spoiler tags.

But congrats, really, if you managed to avoid all the chatter about the show. I tried and failed, since just about any search for video invariably returned a gob of British tabloid-y junk journalism about the game, as British tabloid-y junk journalism usually does.

[TimK2003]

I'm surprised they haven't come out with a "Best of Steve Harvey" compilation video yet.

Somewhere on my Roku device, I have seen a channel that touts something along the lines of "Great Moments (their words, not mine) from Harvey Feud".

After seeing that, and then throwing up in my mouth a bit, I distanced myself as far away from this channel as I could.

[MSTieScott]

Conversely, there are prime time shows -- for example, Celebrity Family Feud and Supermarket Sweep -- whose hour-long episodes consist of two unconnected half-hour games. The producers know that they'll be mixing and matching the half hours after the season has finished taping, so they just let the host wear a different outfit every half hour and ignore the continuity "error."

[knagl]

The three episodes of Let's Make a Deal that I (virtually) attended as a potential at-home contestant were all recorded in one day, but each episode aired weeks apart from the others.

I didn't pay close attention to the wardrobes in use, but they could have worn the same outfits for all three episodes and nobody would know the difference since the airdates weren't close to each other.

[SuperMatch93]

Has Pat worn the same black suit and tie for every episode of Celebrity Wheel?

Also, I read somewhere that on Treasure Hunt they were initially going to have Geoff wear black-tie for every episode, but he recognized this as a cost-cutting measure and specifically asked for various colors of tuxes so he could switch up his wardrobe like other hosts.

[aaron sica]

Sorry; just added spoiler tags.

TIL that a quote doesn't remove spoiler tags.

[Neumms]

I read somewhere that on Treasure Hunt they were initially going to have Geoff wear black-tie for every episode, but he recognized this as a cost-cutting measure and specifically asked for various colors of tuxes so he could switch up his wardrobe like other hosts.

I saw that, too. Joe Garagiola wore the same tux everyday on Strike It Rich. Since it looked out of place—as was the title—I figured he was too old or lazy to change between shows.

[trustno1]

I know one show in the UK in which this happens - the show "5 Minutes to A Fortune" has the host (Davina McCall) wore the same outfit for all shows.
She had a different outfit for the Celebrity episodes but it was the same for all episodes of that.

[Jamey Greek]

This past season of Name That Tune Jane wore the same two outfits.