Shaq to co-host new game show for ABC

[colonial]

https://deadline.com/2024/05/shaquille-oneal-gina-rodriguez-abc-lucky-13-kevin-bacon-1235903385/

Hoops legend Shaquille O'Neal joins "Jane the Virgin" actress Gina Rodriguez in hosting "Lucky 13," a new game show from Studio 1 (which includes part of the creative team behind the original WWTBAM) and executive producer Kevin Bacon, which will premiere on ABC this summer.

Contestants will answer 13 true-or-false questions with a twist -- per the report, it's how well they predict how many questions they got right that could lead them to win up to a million dollars.

IIRC, the format was announced a year or two ago with plans for Bacon to also host, but the show hadn't hit pilot stage at that point.


JD

[Neumms]

The idea is promising but geez, Shaq?

[colonial]

Easier to put it here, instead of creating new threads.

https://deadline.com/2024/05/abc-summer-premiere-dates-the-bachelorette-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-renewed-1235903812/

ABC's summer schedule will include ...

-- New seasons of Celebrity FF on Tuesdays (including the "50 Years of Feud" special); and PYL on Thursdays.
-- "Lucky 13" with Shaq and Gina will air after PYL on Thursdays.
-- In a bit of a surprise, WWTBAM returns on Wednesdays with pairs of celebrities competing to win up to $1M for charity. Yes, the show celebrates its 25th anniversary this summer but ... this is the best idea ABC could come up with?

No sign of The Chase (Victoria Groce mentioned in an interview promoting the J! Invitational several weeks ago that the show has "neither been canceled nor renewed") and, in a bit of a surprise, Pyramid.


JD

[BrandonFG]

-- New seasons of Celebrity FF on Tuesdays (including the "50 Years of Feud" special)

Anyone else have to do the math on how we're approaching a half-century of Feud?

[snowpeck]

Easier to put it here, then to create new threads.

https://deadline.com/2024/05/abc-summer-premiere-dates-the-bachelorette-who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-renewed-1235903812/

ABC's summer schedule will include ...

-- New seasons of Celebrity FF on Tuesdays (including the "50 Years of Feud" special); and PYL on Thursdays.
-- "Lucky 13" with Shaq and Gina will air after PYL on Thursdays.
-- In a bit of a surprise, WWTBAM returns on Wednesdays with pairs of celebrities competing to win up to $1M. Yes, the show celebrates its 25th anniversary this summer but ... this is the best idea ABC could come up with?

No sign of The Chase (Victoria Groce mentioned in an interview promoting the J! Invitational several weeks ago that the show has "neither been canceled nor renewed") and, in a bit of a surprise, Pyramid.


JD

Finally that Feud special is airing. Nick and I were in the audience for that almost a year ago. It should be pretty good - every U.S. version of the show was represented in what we saw (even the Al Roker one). They also shot a second special that day that was nothing but Steve Harvey clips. Guess they're saving that one still?

[Kevin Prather]

-- In a bit of a surprise, WWTBAM returns on Wednesdays with pairs of celebrities competing to win up to $1M for charity. Yes, the show celebrates its 25th anniversary this summer but ... this is the best idea ABC could come up with?

For as good of a job as they've done with all the game show reboots in the last ten years, ABC remains unbelievably obstinate when it comes to Millionaire. They really don't think it can be played by civilians, do they?

[BrandonFG]

For as good of a job as they've done with all the game show reboots in the last ten years, ABC remains unbelievably obstinate when it comes to Millionaire. They really don't think it can be played by civilians, do they?

You would think they would've learned in 2002...

/Super Millionaire and the 10th Anniversary special was fun
//In spite of Patricia Heaton not being able to do math

[TimK2003]

-- In a bit of a surprise, WWTBAM returns on Wednesdays with pairs of celebrities competing to win up to $1M for charity. Yes, the show celebrates its 25th anniversary this summer but ... this is the best idea ABC could come up with?

For as good of a job as they've done with all the game show reboots in the last ten years, ABC remains unbelievably obstinate when it comes to Millionaire. They really don't think it can be played by civilians, do they?

Yet the original version is still my favorite because the contestant selection process was pretty much random -- as long as you got past the phone tests and pony up the money for the phone calls.  Real.  Genuine.  Personalities.

No boatloads of out--of-work wannabe actors, specific  demographics and people required to drink a 4-pack of Red Bull 30 minutes prior to taping.

[Neumms]

Trying to look at this as an exec might, promoting a phone line to round up contestants and running it every day for two weeks would be an infinitely bigger draw than dragging in celebs, especially when ABC does so much of that. It just sounds lazy. To differentiate it from the tired syndicated version, they could somehow guarantee a million-dollar winner. If they still bother with counter-programming, it’d be worth a shot against the Olympics.

[JasonA1]

Yet the original version is still my favorite because the contestant selection process was pretty much random -- as long as you got past the phone tests and pony up the money for the phone calls.  Real.  Genuine.  Personalities.

There's a more difficult toothpaste to put back in the tube, though, regarding civilians. The amounts of money at play were novel in 1999, and people's opportunity for exposure and fame were far less. With the growth of social media, more and more people are comfortable being a version of themselves that's turned up to 11, regardless of how they're being produced. Even if the process for regular contestants were to become more like the original, I think culture has shifted so much, you wouldn't notice as big a difference as you're hoping for.

That said, Neumms actually framed it the right way for me. If you lean into the phone game (or its 2024 technological equivalent), it could very well increase engagement and interest for the audience.

-Jason

[Joe Mello]

I've assumed that it's cheaper for a game show to give a donation to charity than it is to give the same amount as a cash prize to a civilian (because taxes), and whatever cost comes with booking celebrities still doesn't make it the worse option.

[TLEberle]

To differentiate it from the tired syndicated version,

Picking this out because you have a reputation and history, when would you have put the daily version out to stud? I know several people who won money in the latter half of the run of engagement, and you have lots of people who were earning a salary from the show.

There's more going on than just the final product we see.

[steveleb]

By the time the syndicated version with Chris was winding down Disney was no longer able to even get the abc stations to carry the show in daytime.  Ratings had deteriorated to roughly a 1.  And no matter how much efficiency Vegas offered, and with negligible interest from GSN (I personally tried to license syndicated repeats but was overruled) , it simply didn’t make sense.

As far as the primetime reboot—remember the show that opened the spigots was (and is) Celebrity Feud.  The network gives Rob the real estate because they love to promote their talent and shows where possible.  There was truly no evidence that anyone but hard core game geeks would watch Millionaire for normies in prime time.  It is now Sony’s baby—Disney is no longer an active distributor of current episodes—and they’re not about to push for something other than a layup order.

And for those of you who question Shaq—michael Strahan actually studied the craft and iMHO is excellent at Pyramid.  Shaq has done a similar format live sports adjacency for over a decade.  He’s damn good himself.  I honestly question why people feel they can prejudge anyone sight unseen in a role and immediately reject anything that doesn’t involve bringing back someone in their 70s, 80s or even older who is barely remembered by anyone other than this forum’s more active members.

I’ve also heard some great stuff about Gina from people who have worked with her, too.  Perhaps she’ll be able to carry them both.

Most importantly, some truly excellent people are behind the scenes.  A few actually helped Strahan become as good as he is.

Maybe you give these pros the chance to actually do their jobs before you pass judgement?

[TLEberle]

I have no problem with Shaq as a host or presenter or comedic foil. Wasn't there a show by the name "Shaq Vs." at some point? Given how many athletes transition from the field of play to the TV side it is no longer surprising.

I'm curious what the evidence about how people won't watch regular folks play Millionaire. Were figures that easy to slice and dice?

One thing that I think ABC is missing is the utility of money. When David Duchovny was wrong on his $500,000 question he likely could have made up the difference if it was really important to him. It might have been several years but could be done. GSN just did the Top of the Charts block of shows and there were lots of folks who were past their prime and I'm sure the charities were important to them, but the charity wasn't front of mind for at least this viewer, it was each question as it came up on screen.

Go back and watch night two of Super Millionaire. Robert Essig comes off as a regular joe who is happy to be there. Watch as Regis says "and here's a check for $100,000." His demeanor changes. Each new level brings more elation as the money unlocks more opportunities. There are episodes of Debt where just winning a comparatively tiny few thousand dollars means wiping out a huge millstone around the neck of the winner, and the double payoff actually having that cushion to start over in a way.

Deal or No Deal certainly overplayed what the money meant, and the "what will you do if you win the $50,000" has become so trite that it is pro forma, but money is fungible and it has meaning for people.  For me, I knew I was unlikely to get on unless I really buckled down and practiced the phone game, and for all of the middle aged white guys on parade, lots of them were married and had kids, and even $32,000 of found money would be useful.

Lots of other shows are able to have regular people come in, play a game and win some stuff and then they are swept into the annals of TV history. Seeing someone win for the Salvation Army or March of Dimes just isn't the same.

[Loogaroo]

Let's just make all game shows celebrity only then since nobody cares about regular people winning money anymore.