Cable network game shows

[bulldog_06]

We have seen some very successful cable network game shows like Supermarket Sweep, Top Card, Fandango, and others. But would cable games do well in syndication?

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'bulldog_06\' date=\'Mar 31 2004, 10:18 PM\'] We have seen some very successful cable network game shows like Supermarket Sweep, Top Card, Fandango, and others. But would cable games do well in syndication? [/quote]
 Those cable game shows that jumped into syndication all crashed and burned. The only modest success was Double Dare(Nick), which ran 18 months in syndication. Remote Control and Finders Keepers died quickly in syndication. Test runs of Sweep, Shop Till You Drop, and Debt were aired in some cities in the 90s. Consisting of Lifetime-era reruns, none were successful. Some at ATGS were speculating as to whether Win Ben Stein's Money would do well in syndication in late night, though it was never tried.

[bulldog_06]

What about the underrated games of Top Card and Fandango? Shouldn't they have been considered for syndication. Also the success of Lingo has been good, you know a few tweaks to the game and that could break into syndication also.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'bulldog_06\' date=\'Mar 31 2004, 10:42 PM\'] What about the underrated games of Top Card and Fandango? Shouldn't they have been considered for syndication. Also the success of Lingo has been good, you know a few tweaks to the game and that could break into syndication also. [/quote]
 Lingo and Whammy! and possibly Russian Roulette would be good candidates among the GSN originals to go into syndication. If TC or Fandango went into syndication, naturally they'd have to shed off the country music format(though Fandango had questions about non-country music for its final two seasons, and TC's first season had all pop culture questions)

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'bulldog_06\' date=\'Mar 31 2004, 10:42 PM\'] What about the underrated games of Top Card and Fandango? Shouldn't they have been considered for syndication. Also the success of Lingo has been good, you know a few tweaks to the game and that could break into syndication also. [/quote]
 Of course, Lingo already was in syndication and lasted only a season.  Obviously, with the financial troubles at the production company, it wouldn't have lasted long anyway... but does anyone know how it did in the ratings?

[The Ol' Guy]

Perhaps some of the cable games did well in their original runs because they were tailored for the niche audience watching that channel - like Fandango. There might not be enough of that particular kind of viewer outside of that network's P1 crowd to risk putting up the money for national syndication. Maybe if sold to stations as a 90-minute package with Hee Haw back in the day....   I could be wrong, but you can't help but watch many of them - especially in the early days - and think - this is a "B" game, something the producers couldn't or wouldn't pitch to a competitive over-the-air network or syndicator, but they might be able to sell it to a hungry cable network. Quicksilver and Free 4 All, anybody? I could be goofy, tho. Some producers didn't think that way - one I pitched a weak idea to said you can't treat cable like a poor stepchild. If you don't think your idea is good enough for the majors, it won't work in the minors, either.