Morning Schedule Change

[1978-Jeopardy]

I guess I'm glad to still have the weekend line-up. There, I've gotten over it, I'm just somewhat moody in the morning.
The loss of My precious daytime line-up gives me a reason to watch the news, so that's something in my favor.
I hate the All-New Threes a Crowd. Honestly, though, I liked the original, but everyone has their guilty pleasures.
We have a wonderful addition to the weekend line-up. Is it just me, or is Perry's Card Sharks a bit more intellectual then Eubank's? To me, they seemed to ask a lot more political questions. I agree with Tammy on the "boss" theme song, it's my favorite of all-time.
I think we're going to see some older Jeopardy season, and if that's so, I'd be quite thankful. Is this the first time Jeopardy has not been paired with WoF for an hour-long block? It looks very strange on the schedule.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'CaseyAbell\' date=\'Jul 29 2004, 12:55 PM\'] But this "sports" thing really had me puzzled. What athletic skills are being tested in the "sport" of blackjack? Chip-pushing? Forehead-rubbing? Getting up from the table? [/quote]
 I can't believe I'm gonna take a stab at this, especially since it's so clear you already have your mind made up.

Nobody's calling blackjack a sport, any more than I would call Magic: The Gathering a sport. But the program is using the PARADIGM of a sports broadcast to present the event to us. It's not being presented as a game show, ergo, to my way of thinking, it isn't a game show.

Which is not to say it COULDN'T be: Put the five players behind podiums with flashy readouts to indicate the game stats that are presented on-screen on CB, play with a ginormous deck of cards, chase-lights all around, and have the host interact DIRECTLY with the players (and your suggestion that Dave Stann is the "real" host while Matt Vasgersian is just doing the heavy lifting is simply ridiculous), and you have not only a game show, but a damned fine one at that.

If they wanted it to be a game show, that's what they would do. Clearly they don't. So don't make it one.

If there's anything that GSN's blackjack show DOESN'T resemble for me, it's a sport, or a sports broadcast, or a sports bar, or anything even remotely related to athletic competition.

Then you're not looking (or, more likely, you don't want to see it), because it's right there in front of you, down to the freakin' FoxBox.

[michaellinn]

I could consider GSN's Blackjack series to be a game show, but only in the general sense: people are playing a game, and it's a show--it's a game show (or is it more like a gaming show?). However, in the traditional sense? I don't see it that way. GSN could set it up to seem more like a traditional game show, if they wanted to, as Clemon79 noted in a previous post (add flashy lights, podiums, huge cards, a host who interacts directly with the contestants). I'd also add regular contestants (like you and me) rather than professional card players and celebs. Give us some money to gamble with, some bells and buzzers, cool game show music, a studio audience to watch the fun, and, well, it's starting to sound more like a traditional game show. Of course, the game show classic Gambit had the blackjack theme, although trivia questions were added to the fun. But we wouldn't see a blackjack show like GSN's version on the networks' daytime schedules some 30 years ago, when traditional game shows were found on daytime TV. Blackjack was around then, but I don't think it suddenly became a "traditional" game show just because it showed up as tournaments on GSN, which, of course, changed its name from Game Show Network to just GSN - the Network for Games to include not only game shows, but also casino games, talent competitions, reality series, sports contests, and dating shows. I'm not saying Blackjack is a bad show at all--I just don't see this as a traditional game show.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'michaellinn\' date=\'Jul 29 2004, 08:57 PM\'] it's a game show (or is it more like a gaming show?). [/quote]
That I think is my precise point, and that there _is_ a difference.

A fine first post. Welcome aboard!

[michaellinn]

Thanks! I have been visiting these boards for a while, reading the messages, but I've finally made my first post. Thanks for the welcome, Chris.

Mike

[michaellinn]

Now to get back on topic with this thread...

Hey, some good moves with GSN's scheduling! I haven't seen The All New Three's a Crowd (didn't have GSN then), but I have seen the '70s version. Definitely not a fave of mine. I like the classics, but I could do without this one. Anyway, I'll check out this newer version. I was never a Kenny vs. Spenny fan, so I'm not sorry to see this show go. I saw Hollywood Showdown a few times at my brother's house before I had GSN. I liked the show. A very good original, IMO--plus I like Todd Newton as a game show host. I could take or leave Let's Make a Deal. It's okay, but not "must-see" for me. I do like Jim Perry, although I would rather have GSN bring us his Sale of the Century (I know, I know, they don't have it) rather than Card Sharks. But I like Perry's version better than Bob Eubanks' version. Something about those late '70s NBC game shows that bring back those memories to me! Match Game '90 is okay, IMO. I much prefer the '70s version and its stars over the '90s show's comedians (guess I'll be seeing that guy with the dragon puppet again! Yow, LOL!) But still, not a bad revival of the show. Ross Shafer ain't no Gene Rayburn, but I don't think he's too bad of a host. Plus Charles is around for this version! That's awesome. All in all, I'm happy with these new moves. Good job, GSN!

[CaseyAbell]

Whether something is a game show depends on the size of the cards and how much the lights flash? Okay, how big do the cards have to get before the magic of game-show-dom arrives? Six inches by twelve? A foot by two feet? Two feet by four?

Do the lights have to flash every second? Every five seconds? Once a minute?

I think we can all agree we're getting into very subjective opinions here, certainly nothing objectively quantifiable. My subjective opinion is that Blackjack is not just a game show, but a whole lot better game show than Card Sharks. In fact, I think it's one of the best original game shows GSN has ever programmed. Obviously, opinions will differ, and we'll just have to leave it at that.

And it's hardly "ridiculous" to suggest that Dave Stann is at least as important a host on the show as Max Vasgersian. Stann does the dealing (often with melodramatic flair), comments extensively on the play, cracks wise with the contestants, and gets considerably more camera time than Vasgersian. He certainly does much more "heavy lifting" than Alex Boorstein, who seems like a rather forlorn afterthought. Whether he lifts as much weight as Vasgersian depends on...yes, again, your subjective opinion of game show weightlifting.

By the way, an interesting article on Hollywood Dave:

http://www.clevescene.com/issues/2004-07-21/firstpunch.html

As for the Fox Box on a ball game somehow reminding me of blackjack...well, I've got the Direct TV Extra Innings package, and I've honestly never been reminded of GSN's blackjack show by any of the proceedings, including the score box.

Now ball games do have lots of flashing lights, especially when somebody jacks one...

Oh, let me add my welcome to michaellinn. Discussion gets vigorous around here, as you've already seen.

[aaron sica]

[quote name=\'CaseyAbell\' date=\'Jul 30 2004, 08:26 AM\'] but a whole lot better game show than Card Sharks. [/quote]
 I've seen you mention this a few times about your dislike of CS.

With all due respect, why the dislike?

We all have game shows we dislike, but I haven't come across too many people who don't like CS.

I'm excited to see Perry CS back - it's been too long since it's been on the schedule. I also would imagine I'm one of the minority who likes MG90 - that stems from not being able to see many episodes the first time it ran (I had two ABC stations at the time, and neither of them decided to carry MG90).

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'Pyramid80\' date=\'Jul 29 2004, 07:23 AM\']
     Star Search reruns move to 9 a.m. (M-F), replacing Let's Make a Deal and the early Family Feud, which both drop off the schedule.
 [/quote]
 I'm betting the rights to air LMAD will lapse at the end of the Summer. It was at the end of SUmmer 2001 that both PYL and LMAD debuted on GSN. One wonders if PYL will vanish after August too.

[aaron sica]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Jul 30 2004, 09:35 AM\'] I'm betting the rights to air LMAD will lapse at the end of the Summer. It was at the end of SUmmer 2001 that both PYL and LMAD debuted on GSN. One wonders if PYL will vanish after August too. [/quote]
You'll know this for sure....What were the GSN premiere dates of both those shows?

It was the last week of August 2001 that GSN ran their marathon for LMAD?  As for PYL, I am pretty sure I remember that premiering on Saturday, September 1 on GSN.

I hope PYL doesn't disappear. I am by no means a "Tomarkenite" but I do enjoy watching the show from time to time.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'Jul 30 2004, 08:53 AM\']

It was the last week of August 2001 that GSN ran their marathon for LMAD?  As for PYL, I am pretty sure I remember that premiering on Saturday, September 1 on GSN.

 [/quote]
 Yes it was, PYL bowed on the network five days after LMAD. Now how long is their contract to air WHo Dares Wins, which also premiered the day PYL did.

[tyshaun1]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Jul 30 2004, 08:55 AM\'] [Yes it was, PYL bowed on the network five days after LMAD. Now how long is their contract to air WHo Dares Wins, which also premiered the day PYL did. [/quote]
 Currently they have 20 episodes remaining in this cycle of PYL shows (if they indeed picked up 200) and those will last until mid-October at its current time slot. Theory would state that GSN is probably obligated to run each episode (at least) once, since they apparently had to do so to move to the next cycle (and subsequently ran Larson's 2 shows right before they advanced forward) so I wouldn't expect any change until then.

As for Casey, we've been down this road before, haven't we? You obviously have a much broader scope than most on what you consider a game show, most of us disagree. Leave it at that.

Tyshaun

[AH3RD]

Now when do we get to see the B&E collection?

It's been ages since we last saw The Joker's Wild (CBS and syndicated). Or Tic Tac Dough. Or Bullseye.

The more classics that return, the better, 'cause I fear the era of game shows is fleeting. 4 game shows left (TPIR, Jeopardy!, WOF, Family Feud), 2 currently resting in their mausoleum (H2, Pyramid)...I swear, reality TV may be edgin' us out of our place on the planet, kids...

It's a good thing that GSN still has some classic GS on its schedule to begin with; it may be the one good quality it has left.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'CaseyAbell\' date=\'Jul 30 2004, 05:26 AM\'] Whether something is a game show depends on the size of the cards and how much the lights flash? Okay, how big do the cards have to get before the magic of game-show-dom arrives? Six inches by twelve? A foot by two feet? Two feet by four?

As for the Fox Box on a ball game somehow reminding me of blackjack...well, I've got the Direct TV Extra Innings package, and I've honestly never been reminded of GSN's blackjack show by any of the proceedings, including the score box.
 [/quote]
 Between these two statements, it is completely clear that you either completely missed my point, or don't want to see it for fear of possibly having to concede it.

Totally hopeless.

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'AH3RD\' date=\'Jul 30 2004, 11:52 AM\'] The more classics that return, the better, 'cause I fear the era of game shows is fleeting. 4 game shows left (TPIR, Jeopardy!, WOF, Family Feud), 2 currently resting in their mausoleum (H2, Pyramid)...I swear, reality TV may be edgin' us out of our place on the planet, kids... [/quote]
These things are cyclical, IMO.  Game shows were the big thing, then they weren't... then a few years ago they were again, and now they aren't.  When the cycle will favor game shows once again is anyone's guess, but it will eventually.

My prediction: reality TV will fall out of favor when a network executive gets fired for trying to launch Who Wants to Scratch My Ass.  At that point the show will move to GSN, which will immediately give it a 39-week order, prompting the inhabitants of this board to argue whether WWTSMA is a game show, a gaming show, a gameumentary, or a sport.