American Dream Derby in trouble..

[digiblader]

In case you haven't heard, American Dream Derby is pulling in awful numbers in the Nielsens. So bad, that GSN has decided to not repeat the show, and has moved it to a basement timeslot of around 11pm or 12am(can someone clarify this)

The good news though.. Family Feud will be back on Saturdays at 4pm again, where ADD was showing a repeat.

I was guessing the show was in trouble when they re-aired "Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal" last night.

[cmjb13]

The professor says the repeat runs at 12 midnight (ET) Monday night/Tuesday morning, 11 p.m. on Thursdays and 1 a.m. on Sundays.

I guess nobody really cares about watching a show about horses...

Unless maybe they had contestants do some sort of stunt with manure.

[Matt Ottinger]

Hindsight being what it is, it's perhaps not so surprising that a show about the mundane aspects of a minor spectator sport wouldn't pull in very good numbers.  Give GSN credit for trying something different, but man, somebody must be taking a bath financially on this one.

[itiparanoid13]

It's almost heartbreaking to hear how bad it's doing for GSN because of how much money they put into it.  However, they should have expected it.  I find it funny, though, that they put this on even though a few months ago they said that the serial reality shows have just bombed.  They seem to have a way recently of putting on different and interesting sporting shows without the reality show aspect, let's keep it like that.  Or, if they want to modern the nework up a little, it's evident that they aren't done picking up game shows, how about picking up some 90s games?  I contacted GSN to get the ratings for some of the shows.  I'll see if they respond.

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'itiparanoid13\' date=\'Jan 19 2005, 08:56 AM\']Or, if they want to modern the nework up a little, it's evident that they aren't done picking up game shows, how about picking up some 90s games?  I contacted GSN to get the ratings for some of the shows.  I'll see if they respond.

[snapback]71922[/snapback]

[/quote]
Are there a lot of 90s-era games left that they don't have that would be worth the effort?  Other than Ruprecht's SUPERMARKET SWEEP and perhaps DEBT, I can't think of anything from the 90s that GSN doesn't already have that would be worth being shown again (if someone mentions MG98, I'll scream).

EDIT:  OK, I did forget about the Family Channel interactive stuff of 1993, but even with a really good host and a really good announcer, I'm not sure GSN would see that as viable.

Doug

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Jan 19 2005, 08:57 AM\']but even with a really good host and a really good announcer, I'm not sure GSN would see that as viable.
[/quote]
And that's assuming you think Martindale is a really good host.. I don't question his longevity in the business, but his over-the-top stereotypical cheesiness always irritates me. There's a reason he's the model for Mr. Game Show and Keith McTeeth from the Bally Game Show pinball machine.

(For the exact reasons above, tho, Debt was a good vehicle for him.)

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jan 19 2005, 10:39 AM\']And that's assuming you think Martindale is a really good host.. I don't question his longevity in the business, but his over-the-top stereotypical cheesiness always irritates me. There's a reason he's the model for Mr. Game Show and Keith McTeeth from the Bally Game Show pinball machine.

[snapback]71932[/snapback]

[/quote]
What?  You're nuts!

(Oh, sorry, thought I would argue just to argue for a moment.   )

Seriously, the longevity factor is a large part of the equation.  I don't question any of the "over-the-top" part of your statement (his tendency to try to be a little witty on TTD during contestant interviews was rather annoying).  But I certainly found him to be a capable question reader (and there was a time when that in itself was enough to carry a show), and a not bad game player in his own right.  As always, YMMV.

Doug

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Jan 19 2005, 11:52 AM\']

(his tendency to try to be a little witty on TTD during contestant interviews was rather annoying).  But I certainly found him to be a capable question reader

[snapback]71934[/snapback]

[/quote]

Remember how well the two men who succeeded Wink on TTD fared doing similar things.

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Jan 19 2005, 11:14 AM\']Remember how well the two men who succeeded Wink on TTD fared doing similar things.

[snapback]71938[/snapback]

[/quote]
No one was claiming that the two men who succeeded Wink on TTD were ever "really good hosts."  

And if someone does, I'd advise that person to seek some serious help.

Besides, I wouldn't exactly consider Mssrs. Caldwell and Wayne to be competent question readers--Caldwell was average at best and Wayne was just plain bad.  Again, YMMV.

Doug

[xibit777]

Heartbreaking?  You've got to be kidding.   This is a VICTORY for game show fans across the nation.   Another reality show bites the dust.   Maybe one day they'll wise up and make some GOOD game shows and get back to good ratings.   Let's face it, they CAN succeed on high ratings old demos.  Otherwise stations would not carry Wheel or Jeopardy in syndication.  Along with FF and Millionaire too.

Makes me feel glad that they deleted my Dream Derby post in Casey's thread.  I told everyone there it would be a disaster.  I knew it would be....  a horse raising show on a game network?  What the hell were they thinking?

BRING ON THE GAME SHOWS      

[CarShark]

[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Jan 19 2005, 10:57 AM\']Are there a lot of 90s-era games left that they don't have that would be worth the effort?  Other than Ruprecht's SUPERMARKET SWEEP and perhaps DEBT, I can't think of anything from the 90s that GSN doesn't already have that would be worth being shown again (if someone mentions MG98, I'll scream).

EDIT:  OK, I did forget about the Family Channel interactive stuff of 1993, but even with a really good host and a really good announcer, I'm not sure GSN would see that as viable.

Doug

[snapback]71929[/snapback]

[/quote]
I know this goes in the "What a shock!" files, but I think Shop 'Til You Drop's first nine seasons would be a good choice. I remember hearing here or on ezboard that Lifetime shuttled it off because they had more guys watching than girls. It's not too suggestive, but it's weird and wacky enough to keep male interest.

[itiparanoid13]

I just got done talking to people from GSN, and I got the ratings.  American Dream Derby, on it's premiere, got a .41, which is just about the same or less as Celebrity Blackjack and Extreme Dodgeball non-debuts, a lot less than Poker Royale was getting, less than Family Feud, and .03 above what Russian Roulette was getting and .08 above Lingo.

[14gameshows]

Do you think with the recent turn of events concerning Dream Derby, that the execs at GSn, are rethinking their game plan so to speak on reality programming?  Me personally, I didn't understand Horse Racing to begin with, I mean I only hear about it once a year with the big races and all but it isn't mainstream like it used to (from what I've been told).  Now with this in mind, what else can GSn put on their network in the reality genre?  What's left?  A lot of reality programming is too tasteless for GSn's audience.  

However I once thought about the network for games, to do those documentaries on casinos like the Travel Channel does every Saturday night, or they can do documentaries on past game show contestants and how their appearance on xxx game show changed their life, or a biography type thing for whosoeverwill.  I think if they do it right they can win.  As long as they don't try to air something that is out of left field, like the horse racing.

[Jimmy Owen]

[quote name=\'itiparanoid13\' date=\'Jan 19 2005, 04:27 PM\']I just got done talking to people from GSN, and I got the ratings.  American Dream Derby, on it's premiere, got a .41, which is just about the same or less as Celebrity Blackjack and Extreme Dodgeball non-debuts, a lot less than Poker Royale was getting, less than Family Feud, and .3 above what Russian Roulette was getting and .8 above Lingo.

[snapback]71983[/snapback]

[/quote]

I'm not clear on these ratings.  "Lingo" got a negative .4?  Wow, that is low!

  Anyway, maybe GSN was seeing a dropoff during the repeats and just decided to subtract ADD from the weekend repeats.  No big deal.  IMO, no show should be run more than two times anyway, it just dilutes the audience.

[itiparanoid13]

Crap, I forgot to put a .0# before all of those, my stupid fault.  I'll try to edit it.