Thought I would put my two cents in... Interesting reading that so many of you didn't like Bob's version. I personally thought it was great and it is currently the only show I watch regualrly on GSN. Obnoxious? No, just his sense of humor. Jim Perry's run was just to dull... question, cards, question, cards etc... although it did move faster. I thought watching the first several months from 1986 again when Bob's version returned a few years ago would be dull, but indeed, I found them quite entertaining as well...
Concerning Bill Rafferty's version for those of you who never saw it... it was great! Bill was very funny and made a great host. I must have seen more than 95% of the series when it originally aired, as I taped in for later viewing when it was moved to 4:30AM on WABC. The prize cards made it a lot more fun too. Every match had a trip offered that Bill would plug before they started. $500 vash was another mainstay. The rest ranged frokm the usual TV's VCR's. furniture, applaiances, etc. Also, the first several weeks of the new format, besides Cadillacs, Corvettes, and Camaros being offered in the end game, $5,000 cash was also a prize card. No money (that is, $100) was given to contestants for winning a game however. I was really happy to see a few months worth of Bill's shows again in 1997 when I first got GSN and look forward to them again.
One curious question. Anyone know if there were any shows which never origiannly aired? The prize/car format started airing at the end of September of 1986, the fourth week of the run (I believe with new contestants too). However, in the summer reruns before going off the air, I remember seeing a few weeks of shows (no prizes or cars, no audience poll or educated guess) that were skipped previously. I guess we'll see when they start rerunning.
Those are my memories....
