Author Topic: Blockbusters (Read 10808 times)

snowpeck · « **on:** July 29, 2005, 12:07:26 PM »

Well, now that the entire run of Bill Rafferty's version of Blockbusters has aired, what are people's thoughts on the series? Personally, I think Bill was a good host; although he didn't do anywhere near as good of a job as Bill Cullen did, it's not really fair to compare the two. While Rafferty had some quirks (dual implication anyone?) I still think the show deserved a longer run than it got. Oh well. Can't argue with ratings I guess.

Greg

FOXSportsFan · « **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2005, 12:42:58 PM »

[quote name=\'snowpeck\' date=\'Jul 29 2005, 11:07 AM\']Well, now that the entire run of Bill Rafferty's version of Blockbusters has aired, what are people's thoughts on the series? Personally, I think Bill was a good host; although he didn't do anywhere near as good of a job as Bill Cullen did, it's not really fair to compare the two. While Rafferty had some quirks (dual implication anyone?) I still think the show deserved a longer run than it got. Oh well. Can't argue with ratings I guess.

Greg

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I'm with ya man. Both were very good versions in their own ways. And, hey I like dual implications and trips to the land of parting gifts, thank you.

Don Howard · « **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2005, 12:55:59 PM »

Just curious for those who've viewed it. I know the chances of this are slim, but anything's possible. Did they happen to show the Classic Concentration ticket plug? I remember that Bill let off a very funny line after Rich tossed it back to him and I wonder if they might have included it in today's airing.

GS Warehouse · « **Reply #3 on:** July 29, 2005, 01:16:17 PM »

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Jul 29 2005, 11:55 AM\']Just curious for those who've viewed it. I know the chances of this are slim, but anything's possible. Did they happen to show the Classic Concentration ticket plug? ...

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Gone with the wind. But something came to me: take out the commercials, contestant/ticket plugs, fee plugs, and credits, and most episodes come to less than 19 minutes running time. That's a lot more commerical time, so I can see why GSN is keeping this series on the schedule for the foreseeable future.

Anyway, those of you who are allergic to numbers* should stop reading now, because here come the statistics. In the 1987 series, 86 matches were played. The player with the advantage won 92 games, the player with the disadvantage won 80 times, and 36 matches were decided in tiebreakers. Forty-eight of the 86 Gold Runs were won, only four of which for $10,000 or more, and $298,400 in cash was given away, including Patti's $1,000 consolation prize. Sorry, but I lost track of how many Mary Ellen questions there were.

* Then again, if you're allergic to math, why are you a game show fan to begin with? Numbers are what first drew me to game shows.

Don Howard · « **Reply #4 on:** July 29, 2005, 01:44:11 PM »

[quote name=\'GS Warehouse\' date=\'Jul 29 2005, 12:16 PM\'][quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Jul 29 2005, 11:55 AM\']Just curious for those who've viewed it. I know the chances of this are slim, but anything's possible. Did they happen to show the Classic Concentration ticket plug? ...

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Gone with the wind.

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Suspected as much. The line in a moment. First, the set-up:
Rich J. gave the 213 area code number to call to apply for contestantship on CC, tossed to Bill R., who then says, "And if you want to, call collect", then he said something about how Mark Goodson was coming over to smack him around. In print, I'm sure it loses something, but to hear him say it with that mischievous smile on his face, it was funny stuff. At least there's the comfort that BB87 was replaced with a top quality game on NBC.

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #5 on:** July 29, 2005, 03:11:48 PM »

Quote

But something came to me: take out the commercials, contestant/ticket plugs, fee plugs, and credits, and most episodes come to less than 19 minutes running time. That's a lot more commerical time, so I can see why GSN is keeping this series on the schedule for the foreseeable future.

I lost GSN off my C-band dish about a year ago so I haven't been able to keep up with it, but is the 19-minute figure generally the same for every GSN show from that time period - or just this one?

FOXSportsFan · « **Reply #6 on:** July 29, 2005, 03:40:31 PM »

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Jul 29 2005, 02:11 PM\']

Quote

But something came to me: take out the commercials, contestant/ticket plugs, fee plugs, and credits, and most episodes come to less than 19 minutes running time. That's a lot more commerical time, so I can see why GSN is keeping this series on the schedule for the foreseeable future.

I lost GSN off my C-band dish about a year ago so I haven't been able to keep up with it, but is the 19-minute figure generally the same for every GSN show from that time period - or just this one?

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I think other shows clock in closer to 22 mins. Keep in mind though that some of the BB 87 fee plugs never made air on GSN and the credits are never really shown even in the split screen on BB 87 in reairs.

gsnstooge · « **Reply #7 on:** July 29, 2005, 07:07:50 PM »

My statistics are most often accurate and I have $322,500 as the amount of money given away.

SRIV94 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 29, 2005, 10:14:05 PM »

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Jul 29 2005, 12:44 PM\']Suspected as much. The line in a moment. First, the set-up:
Rich J. gave the 213 area code number to call to apply for contestantship on CC, tossed to Bill R., who then says, "And if you want to, call collect", then he said something about how Mark Goodson was coming over to smack him around. In print, I'm sure it loses something, but to hear him say it with that mischievous smile on his face, it was funny stuff. At least there's the comfort that BB87 was replaced with a top quality game on NBC.

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If it's any consolation, the Goodson line was kept intact (the cut from GSN's commercial was a shot of the contestant laughing at the podium as Mother McKenzie is chortling away).

Doug

Steve Gavazzi · « **Reply #9 on:** July 29, 2005, 11:24:50 PM »

[quote name=\'gsnstooge\' date=\'Jul 29 2005, 07:07 PM\']My statistics are most often accurate and I have $322,500 as the amount of money given away.

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Why do I not believe this?

If it's all the same, unless Wuthrich recants, I'll assume his figure is accurate.

Dbacksfan12 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 30, 2005, 12:23:57 AM »

[quote name=\'Steve Gavazzi\' date=\'Jul 29 2005, 10:24 PM\']Why do I not believe this?
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Because he's been wrong, multiple times, before?

FOXSportsFan · « **Reply #11 on:** July 30, 2005, 01:35:36 AM »

[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Jul 29 2005, 11:23 PM\'][quote name=\'Steve Gavazzi\' date=\'Jul 29 2005, 10:24 PM\']Why do I not believe this?
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Because he's been wrong, multiple times, before?

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Hey bottom line...anyone who would total how much total money was won needs to get out of the damned house and go into this neat little thing, ya may have heard of it, it's called the REAL WORLD, and we don't mean the show.

chris319 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 30, 2005, 09:27:07 AM »

Blockbusters '87 and Classic Concentration were shows Goodson gave Marc Breslow to direct after he had been given the boot from TPIR. The salary he received from those shows was on top of the reported 10-year, $1,000,000 "creative consultant" deal (severance package) Goodson gave him upon leaving TPIR.

zachhoran · « **Reply #13 on:** July 30, 2005, 07:40:11 PM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 30 2005, 08:27 AM\']Blockbusters '87 and Classic Concentration were shows Goodson gave Marc Breslow to direct after he had been given the boot from TPIR. The salary he received from those shows was on top of the reported 10-year, $1,000,000 "creative consultant" deal (severance package) Goodson gave him upon leaving TPIR.

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Breslow also directed some of Combs Feud's run, no? He also directed MG90.

Chief-O · « **Reply #14 on:** July 30, 2005, 10:15:46 PM »

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Jul 30 2005, 06:40 PM\']Breslow also directed some of Combs Feud's run, no?

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Yep.