Author Topic: CBS promoting Game Show Marathon (Read 9523 times)

Matt Ottinger · « **on:** January 19, 2006, 11:49:35 AM »

As many of you know, the TV critics of the world have converged on Southern California to hear what the broadcast and cable networks have in store in the weeks and months ahead. Yesterday was CBS's turn, and they made a point to tell the critics that they are working on Game Show Marathon, the project where contestants play a different classic game show each episode. I know we had discussed this in an earlier thread, but the fact that of all their projects, CBS wanted to include this in their discussions with critics would appear to be encouraging news.

Few details so far, but many articles are appearing in papers around the country today. Goggle News "Game Show Marathon" to get a sampling.

tvrandywest · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2006, 12:06:52 PM »

If CBS promotes this 7 episode run of GSM as heavily as NBC did the initial week of "Deal/NoDeal", it can't fail. It's great to see Fremantle and CBS extend their ongoing relationship to test the waters for more of the company's classic formats. Watch for big, impressive presentations of the show titles we all love, including, I'm told, some TPiR. At the helm is one of the smartest and most pleasant producers in the biz, Stuart Krasnow (Weakest Link, Dog Eat Dog, etc). Game show fans, let's hope this is a hit!

Randy
tvrandywest.com

uncamark · « **Reply #2 on:** January 19, 2006, 02:39:55 PM »

[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Jan 19 2006, 11:06 AM\']If CBS promotes this 7 episode run of GSM as heavily as NBC did the initial week of "Deal/NoDeal", it can't fail. It's great to see Fremantle and CBS extend their ongoing relationship to test the waters for more of the company's classic formats. Watch for big, impressive presentations of the show titles we all love, including, I'm told, some TPiR. At the helm is one of the smartest and most pleasant producers in the biz, Stuart Krasnow (Weakest Link, Dog Eat Dog, etc). Game show fans, let's hope this is a hit!

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Gosh, I wonder who just got hired to announce the show.

MSTieScott · « **Reply #3 on:** January 19, 2006, 04:15:43 PM »

Besides the producer (and announcer), do we know of any other game show veterans on board for this?

--
Scott Robinson

calliaume · « **Reply #4 on:** January 19, 2006, 11:23:15 PM »

This was mentioned in a single paragraph in today's USA Today.

tvmitch · « **Reply #5 on:** January 20, 2006, 01:00:41 PM »

Saw two episodes of the UK GSM (TPiR and Take Your Pick) and they were fantastic, entertaining, and faithful to the originals for the most part. Each show had a 5-minute vignette in the beginning that highlighted the show's history. The celebs were, for the most part, B-level for the UK, but they knew how to entertain. (Carol Vorderman, Eamonn Holmes, and Ruby Wax were the only ones I recognized.)

Hope the import fares as well. I wonder what seven celebs would be the perfect bunch to play? Hmm.

clemon79 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 20, 2006, 01:47:11 PM »

[quote name=\'mitchgroff\' date=\'Jan 20 2006, 10:00 AM\'](Carol Vorderman, Eamonn Holmes, and Ruby Wax were the only ones I recognized.)

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If I recall from the reports posted here when it happened, Vernon Kay was another one of the TPiR contestants; he hosted both the UK and US editions of "Hit Me Baby One More Time".

tvwxman · « **Reply #7 on:** January 20, 2006, 01:59:36 PM »

[quote name=\'mitchgroff\' date=\'Jan 20 2006, 01:00 PM\'] The celebs were, for the most part, B-level for the UK, but they knew how to entertain. (Carol Vorderman, Eamonn Holmes, and Ruby Wax were the only ones I recognized.)

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As a guy who you sent a copy of these shows to, I ask :

You didn't know who Patsy Kensit was? Rent Lethal Weapon 2. You'll be a fan of hers forever. I am!

Mike Tennant · « **Reply #8 on:** January 20, 2006, 03:01:22 PM »

[quote name=\'mitchgroff\' date=\'Jan 20 2006, 01:00 PM\']Hope the import fares as well. I wonder what seven celebs would be the perfect bunch to play? Hmm.

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Betty White, no question. If they do MG, gotta get Brett and Charles. Lots more old-timey celebs come to mind, but I imagine they'll want more modern ones for the most part to get those demos. I suspect Coolio is available, and he's not a bad player at all. And there's always Kathy Griffin . . .

tvwxman · « **Reply #9 on:** January 20, 2006, 03:17:47 PM »

[quote name=\'Mike Tennant\' date=\'Jan 20 2006, 03:01 PM\'][quote name=\'mitchgroff\' date=\'Jan 20 2006, 01:00 PM\']Hope the import fares as well. I wonder what seven celebs would be the perfect bunch to play? Hmm.

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Betty White, no question. If they do MG, gotta get Brett and Charles. Lots more old-timey celebs come to mind, but I imagine they'll want more modern ones for the most part to get those demos. I suspect Coolio is available, and he's not a bad player at all. And there's always Kathy Griffin . . .

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Hold On.

Before this turns into a "Who should be on the Match Game Panel" thread, the GSMarathon in the UK did not play any games that required celebs. The shows they used required only the 6 celebrities they had booked each week.

Week one : 6 celebs play.
Week two : 5 celebs play (minus week one champion)
Week 3 : 4 celebs play (minus weeks 1,2 champions)
Week 4 : 3 celebs play
Week 5 : Week 1-4 champions play
Week 6 : 3 champions play (minus week 5 winner)
Week 7 : Final 2 superchampions play Family Fortunes with members of their own families.

Get it?

No extra celebs for panels like the Match Game. So unless they do a completely diff format than the UK version (which I have to forecast isn't likely), then don't expect Match Game in the first 6 weeks...

They could do it for the final show, though.......

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #10 on:** January 20, 2006, 04:00:20 PM »

Quote

You didn't know who Patsy Kensit was? Rent Lethal Weapon 2.

She was also in an '80s pop group called Eighth Wonder...but they never really had a big hit.

Mike Tennant · « **Reply #11 on:** January 20, 2006, 04:15:08 PM »

[quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Jan 20 2006, 03:17 PM\'][quote name=\'Mike Tennant\' date=\'Jan 20 2006, 03:01 PM\'][quote name=\'mitchgroff\' date=\'Jan 20 2006, 01:00 PM\']Hope the import fares as well. I wonder what seven celebs would be the perfect bunch to play? Hmm.

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Betty White, no question. If they do MG, gotta get Brett and Charles. Lots more old-timey celebs come to mind, but I imagine they'll want more modern ones for the most part to get those demos. I suspect Coolio is available, and he's not a bad player at all. And there's always Kathy Griffin . . .

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Hold On.

Before this turns into a "Who should be on the Match Game Panel" thread, the GSMarathon in the UK did not play any games that required celebs. The shows they used required only the 6 celebrities they had booked each week.

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Sorry. I mixed my metaphors, so to speak. I understand that mostly it's celebrities playing games, not celebrity games like MG or HS.

Thus, my choice of Betty White still stands because she is a great player and provides a living connection to so many past game shows.

I might suggest one other old-timer and then the newbies, in which case Coolio would be a good choice because he does play the games well. I just assumed Kathy Griffin and other B- or lower-list celebs would likely be in the mix as players, too.

If they did decide to do MG, though, there's no question that Brett and Charles should be called upon, and even Dawson if they can get him. If Betty's out of the running as a player by then, put her on the panel.

I still think a discussion of potential celebrity players, with an eye to who among current celebs would be a good and entertaining player, would be worth the bandwidth. But you're right that we shouldn't start planning potential MG or HS panels (which, I know, I just did above, but by way of clarifying my previous post) since the primary purpose of the celebrities here will be to play the games as contestants.

clemon79 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 20, 2006, 05:49:41 PM »

[quote name=\'Mike Tennant\' date=\'Jan 20 2006, 01:15 PM\']I still think a discussion of potential celebrity players, with an eye to who among current celebs would be a good and entertaining player, would be worth the bandwidth.
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I would love to know if you still feel that way after you see some of the suggestions people here come up with.

calliaume · « **Reply #13 on:** January 21, 2006, 07:01:15 AM »

[quote name=\'Mike Tennant\' date=\'Jan 20 2006, 04:15 PM\']Sorry. I mixed my metaphors, so to speak. I understand that mostly it's celebrities playing games, not celebrity games like MG or HS.

Thus, my choice of Betty White still stands because she is a great player and provides a living connection to so many past game shows.

I might suggest one other old-timer and then the newbies, in which case Coolio would be a good choice because he does play the games well. I just assumed Kathy Griffin and other B- or lower-list celebs would likely be in the mix as players, too.

If they did decide to do MG, though, there's no question that Brett and Charles should be called upon, and even Dawson if they can get him. If Betty's out of the running as a player by then, put her on the panel.

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Beat the Clock is one of the games under consideration -- which would probably effectively eliminate all of the older celebs listed above -- the youngest of the four, at age 74, is Dawson.

DrBear · « **Reply #14 on:** January 21, 2006, 08:33:24 AM »

I could see, say, Colin Mochrie (The $100,000 Osmond) or Brad Sherwood (TTTT2K) being in there...

Author Topic: CBS promoting Game Show Marathon (Read 9523 times)

uncamark