The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: abba on May 05, 2008, 01:23:44 AM
-
Was there ever a 7th round in Wheel of Fortune?
-
[quote name=\'abba\' post=\'185369\' date=\'May 5 2008, 12:23 AM\']
Was there ever a 7th round in Wheel of Fortune?
[/quote]
Maybe.
-
If you count toss-ups, then they definitely play seven rounds every night. As far as pre-tossup era, I remember seeing six rounds, but never seven. If they did, then it was probably only once or twice.
-
[quote name=\'rollercoaster87\' post=\'185389\' date=\'May 5 2008, 01:38 PM\']
If you count toss-ups, then they definitely play seven rounds every night. As far as pre-tossup era, I remember seeing six rounds, but never seven. If they did, then it was probably only once or twice.
[/quote]Not including toss-ups.
-
I KNOW i'm in the minority on this but...
While we're on the subject of Wheel of Fortune's rounds...extra stuff withstanding (the gift tags, the mystery round, the 25 space, the Big money space) I rather like the newer format- the game seems a lot faster.
-
[quote name=\'urbanpreppie05\' post=\'185392\' date=\'May 5 2008, 03:04 PM\']
I KNOW i'm in the minority on this but...
While we're on the subject of Wheel of Fortune's rounds...extra stuff withstanding (the gift tags, the mystery round, the 25 space, the Big money space) I rather like the newer format- the game seems a lot faster.[/quote]
If you're in the minority, I'm right there with you. It's a fairly common thing for purists to bemoan any changes to an established format and those of us who passively like it (or don't care) to stay silent. I can't think of a single change that I feel hurt the show, much less make it "unwatchable" as some have cried.
It's 2008 and millions of people every day are still watching Hangman on television, essentially the same game that's been on television since 1975. They must be doing something right.
-
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'185396\' date=\'May 5 2008, 04:29 PM\']
It's 2008 and millions of people every day are still watching Hangman on television, essentially the same game that's been on television since 1975. They must be doing something right.
[/quote]
I like a few of the changes (and the fact that my hometown made it into a puzzle six nine weeks ago ;-) )...my biggest gripe is the puzzle writing leaves a lot to be desired.
-
Really, the only BIG problem I have with the show is the sponsorship of every last little thing they think they can slap a sponsor on. ("I'll give the wheel a final spin, brought to you by Maytag!") Beyond that, it's just that I personally don't really care for the show anymore; probably a function of being WAY overexposed to it when I was in middle and high school.
/the idiot contestants don't help
//no offense to anyone here who's been on the show
///unless you're an idiot
-
[quote name=\'urbanpreppie05\' post=\'185392\' date=\'May 5 2008, 02:04 PM\']
While we're on the subject of Wheel of Fortune's rounds...extra stuff withstanding (the gift tags, the mystery round, the 25 space, the Big money space) I rather like the newer format- the game seems a lot faster.
[/quote]
Could it be the game seems faster because there's less of it, thanks to commercial sponsorships and actual commercials?
And playing devil's advocate concerning its popularity, Wheel hasn't faced new competition since. . . when? It's still Entertainment Tonight, all the poor man's Entertainment Tonights, and sitcom reruns. Hollywood Squares was probably the last well-funded, well-cleared entry in prime access time. Before that it was, what, "$100,000 Name That Tune" back in the mid 80s?
-
[quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'185400\' date=\'May 5 2008, 04:02 PM\']
[quote name=\'urbanpreppie05\' post=\'185392\' date=\'May 5 2008, 02:04 PM\']
While we're on the subject of Wheel of Fortune's rounds...extra stuff withstanding (the gift tags, the mystery round, the 25 space, the Big money space) I rather like the newer format- the game seems a lot faster.
[/quote]
Could it be the game seems faster because there's less of it, thanks to commercial sponsorships and actual commercials?
And playing devil's advocate concerning its popularity, Wheel hasn't faced new competition since. . . when? It's still Entertainment Tonight, all the poor man's Entertainment Tonights, and sitcom reruns. Hollywood Squares was probably the last well-funded, well-cleared entry in prime access time. Before that it was, what, "$100,000 Name That Tune" back in the mid 80s?
[/quote]
"The Challengers" was supposed to go head-on against "Wheel" and "J!" in many markets, but didn't last long.
All of the nighttime versions of daytime shows were meant to run in access--"Win, Lose or Draw," "Sale of the Century," "$100K Pyramid" and, of course, "Feud" with Combs. "Feud" was on the NBC-owned stations in access its first few years and was promoted up the wazoo on those stations during the 1988 Olympics (they even made Olympic-themed promos with Combs struggling to be an athlete).
And don't forget Davison "TPIR," although I don't know how many access slots it got.
-
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'185398\' date=\'May 5 2008, 03:55 PM\']
"I'll give the wheel a final spin, brought to you by Maytag![/quote]
Well played, sir. :)
-
I thought this was brilliant too: http://gameshow.ipbhost.com/index.php?s=&a...st&p=165321 (http://\"http://gameshow.ipbhost.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=13731&view=findpost&p=165321\")
-
[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'185397\' date=\'May 5 2008, 04:39 PM\']my biggest gripe is the puzzle writing leaves a lot to be desired.[/quote]Definitely agree. At least one puzzle a day, due to the Prize Puzzle, is going to be somehow related to vacationing or how lovely the place is they're sending you. It wouldn't be such a big deal if the prizes weren't always trips. I wouldn't mind seeing a phrase, like "Tickling the ivories", then being awarded a piano. You've got 50,000 categories, Wheel. Use some of 'em!
-
Indeed, it seems more like laziness than anything, because they have shown they're capable of doing puzzles related to the location without being a variant on "enjoying the sun" which seems to be their favorite Event/What Are You Doing? puzzle to use for the trips. Things like a pineapple dish as a Food & Drink puzzle for a trip to Hawaii work well. They did one the other day, "The Forty-Ninth State" for a trip to Alaska. Again, good ideas they seem averse to using.
-Jason
-
[quote name=\'chad1m\' post=\'185411\' date=\'May 5 2008, 04:50 PM\']
I wouldn't mind seeing a phrase, like "Tickling the ivories", then being awarded a piano. You've got 50,000 categories, Wheel. Use some of 'em!
[/quote]
I've always been surprised that they never used the Prize Puzzle to advertise Sony's electronics, or any stereotypical game show prizes, come to think of it. Wouldn't people still be somewhat excited to win a kitchen full of modern appliances? Looking at my kitchen, I sure as heck would be.
Speaking of puzzle problems, does anybody remember the last time Wheel had a regular two word puzzle, not including any toss-up/speed round/bonus puzzles?
EDIT- Speak of the devil-they actually had a regular two word puzzle tonight.
-
And...speaking of "how long"...when was the last time anyone won anything besides a trip or a car as a prize? I thought I had read somewhere that they decided to no longer do this, but I could be mistaken.
-
[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'185419\' date=\'May 5 2008, 06:52 PM\']
And...speaking of "how long"...when was the last time anyone won anything besides a trip or a car as a prize? I thought I had read somewhere that they decided to no longer do this, but I could be mistaken.
[/quote]
ISTR that one of the "25" space prizes early in the season was $2500 worth of gasoline. But that space is the only place I've seen something other than a car or a trip in a long time.
-
For what it's worth, Jamie's Page O'Clips had a Woolery Wheel episode that managed to get in 5 rounds; that's probably about the equivalent to 7 rounds without the shopping.
-
To answer the original question, yes, there has been a 7th regular round played in one show. The one time I saw it occurred last season, and it is the only time I've seen it. A fourth toss-up was not played, however, as the player who won the 3rd toss-up got to start the round. Likely, there is another instance where it has happened though. Last season, IIRC, the Round 7 started as an immediate speed-up, and Pat didn't really play much into it, about how they might "run out of puzzles" or something, like he could've easily done and has been known to do in the past.
And, to boot, I think it's a bit humorously ironic that I seemingly have the longest list of gripes compared to others. I don't know if I could call myself a true purist though, as I do like the Jackpot, Mystery Rounds, 10k space, and the Prize Puzzles, but I'm not so hot on the Wild Card, gift tags, toss-ups, the lack of unique prizes on the show (a bit of laziness I feel as well), the same number of ads as a friggin Super Bowl game, and the bare bones set.
I'd ax one of the first two toss-ups for sure, and I've love to see a new wheel layout within the next few years (again, issue with laziness). Seeing the same basic wheel setup for 30 minutes, 195 shows a year, for what has been almost a decade now, has gotten boring (not that the average viewer would likely notice). Oh yeah, as for the set, get a $100k sign or put some kind of border around that puzzle board. If you spent that god-awful amount of money on HD conversion, FLAUNT IT!
The easiest change, though, I'd think would be with the prizes offered. Don't tell me the desire for winning appliances, jewelry, TV's, and such has dropped off on game shows in recent years, I think Drew would object in a heartbeat...
-
[quote name=\'Casey Buck\' post=\'185421\' date=\'May 5 2008, 06:58 PM\']
For what it's worth, Jamie's Page O'Clips had a Woolery Wheel episode that managed to get in 5 rounds; that's probably about the equivalent to 7 rounds without the shopping.
[/quote]
Remember though that Woolery's wheel also had NO bonus round (Star Bonus excepted), which is what really dragged down the shopping format when the nighttime show rolled around. Getting to round four is a pretty common occurrence in the dozen or so episodes I've seen of that part of the run - getting to five certainly wouldn't be unheard of by those standards.
-
[quote name=\'Unrealtor\' post=\'185420\' date=\'May 5 2008, 07:58 PM\']
ISTR that one of the "25" space prizes early in the season was $2500 worth of gasoline. But that space is the only place I've seen something other than a car or a trip in a long time.
[/quote]
Talk about a prize that loses value right off the bat:
SCENARIO: If gas was $2.50/gal at the time of taping -- you have 1000 gallons. Then take out the IRS tax on the value of the prize (say 33% or $825 in taxes paid) leaves you with $1675 worth of gas.
At $2.50/gal that got you 670 gallons of gas...Still not too bad!
But when you officially get your $1675 "prize" 90 days later, gas is now at $3.25/gal -- now your prize "after taxes" is good for only 479 gallons!
Today, if that contestant spent only $675 (and may have only used 175-200 gallons up to now), leaving $1,000 remaining in the gas account, -- at $4.00/gal said contestant now has only 250 gallons of free gas left.
By the time all is said and done, said contestant may be lucky to have squeezed out 350 gallons out of what could have been 1,000 gallons of gas (or 670 after taxes)!
Whatever happened to the days when the gas prizes were awarded in Gallons and not Dollars???
/But then again, ANY free gas right now aint bad.
-
I recall an episode, from maybe the early '90s, where they made it to a round 7. It was a Family Week, and the winning team was two tall brothers in the third spot who celebrated their wins by hugging each other and Pat (who seemed moderately afraid that he was going to be crushed).
I agree that the gameplay itself is still more or less fine, and that it's everything else that's been sorely lacking in recent years. Someone mentioned not too long ago that Pat being sarcastic about new puzzles and such wasn't very professional--be that as it may, it's often the only thing that keeps me watching an entire episode.
-
[quote name=\'TimK2003\' post=\'185426\' date=\'May 5 2008, 07:41 PM\']Whatever happened to the days when the gas prizes were awarded in Gallons and not Dollars???[/quote]In Wheel's defense, since the retail prices of the prizes are used for scorekeeping, it's a lot easier to award $2,500 in gasoline rather than estimate the price of a gallon of gas, then multiplying by 2,500. It's also easier for the sponsor to simply send the winner $2,500 in gasoline gift cards.
My biggest frustration with Wheel right now is that there are too many special rounds played every day. If each day alternated between Jackpot, Mystery Wedge, and Big Money Wedge, the wheel would feel less cluttered and it would make it more special when a contestant is able to cash in on a special round. (I'd also propose not doing the Prize Puzzle every day, but I'm sure the Wheel Watchers Club is such a success that it would be foolish from a marketing standpoint to cut back.)
My second biggest frustration is with the unneccessary variations on the basic categories. I was in favor of making Proper Name a category, I didn't mind the introduction of On the Map, but categories such as Food and Drink and What Are You Doing? are going too far.
--
Scott Robinson
also thinks the execution of the Wild Card is no less clunky now than when it was introduced
-
[quote name=\'Robert Hutchinson\' post=\'185432\' date=\'May 5 2008, 08:27 PM\']
Someone mentioned not too long ago that Pat being sarcastic about new puzzles and such wasn't very professional
[/quote]
That's nothing new by any stretch - you can tune into GSN at 10:30 AM and see the man skewering Megaword, for example, every last time it comes up. And these are from 1994/95. Before & After and Same Name tended to result in a lot of jokes when they were newer as well.
If someone's complaining because of Pat's sarcastic streak and implying that's a recent development, clearly they just haven't been paying attention.
-
[quote name=\'Unrealtor\' post=\'185420\' date=\'May 5 2008, 06:58 PM\']ISTR that one of the "25" space prizes early in the season was $2500 worth of gasoline. But that space is the only place I've seen something other than a car or a trip in a long time.
[/quote]
In other words, they filled the tank of the car they were giving away.
-
[quote name=\'Seth Thrasher\' post=\'185445\' date=\'May 5 2008, 11:32 PM\']If someone's complaining because of Pat's sarcastic streak and implying that's a recent development, clearly they just haven't been paying attention.[/quote]
I think you misread me--I meant that Pat often treats lots of new "features" that way (like Megaword), not that the behavior itself was new.
-
[quote name=\'Robert Hutchinson\' post=\'185544\' date=\'May 6 2008, 09:43 PM\']
I think you misread me--I meant that Pat often treats lots of new "features" that way (like Megaword), not that the behavior itself was new.
[/quote]
I see - I transplanted the word "new" elsewhere in the sentence. I stand corrected.
/Speedreading is bad, m'kay?
//Except when it's good...