GSN 50 greatest game shows special...

[Craig Karlberg]

So, week 5 gets off to a strong start with #15, Password.  Seeing Tony Randall on this March 1967 ep makes me yearn for The Odd Couple's episode where he played terrible on that one.  This episode came on about a month before my very first haircut even though I didn't see it the first time around.  I had trouble finding good clues for "haughty" & "coy".  I couldn't believe they accepted Websters as a clue for "dictionary" because I thought it was a proper name.  It's a good thing I'm use to loud whistles because back then, I'd be scared of those noises(that whistle to end proceedings was rather loud I thought).

#14 was What's My Line?  A true classic in of itself.  At fitst, I thought it was either a late 60s or early 70s episode.  When I saw Jimmy Carter's name show up, I'd figure it was an early 70s episode.  The 2nd contestant(if you want to call them such) was rather intresting.  After the regular game, Blyden then quizzed the panel on kiddie lit.  That was neat to see.  I'm always amazed at how mystery guests manage to stump the panel like Joan Fontaine did.  I wonder how often that happens.  Hearing Dwyer mention Lassie as one of the many famous celebrities to appear as mystery guest makes me wish I would've seen that episode with him(or her) on it.  Oh well.

If this keeps up, #13 will be something if it's a good episode.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'127587\' date=\'Aug 16 2006, 12:45 AM\']
Reading this (I agree with the WML? point especially), I have to ask a question...

Could any form of Password be a hit today?
[/quote]
The original I doubt. The pacing was a little slower, and the words would prolly go over the heads of the average viewer.

In Plus/Super form, I think it would have a chance. But to make the game faster, I'd prolly go for a best-of-three format, and keep the Alphabetics format. The only thing I'm afraid of is the words would prolly be dumbed down. Other than that, I think it could work.

[narzo]

[quote name=\'Seth Thrasher\' post=\'127563\' date=\'Aug 15 2006, 10:13 PM\']
[quote name=\'Chuck Sutton\' post=\'127556\' date=\'Aug 15 2006, 09:58 PM\']
1. The Price is Right
[/quote]


TPiR won't be #1 unless they've either reaquired the series (That'll be the day), or have acquired a one-off episode.  (Well, I suppose if Fremantle/CBS were anal enough, they could go around them and lease the Davidson eps from Paramount, but given the identification of TPiR with Barker, I'd imagine that would seem a bit of a letdown to some though)
[/quote]


only way around it would be if they've decided to run one of the public domain episodes from the Cullen era, but I can't imagine they would run a b&w episode since they've made sure everything is in living color so far.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'narzo\' post=\'127609\' date=\'Aug 16 2006, 04:50 AM\']only way around it would be if they've decided to run one of the public domain episodes from the Cullen era, but I can't imagine they would run a b&w episode since they've made sure everything is in living color so far.[/quote]
I think there is serious doubt about whether the Cullen episodes are actually in the public domain; enough so that this option would not get past Sony lawyers.

[cmjb13]

[quote name=\'Seth Thrasher\' post=\'127563\' date=\'Aug 15 2006, 11:13 PM\']
TPiR won't be #1 unless they've either reaquired the series (That'll be the day), or have acquired a one-off episode.  (Well, I suppose if Fremantle/CBS were anal enough, they could go around them and lease the Davidson eps from Paramount, but given the identification of TPiR with Barker, I'd imagine that would seem a bit of a letdown to some though)
[/quote]
I thought it would be a good "test" to get the rights (assuming they can) to air Kennedy TPIR regularly and see how it does. One would assume those are not in high demand as Barker's version and it seems to be the most recent version of Price GSN has (aside from the 1991 Barker eps)

It will be interesting to see if they air episodes for each show in the top 10. If that's the case, it would leave me to believe they would air *something*.

[cweaver]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'127615\' date=\'Aug 16 2006, 07:10 AM\']
I think there is serious doubt about whether the Cullen episodes are actually in the public domain; enough so that this option would not get past Sony lawyers.
[/quote]

Are these considered part of the Barker package or part of the G-T package GSN already has?  I think it's virtually impossible to expect an entire Cullen TPiR to unfold during the "50 Greatest" (which so far has been adverse to black and white, despite the implications of their original news release) but perhaps during the limited Overnight block?

[Chelsea Thrasher]

I don't know where this perceived "Aversion to the black and white episodes" is coming from.  Is it not just possible within the realm of sanity that GSN decided to run something a little different from the same old B&W IGAS, WML, etc that they've burned through a hundred times in the last 12 years?

Nah, that'd make too much sense.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'Seth Thrasher\' post=\'127622\' date=\'Aug 16 2006, 09:30 AM\']
I don't know where this perceived "Aversion to the black and white episodes" is coming from.  Is it not just possible within the realm of sanity that GSN decided to run something a little different from the same old B&W IGAS, WML, etc that they've burned through a hundred times in the last 12 years? [/quote]
"Within the realm of sanity?"  Sure.  But from what we've seen, it sure looks like they're steering clear of glorious monochrome.  They've been trying to give us interesting or unusual episodes, and while you could argue that their WML? and IGAS selections (both of which have also been shown countless times) qualify, the only thing interesting or unusual about the Password that they chose was the very fact that it was in color.  I personally believe that the decision to avoid B&W in prime time is a conscious one.

Still, it makes no difference as far as TPIR goes.  They're not going to say, "The Price Is Right is the number one show in our countdown, now here's an episode from the version none of you remember!"  The speculation over this is getting silly, but here's mine anyway.  They had to know when they started this project that TPIR had to be at or near the top.  They also knew that at that rarified height, the viewers would be expecting to see an example.  Seems to me that all the parties involved could have come up with some solution that lets them show a single episode.

[Joe Mello]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'127595\' date=\'Aug 16 2006, 01:27 AM\']
I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you are thinking of Pyramid in the specific Donny Osmond sense, and Joe is thinking about Pyramid in the general sense and just didn't think he had to type to The $10,000/$20,000/$25,000/$50,000/$100,000 Pyramid for people to understand what he was talking about.
[/quote]

No, we were actually talking about the same thing.  Sorry about the ambiguity.

Clark's Pyramid had some flash and pizzaz, but Osmond's laid it on a little more thickly.  It did get modest ratings for the 2nd tier of syndie game shows, which is why I imply a newer Password may have a chance.  However, I think that networks presume that the general public today are more interested in the bells, whistles, and colors than they are about the game.  If you tried to pass off a 1965-style Password today, you'd get a resounding thumbs down because there's nothing to attract the public's eye.

But all this is probably for another thread.

[cweaver]

[quote name=\'Seth Thrasher\' post=\'127622\' date=\'Aug 16 2006, 08:30 AM\']
I don't know where this perceived "Aversion to the black and white episodes" is coming from.  Is it not just possible within the realm of sanity that GSN decided to run something a little different from the same old B&W IGAS, WML, etc that they've burned through a hundred times in the last 12 years?
[/quote]

"Within the realm of sanity"?

The "aversion to black and white" comes from the fact that the countdown hasn't run a single,  solitary black and white episode of anything, not even as much as a clip from Beat the Clock.  It's not that I minded seeing the color WML?, TTTT or IGAS eps (I was especially glad to get the WML with Carter, my provider wasn't carrying GSN last time they ran it) but the original releases, etc. played up the possibility we'd see something that old.  I can't believe they tried their hearts out to get a Groucho You Bet Your Life and ran into a syndicator playing hardball, I think they just didn't want it.  Hence, the remark about the "aversion."

Early on I considered the idea they'd run a black and white Cullen TPiR but I threw in the towel on that one a long time ago.  (Ditto a Kennedy ep.) I still think the idea of running a half-hour Barker version isn't as far into the realm of science fiction as some here keep insisting.  Still may not happen, but I think the chances are better than a lot people give credit.  Remember this would be a one-shot, not a continuous several-times-a-day run here (to address one argument brought up here).

[Jeremy Nelson]

Well, after looking at Wikipedia (and taking this at face value), it looks like there are 3 episodes left where only one show is highlighted (Aug. 16, 23, and 24). Now, unless anybody can think of 3 hour-long shows that are deserving of top 15 status, one of those is probably going to be a Dating Game/Newlywed Game hour.

[Chuck Sutton]

[quote name=\'rollercoaster87\' post=\'127636\' date=\'Aug 16 2006, 12:15 PM\']
Well, after looking at Wikipedia (and taking this at face value), it looks like there are 3 episodes left where only one show is highlighted (Aug. 16, 23, and 24). Now, unless anybody can think of 3 hour-long shows that are deserving of top 15 status, one of those is probably going to be a Dating Game/Newlywed Game hour.
[/quote]


Remember last Thursday showed they can schedule two episodes of the same show in an hour.

Can we hope for both  a Fleming and a Trebek Jeopardy!? probably not.

[Chief-O]

[quote name=\'rollercoaster87\' post=\'127636\' date=\'Aug 16 2006, 11:15 AM\']
it looks like there are 3 episodes left where only one show is highlighted (Aug. 16, 23, and 24).[/quote]

Larsen PYL, anyone?

[Ian Wallis]

Can we hope for both a Fleming and a Trebek Jeopardy!? probably not.

They did air the 2000th episode of the original Jeopardy several years ago, so it's not out of the realm of possibility that we could hope for it.

[WhammyPower]

I think they're probably Millionaire, PYL, and Amazing Race (but, hopefully, not in that order)