Narz Concentration

[golden-road]

Having seen the episode on Page O Clips, I had some questions I was think about:

1. In the second game of the episode, there were four Wild Cards. I know matching two win $250, but did anybody get all four for $500?

2. Also, in that same vein, I noticed that when the Wild Cards were matched, the player didn't call another number. Was this a common thing, or did they forget?

3. I know the structure of the show allows for a player to possibly win two cars. Did that ever happen?


4. Again, in that same vein, when the nine-space board was used in Double Play, did anybody actually win all the prizes on the board?

5. A picture that's floating around is that of a Double Play rebus reading "Happy Birthday Jack". Was this shown on air?

Thanks for all your queries!

[Robert Hutchinson]

[quote name=\'golden-road\' post=\'135405\' date=\'Oct 23 2006, 07:14 PM\']2. Also, in that same vein, I noticed that when the Wild Cards were matched, the player didn't call another number. Was this a common thing, or did they forget?[/quote]
Um . . . I'm pretty sure that matching Wild Cards were treated like any other match on Narz Concentration--that is, they end the number-calling. It was Classic Concentration that insisted that a prize eventually be uncovered to match a Wild Card on the same turn.

[davemackey]

[quote name=\'golden-road\' post=\'135405\' date=\'Oct 23 2006, 07:14 PM\']
3. I know the structure of the show allows for a player to possibly win two cars. Did that ever happen? [/quote]
Happened a number of times. Chevy Vegas were nice cars to give to friends!

[Allstar87]

[quote name=\'davemackey\' post=\'135416\' date=\'Oct 23 2006, 09:16 PM\']
Happened a number of times. Chevy Vegas were nice cars to give to friends!
[/quote]

Unless, of course, you still wanted them as friends.

I know someone who bought a brand-new Vega hatchback as their first car, back in 1973. The transmission broke beyond repair after just six months.

[Clay Zambo]

Here's another: did this version of the show have a studio audience?

[cweaver]

[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' post=\'135429\' date=\'Oct 23 2006, 10:11 PM\']
Here's another: did this version of the show have a studio audience?
[/quote]

Going strictly on a 30+ year memory and no tape: yes.  I think we even saw them from time to time but not as often as the NBC daytime version.

[bricon]

[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' post=\'135429\' date=\'Oct 23 2006, 10:11 PM\']
Here's another: did this version of the show have a studio audience?
[/quote]

Yes, I have a ticket for a taping, done at KTTV Studios.

[Neumms]

[quote name=\'Robert Hutchinson\' post=\'135411\' date=\'Oct 23 2006, 07:23 PM\']
Um . . . I'm pretty sure that matching Wild Cards were treated like any other match on Narz Concentration--that is, they end the number-calling. It was Classic Concentration that insisted that a prize eventually be uncovered to match a Wild Card on the same turn.
[/quote]

Not having seen the NBC or Narz versions much, it looks like Classic Concentration did a nice job of smoothing out the rough edges of the game. I think 25 boxes was a much more elegant way to speed up the game than calling three numbers and all the head starts and free peeks. And that way to handle Wild Cards seemed like a more interesting way to do it--the "here's $250 and two pieces of the puzzle" on the Narz clip was anti-climactic. If only they didn't have to resort to two colors of "takes."

[Ian Wallis]

1. In the second game of the episode, there were four Wild Cards. I know matching two win $250, but did anybody get all four for $500?

In the beginning, there were only two Wild Cards, and matching both won $500, win or lose the game.  I only remember seeing it happen once.

Because the Wild Cards usually matched different prizes, if they ever got down to the final two squares without the puzzle being solved, Jack would usually say something like "...the last two do not match, so we're going to turn them over and the first one to buzz in and answer correctly wins".

For those of you who have home games from this period, this is also the way the home games were played.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'135454\' date=\'Oct 24 2006, 09:57 AM\']
I think 25 boxes was a much more elegant way to speed up the game than calling three numbers and all the head starts and free peeks.
[/quote]
I actually really liked the three-call format (and that surprised me, since I always kinda frowned when I read about it before), and the Headstarts. Particularly because then it made the prize plugs read before the game integrate really well into the game itself.

[Neumms]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'135460\' date=\'Oct 24 2006, 01:02 PM\']
[quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'135454\' date=\'Oct 24 2006, 09:57 AM\']
I think 25 boxes was a much more elegant way to speed up the game than calling three numbers and all the head starts and free peeks.
[/quote]
I actually really liked the three-call format (and that surprised me, since I always kinda frowned when I read about it before), and the Headstarts. Particularly because then it made the prize plugs read before the game integrate really well into the game itself.
[/quote]

Good points--it surprised me, too. One strategy the players didn't use was, if they knew where a match was, to call another number first in hopes they'd find something for their next match to keep the turn going. Still, it seems a bit inelegant, especially when they go back to two numbers in the second game.

I must admit I loved it when the "audience" oohed at the beef jerky.

[chris319]

The purpose of the Head Start was not only to give the players a head start, but also to guarantee that those four fee plugs were read regardless of whether the item was won or not. No plug = no fee.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'135471\' date=\'Oct 24 2006, 12:05 PM\']
The purpose of the Head Start was not only to give the players a head start, but also to guarantee that those four fee plugs were read regardless of whether the item was won or not. No plug = no fee.
[/quote]
Sure. And Trebek did the same thing on CC. I'm saying that it was just better integrated into the game on the Narz version, because the entire fee plug segment was handled by Johnny, instead of doing the plug, and then throwing it back to Alex to tell us where it is.

[Neumms]

Another "Concentration" question. . . did NBC even debate the notion of updating its longest running game before they axed it? A new set, some new music and a bonus round--essentially what G-T did--seems like that would have put ol' "Joker's Wild" in its place and would have spared the world "Winning Streak."

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'135493\' date=\'Oct 24 2006, 04:02 PM\']
Another "Concentration" question. . . did NBC even debate the notion of updating its longest running game before they axed it? A new set, some new music and a bonus round--essentially what G-T did--seems like that would have put ol' "Joker's Wild" in its place and would have spared the world "Winning Streak."
[/quote]

With the exception of "Squares." it's rather obvious that Lin Bolen wanted to remake the morning lineup in her own image--she could've fired Blumenthal and Clayton, move the show to Burbank and do "The New Concentration," but instead she wanted to make a clean sweep of it.  And she would've probably faced the wrath of the long-time viewers who wanted things to stay the way they were in an era where young demos were not as rabidly worshipped as today.