Narz Concentration

[Jimmy Owen]

In New York, at least, Narz "Concentration" was on WNBC at 1pm in 73, replacing "It's Your Bet," so it was airing among all of Lin Bolen's new innovations.  I wonder if she had a say in what was scheduled in NYC locally, or did she work out of Burbank? In LA, KHJ had it at the outset instead of KNBC.

Source: TV Guide.

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'135501\' date=\'Oct 24 2006, 05:27 PM\']
In New York, at least, Narz "Concentration" was on WNBC at 1pm in 73, replacing "It's Your Bet," so it was airing among all of Lin Bolen's new innovations.  I wonder if she had a say in what was scheduled in NYC locally, or did she work out of Burbank? In LA, KHJ had it at the outset instead of KNBC.

Source: TV Guide.
[/quote]

WNBC's program director was in charge of what wasn't coming from the network.  Lin Bolen had nothing to do with it.

[geno57]

[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]


Actually, when the show got the axe, the set had been changed fairly recently (like within a year or two), and if I remember correctly, they had freshened the music, too.

Now that computer graphics are so much better, I'd love to see Concentration return.  Never did feel quite comfortable with the Trebek version.  It seemed really cheesy -- although the rebuses were beautifully done.  Since the board is the focal point of the entire game, though, it was unsettling to see a shot of the whole stage, and see no sign of a board!

Nowadays a big, hi-def, digital screen would do nicely to display the board.

[Ian Wallis]

It seemed really cheesy -- although the rebuses were beautifully done. Since the board is the focal point of the entire game, though, it was unsettling to see a shot of the whole stage, and see no sign of a board!

That's one of the reasons I liked the Narz version so much - because of the board (I've always been fascinated by moving set pieces and such!).  Part of the problem though was cutting the rebuses into 30 pieces, so I can certainly understand why Trebek's version did it the way they did....but I still missed seeing an actual board!

[alfonzos]

[quote name=\'geno57\' post=\'135574\' date=\'Oct 25 2006, 04:12 PM\']
although the rebuses were beautifully done.
[/quote]

Although any Concentration is better than no Concentration, I hated the style of the Classic Concentration rebuses! The drawings were gaudy and the colors loud! Often, an entire body would be drawn when only the eye was needed to solve the puzzle. Steve Ryan designed some great rebuses but they were painful to contemplate! BTW, Norman Blumenthal, the original Concentration producer, was no slouch either!

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'135575\' date=\'Oct 25 2006, 04:15 PM\']
Part of the problem though was cutting the rebuses into 30 pieces, so I can certainly understand why Trebek's version did it the way they did....but I still missed seeing an actual board!
[/quote]

Because many sound are used often ("oar" for "or", for example) much of the artwork was recycled so the entire rebus didn't have to be drawn just the symbols needed.