Scrabble (1993) Theme

[tvwxman]

There's enough creepy, obsessive Geoff Edwards fan fiction out there.

Wow - i had forgotten about that. Or, at least drank enough to try to forget her. Yikes.

[TLEberle]

I'd agree with that too...kills the strategy of aiming for a colored square then solving. Why they didn't just keep the original Bonus Sprint format is beyond me. Scattergories' jackpot was pretty paltry too (started at $4,000, divided amongst four people).

So here's the things about that: The pink/blue square money was going to be given away eventually, just not necessarily to the player who landed on them. Reducing the starting point from $5,000 to $1,000 means the show saves $4,000 every time the Bonus Sprint is won, but it looks super lame that the bonus round is played for as much money as what was given out in the Sprint round a few minutes ago.

But the thing that just kills me is that bonus squares feeding the jackpot takes away one of the great things from the original show: when somebody would say "I think I know it but I'm going for some money, Chuck." The crowd would erupt into applause. Sure, it's the same $500 and $1,000, but the money doesn't go straight into your pocket anymore, you have to jump two hurdles to get it.

[aaron sica]

But the thing that just kills me is that bonus squares feeding the jackpot takes away one of the great things from the original show: when somebody would say "I think I know it but I'm going for some money, Chuck." The crowd would erupt into applause. Sure, it's the same $500 and $1,000, but the money doesn't go straight into your pocket anymore, you have to jump two hurdles to get it.

I don't think it went straight into their pocket even on the 1984 version, either. That's one of the few things about game shows that annoy me - when the host hands the player money (Joker's Wild did it, too). Although I can definitely see Jack Barry saying under his breath "OK, I need that money back, that was just for show.."

[TLEberle]

I don't think it went straight into their pocket even on the 1984 version, either. That's one of the few things about game shows that annoy me - when the host hands the player money (Joker's Wild did it, too). Although I can definitely see Jack Barry saying under his breath "OK, I need that money back, that was just for show.."

Did anybody else have trouble understanding what I meant here, or do I need to start spelling things out for everyone?

[aaron sica]

I don't think it went straight into their pocket even on the 1984 version, either. That's one of the few things about game shows that annoy me - when the host hands the player money (Joker's Wild did it, too). Although I can definitely see Jack Barry saying under his breath "OK, I need that money back, that was just for show.."

Did anybody else have trouble understanding what I meant here, or do I need to start spelling things out for everyone?

Oh no, I knew what you meant, but perhaps I needed to word my reply better. When you said "straight into their pocket", you meant simply guessing the word to get the bonus, as compared to it being added to the Super Sprint jackpot and having to win that (the "extra hurdle" you mentioned) in the '93 version. I just went off on a different "straight into their pocket" tangent.

[TLEberle]

Good, we're all square here.

/Super Sprint is a damn good arcade game.

[aaron sica]

/Super Sprint is a damn good arcade game.

It is, except Sang is a *horrible* driver...

[TimK2003]

What did Mary think after John completed his "Scrabble Sprint" in only 19.3 seconds?

"John said to Mary, 'After I won the Scrabble Sprint, I <BLANK>ed Chuck Woolery'"

...Whoops, wrong show.

[PYLdude]

What did Mary think after John completed his "Scrabble Sprint" in only 19.3 seconds?

"John said to Mary, 'After I won the Scrabble Sprint, I <BLANK>ed Chuck Woolery'"

...Whoops, wrong show.

I just had a strange thought if they ever crossed Scrabble with Match Game...would make for some interesting words, for sure.

(and WeatherMatt...sorry about that. Next round on me?)

[WhammyPower]

I just had a strange thought if they ever crossed Scrabble with Match Game...would make for some interesting words, for sure.

They did.  It's called Bill Engvall Lingo.

[Argo]

It's really surprising that none of the Reg Grundy shows has ever shown up on GSN. Is this a cost thing or Reg Grundy just wont license them to GSN sort of like the NBC thing.

I would like to see Scrabble comeback. It was a good format that actually lasted for a good while. The 90s version wasn't anything to write home about though. Maybe if it staid on the air and didnt leave and come back would have helped it, but there were other problems with the show that I saw. I've only see the show on youtube, but it had that cheesy modern 90s feel that was just too over the top. Some people may have liked the opening, but I preferred the 80s open. It seemed to still fit the early 90s too. It was much more modern than a lot of the other shows were using even when it premiered in 1984.  The set was bare and you could tell that they were trying to cut costs. I saw someone on youtube post that it was a rush job at the beginning of the series. It seemed that the whole series was just pieced together at the last minute. Woolery's excitement had fizzled a bit too i think. The last scrabble episode for me was the last one for 1989.

[PYLdude]

Isn't the call for licensing not in Grundy's hands anymore?

[mystery7]

Grundy = Fremantle.

[Mario]

Grundy = Fremantle.

FremantleMedia, if it wanted to, could sell back its share in the 1984 and 1993 versions of Scrabble to Hasbro.

~Ben

[Vahan_Nisanian]

What I wonder is how does Fremantle take good care of the Grundy library if they have no intention of leasing it to anyone, including GSN?