Cross-Wits: could it work today?

[PeterMarshallFan]

Topic is self descriptive. Do you think Cross-Wits could work today? Who would host? Would there be gameplay changes?

[AH3RD]

I think so.

What I'd like to see is what happened to the tapes which held episodes of the 1975-80 and 1986-87 syndie editions. They could be anywhere...

[Skynet74]

[quote name=\'PeterMarshallFan\' date=\'Jul 6 2004, 12:00 PM\'] Topic is self descriptive. Do you think Cross-Wits could work today? Who would host? Would there be gameplay changes? [/quote]
 
 Definitely could work. It was as successful a formula as Wheel Of Fortune or Scrabble. Word games will always have an appeal. To this day Cross-Wits was One of my top three favorite game shows ever. I would love to see it come back. Chuck Woolery is great with word games. He would be my Top Choice as host.



John

[rugrats1]

What I'd like to see is what happened to the tapes which held episodes of the 1975-80 and 1986-87 syndie editions. They could be anywhere...

Don't know about the 1975-1980 run (though they could exist, considering it was a syndicated program), but the 1986-1987 run certainly does exist, as they've been part of the schedule of the AIN network (at least, as of a couple of years back). But, considering that AIN is mainly in smaller markets on low-powered TV stations, not all of us could get the show.

[adamjk]

what does AIN stand for?

[rugrats1]

"AIN" is "American Independent Network", one of a few Tv networks that specialises in programming for mainly-low-powered TV stations (America One and UATV (Urban American TV) are the others).

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'rugrats1\' date=\'Jul 6 2004, 02:55 PM\']

What I'd like to see is what happened to the tapes which held episodes of the 1975-80 and 1986-87 syndie editions. They could be anywhere...

Don't know about the 1975-1980 run (though they could exist, considering it was a syndicated program), but the 1986-1987 run certainly does exist, as they've been part of the schedule of the AIN network (at least, as of a couple of years back). But, considering that AIN is mainly in smaller markets on low-powered TV stations, not all of us could get the show. [/quote]
And in December 1997, when AIN announced on their schedule at their website they'd be airing Cross-Wits, they listed Jack Clark as host, leading those of us to get a bit too excited, as it turned out to be the SParks version.

[dmota104]

Depends on who's hosting and which celebrities visit the show on a (semi-)regular basis.

My pick to host: Tom Bergeron.  He (obviously) has experience in games involving celebs.  Either him or John O'Hurley -- who has experience in hosting games with celebs (TTTT) and words (The Great American Celebrity Spelling Bee)

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'dmota104\' date=\'Jul 6 2004, 06:05 PM\'] Either him or John O'Hurley -- who has experience in hosting games with celebs (TTTT) and words (The Great American Celebrity Spelling Bee) [/quote]
 O'Hurley would be exceptional on a semi-cerebral word game like Crosswits.

[Skynet74]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jul 6 2004, 08:17 PM\']
O'Hurley would be exceptional on a semi-cerebral word game like Crosswits. [/quote]
 
 Yes I agree. I can make that connection as well.



John

[Strikerz04]

4 Items of this reply:

1) Isn't the '75 edition distributed by Columbia Pictures?

2) My choice of host goes to Woolery or O'hurley

3) I ended up seeing the sparks version on the Family Channel in 1994.

4) And well, I think it can work, pending the minds of a typical 18-54 person.

[rugrats1]

1) Isn't the '75 edition distributed by Columbia Pictures?

No -- Metromedia was the distributor of the 70s Cross Wits. Currently, Fox is the owners of that series (Metromedia was purchased by Fox in the mid-1980s).

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'PeterMarshallFan\' date=\'Jul 6 2004, 12:00 PM\'] Topic is self descriptive. Do you think Cross-Wits could work today? Who would host? Would there be gameplay changes? [/quote]
No, I don't think the game would work today. Crossword puzzles mainly skew the over 54 crowd; demographics would be bad; and the show really wasn't that interesting.

[Skynet74]

[quote name=\'Dsmith\' date=\'Jul 7 2004, 12:45 AM\']
No, I don't think the game would work today. Crossword puzzles mainly skew the over 54 crowd; demographics would be bad; and the show really wasn't that interesting. [/quote]

  Well the original Cross-wits was on between 1975 and 1980. That means I watched the show between the ages of 7 to Age 12. According to your Demographics I should not have even watched the show until the year 2022. DAMN..... I tuned in WAAAAYYYY to early. Sorry. ;-)



John

[Jimmy Owen]

[quote name=\'Skynet74\' date=\'Jul 7 2004, 09:51 AM\'] [quote name=\'Dsmith\' date=\'Jul 7 2004, 12:45 AM\']
No, I don't think the game would work today. Crossword puzzles mainly skew the over 54 crowd; demographics would be bad; and the show really wasn't that interesting. [/quote]

  Well the original Cross-wits was on between 1975 and 1980. That means I watched the show between the ages of 7 to Age 12. According to your Demographics I should not have even watched the show until the year 2022. DAMN..... I tuned in WAAAAYYYY to early. Sorry. ;-)



John [/quote]
 That is an interesting viewer demographic. Under 12 and over 54. I'm sure a good number of kids were forced to watch game shows back then while staying at grandma's house.