Every Second Counts

[TLEberle]

After all the talk of the Rafferty CS possibly returning to GSN, I got to wondering about one of the 'rarities' that Bill hosted, "Every Second Counts", if you couldn't tell.

From what I can tell, they do an either/or quiz at the beginning, and the winners use the time won there in the bonus game.  But that's all I know.  (I was seven years old at the time, and the show only lasted a few months...)

If anyone out there has a better memory than I, be a comrade and fill in the gaps?  Please?

[aaron sica]

While I don't know much about "Every Second Counts" and really can't help, I just thought I would say how neat it is that simply adding his version of CS to the schedule has sparked a "Bill Rafferty Revolution" here, if it were.

[whewfan]

That was the basic idea. Bill gave the couples two choices, and they had to pick the right answer. If a couple gives a wrong answer, they're out for the round, and play continues until all questions in the round are used, or until all 3 couples guess wrong. (Think of YDKJ's "Dis or Dat")

For example: Mr. Rogers or Mr. T

Takes off his shoes
Wears cardigan sweaters made by his mother
Says "I pity the fool"
Has a trolley that goes to the Neighborhood of Make Believe
Wears several gold chains
Cannot whistle

Usually, the first couple rounds were "played for laughs" and the multiple choices were fairly easy. I'm sure you were able to match up the first 5, but the last one, Mr. Rogers could not whistle. He's mentioned on his show on a few occasions that whistling was one thing he could NEVER do, and he's tried it many times.  Another entertainer of children, Shari Lewis, also said once she could not whistle.

[Jamey Greek]

You know, I would like to see Every Second Counts pictures, of the set and all.

[The Ol' Guy]

Three teams played each show, usually husband and wife. One of them would give the answers in the first round, then the other would handle all the second round questions. Each round featured three categories - 9 questions each. Correct answers in the first round were worth 2 points. Miss an answer, and you would be out for the remainder of that category. New category, everybody back in play. Answers in the second round were worth 4 points. High scoring team at the end of round 2 wins. The points are then translated into seconds for the bonus game. The couple worked as a team, alternating giving answers to a category with three possible answers: The category is periodicals. Are the following magazines and newspapers published daily, weekly, or monthly. Bill would rattle off a list of items that fit the subject, you gave one of the three answer choices. The clock counted down until you reached the number of required correct answers, then you'd move on to a new category.  4 levels of prizes, low to grand. First level, 4 correct answers, then 5, 6, and if you managed to get to the last round and come up with 7 correct answers in the time you had left on the clock, you'd win a new car. A very fun game.

[Brig Bother]

The show ran for eight years in the UK, you know.

UKGameshows.com review of Every Second Counts

[TimK2003]

Three things I liked about the show:

1) Debbie Bartlett

2) The theme & the contestant intro cues were retro sounding -- as if it was taken from an early 70's game show -- but nonetheless, the theme rocked!

3) Debbie Bartlett

[The Ol' Guy]

Yeah, God Bless the Brits for giving some extra life to some US formats that were pretty good - Call My Bluff, Blockbusters, Strike It Rich, Catch Phrase - even if they make a few changes. At least there was a home version made there. And Debbie was indeed a nice part of the show. I wonder if the theme was some stock music or what, as on the Billy Crystal album "Mahvelous", the tune pops up in an edited form as an exit piece to a Buddy Young, Jr. sketch. Only about 10 seconds, but it sure sounds like it.

[Don Howard]

Bill's enthusiatic entrances were awesome as well.
After Johnny Gilbert introduced Bill, he'd come out and say, "Hi, Johnny!" and Johnny would reply, "Hello, Bill!" and then Bill would say, "Hi, Debbie" and Debbie would salute at Bill in recognition. That set things off for one big bundle of fun for 30 minutes. And Bill was a terrific contestant interviewer also.

[calliaume]

[quote name=\'whewfan\' date=\'Feb 25 2005, 09:22 PM\'] I'm sure you were able to match up the first 5, but the last one, Mr. Rogers could not whistle. He's mentioned on his show on a few occasions that whistling was one thing he could NEVER do, and he's tried it many times.  Another entertainer of children, Shari Lewis, also said once she could not whistle.

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[/quote]
Wow, I'm not alone.  Clearly I should have gone into children's entertainment instead of publishing.  I could have been the next Julie Aigner-Clark.  (If you don't know who she is, you clearly don't have children.)

I remember watching this show as much as I could when working in Rome, NY in 1984-85 (don't remember the station or time it aired).  Fun little game that deserved better than one season and out.

[brianhenke]

Fun little game that deserved better than one season and out.

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   ESC wasn't seen in Cincinnati in the 1984-85 season (but I heard about it while reading the trades, back in the pre-Net days).

   Brian

   100 plus 100 equals 600?

[The Ol' Guy]

According to one of the production staff, it was the typical "different times in different cities" that killed them. They were considering going another season, but the ratings on the stations that were running them at 2 am or 4 am dragged down the averages, so the final numbers at renewal time didn't impress the big bosses. A shame. Now I'm not sure whether some of those late shifts were downgrades from better periods, or just a hope that a comedy game would help late night ratings and that's where they started.  Here in Grand Rapids, it ran somewhere between 10 and 11 am on the ABC affiliate. Who knows? With a consistent time period over a network, it might have stuck around like it did in England.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'The Ol' Guy\' date=\'Feb 26 2005, 02:06 PM\']According to one of the production staff, it was the typical "different times in different cities" that killed them. They were considering going another season, but the ratings on the stations that were running them at 2 am or 4 am dragged down the averages, so the final numbers at renewal time didn't impress the big bosses. A shame. Now I'm not sure whether some of those late shifts were downgrades from better periods, or just a hope that a comedy game would help late night ratings and that's where they started.  Here in Grand Rapids, it ran somewhere between 10 and 11 am on the ABC affiliate. Who knows? With a consistent time period over a network, it might have stuck around like it did in England.

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[/quote]

I'd love to see this show, being I was only 2 when it aired, but it sounded like an interesting game, something that could be easily revived for cable or PAX (with lower budget of course). I do know Norfolk aired the show on WAVY-10 in the 9:00 hour (along with LMAD).

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Feb 26 2005, 08:19 AM\']Bill's enthusiatic entrances were awesome as well.
After Johnny Gilbert introduced Bill, he'd come out and say, "Hi, Johnny!" and Johnny would reply, "Hello, Bill!" and then Bill would say, "Hi, Debbie" and Debbie would salute at Bill in recognition. That set things off for one big bundle of fun for 30 minutes. And Bill was a terrific contestant interviewer also.

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[/quote]
Jimmy Fiono Coyne, are you watching? Clearly we need an intro to this!

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Feb 26 2005, 03:34 PM\']Jimmy Fiono Coyne, are you watching? Clearly we need an intro to this!

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I've posted an intro here (MPEG-4, 2.1MB).  It will be up for a day or so; enjoy. :-)