[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Nov 28 2005, 03:36 PM\']The key here is "HDTV." As has been mentioned here before, a lot of game show sets--and sets for TV shows in general--may look great on TV, where they're supposed to look great, but much less so in person. The challenge of HDTV is that sets (and to be truthful, people) that may look perfectly fine in standard definition look like they do in real life in HDTV. And let's face it--that wheel's been through a lot of wear and tear in 30 years, if it's the same wheel.
And more importantly: How does Vanna look in HDTV? (Yes, and Pat too.)
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I attended a taping of Wheel when they were in Philly last year. I assure you of one thing, the set looked just fine, IMO, and there was no need to update anything if the people behind the scenes didn't feel like it. Pat and Vanna looked fine then too, both close-up and far away, but even if there was a problem, I'm sure there's nothing a little make-up here and there couldn't fix. Everything was shined up, glossed over, spotless, and looking brand new. I'm pretty sure HDTV won't be a problem for the show.
The other thing I am about 95% sure of is that the same base wheel that was used originally is not the same base now. I have heard many times before that when the producers did the wheel overhaul in 1997 (when the large gold spiky things started coming out from the wheel that better matched the new puzzle board that stayed until it all went neon), that a brand new wheel was built and installed. I also heard with this that this wasn't the first time this had been done. It makes sense though, I don't believe the same wheel base that was used in 1975 could still be used today. At some point, something should have rotted, worn out, or collapsed causing a new one to be needed...
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Nov 28 2005, 11:54 PM\']Why do you assume they stop tape for that? If they can get away with it, I'm sure they would roll right through it.
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At that Philly taping, while Charlie was talking about the 2nd round prize, and while they took about a 2 minute break to go along with the commercials, the wedges were changed, noting though that there aren't too many they need to change these days. There will always be commercial breaks, I believe, because, for one, it gives contestants a short break from the action to relax, but also, Pat went backstage and chatted with the producers during EVERY break, I guess to make sure everything was going smoothly and there were no disputes on anything he or the contestants did during the previous round of taping. Pat seemed to be VERY involved in the off-camera work that went on with the show.
The puzzle board is connected to a computer system, so there is no reason, AT ALL, to stop taping to load a new puzzle in because I believe the puzzles are just typed in a program that puts them on the board before the show begins, as opposed to the much more physically demanding deal with the old puzzle board.
