How possible would another revival of Hollywood Squares be?

[Plinkomatic]

I've been watching clips and full episodes of the Tom Bergeron era of Hollywood Squares, and I've really gotten into it. They've had a lot of great celebrities over all the eras, especially the ones from Tom's era: John Ritter, Gilbert Gottfried ("You fool," anyone? ), and even Muppets like Elmo, Kermit, and Bear from Bear in the Big Blue House.

Hollywood Squares is one of the most legendary game shows of all time, from Peter Marshall's era to John Davidson's era. There was also the Match Game-Hollywood Squares hour that lasted only one year, Storybook Squares for children, and of course Hip Hip Squares from VH1. The last era of Hollywood Squares with Tom went off the air in 2004. Since then, aside from Hip Hop, no other official versions have been aired.

A lot of classic game shows are being revived (Match Game, Pyramid), and new game shows are coming soon, such as Candy Crush (coming July 9th to CBS) and iWitness (a show produced by Judge Judy for Fox stations), so why not give Hollywood Squares another run? And maybe they can get a comedian to host it. Wayne Brady's on Let's Make a Deal, Drew Carey's on Price, Howie Mandel hosted Deal or No Deal and is now on America's Got Talent, Alec Baldwin now hosts the current Match Game on ABC, and Tom's a comedian who, in addition to Hollywood Squares, has hosted America's Funniest Home Videos and Dancing with the Stars. Maybe a comedian like Rosie O'Donnell, Adam Sandler, or Jimmy Fallon can host a revival if it's possible.

It would be so amazing to get Hollywood Squares back on the air, wouldn't it?

[dprice]

It would be nice to have another revival of "The Hollywood Squares".  I remember seeing the version hosted by Tom Bergeron from 1998 until 2004.

[JayC]

Hip Hop Squares started on MTV2 a few years ago before being revived again on VH1 recently.

I certainly think a regular version of Hollywood Squares could happen again if they get the right celebrities. If Match Game, Pyramid, and To Tell the Truth can come back and be successful enough to get multiple runs, Hollywood Squares could to. It would be interesting to see how they decide to do the bonus round, whether it would be the way it was done the last two seasons of the Bergeron version or it goes in another direction.

[Plinkomatic]

Hip Hop Squares started on MTV2 a few years ago before being revived again on VH1 recently.

I certainly think a regular version of Hollywood Squares could happen again if they get the right celebrities. If Match Game, Pyramid, and To Tell the Truth can come back and be successful enough to get multiple runs, Hollywood Squares could to. It would be interesting to see how they decide to do the bonus round, whether it would be the way it was done the last two seasons of the Bergeron version or it goes in another direction.

Yeah, they've all had great success. Maybe they could also revive Weakest Link too.

[Reloaden]

I always say that if they ever revive Weakest Link they should get Chelsea Handler to host it.


Hollywood squares would be a great show to revive as long they find the right host and have a good panel. 

[Teddy]

Let's not forget Press Your Luck and Card Sharks, either.

I would welcome a revival of H2, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

[Plinkomatic]

I always say that if they ever revive Weakest Link they should get Chelsea Handler to host it.


Hollywood squares would be a great show to revive as long they find the right host and have a good panel.

Agreed. For one thing, George Gray's on Price now, and Anne Robinson now has a career in broadcast journalism with BBC News.

[GSNSmashFan3]

Although I do like The Weakest Link, I think the biggest obstacle in the way of a potential revival is that the show was a product of its time. Considering that almost every Millionaire-styled primetime game show this decade has bombed so far, it seems to me like television viewers are just burned out on "big money" game shows. I'm sure that there eventually will come a time when there's enough nostalgia to warrant revivals for the Weakest Links and Deal or No Deals of yesterday, but that time isn't in the foreseeable future.

As for a potential revival of Hollywood Squares, I don't think it'll happen as long as Hip Hop Squares is still ongoing, but maybe someday.

Card Sharks and Press Your Luck, on the other hand, are well overdue for revivals!

[Superballer]

It certainly would be nice to see them back if done properly, yes. 

What more obscure shows do you think might be worth revivals as well?  Some I think might do reasonably well if done right: 

-Top Card; as Season 1 showed, it can work divorced from a Nashville/country music theme, and there's really not much that would have to be changed (I say go with bonus round #2 given it was a simplification of the earlier rules)

-Bumper Stumpers; its unique game play would mean it would have no similar shows to compete with no matter when it would air.  Keep the main game 2 out of 3 to win, with a "speed segment" on the final plate when time would be called that would reveal letters and numbers one at a time until someone buzzes in with the right answer.  For the bonus round, make it, say, 7 plates in 60 seconds for a cash jackpot of at least $10,000 

-Caesars Challenge; it wouldn't need to be even at Caesars Palace if they went with a Roman theme with the show, perhaps making the set look like the Coliseum and the host dressing like a Roman emperor (at least I think it would work and not look ridiculous).  The main game would need no real changes; obviously the first bonus game would be preferred to end the show, but the second could work if the right alterations were made--for example, giving all 5 words a common theme and/or giving the champion either 5 additional seconds to work with each time until they win it or an additional free letter for every time they're on (i.e., for example, a three day champion would have three letters revealed in the 5 letter word, and the clock would start from there) 

-Wipeout; it was brilliant then, and it would be brilliant now, and again, nothing would really need to change 

-Wordplay; as long as they straightened out the scoring system for the front game--perhaps giving each subsequent word chosen a higher value than the one before it--it would stand out on today's TV slate 

-Now You See It; it was always underrated anyway, and it would still work today 

[Plinkomatic]

It certainly would be nice to see them back if done properly, yes. 

What more obscure shows do you think might be worth revivals as well?  Some I think might do reasonably well if done right: 

-Top Card; as Season 1 showed, it can work divorced from a Nashville/country music theme, and there's really not much that would have to be changed (I say go with bonus round #2 given it was a simplification of the earlier rules)

-Bumper Stumpers; its unique game play would mean it would have no similar shows to compete with no matter when it would air.  Keep the main game 2 out of 3 to win, with a "speed segment" on the final plate when time would be called that would reveal letters and numbers one at a time until someone buzzes in with the right answer.  For the bonus round, make it, say, 7 plates in 60 seconds for a cash jackpot of at least $10,000 

-Caesars Challenge; it wouldn't need to be even at Caesars Palace if they went with a Roman theme with the show, perhaps making the set look like the Coliseum and the host dressing like a Roman emperor (at least I think it would work and not look ridiculous).  The main game would need no real changes; obviously the first bonus game would be preferred to end the show, but the second could work if the right alterations were made--for example, giving all 5 words a common theme and/or giving the champion either 5 additional seconds to work with each time until they win it or an additional free letter for every time they're on (i.e., for example, a three day champion would have three letters revealed in the 5 letter word, and the clock would start from there) 

-Wipeout; it was brilliant then, and it would be brilliant now, and again, nothing would really need to change 

-Wordplay; as long as they straightened out the scoring system for the front game--perhaps giving each subsequent word chosen a higher value than the one before it--it would stand out on today's TV slate 

-Now You See It; it was always underrated anyway, and it would still work today

Wonder what a modern-day Password would be like

[someguy23475]

I would love to see The Big Showdown revived, but I know it won't happen.

[JayC]

Wonder what a modern-day Password would be like

We saw what it would be like with 2008's Million Dollar Password hosted by Regis Philbin. I liked it personally, but it definitely had a different feel from the original versions of the show. Jimmy Fallon sometimes plays a version of the classic Password on The Tonight Show as well.

High Rollers would be a good revival I think. The bonus round especially would work well in primetime for big money because of how dramatic it could get.

[Plinkomatic]

We saw what it would be like with 2008's Million Dollar Password hosted by Regis Philbin. I liked it personally, but it definitely had a different feel from the original versions of the show. Jimmy Fallon sometimes plays a version of the classic Password on The Tonight Show as well.

High Rollers would be a good revival I think. The bonus round especially would work well in primetime for big money because of how dramatic it could get.

And maybe another revival of Double Dare

[Plinkomatic]

One thing I really love about Hollywood Squares is how every time the celebrities are asked a question, they first respond with a funny joke for comedic effect, and give the audience time to laugh, and then they give their real answer. For example:

Tom: 17 Magazine published a survey claiming that more than 85% of teens are more likely to do volunteer work if what?
Judge Judy: If I order them to do it!
*The audience laughs at that*
Judge Judy: If it's outdoors.

The female contestant of the day, Wendy, agreed with her. However, the real answer was "if they're friends." Wendy did wind up becoming the champion of the day, and in the final round where she had to pick a celebrity and see what was in their envelope, she picked Judge Judy, and won a Mustang convertible by getting the answer to the question right.

Another popular instance of this type of gag on the show is of course the infamous "YOU FOOL" incident. Anyone else remember that? XD

[priceguy]

I believe CBS was contemplating doing "Squares" in Primetime this summer in competition with ABC's Fun & Games lineup. But obviously nothing ever came of that.