Returning Champions vs One & Done: No Returns, Conditional, or Unlimited

[SeaBreeze341]

I meant to ask this last month, but I was unable to do so.  Similar to last month, there has been discussion elsewhere as it relates to having returning champions or not.  I think I was even asked about it myself about whether I was a fan of it or not.

Anyway, I’ve been thinking about it recently ask I was bored over the past several months and watching Family Feud (which I do anyway over the summer more often than not after the big sports break for summer & while I await the return of football).  Now I tune into Jeopardy & Wheel of Fortune which I’d rank over FF, and that’s year-round.  I don’t catch Feud often during the TV season due to everything else.  I was thinking about their returning championship format and was rather neutral about it.  I’ll elaborate later.

There were discussions (maybe started by me) on the idea of TPIR using returning champions during this period due to their limitations, and then there was the talk of WOF’s now short-lived era of returning champions vs sibling show Jeopardy and their awesome returning champions format.  As mentioned, it’s works for some shows and times; it doesn’t for others.

Therefore, I question to whomever wants to answer: What format is best?  Or what format do you prefer?  You have your one-and-done format (new participants every show or segment); that’s relevant in WOF & TPIR; there’s the traditional five-day limit used for decades (relevant in the Feud), and then there’s the play until someone beats you format that has been active somewhere for at least one season or year for the past six decades (Jeopardy!) amongst all other formats.  Others that come to mind include a “postseason” format where you get new participants per show or segment, and then the winners face each other in a finals segment, or a single winner faces a returning champion.  Then in the 80s Match Game had the “in-season” format where you faced an opponent twice.  You could either split or sweep your foe.  Finally, the win until you take too much of the network’s money format (retired in the early 90s, I think).

I am okay with Jeopardy & Family Feud, especially Jeopardy.  It’s the perfect show for unlimited returns, while keeping the tournament portion intact.  With the Feud, they’ve used everything over the past 4.5 decades, but the 5-day thing has been the most-used format. Only Anderson & Dawson didn’t have it.  When 5-days was done away with Combs, the short-lived unlimited era took its place.  I can take or leave the car-era, but there is something special and iconic whenever they’re won on the Feud, IMO.

Feel free to discuss below; I have my reason for or against everything.  As mentioned, it depends on the show, in my opinion

[imhomerjay]

IMO, there is no single answer. Shows can work in different ways, and the decision can be based as much on production needs as anything else where applicable.

[Spmahn]

I feel like generally speaking, returning champions make a game more exciting since you can see some really strong players make a run of it. One and done winners feel like a carryover from the days of the 70’s and 80’s where game shows were low budget affairs and networks were afraid of ringers making it on and taking them to the cleaners.

[imhomerjay]

There were other factors in the past like bicycling tapes among stations. These are multifaceted issues. And scheduling can matter: Jokers Wild worked as a one and done in the Snoop version just fine. Champions worked nicely in the 70s/80s.