ABC Summer Fun and Games 2021

[jude_este]

ABC has set the premiere dates for this year's Summer Fun And Games block. Below is a Deadline article for the premiere dates for The $100,000 Pyramid, Holey Moley, The Hustler, Celebrity Family Feud, The Chase, Press Your Luck, To Tell The Truth, Card Sharks, and newcomer The Celebrity Dating Game.

https://deadline.com/2021/04/the-chase-the-hustler-renewed-abc-summer-schedule-bachelor-in-paradise-1234729455/

There are quite a few changes to the scheduling for the shows that include Wednesday being part of the Fun and Games block again, and it's no brainer that the network would pair The Celebrity Dating Game with the reality show The Bachelorette on Monday nights.

[SeaBreeze341]

Not only is Wednesday back in terms of a night full of the Fun and Games, it's the better night between that and Sunday (IMO).


However, no Match Game, it looks like

[RatRace10]

No Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Season 2? But it was the highest rated of ABC's three new Thursday game shows from January-March! Why is it the only one of the three that isn't coming back?

[SeaBreeze341]

No Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Season 2? But it was the highest rated of ABC's three new Thursday game shows from January-March! Why is it the only one of the three that isn't coming back?

Yeah that was rather surprising.  However, it's not a shocker IMO.  I think TPTB would prefer to have Celebrity Wheel air in a period where people would watch compared to a period that people might tend to do something else.  Especially this summer.  Winter is the best spot for it, right as (football is winding down and before college basketball heats up).

That, and Pat & Vanna's availability should explain the lack of CWOF this coming summer

[imhomerjay]

No Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Season 2? But it was the highest rated of ABC's three new Thursday game shows from January-March! Why is it the only one of the three that isn't coming back?

Any number of reasons. The schedule doesn't work for production. Pat doesn't feel like it. They want to use it as winter filler. The demos weren't so great when you dig beneath the headline numbers. They only had so much need for summer.

Mix and match your favorites.

[pannoni1]

Nice to see The $100,000 Pyramid back after missing last summer. Interesting choice for one of the CDG cohosts since many associate his work with a bygone era that were huge radio hits but rarely heard in recent years (aka the Boomer version of Michael Buble). Given its lead-in, don't be surprised if there's a crossover episode with The Bachelorette. The Thursday lineup looks interesting since I really enjoyed Holey Moley more in its second season. Speaking of The Hustler, it's too bad that the short-lived 1979 NBC show Whodunnit? doesn't exist online except for some promos; it combined celebrities with civilian contestants and was hosted by the great Ed McMahon.

[Alfonzo]

So far, only one game show has been officially cancelled: Don't. https://tvline.com/2021/04/07/dont-cancelled-abc-season-2/

[TinoStar11]

Any number of reasons.

Or the most obvious reason, they done taping for this season and wanted to wait until season 39 to start taping new CWOF shows.

[JayC]

Nice to see $100,000 Pyramid back after not being on for any of the Fun and Games blocks last year or earlier this year.

[FieldsFan336]

Can't wait for Press Your Luck to come back

[jude_este]

Some changes to the schedule according to this Deadline article. ABC has moved forward Press Your Luck and The $100,000 Pyramid from June 9 to May 26 and pushed back Card Sharks a week to June 16.

[SeaBreeze341]

Great move.  Until recently (even before last year), I think it would've been tough for any show to start within the last week before Memorial Day.  That's usually due to a fleet of finales (24, DWTS, Idol, The Voice, Survivor, just to name several over the past 15 years).  Survivor moved opposite American Idol as the latter's popularity dwindled, but before that no one was topping Tuesday & Wednesday.

With not much new content, it's a smart decision to have PYL and Pyramid start a couple weeks early during May sweeps.  They're awesome, established shows regardless but it is refreshing to see both shows return in advance of the Memorial Day weekend

[pannoni1]

Great move.  Until recently (even before last year), I think it would've been tough for any show to start within the last week before Memorial Day.  That's usually due to a fleet of finales (24, DWTS, Idol, The Voice, Survivor, just to name several over the past 15 years).  Survivor moved opposite American Idol as the latter's popularity dwindled, but before that no one was topping Tuesday & Wednesday.

With not much new content, it's a smart decision to have PYL and Pyramid start a couple weeks early during May sweeps.  They're awesome, established shows regardless but it is refreshing to see both shows return in advance of the Memorial Day weekend

Well the season premieres of PYL and $100K Pyramid are competing directly against the season finales of NBC's "Chicago Wednesday" (Med/Fire/P.D.) dramas. That said, due to the production delays brought about by the pandemic, many shows will have their regular seasons extend into the summer this year. The NHL and NBA playoffs are running through mid-July, which means that there will be competition for sports that usually dies down early in June deeper into the season. Then of course comes the Olympics (if they happen) on NBC just after those playoffs end, so its definitely going to be a competitive summer like you normally don't see!

[imhomerjay]

I’d wager every dime on the Olympics happening. Spectators? Maybe not, or not from outside the country. But there’s so much on the line I believe the find a way.

Many regular series (scripted that is) went with short orders due to the delayed production start. The networks generally aren’t going to invest in their high profile shows running much past traditional end points. Some normal 20/22 episode type shows were cut to the 16/18 range.

And it happens this year that Memorial Day is as late as it can be, so starting the week leading into it isn’t necessarily a huge jump compared to some years. 

[JarodJGames]

Well the season premieres of PYL and $100K Pyramid are competing directly against the season finales of NBC's "Chicago Wednesday" (Med/Fire/P.D.) dramas. That said, due to the production delays brought about by the pandemic, many shows will have their regular seasons extend into the summer this year. The NHL and NBA playoffs are running through mid-July, which means that there will be competition for sports that usually dies down early in June deeper into the season. Then of course comes the Olympics (if they happen) on NBC just after those playoffs end, so its definitely going to be a competitive summer like you normally don't see!

Well you also have to account for NBA Finals Preemptions on ABC if there is a NBA Finals game on a night where it should be a Summer Fun and Games night