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Studio 46 - Non-TPiR Discussion => Out In Left Field => Topic started by: Plinkomatic on June 28, 2017, 12:50:01 AM
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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? ;D), 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? :)
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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
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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
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I would love to see The Big Showdown revived, but I know it won't happen.
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
You're serious? They were actually considering that?
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Are the rights to Hollywood Squares in some kind of limbo? In a sense, would ABC airing their own version violate cross-ownership with Fremantle who owns Match Game? That said, I don't think they'd do a full revival as long as Hip Hop Squares is still running.
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Are the rights to Hollywood Squares in some kind of limbo? In a sense, would ABC airing their own version violate cross-ownership with Fremantle who owns Match Game? That said, I don't think they'd do a full revival as long as Hip Hop Squares is still running.
I believe CBS Television Distribution owns the rights. They gained the rights after they were formed out of the remains of KingWorld, who produced the 1998 version, and CBS Paramount. Also, I don't know if it would matter what network they put it on. The CW, for one thing, doesn't seem to have any game shows. They do have Whose Line, but that doesn't count. I think the network should give the game show industry a go.
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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.
I remember hearing rumors about squares coming back i thought it was for syndication.
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The rights issue around Hollywood Squares lies in the Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour ownership split between MGM and FremantleMedia...
The Peter Marshall and John Davidson versions are owned by MGM via Filmways/Orion.
Tom Bergeron's version is owned by CBS Television distribution.
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Not sure if I'd enjoy Hollywood Squares much these days. I'm 50 and most of the current celebrities are ones I have probably never heard of or they would have a lot of "reality" people on as celebs and that simply would not do it for me personally, not to sound like an old stick in the mud.
I know several of you have mentioned bringing back some game shows that have fallen by the wayside. Tic Tac Dough would be awesome to bring back, in the Martindale fashion (both in set design and gameplay) not the Patrick Wayne 1990 fiasco.
While I adored Gambit, it was brought back sort of in recent years as Catch 21.
Personally, I'd love to see a revival of a much too under-rated game show "Three on a Match". It could very easily be updated I believe for the 21st century.
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Is Match Game coming back? it was an okay version it could of been better.
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Is Match Game coming back? it was an okay version it could of been better.
Perhaps you don't watch ABC on Sundays at 9/8c ;)
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Perhaps you don't watch ABC on Sundays at 9/8c ;)
Perhaps because it hasn't been on there this year? At least not here - we get an hour of Celebrity Feud from 8-9 then Steve Harvey's Funderdome (where 2 inventions compete for money to fund their ideas) from 9-10 then the $100,000 Pyramid from 10-11.
Haven't seen Match game recently (unlike last summer's setup of the three game shows).
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Match Game season two ran largely as a winter placeholder between halves of Designated Survivor (plus fill in for some failed drama or another I think), so no summer run. I've read season 3 will tape this fall (and I'm speculating they'd use it in a similar fashion, filling a gap where needed. Personally, I'd rather have had the same lineup as last summer return this summer on Sundays, but I get what ABC wanted to do. No interest in Funderdome for me, but to each their own.
Impressively, To Tell the Truth gets a regular season slot to start the season after its second season filled in nicely as a backstop. Nice little utility player ABC has there.
Hollywood Squares is an interesting case. The closest analogy being Match Game, in terms of a comedy-oriented celebrity-driven program in which the game is somewhat incidental. It could work out, given a mix of celebrities like--for the most part--Match Game has pulled off. A daily version--probably not with the economics of the market currently.
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Haven't seen Match game recently (unlike last summer's setup of the three game shows).
I've been checking the Match Game website, because I went to a taping last November and a contestant gave an answer so outrageous...
[SFX: "How outrageous was it?" from the audience]
It was so outrageous that...
a) I wonder if it will air uncensored, and
b) I started a thread about it right here at the Golden Road (link) (http://www.golden-road.net/index.php/topic,26844.msg447079.html#msg447079).
That episode has yet to air.
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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
Turns out I misheard the one about the volunteer work one. The answer was really "If their friends do it." I'm so stupid :P
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Not sure if I'd enjoy Hollywood Squares much these days. I'm 50 and most of the current celebrities are ones I have probably never heard of or they would have a lot of "reality" people on as celebs and that simply would not do it for me personally, not to sound like an old stick in the mud.
I know several of you have mentioned bringing back some game shows that have fallen by the wayside. Tic Tac Dough would be awesome to bring back, in the Martindale fashion (both in set design and gameplay) not the Patrick Wayne 1990 fiasco.
While I adored Gambit, it was brought back sort of in recent years as Catch 21.
Personally, I'd love to see a revival of a much too under-rated game show "Three on a Match". It could very easily be updated I believe for the 21st century.
A TTD revival that tacks as close to Wink's version as possible would be a huge plus on the airwaves. Especially if there's no clear sign of a new Hollywood Squares on the horizon, thus meaning the concept would be unique at the time.
Going back in a way to the post a while back concerning the apparent new Joker's Wild, I think the best way to handle any new version of that would be, in simplest terms, marry the classic version's main game (although perhaps boost the winning total to $2,000, both in regards to inflation and to allow for longer gameplay if they wish the show to be self-contained) with the Finn revival's bonus round (although instead of wasting time guessing definitions, perhaps give a set number of spins to match all three windows--5 seems a reasonable amount to me--plus keep the devil on the wheel as a lose everything function, with the option to bail out at any point retained, perhaps with a $5,000 consolation prize for those who choose to do so).
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I don't believe the pacing of the prototypical B&E quiz shows of the 70s/80s would work today--and I was a fan of all of them (even Play the Percentages, such as it was). Even by the 90s it was just too slow for a straight ahead back-and-forth, one question at a time/taking turns show (with easy questions to boot). Stretching that out to reach $2000 in Joker's Wild's case...too many viewers wouldn't make it to the first commercial break.
We'll see what Snoop and company have in mind, and maybe it will be a fun twist.