The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: 40onTheBlue on October 15, 2012, 02:31:46 PM
-
Somebody's gotta start a thread about this, so allow me. The new Canadian version of Match Game débuts tonight at 8:00 pm EST on Comedy. To begin, here's a taster (http://"http://www.thecomedynetwork.ca/shows/MatchGame") from the channel's website.
-
Somebody's gotta start a thread about this, so allow me. The new Canadian version of Match Game débuts tonight at 8:00 pm EST on Comedy. To begin, here's a taster (http://"http://www.thecomedynetwork.ca/shows/MatchGame") from the channel's website.
which, sadly, you will have to be in Canada to view
-
Somebody's gotta start a thread about this, so allow me. The new Canadian version of Match Game débuts tonight at 8:00 pm EST on Comedy. To begin, here's a taster (http://"http://www.thecomedynetwork.ca/shows/MatchGame") from the channel's website.
which, sadly, you will have to be in Canada to view
Actually after a few tries on clicking on the MG promo icon, and after sitting through a couple of TV promos and/or commercials, I WAS able to get to see the :15 MG promo a few times.
Judging by the quick promo, the set does look pretty good (but very small). And unfortunately, it looks like at least one of the questions comes from the MG '98 files -- or at least the answers shown would make Judy Tenuta and Nell Carter proud :(
-
Somebody's gotta start a thread about this, so allow me. The new Canadian version of Match Game débuts tonight at 8:00 pm EST on Comedy. To begin, here's a taster (http://"http://www.thecomedynetwork.ca/shows/MatchGame") from the channel's website.
which, sadly, you will have to be in Canada to view
Actually after a few tries on clicking on the MG promo icon, and after sitting through a couple of TV promos and/or commercials, I WAS able to get to see the :15 MG promo a few times.
Judging by the quick promo, the set does look pretty good (but very small). And unfortunately, it looks like at least one of the questions comes from the MG '98 files -- or at least the answers shown would make Judy Tenuta and Nell Carter proud :(
I kept getting "unavailable" when I tried.
Another nitpick for purists is that the Star Wheel is now JUST for picking the star in the Head-to-Head. There's no mention of Double spaces, but a mention of a top prize of $5,000.
-
Another nitpick for purists
You're being redundant. For most people it's a format change (if they even notice).
-
Another nitpick for purists is that the Star Wheel is now JUST for picking the star in the Head-to-Head. There's no mention of Double spaces, but a mention of a top prize of $5,000.
This report (http://"http://mysticdesigns.ca/food/get-ready-to-match-the-stars/") from someone who attended a taping indicates otherwise.
-
Interesting that they kept the Match-Up round from MG90.
All in all, it sounds like it has potential. The rotating daily panel is weird though.
-
Here's a non-blocked YouTube version of the promo. I'm reminded of a certain series of classic GSN promos. Marsupial!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riguW4cztKM
And here's an 8-minute segment from The Marilyn Denis Show where they interview the host and play a little bit of the game.
http://www.marilyn.ca/mobile/Segment.aspx?segid=40499
-
This report (http://"http://mysticdesigns.ca/food/get-ready-to-match-the-stars/") from someone who attended a taping indicates otherwise.
Interesting that they kept the Match-Up round from MG90.
And the rest of its format: payout structure is the same, Match-Up time limit is the same (it even looks the same!), and they even got the "spin the arrow" Star Wheel.
Weird. And why? It isn't the revival most people would think of when you talk about the American versions, and the Match-Up is just too much "game" in Match Game for me (the fact it wasn't in the 1998-99 series should say something). I would've gone with the 1978-81 PM format, using the same Super Match payouts of this current version, mainly since it kept the emphasis on fun.
Still, it took 13 years to get Match Game back on the air, and I wish it lots of success. :)
-
Match Game is all about the material and the casting of the panel. Screw that up and you have another Match Game '98 on your hands.
They could always bring in Mikey.
-
And here's an 8-minute segment from The Marilyn Denis Show where they interview the host and play a little bit of the game.
Those questions and those two panelists -- I'll be charitable and say I don't give it a favorable prognosis.
-
A full episode is now available on YouTube (courtesy of jecherchelananas) :
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3djm9UUEmbA[/media]
Part 2 (http://"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-8WEUu5QUU")
Part 3 (http://"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mke3xCUxLWs")
-
The rotating daily panel is weird though
My guess is they aren't showing the episodes in order...although you'd figure if this were the case, the premiere would have a big win, and it didn't.
-
Here's the first part of another episode:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar2H1lhyX6Q
-
And the rest of its format: payout structure is the same, Match-Up time limit is the same (it even looks the same!), and they even got the "spin the arrow" Star Wheel.
Weird. And why? It isn't the revival most people would think of when you talk about the American versions, and the Match-Up is just too much "game" in Match Game for me (the fact it wasn't in the 1998-99 series should say something). I would've gone with the 1978-81 PM format, using the same Super Match payouts of this current version, mainly since it kept the emphasis on fun.
Still, it took 13 years to get Match Game back on the air, and I wish it lots of success. :)
I would say that by the time you get to 78-81, most of the "fun" was gone. Keep in mind that during that period, they cut out a lot of the banter during the panel's writing time, so it seems that they tried to add more game to the show with little success.
Maybe it's just me, but I liked the 90-91 format because it found a way to condense one game into a half hour without making the format stale (the years with 3 rounds of matching were too much for me).
(the fact it wasn't in the 1998-99 series should say something).
So now we're using the 98-99 series as a measuring stick for how Match Game should be? For every one thing the series did right, there were two things they botched.
-
When in doubt just remember that Dan Benfield passed on Wheel of Fortune.
-
I would say that by the time you get to 78-81, most of the "fun" was gone. Keep in mind that during that period, they cut out a lot of the banter during the panel's writing time, so it seems that they tried to add more game to the show with little success.
I thought it was the 1979-82 daily series that had to be edited down, since they had to play six full games each week.
Maybe it's just me, but I liked the 90-91 format because it found a way to condense one game into a half hour without making the format stale (the years with 3 rounds of matching were too much for me).
I like the 1990-91 series as well despite its flaws, and loved watching it when I had GSN, but in hindsight I think the game ending through Match-Up kind of missed the point. Whereas Round 3 of PM was another set of silly questions and rotten answers, Match-Up was a serious rapid-fire timed 50/50 variation on the Head-to-Head Match. It wasn't out of place from a format standpoint, mind you, but for me it made the regular questions look like an afterthought and seemed to break the show into "silly-serious-silly-serious-serious" when it really wasn't supposed to be serious until the Super Match (and especially the Head-to-Head Match).
Thinking about it again, I think the 1975-76 PM format was probably the best at being self-contained while keeping plenty of time for banter and jokes...although from what I've read, there was too much stalling in Season 1 and hence the third round was added.
So now we're using the 98-99 series as a measuring stick for how Match Game should be? For every one thing the series did right, there were two things they botched.
IMO, the 1998-99 series did prove that the 1973-78 daytime format could work in a self-contained manner, albeit with one less panelist, categories for the questions, and a strange "double points" rule for Round 2. It sure as hell isn't any sort of "measuring stick" for the franchise, though, given all its flaws; still had its fun moments, though.
-
While Match Up was a bit out of place for MG, I think the Canadian version did it right by only having ONE Match Up round.
I know many of us didn't like the Match Up round. Originally MG 90 was to have 3 rounds and no Match Up, and IMO that would've been fine. However, MG 98 perfectly illustrated why the Match Up round would've made the game more fair. On MG 98, just like MG 90, all celebs played both rounds. However, with MG 98's scoring format, there was little room for error. On the original MG, you only had to match each celebrity ONCE. With MG 98 you pretty much had to match the celebs TWICE in order to get a decent score. Pearson noticed that there wasn't a lot of "matching" on MG, so they ordered that the questions be made easier to score more matches. Furthermore, we saw everyone huddling together and making it blatantly obvious that they all have the same answers, which made everything look ridiculous, and also predictable. So, in most cases, either the contestant matched everyone or nobody. With a Match Up round, that would've made up for a flawed scoring system. (Perhaps each Match Up would be worth 3 points)
-
when it really wasn't supposed to be serious until the Super Match (and especially the Head-to-Head Match).
Match Game. Serious Business.
-
From a friend that works in the Canadian media industry: Match Game Canada audience is ranging from 54K-126K during its 8pm airing and averaging 90-100K. He tells me "well, it's not as bad as I thought it might be".
Ryan.
-
From a friend that works in the Canadian media industry: Match Game Canada audience is ranging from 54K-126K during its 8pm airing and averaging 90-100K. He tells me "well, it's not as bad as I thought it might be".
Can Canadian television sustain itself if the equivalent of PEI tunes in but nobody else does?
-
What I find with some of the head-to-head match questions are that there are too many possible answers.
One they had last week was "Halloween _____ "
You would think of things like "party", "candy", "costume", "mask", etc. On the 7x version, it seemed like there were usually two really good answers to choose from, rather than having several. YMMV
-
You would think of things like
I thought of one answer. The rest are also-rans and far back from the leader at that.
-
The rest are also-rans and far back from the leader at that.
I immediately thought of the first three Ian mentioned, with equal weight. (Maybe "party" is a couple steps back.) But "costume" vs. "candy" is a total toss-up, IMO.
-
A bunch of episodes are showing up now on the youtubes. Here are 11 of them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esDPpmkmLFw&playnext=1&list=PL8HEdKtwEuLhfLiWtFeWJtYPlEwtMbL7h
-
He's an awful announcer...very lethargic....and i'm just not crazy about the host - also - seems too laid back.
-
He's an awful announcer...very lethargic....and i'm just not crazy about the host - also - seems too laid back.
Isn't the host and announcer one and the same? That's the vibe I got. Might be wrong. I haven't watched a lot of this to know for sure. To me, they sound similar and the announcer does not introduce the host.
-
He's an awful announcer...very lethargic....and i'm just not crazy about the host - also - seems too laid back.
Isn't the host and announcer one and the same? That's the vibe I got. Might be wrong. I haven't watched a lot of this to know for sure. To me, they sound similar and the announcer does not introduce the host.
Could be. i noticed similarities - probably.
They still both need work.
-
What I find with some of the head-to-head match questions are that there are too many possible answers.
One they had last week was "Halloween _____ "
You would think of things like "party", "candy", "costume", "mask", etc. On the 7x version, it seemed like there were usually two really good answers to choose from, rather than having several. YMMV
It's how they keep the prize budget low. On the CBS version the questions varied depending on whether they were over or under the prize budget.
Have they adjusted the emcee language so he doesn't tell the contestant they've "won" money in Super Match but haven't really won it unless they also win the head-to-head?
-
What I find with some of the head-to-head match questions are that there are too many possible answers.
One they had last week was "Halloween _____ "
You would think of things like "party", "candy", "costume", "mask", etc. On the 7x version, it seemed like there were usually two really good answers to choose from, rather than having several. YMMV
It's how they keep the prize budget low. On the CBS version the questions varied depending on whether they were over or under the prize budget.
Have they adjusted the emcee language so he doesn't tell the contestant they've "won" money in Super Match but haven't really won it unless they also win the head-to-head?
They have. He says "if you match the most popular answer, you play for $2000".
-
They have. He says "if you match the most popular answer, you play for $2000".
And they play for lesser amounts for matching the #2 and #3 answers I assume?
-
$2000 for the most popular
$1500 for No. 2
$1000 for No. 3
If no match, they spin the wheel and play head-to-head for $500.
-
A possibly interesting name appears in the credits:
"Editorial and Production Consultant: Bob Boden"
... one and the same as Game Show Network's original Bob Boden?
-
A possibly interesting name appears in the credits:
"Editorial and Production Consultant: Bob Boden"
... one and the same as Game Show Network's original Bob Boden?
There is only ONE Bob Boden.
The way they've written the credit, it looks like they're having him look over the questions.
Similarly, there is only ONE Fred Wostbrock. And don't you forget it.
-
Just stopping by to briefly note that the show is growing on me. This YouTube user appears to be posting every episode in its entirety (shhhh):
http://www.youtube.com/user/umokthenok (http://\"http://www.youtube.com/user/umokthenok\")
Sure, the judging is a bit shaky in places, the Star Wheel had at least one case of being majorly borked, and the prize budget is painfully stingy in that cheerful Canadian-cable sort of way. But the panel's chemistry appears to be coming together as the episodes progress, and I remind myself that it took a bit of time for the classic 70s panel -- and the question style -- to evolve. And they appear to be recording generally live-to-tape, leaving in minor flubs and goofs, which helps keep it looking "alive."
The biggest fault I still see is that sometimes the players and celebs try just a little too hard to give the 21st-century equivalent of "boobies" or "wee-wee" as an answer. But this is a comedy channel after all, not the storied halls of CBS.
-
I've seen many of the episodes, and the Star Wheel is completely inconsistent in awarding the bonus for any spin.
The lights go on and off at random times, and it's really impossible to tell if a particular spin will be doubled.
The arrow also will tend to slide around after a spin which further adds to the confusion.
In the majority of the episodes, there is also a hidden gem for game show lovers in the Fast Match round.
Whether it's ______ White (with Betty as a choice) or Family _____ (with Feud as a choice), there is usually something there to be found.
-
The biggest fault I still see is that sometimes the players and celebs try just a little too hard to give the 21st-century equivalent of "boobies" or "wee-wee" as an answer. But this is a comedy channel after all, not the storied halls of CBS.
And their regulars mainly come from a show on a sister network where they make fun of music videos. Go figure