The Game Show Forum

The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: nowhammies10 on November 08, 2019, 05:31:23 PM

Title: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: nowhammies10 on November 08, 2019, 05:31:23 PM
Per the show's official Facebook:

Quote
The Wheel of Fortune taping on Thursday was canceled because host Pat Sajak underwent successful emergency surgery to correct a blocked intestine. He is resting comfortably and looking forward to getting back to work. Taping resumed today as scheduled and Vanna White has stepped in as host.

Buy A Vowel Boards reporting that the affected episodes will likely air the second week of December.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: rjaguar3 on November 08, 2019, 06:16:42 PM
I was looking at tickets for the tapings on Thursday November 14 and Friday November 15, but they no longer appear to be available.

Best wishes to Pat.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: weaklink75 on November 08, 2019, 08:01:02 PM
TMZ is saying that they improvised- since the taping today is for a Disney-sponsored week and he was already there, they used the Mickey Mouse costume character to be at the board..
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: SuperMatch93 on November 08, 2019, 10:05:13 PM
Keeping Pat in my thoughts.

It'll be interesting to see Vanna host Wheel, 90s CD-ROM style. If Pat is out for an extended period I wonder if they'll use a different person at the board for other weeks, or just have the letters go up automatically.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: BillCullen1 on November 08, 2019, 10:19:29 PM
All the best to Pat. Vanna should do fine as host of WOF.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: danderson on November 09, 2019, 04:25:19 PM
Who was the last person to host Wheel beides Pat? I'm guessing Bob Goen.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: chrisholland03 on November 09, 2019, 04:34:40 PM
Alex Trebek, April 1st, 1997

Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: WarioBarker on November 09, 2019, 04:56:25 PM
Who was the last person to host Wheel beides Pat?
David Sidoni on Wheel 2000, 1997-98.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: TLEberle on November 09, 2019, 08:50:08 PM
Thanks, Well, actually... Guy.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Neumms on November 11, 2019, 03:05:50 PM
TMZ is saying that they improvised- since the taping today is for a Disney-sponsored week and he was already there, they used the Mickey Mouse costume character to be at the board..

That's pretty darn neat. Did Mickey have to take a glove off to make the touchscreens work?
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: nowhammies10 on November 11, 2019, 07:44:45 PM
No.  The "reveal strip" along the right side of each monitor is touch activated, not heat-activated.  There's a thin gap between the two layers; pressing them together makes an electrical contact, not unlike that of a membrane keyboard.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Bob Zager on November 17, 2019, 02:42:27 PM
Here is a link to the twitter page showing two photos of Vanna in the hosting spot, and it mentions the shows will air beginning December 9!

https://twitter.com/WheelofFortune/status/1192962616051658754
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Neumms on November 19, 2019, 11:01:55 AM
No.  The "reveal strip" along the right side of each monitor is touch activated, not heat-activated.

Ah! Thanks. I don't think we've ever seen Mickey's hands or paws before, so an opportunity missed.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: BrandonFG on December 06, 2019, 06:15:40 PM
Good Morning America interviewed Vanna about her new hosting duties; the story includes a small sneak peek (https://twitter.com/GMA/status/1202930621531574273). Per the clip, Minnie Mouse is touching the letters.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: jjman920 on December 07, 2019, 02:18:39 PM
Vanna hosted a third week of shows scheduled to air the week of January 6th. I had tickets to that set of tapings and got excited when it became apparent that it'd be Vanna hosting again (because the previous days tapings had been completely cancelled, while these weren't), but was disappointed when they ultimately closed the session.

It is currently a mystery as to who'll be turning the letters that week.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: tpirfan28 on December 07, 2019, 05:36:40 PM
It is currently a mystery as to who'll be turning the letters that week.
Likely: Jim Thornton
Unlikely: Alex Trebek
LONGSHOT!: Susan Stafford
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: weaklink75 on December 08, 2019, 12:46:44 AM
It is currently a mystery as to who'll be turning the letters that week.
Likely: Jim Thornton
Unlikely: Alex Trebek
LONGSHOT!: Susan Stafford

According to this article, it is a hostess, and is a “nice surprise”....I’m wondering if that longshot may not be so much of one...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2019/12/06/vanna-white-hosting-wheel-of-fortune-for-the-first-time-was-very-scary-for-me/amp/
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: rebelwrest on December 08, 2019, 12:27:30 PM
Since the show usually tapes 6 episodes in a session (with the 6th episode's theme being "America's Game" and for air sometime later in the season), did they only tape 5 episodes in each of the session where Vanna hosted?
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: cmjb13 on December 08, 2019, 12:40:34 PM
It is currently a mystery as to who'll be turning the letters that week.
Likely: Jim Thornton
Unlikely: Alex Trebek
LONGSHOT!: Susan Stafford
I’m wondering why they didn’t ask Chuck Woolery to step in to host.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: jjman920 on December 08, 2019, 04:57:05 PM
Since the show usually tapes 6 episodes in a session (with the 6th episode's theme being "America's Game" and for air sometime later in the season), did they only tape 5 episodes in each of the session where Vanna hosted?
Yes. In the case of the episodes starting on the 9th, these are specially themed Christmas episodes with a Christmas set and the Secret Santa contest. Traditionally, these weeks were only five show weeks already since the set would be confusing showing up weeks later. In the case of the 3rd week coming in January, they cancelled one of the tapings of the day to record only five, so there'd be no stragglers in an America's Game week.

It is currently a mystery as to who'll be turning the letters that week.
Likely: Jim Thornton
Unlikely: Alex Trebek
LONGSHOT!: Susan Stafford
I’m wondering why they didn’t ask Chuck Woolery to step in to host.
I'm sure he's asking his tinfoil hat the same question.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: TimK2003 on December 08, 2019, 06:40:14 PM
It is currently a mystery as to who'll be turning the letters that week.
Likely: Jim Thornton
Unlikely: Alex Trebek
LONGSHOT!: Susan Stafford

According to this article, it is a hostess, and is a “nice surprise”....I’m wondering if that longshot may not be so much of one...


There are only three other former "hostesses" that I could think of, besides Susan Stafford, that could be turning the letters:

•  Summer Bartholomew -- 37 years after her last Wheel stint...
•  Lesley Brown aka Mrs. Pat Sajak -- though she would likely be with Pat through the whole post-op ordeal.
•  *THE* Longshot...Lucy from Wheel 2000.

That seems to put Stafford as the favorite.


Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: ChrisLambert! on December 08, 2019, 06:59:28 PM
there’s nothing in the wording of “nice surprise” that should lead us to assume it’s a returning letter-turner.

EDIT: throwing out my wild guess: Wendi McLendon-Covey.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: TLEberle on December 08, 2019, 07:03:31 PM
There are only three other former "hostesses" that I could think of, besides Susan Stafford, that could be turning the letters:

•  Lesley Brown aka Mrs. Pat Sajak -- though she would likely be with Pat through the whole post-op ordeal.

"Almost certainly!"
"CHARGE!"
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: WilliamPorygon on December 08, 2019, 10:56:45 PM
Maybe they'll bring back the winner of that "Vanna for a Day" contest from a few years back who really only got to be Vanna for half of one episode.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: WarioBarker on December 09, 2019, 03:12:17 AM
It is currently a mystery as to who'll be turning the letters that week.
Likely: Jim Thornton
Unlikely: Alex Trebek
LONGSHOT!: Susan Stafford
According to this article, it is a hostess, and is a “nice surprise”....I’m wondering if that longshot may not be so much of one...

[link snipped]
And that week is scheduled to air starting January 6, which just so happens to be Wheel's 45th Anniversary.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: aaron sica on December 09, 2019, 06:41:05 AM
According to this article, it is a hostess, and is a “nice surprise”....I’m wondering if that longshot may not be so much of one...

Here's one out of left field..........Same surname, but no relation........Betty White.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: clemon79 on December 09, 2019, 02:05:46 PM
Imma go with Gilbert Gottfried in drag, mainly because I would watch the hell out of that.

/eagerly awaiting the first dumbass comment
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: nowhammies10 on December 09, 2019, 05:38:29 PM
Dan, you know as well as I do that Wheel will not be acknowledging daytime's 45th anniversary.  The only parts of daytime Wheel that are acknowledged these days are Pat's debut, Vanna's "test" debut, and Vanna's "official" debut episodes.

ObTopic: According to two posters familiar with Wheel's inner workings at BAV, the week airing January 6th-10th taped on November 22nd.  Vanna hosted, no audience was present save for contestants and their guests "to help calm [Vanna's] nerves."  The details of who revealed the letters is being kept "under strict confidentiality", but they do say that the person in question was not Susan Stafford.

/damn near typed "who turned the letters" like it's 1997 or something.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Jeremy Nelson on December 10, 2019, 09:32:37 AM
My money is on one of her kids at the board. The taping is closed to help her with the jitters, so it would make sense to put her on camera with someone who she has talked to naturally for years.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: PPatters on December 10, 2019, 11:07:08 AM
My money is on one of her kids at the board. The taping is closed to help her with the jitters, so it would make sense to put her on camera with someone who she has talked to naturally for years.

I had the same exact guess. Founded on nothing except it just would kind of make sense haha
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: rebelwrest on December 10, 2019, 01:41:26 PM
So Vanna will be the hosting the next 2 weeks and the week of January 6th.  My question is what is being aired the two weeks between (weeks containing Christmas and New Years)?  Reruns? Classic Reruns?
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: nowhammies10 on December 10, 2019, 01:54:04 PM
December 23rd-27th will be reruns of last year's Home For The Holidays week, then Dec. 30th-Jan. 3rd will be a regularly-scheduled America's Game week (made up of the 6th episodes from earlier taping sessions).
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Joe Mello on December 10, 2019, 02:02:21 PM
I'd be amused if Harry Friedman ended up doing it.

He certainly won't, but it'd be entertaining.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Clay Zambo on December 13, 2019, 01:32:02 PM
I'm going to take what may be a contrarian view.

I think she is charming as heck. Is she a little awkward? Mmm-hmm. Is she polished? NO. Does she make mistakes? Yes.

And I say, leave EVERY ONE OF THEM in. Let the show get a little, pardon the expression, free-wheeling again.

Vanna has such a long history with Wheel, and so much goodwill built up with the audience, that I think when Pat is ready to retire (or take over Jeopardy! when Alex needs to step down?) the job is hers if she wants it.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: WarioBarker on December 13, 2019, 06:32:45 PM
I'm going to take what may be a contrarian view.
If that's a contrarian view, then I'm in the same boat because I agree 100% with you.

Between the lack of a studio audience (aside from contestants and their guests), Jim's introduction of Vanna ("And now, here's our host, Vanna White!"), and Vanna's mistakes (such as looking at the wrong arrow for a Final Spin), this week gives me feelings of late-80s/early-90s Wheel.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: BillCullen1 on December 14, 2019, 01:59:03 AM
I'm going to take what may be a contrarian view.
If that's a contrarian view, then I'm in the same boat because I agree 100% with you.

Seconded.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Chelsea Thrasher on December 14, 2019, 05:46:10 AM
Deep down, at it's core, Wheel has been doing the exact same show, the exact same way, for years.  Yes, occasionally a gimmick gets added (and most aren't that great), or they figure out how to add a couple hundred thousand colors to the LED lighting but still default to blue, but even the most seemingly jarring gimmicks fast become sort of the blur of sameness that Wheel has been for years.

I genuinely think you could run shows from 2012 for weeks and if you slapped a 2019/2020 copyright date on there? Pretty much no one save the obsessives and superfans would even notice as long as you avoided episodes with topical puzzles. Scoreboards are a little smaller eight years ago, a few gimmicks shift around, haircuts are a little different - but Wheel has felt interchangeable with itself for like 15 years now. Every episode just feels and sounds and mostly looks the same.

Pat's surgery and Vanna having to host with almost no prep is the first time the Wheel "formula" has felt even remotely "thrown off" since Charlie died - and even then, and I absolutely do not mean this to disrespect anyone who has ever announced - but while the sound changes and the banter shifts, ultimately the show isn't much different whether Charlie O'Donnell or Jim Thornton or Rich Fields or whoever the heck is describing the trip to Tahiti.   

A new host, though?  Suddenly when your host isn't someone bitter that his late night talk show never took off, it becomes radiantly evident how banal and shallow the contestant interviews are. How Wheel's absolutely endless list of sponsorships and gimmicks just absolutely bring what otherwise is a fairly simple game of hangman with a prize wheel to a halt. Why are they shaking the prize wedge for a trip to Disneyland like a crackhead with a polaroid? Oh boy! Let's stop the game to celebrate half a car!  We're doing crosswords hangman style?

The moment in her first show when a contestant asks if he can buy a vowel so Vanna goes all schoolteacher on him to confirm he can was the most I've enjoyed Wheel in 15 years, hand to God. I'm not being mocking or taking a shot here, either.  Watching the two decades of nonsense Wheel has piled onto itself be deconstructed is genuinely beautiful. 

Honestly, and I know there are some that will get themselves into a dander over this:  It reminds me of Drew's early seasons hosting Price - especially Drew's first year and then the first year or two after they fired Roger.  A show that's done the same things the same way for years and suddenly you get a chance to look at things through new eyes and you realize that a lot of it just isn't that good or enjoyable - and you've accepted it as what it is because it's television comfort food, but it isn't actually that enjoyable. 

And in the little moments where Vanna isn't having to sort through the 500 bits of needless gameplay bullshit and can just be an actual human person and an emcee?  Vanna keeps the game on track, lets the contestants be the stars (and not just in the often sarcastic way Pat does), and really genuinely seems to care about their success as players in the game. 

With the same person who engineered Price's overhaul taking the reigns at Wheel starting next season, and with everyone getting a free preview of what Wheel ca. 2019 *really is* when you remove the comfort of familiarity? I'm looking forward to the future (both post-Harry Friedman and post-Pat Sajak) tremendously.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: SamJ93 on December 14, 2019, 11:26:08 AM
Agree with most of the above, Chelsea, with the exception of the animosity toward Pat--while he definitely phones it in at times, I never got the impression that he was bitter or disliked the contestants.

One obvious fix Mike should consider--and an obvious carryover from his time at TPiR--is to rotate the different gameplay elements from show to show. Put the Prize Puzzle in the first round as a surprise, make Round 2 the Mystery one day and the $1000 Express the next, heck, even revive the Jackpot round and throw that in once in a while. Do anything to get folks thinking of WoF as something other than the show Grandma watches while she cleans her dentures.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: BillCullen1 on December 14, 2019, 11:27:11 AM
Wow, that was some dissertation.

Vanna is a bit stiff and wooden at times, but the goofs are okay, much like Chuck Woolery and Bert Convy. She still comes across as more sincere that Pat, who's been phoning it in for some time now.

Also, from a friend who's been to WOF tapings - during breaks and stopdowns, Vanna comes out and talks to the audience, Pat not so much.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Jeremy Nelson on December 14, 2019, 11:39:33 AM
I'll be the first to say I wasn't sold. I thought she looked kinda lost and Rolf-ish the first couple episodes. But then I realized- what am I even defending here? To piggyback on Chelsea's points, Vanna's hosting really does make me realize how dry Pat's humor is, and how a lot of it isn't really in service of the show. In a lot of ways, it reminds me of Cranky Barker during his last few seasons.
I never got the impression that [Pat] was bitter or disliked the contestants.
I don't think he dislikes the contestants, but to me, he does give off the vibe that Wheel is beneath him. Keep in mind that Pat thought the show was already on its last legs when he took over, so he always considered Wheel his vehicle to something bigger.

Do anything to get folks thinking of WoF as something other than the show Grandma watches while she cleans her dentures.
Here's my thing- why do they need so many puzzles? A standard 4 round episode has ten puzzles, and the need to fit more in has diluted the puzzle quality. They're this close to ACTUALLY including "The Prisoner of Zenda" as a puzzle in the show, and not as a sitcom joke.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: WarioBarker on December 14, 2019, 12:04:14 PM
Chelsea, you hit my feelings about the show right on the head.

Pat thought the show was already on its last legs when he took over,
In fairness to Pat, NBC was kinda in the toilet ratings-wise due to Fred Silverman, and it took several more years for the network to recover. More specific to Wheel, the show had narrowly escaped cancellation twice in 1980 and a major host shakeup could've easily turned away enough viewers for the show to finally be canned.

Here's my thing- why do they need so many puzzles?
That's exactly what I asked when I first learned about the Triple Toss-Up, but I suspect it's to take more and more time away from Rounds 4+ so the $5,000 space has less time in play.

Do we really need a Toss-Up just to determine who gets interviewed first, or the Triple Toss-Up? No and no.

A standard 4 round episode has ten puzzles, and the need to fit more in has diluted the puzzle quality.
I'd argue that the puzzle quality's been diluted for most of this decade, if not longer, since nobody seems to get the idea that maybe, just maybe, they should use the same mentality about game material that they've been using on Jeopardy! When's the last time Wheel's referenced current-day pop culture? How often do they mention songs that were made after 1990? Not to mention that Phrase puzzles commonly get few to no hits on Google.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: MSTieScott on December 14, 2019, 12:53:02 PM
I'm surprised by the complaints about there being too many puzzles. The reason most of the home audience is watching Wheel of Fortune is to play along. Speaking from personal experience, once I've figured out the solution, if it takes the contestants another seven turns before somebody solves, I grow frustrated.

I acknowledge that the Triple Toss-Up feels a little bit like it was shoehorned in, but I understand why the show is doing everything in its power to present more puzzles.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: whewfan on December 14, 2019, 01:27:18 PM
Regarding Pat, I think he has long since gotten over the "my talk show didn't make it" blues. When Pat Sajak interviewed Marc Summers live for his "On Your Marc" tour a couple years ago. (Which I had the pleasure to see and thanks to Chris Jaunsen for capturing the whole thing!) Marc mentioned Pat's talk show, and Pat quipped "Really? I had a talk show?" To show the sort of class Pat has, he did not bring any attention to himself as he tried to sneak in to watch Marc's movie before the interview... but an alert game show fan did see him and Pat generously allowed him a picture and autograph. Pat also did not stick around after the interview when Marc was signing autographs and taking pictures afterwards... he knew it was not his event and didn't want to take anything away from Marc.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Joe Mello on December 14, 2019, 01:40:08 PM
The reason most of the home audience is watching Wheel of Fortune is to play along.
This I wholeheartedly cosign on. The only current show I can think of where winning and losing is a driving factor for viewership is Jeopardy.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: TLEberle on December 14, 2019, 02:03:18 PM
Do we really need a Toss-Up just to determine who gets interviewed first, or the Triple Toss-Up? No and no.
I mean, when we really drill down to it, do we really need Wheel of Fortune? Not really. For a show that everyone and their dog (yours truly included) says is "the same" the Toss-up provides a nice break in the action the same way that shopping or the Scrabble Sprint divided their shows into chunks. The $1,000 toss-up is a pleasant way to start the episode by instantly awarding some money, and the battery of toss-ups before round four allows either for someone to pick up some cash if the wheel hasn't been friendly to them or to forge ahead. (I also like the smaller meta-puzzle where if you can only figure out what connects the puzzles below the surface it can help win the third one.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: BrandonFG on December 14, 2019, 02:05:04 PM
The reason most of the home audience is watching Wheel of Fortune is to play along.
This I wholeheartedly cosign on. The only current show I can think of where winning and losing is a driving factor for viewership is Jeopardy.
I think this highlights one difference of what makes Jeopardy! seem fresh, while Wheel feels like comfort food, which is interesting because there's only so many ways you can dress up answering in the form of a question. With J!, since the unlimited championships era began, we've gotten to know longtime contestants as celebrities in their own right. KenJen, Arthur Chu, Julia Collins, and countless others have become rockstars because we see these people's personalities, and begin rooting for them. We actually felt like we knew the late Cindy Stowell because of how the show handled her health with such class.

Meanwhile, most of Wheel's contestants come across as robotic, Diet Casting Central types. Sometimes you get a memorable one like the guy who jokingly talked trash about his family, but mostly, you see the same people found on any other daytime or basic cable game show, which only adds to Wheel's monotone feel. Chelsea hit the nail on the head when she said you could air a 2012 episode with a current copyright and not know the difference. Is GSN still showing episodes from c. 2013-14? I'd love to see an episode for comparison.

Keeping this back on track, I'm usually at my evening university job when this and J! are on, but I'll try and catch this at some point during Christmas break. The one very brief clip I saw in the GMA interview reminded me of Meredith on Millionaire, in that she interacted well enough but knew how to keep the game going.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Chelsea Thrasher on December 14, 2019, 03:49:22 PM
Is GSN still showing episodes from c. 2013-14? I'd love to see an episode for comparison.

They dropped it a few months back when their most recent lease expired.

That said, Sony isn't quite as militant about removing episodes as they used to be, and make special exception when it's the contestants themselves it seems. 

Here's a show from Spring 2013. Dub the theme song (which they actually did for some reruns after they changed it), ditch the 30th anniversary graphics and the Jackpot, and add in some more toss-ups and crosswords and you basically have Wheel ca. now.  And even if there are changes, it still *feels* interchangeable even with almost seven years distance. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxWRlHlZ9rA
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Neumms on December 18, 2019, 11:52:57 AM
I think when Pat is ready to retire (or take over Jeopardy! when Alex needs to step down?) the job is hers if she wants it.

I found her recovery from her small last-spin gaffe charming as heck, and it's great fun to see her host, but no. She's not hosting material. Pat and Vanna will ride off into the sunset together. I don't find Pat ruing his lot in life, but new hosts will freshen things immensely. Moving him to Jeopardy! only delays the inevitable.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Neumms on December 18, 2019, 12:04:12 PM
I heartily agree about shaking up the extras, and they should recalibrate where they stick the prize money.

Has increasing the minimum bonus-round award make it more exciting? No. It's still the minimum.

What was always exciting was hitting a multiple letter on a high-amount spin. It's time they put a regular $10,000 space on the wheel, scrimping elsewhere if they have to. $30,000 in one spin during the main game is exciting. $50,000 instead of $39,000 in Bonus Land isn't.

Scrap the Prize Puzzle. It prevents players from risking it to keep spinning. If they want to offer a trip or merchandise, give it away on toss-ups. Those dollar amounts are arbitrary anyway.

As to the bonus, throw an interesting prize out there once in a while. Give away a house or an airplane or a Lamborghini.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Casey on December 18, 2019, 01:04:06 PM
Or why not just make the prize in the Prize Puzzle a wedge?  Maybe put more prize wedges on the wheel during the Prize Puzzle round to make it interesting.  I agree that with no risk, it just makes whoever wins that round the game winner most of the time, so doing this would at least make the round a bit more interesting to watch.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: chrisholland03 on December 18, 2019, 01:05:58 PM
Prize Puzzle = source of revenue/free-to-production company prizes.  It's not going away anytime soon.

Honestly, I don't think throwing more, less, or reallocating prizes is going to resolve any issues with the show.  One could argue that is exactly what they've been doing for the last 15+ years, and it hasn't moved the needle.  In my opinion, the show has the same challenges the last 10 years of the Barker era of Price had.  Everything is rote, and feels stale.  Having Vanna host has really made that very apparent, in my opinion.  It will be interesting to see what Mike Richards brings to address this, especially since the set is already 'Price' loud and the game is already gimmick filled. 

Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: cmjb13 on December 18, 2019, 01:43:08 PM
Also, from a friend who's been to WOF tapings - during breaks and stopdowns, Vanna comes out and talks to the audience, Pat not so much.
My experience at previous tapings has been that Vanna goes behind the puzzle board and Pat will either do the same or go to the producer's table.

I suspect it's to take more and more time away from Rounds 4+ so the $5,000 space has less time in play.
I never noticed it was missing until you mentioned it.

It will be interesting to see what Mike Richards brings to address this, especially since the set is already 'Price' loud and the game is already gimmick filled.
I suspect he'll implement similar gimmicks as Price.

C + D level celebrities cameos
C + D level celebrities contestants
Having kids, parents, team rivalries play as contestants
High end designer/fashion prizes.

Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: TimK2003 on December 18, 2019, 06:42:23 PM
And isn't it a regular occurrence when Pat does the final dollar spin, the wheel is pretty much "set up" for him to land on the top value if the round starts as a speed round?  That's another aspect that makes the game seem robotic and predictable.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Bryce L. on December 18, 2019, 06:52:57 PM
And isn't it a regular occurrence when Pat does the final dollar spin, the wheel is pretty much "set up" for him to land on the top value if the round starts as a speed round?  That's another aspect that makes the game seem robotic and predictable.
I don't know that I'd say it's set up for him to hit it... in every round, the wheel is pre-set so that the yellow player's flipper is over the center portion of the top dollar amount.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: PYLdude on December 18, 2019, 07:03:58 PM
And isn't it a regular occurrence when Pat does the final dollar spin, the wheel is pretty much "set up" for him to land on the top value if the round starts as a speed round?  That's another aspect that makes the game seem robotic and predictable.
I don't know that I'd say it's set up for him to hit it... in every round, the wheel is pre-set so that the yellow player's flipper is over the center portion of the top dollar amount.

They still do that?
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Bryce L. on December 18, 2019, 07:33:00 PM
And isn't it a regular occurrence when Pat does the final dollar spin, the wheel is pretty much "set up" for him to land on the top value if the round starts as a speed round?  That's another aspect that makes the game seem robotic and predictable.
I don't know that I'd say it's set up for him to hit it... in every round, the wheel is pre-set so that the yellow player's flipper is over the center portion of the top dollar amount.

They still do that?
Yep. (https://postimg.cc/XrvhzmBr)
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: WarioBarker on December 18, 2019, 08:28:02 PM
Has increasing the minimum bonus-round award make it more exciting? No. It's still the minimum.
If anything, it's made the cars look cheaper since a good number of them are under the cash minimum.

It's time they put a regular $10,000 space on the wheel, scrimping elsewhere if they have to.
That'd get pretty expensive pretty fast. I'd much rather have more four-digit amounts like $1500, $2000, and a standard $1000. Having $500-$900 plus top value just looks chintzy to me.

Prize Puzzle = source of revenue/free-to-production company prizes.
It also means crap puzzles and nothing but trips because that's apparently the only thing they can bother to put into the Prize Puzzle.

It's not going away anytime soon.
Not during this season, no, but who knows what Mike will do with the show?
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Strikerz04 on December 18, 2019, 08:44:41 PM
I heartily agree about shaking up the extras, and they should recalibrate where they stick the prize money.

Has increasing the minimum bonus-round award make it more exciting? No. It's still the minimum.

What was always exciting was hitting a multiple letter on a high-amount spin. It's time they put a regular $10,000 space on the wheel, scrimping elsewhere if they have to. $30,000 in one spin during the main game is exciting. $50,000 instead of $39,000 in Bonus Land isn't.

Scrap the Prize Puzzle. It prevents players from risking it to keep spinning. If they want to offer a trip or merchandise, give it away on toss-ups. Those dollar amounts are arbitrary anyway.

As to the bonus, throw an interesting prize out there once in a while. Give away a house or an airplane or a Lamborghini.


Without venturing too much in "mo money syndrome," I'd thought the $1500/2000/2500 spaces made the game a little more interesting (at least if the game isn't a runaway).


And also: did they oust the 1/2 Car Tokens this season?
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Bryce L. on December 18, 2019, 08:51:04 PM
And also: did they oust the 1/2 Car Tokens this season?
Yes.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Jeremy Nelson on December 19, 2019, 12:14:15 AM
Prize Puzzle = source of revenue/free-to-production company prizes.  It's not going away anytime soon.
But if Royal Carribean gets a full on prize plug and just becomes an actual wedge, what's the difference to them? We can't be the only people noticing that the person who wins this round very frequently also wins the game.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Dbacksfan12 on December 19, 2019, 12:48:49 AM
Prize Puzzle = source of revenue/free-to-production company prizes.  It's not going away anytime soon.
But if Royal Carribean gets a full on prize plug and just becomes an actual wedge, what's the difference to them? We can't be the only people noticing that the person who wins this round very frequently also wins the game.
One of my very close friends who wouldn't be caught dead on a board like this frequently points this out.  It is annoying to them too.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: tpirfan28 on December 19, 2019, 06:09:02 PM
C + D level celebrities contestants
I would not be against Celebrity Wheel again.  When was the last time celebrities played?
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Matt Ottinger on December 19, 2019, 07:18:36 PM
There are two things I believe.  One is that in 2019, 43 years in, Family Feud consolation money should be ten dollars a point.  The other is that a Prize Puzzle is fine, but the value of the prize should not count toward determining the day's winner.  That is all.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: WarioBarker on December 19, 2019, 08:15:57 PM
I would not be against Celebrity Wheel again.  When was the last time celebrities played?
The last time celebs played the game with contestants was in 2007. The last time celebs played by themselves was in 2000.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: JakeT on December 19, 2019, 08:23:51 PM
There are two things I believe.  One is that in 2019, 43 years in, Family Feud consolation money should be ten dollars a point.  The other is that a Prize Puzzle is fine, but the value of the prize should not count toward determining the day's winner.  That is all.

Correct on BOTH counts!

JakeT
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: BrandonFG on December 19, 2019, 09:09:26 PM
The other is that a Prize Puzzle is fine, but the value of the prize should not count toward determining the day's winner.  That is all.
"Because once you win a Prize Puzzle, it's yours to keep!"
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: WhammyPower on December 19, 2019, 09:38:09 PM
In 2019, 43 years in, Family Feud consolation money should be ten dollars a point.
It should've been all the way back in *1988*, due to the high inflation rate (https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1976?endYear=1988&amount=1).

/The Ray Combs pilot did... Why did they leave it at $5/point for the series? No idea.
//And yet, the top prize pretty much HAS gone up with inflation...
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Blanquepage on December 23, 2019, 07:03:03 PM
I guess Vanna's 3rd week will remain under wraps, looks like we're seeing a week of reruns from December 2018, preceded by a short message from Pat.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Bryce L. on December 23, 2019, 07:22:25 PM
I guess Vanna's 3rd week will remain under wraps
At least until the week of January 6th, according to Buy a Vowel Boards.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Jay Temple on January 01, 2020, 03:31:29 PM
There are two things I believe.  One is that in 2019, 43 years in, Family Feud consolation money should be ten dollars a point.  The other is that a Prize Puzzle is fine, but the value of the prize should not count toward determining the day's winner.  That is all.
On the latter point, Bob Stewart (or one of his subordinates) figured this out in 1983. As Dick Clark would point out regarding the 7-11, "It's real money. You can spend it, but the game is won or lost over there," indicating the Winners' Circle.

The show is called Wheel of Fortune. Both the screen time and the importance of the wheel are diminished by too many toss-up puzzles.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: WarioBarker on January 02, 2020, 01:09:20 AM
The show is called Wheel of Fortune. Both the screen time and the importance of the wheel are diminished by too many toss-up puzzles.
THIS.

Mind you, I think the Toss-Up was a great idea since it allows for control to be determined by skill rather than being lucky enough to draw the "1" to get the red arrow, but that was when it was just limited to two (pre-Round 1 and pre-Round 4). As I've noted already in this thread, adding the other three really just pads out the game and gives less time for the $5,000 space to be in play.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: aaron sica on January 02, 2020, 06:40:45 AM
Mind you, I think the Toss-Up was a great idea since it allows for control to be determined by skill rather than being lucky enough to draw the "1" to get the red arrow, but that was when it was just limited to two (pre-Round 1 and pre-Round 4). As I've noted already in this thread, adding the other three really just pads out the game and gives less time for the $5,000 space to be in play.

Along these same lines.......I believe the other night that the puzzle AFTER the 3-toss up around was solved without having to do the final spin (the final spin puzzle came next). It got me wondering - when's the last time where there was no final spin necessary? Or are they always squeezing it in now?
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: WilliamPorygon on January 02, 2020, 07:31:46 AM
Along these same lines.......I believe the other night that the puzzle AFTER the 3-toss up around was solved without having to do the final spin (the final spin puzzle came next). It got me wondering - when's the last time where there was no final spin necessary? Or are they always squeezing it in now?

Ending the main game with the final spin and speed up round has been mandatory for well over a decade now.  I don't know exactly when it started but it may have been around the time they started adding $1,000 to the final spin amount.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: WarioBarker on January 02, 2020, 01:43:37 PM
It got me wondering - when's the last time where there was no final spin necessary? Or are they always squeezing it in now?
Had to double-check this, but the last time the game ended without a Final Spin was on November 27, 2000.

it may have been around the time they started adding $1,000 to the final spin amount.
The "spin + $1,000" rule was added on October 4, 1999, well before the Final Spin became permanent.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: nowhammies10 on January 02, 2020, 05:07:20 PM
It got me wondering - when's the last time where there was no final spin necessary? Or are they always squeezing it in now?
Had to double-check this, but the last time the game ended without a Final Spin was on November 27, 2000.

Really?  I thought it was the Halloween show where Alex Trebek dressed up as a gnome and all three celebs played for charity.  Someone else was Shakespeare... Robin Williams?

EDIT: Richard Simmons, not Robin Williams.  That game DID end with a Final Spin, but it was the last time that Pat came out of commercial and just spun the wheel, i.e. no puzzle reveal and chimes first as it is today.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Jeremy Nelson on January 02, 2020, 11:14:44 PM
Facebook just posted a picture of Vanna and her hostess next week with the face covered- a lot of people are speculating it's Pat's daughter.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: knagl on January 04, 2020, 03:47:11 PM
Here's the image that was posted:

(https://i.postimg.cc/LX6WXyg3/FB-IMG-1578170556831.jpg)
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: weaklink75 on January 04, 2020, 07:55:15 PM
Here's the image that was posted:

(https://i.postimg.cc/LX6WXyg3/FB-IMG-1578170556831.jpg)

The hair and the height look right (Maggie Sajak is taller than Vanna)....I don’t think anyone thought of her...
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Fedya on January 04, 2020, 08:00:40 PM
Wait until it turns out that's her real face....
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: cmjb13 on January 04, 2020, 11:07:08 PM
Why the big secret?

Big letdown if it’s really Pat’s daughter
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: jjman920 on January 04, 2020, 11:33:44 PM
Why the big secret?
My hunch is because she's an up and coming country singer and Pat's daughter, they're treating as a cute boon to have her come in to help out her father.

I too am disappointed. It really isn't worth the government top secret/signed NDA level of secrecy that seems to be around it.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: whewfan on January 05, 2020, 08:08:35 AM
It's not as if Pat's daughter would be recognizable.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Mr. Armadillo on January 05, 2020, 01:13:30 PM
Why the big secret?

Unmaskings always draw good numbers, whether it's pro wrestling, The Masked Singer, or Wheel of Fortune (apparently).
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Bryce L. on January 05, 2020, 01:34:11 PM
Why the big secret?

Unmaskings always draw good numbers, whether it's pro wrestling, The Masked Singer, or Wheel of Fortune (apparently).
So, basically, the TV equivalent of clickbait. Got it.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Jeremy Nelson on January 05, 2020, 02:00:17 PM
Why the big secret?
My hunch is because she's an up and coming country singer and Pat's daughter, they're treating as a cute boon to have her come in to help out her father.

I too am disappointed. It really isn't worth the government top secret/signed NDA level of secrecy that seems to be around it.
Is she even doing country music anymore? Her Wikipedia page suggests she hasn't done much since 2013.

It makes more sense, as if it were a bigger star or a Wheel vet like Susan Stafford, they'd probably do more to promote it and sustain the publicity they got from Vanna's first couple weeks. While not a huge surprise for the game show community, I've seen the Wheel online community up in arms about way less than this, so maybe this is big for them.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: WarioBarker on January 05, 2020, 07:22:09 PM
if it were a bigger star or a Wheel vet like Susan Stafford, they'd probably do more to promote it and sustain the publicity they got from Vanna's first couple weeks.
In the case of Susan, I doubt many viewers even know who she is, let alone her connection to Wheel.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: WarioBarker on January 06, 2020, 07:44:50 PM
Double-post because tonight's the night, and the surprise guest hostess is Maggie Sajak, Pat's daughter.
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: JakeT on January 07, 2020, 07:21:27 PM
**snooze**

JakeT
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: cmjb13 on January 07, 2020, 07:32:36 PM
I don’t thing I’ve ever cursed at the TV during Wheel, but I certainly did yesterday

What an F’n waste
Title: Re: BREAKING: Pat undergoes emergency surgery, Vanna stepping in to host WOF.
Post by: Joe Mello on January 07, 2020, 07:59:29 PM
Y'all need to chillax, maybe with a nice box of Pop-Tarts