Favorite version of Hollywood Sqaures

[MikeK]

The Marshall version was the best overall--most fun to watch, the best writing, the best regular and semi-regular celebrities, and the best emcee.  I didn't care for the lack of a bonus game for most of the show's run, as I feel there needed to be something else than first to two games wins, loser games home, lather, rinse, repeat.

The bits and pieces I've seen of the Bergeron version were a few steps below the Marshall era.  I didn't have any issues with the double-or-nothing bonus, but I see how most people didn't care for it.  Would it have been any better if it was double-or-half, so there is still some reward for the work done in the first part of the main game?

The Davidson version....how did it last 3 years?  Forget everything that's been said about John Davidson's massive amount of suckage.  There were so many no-name celebrities, Jm J. and Joan Rivers (to a lesser extent) were tolerable for only so long, and they wasted so much time on goofy sidebar activities like Justin Wilson, the Cajun chef, cooking crawdads in his cube.  Was there a reason Shadoe was one of the squares?  Were they desperate for celebrities to appear?  Given some of the Z-list "celebrities" who were on the show in the last season or two, I wonder if Shadoe was used as lox box filler because the powers that be couldn't find any D-list celebs...

[Offshored2007]

Marshall (the Master)
Bergeron (always competant)
Davidson (nice palm tree in the logo)
Bauman (saving grace-the theme music)

[Chelsea Thrasher]

When it comes to Squares, the 2002-03 season of Tom Bergeron's run (the first of the two "H2" years) was hands down the best I've seen. The rest was good, though not great, for two different reasons. (The big flaw with the last year was the budget.)  And the worst? The abomination attached to Match Game in the early 80s.

But Marshall and Davidson?  I was corrupted by the USA reruns in the early 90s, and actually enjoy Davidson's version quite a bit, while Marshall's version actually grates a little bit.  Peter Marshall is a terrific host, and the game breezes along effortlessly.  Technically, it's great.  But I don't *enjoy* the same way that I enjoy Bergeron and, yes, Davidson's versions.

[cmjb13]

I grew up watching Davidson's squares on USA. I remember thinking this was the only version of squares to exist, even though there was "new" in the title.

[JasonA1]

I can't exactly pick one over the other, although I do have my opinions. Indeed, the second-to-last season of H2 was excellent. The last season was redeemed somewhat from its cheapness and lack of star power with the straddling format, but you still felt the show struggling to stay on the air. 30 Minutes with Whoopi & Friends is something I haven't sat down to in some time, but clips here and there reminded me of the better parts. Even if the zingers came too quick and too often, some were absolute gems. Plus, Tom Bergeron, always on his A-game.

When we did the 20 Greatest Hosts poll back in 2006, a number of us talked about the original version - and Peter Marshall - being overrated. I'm inclined to agree. Every episode feels rushed, but polished. They're interesting artifacts enjoyed one at a time. But I grew tired of them during their brief run on GSN.

Davidson's version I can take or leave given the day. Clips better suit it nowadays though, as I find the whole episodes more a product of their time.

-Jason

[CarShark]

I have to say that I liked the Bergeron version most. The format wasn't to my liking until the end of the run, but the jokes were the funniest and the prizes were pretty good until the cheapie final season. My least favorite version is easily the Marshall version. It's just not that funny, and the audience sweetening is painfully obvious.

[BrandonFG]

I think the Bergeron version just slightly edges out the Marshall version, and would honestly consider it as one of the best revivals of the last 10-15 years (I know that's not saying much). It started off very solid its first two seasons, stumbled a bit during Whoopi's final season, then bounced back very nicely for the H^2 era. My only gripe was that Whoopi tried to steal the show way too often.

The only problem I really had with Marshall's version was that it was too dry at times. Notice the Bergeron version has had more exposure on GSN, I'm guessing for that reason (ISTR the Marshall version getting pretty low ratings).

Davidson's version had too many gimmicks that dragged the show around, and Davidson didn't know how to tell people like Jm J. to STFU and keep the game moving. Bauman had a similar problem when he hosted.

[Neumms]

Does anyone know why they picked Shadoe to do the announcing for Whoopi's version? It's not as if the tie back to Davidson's really bought them anything, unless they did it for kicks (which is cool).

And it is a weird thing about Peter Marshall's version--it's the best because the writing and stars were so good, but the pace is a bit robotic, especially in later years. Wally Cox and Charley Weaver helped avoid it, just because their styles were so unique. Even though they kept it brief, they varied the tempo. But otherwise, they were so good at keeping it a machine, it felt kind of machine-like.

[Don Howard]

[quote name=\'JasonA1\' post=\'220359\' date=\'Jul 17 2009, 02:40 PM\']Peter Marshall....overrated. I'm inclined to agree.[/quote]
5 Emmys ain't bad for being overrated. But, yes, I remember the opinion made that Art Fleming wasn't that good, either. YMMV. It makes the world go around.

[Neumms]

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' post=\'220368\' date=\'Jul 17 2009, 02:36 PM\'][quote name=\'JasonA1\' post=\'220359\' date=\'Jul 17 2009, 02:40 PM\']Peter Marshall....overrated. I'm inclined to agree.[/quote]
5 Emmys ain't bad for being overrated.
[/quote]

He only deserved, like, 3 of those.

[Robair]

When you consider that Heatter-Quigley was looking for a game vehicle that would come to be the closest thing to a Hollywood party, it's Marshall hands down. Very rarely on that version did I ever see someone and said, "Who invited him?" Thanks to Peter, the ultimate straight man, and Wally, Cliff, Paul, George and add in Rose Marie too for keeping this version chugging for nearly 15 years.

[chris319]

The Bergeron version gets points off due to the fact that the panelists were quite obviously reading off index cards.

[aaron sica]

In certain genres of TV that I like, I'm big on voices. I would always listen to Charlie Jones announce, or Pat Summerall, when it came to a football game. Game shows are somewhat the same for me. My favorite version of the Squares was the original Marshall version. Loved hearing his voice and he added a lot to the show. To hear him say "Hello Stars!", and "the object of the players is..."(goes over rules) is music to my ears.

Seeing as I was only 5 1/2 when the original NBC version went off, the Davidson Squares was the first one I was able to watch regularly (MG-HS was on while I was in school for the most part). I remember being confused by the scoring because on MG-HS one would get points per square, and this was a flat $500 for winning a game. Naturally, this is before the internet so I had no idea of how Marshall's version scored - save for the "X" and "O" designations on the syndicated version from Vegas.

Bergeron's version I liked as well....To sum it up - Marshall, Bergeron, Davidson is my order of preference with HS.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'220375\' date=\'Jul 17 2009, 03:21 PM\']I remember being confused by the scoring because on MG-HS one would get points per square,[/quote]
Which is one of the reasons I'm one of the few people who really liked that version of HS. I LOVED that scoring system. If that were to be applied to a standalone version of the show, I think the only change I'd consider making would be to bump individual squares to $50 per after the second game.

[tpirfan28]

Marshall all the way, with Bergeron a close second.

But if it were my take: Bergeron's first set, Davidson's theme, and Marshall hosting + celebrities.

/also a geek for the 5/4 metered open on 80s HS