Future of Temptation USA

[BMaurice06]

As far as I know, no one at NATPE has said anything about whether or not Temptation will be returning for a second season.  If it does, I hope they do make changes to the show.  I'm sorry, but IMO Rossi Morreale has got to go.  I have tried as hard as I possibly can to accept him as an emcee, but I just find his personality grating on the nerves.  Also, I don't think that it would necessarily hurt to try reverting to the front game of the Aussie version (and in the process junking those slow Knock-Out rounds).

[bandit_bobby]

I have this strange feeling it will be renewed, because a story from TVGameshows.net says with the at-home shopping segments, they're making some sort of profit.

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'BMaurice06\' post=\'176619\' date=\'Jan 29 2008, 10:07 PM\']
I'm sorry, but IMO Rossi Morreale has got to go.  I have tried as hard as I possibly can to accept him as an emcee, but I just find his personality grating on the nerves.
[/quote]
Rossi's flaws notwithstanding, this would carry a great deal more weight had it come from someone who, you know, had actually given Rossi a chance instead of dismissing him from the start for not being Todd Newton.

[scottua1]

According to a recent story at TV Week:

The single (freshman) series left without security at this point is Twentieth’s game show “Temptation.” A Twentieth representative said, “No decision has been made; an announcement is forthcoming.”

The series has been averaging a 0.5 score this season, but it remains profitable due to the home shopping components of the show. Sources said the distributor also could add a cable run to the mix if the strip moves forward.

Should the syndicator opt to pull the plug, the sources said Twentieth would remain committed to serving out the full season for stations.

They may add a cable run? Do I hear GSN primetime calling?

[tvwxman]

I hate to say it, but I definitely see this on GSN instead of syndication. Gawd knows the prize budget is in sync with GSN's efforts. And the TVWeek article is right in Fremantle being happy with an alternative way for the show to make extra money with the home shopping.

If they clean up the format , I could see this as a good addition.

/Rossi has to go.

[Fedya]

They need to replace her with someone that can deploy the show better.

Deploy a TV show???

This isn't Variety-speak, is it?

(Sorry, I really don't understand what you're trying to say here.)

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'Fedya\' post=\'176648\' date=\'Jan 30 2008, 09:52 AM\']

They need to replace her with someone that can deploy the show better.

Deploy a TV show???
[/quote]
Well, the current version is a bomb, sorta. ;-)

[Scrabbleship]

[quote name=\'dazztardly\' post=\'176645\' date=\'Jan 30 2008, 07:41 AM\']
[quote name=\'tvwxman\' post=\'176644\' date=\'Jan 30 2008, 08:16 AM\']
I hate to say it, but I definitely see this on GSN instead of syndication. Gawd knows the prize budget is in sync with GSN's efforts. And the TVWeek article is right in Fremantle being happy with an alternative way for the show to make extra money with the home shopping.

If they clean up the format , I could see this as a good addition.

/Rossi has to go.
[/quote]

Actually it's more like Executive Producer Ginger Simpson, that has to go. They need to replace her with someone that can deploy the show better.[/quote]

I know that Ginger Simpson isn't that loved of a figure here, I've been critical of her in the past too, but what if this problem goes further than her and/or Rossi? I'm not running to her defense, but Lingo never (has) been a unmitigated disaster under her watch. Flawed, yes, but not a disaster.

I'm for ditching both of them, but what if the problem lies deep inside 20th and Fremantle themselves?

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'Scrabbleship\' post=\'176650\' date=\'Jan 30 2008, 09:08 AM\']
[I know that Ginger Simpson isn't that loved of a figure here, I've been critical of her in the past too, but what if this problem goes further than her and/or Rossi? I'm not running to her defense, but Lingo never (has) been a unmitigated disaster under her watch. Flawed, yes, but not a disaster.

I'm for ditching both of them, but what if the problem lies deep inside 20th and Fremantle themselves?
[/quote]

Twentieth wanted nothing more than a cheap hour of daytime programming with an alternative revenue stream for their MyTV affiliates after dumping a lot of money on Warners to renew "Tyra" and add "TMZ" (although that show is often shared with the Fox affiliate in the duopoly) and after seeing that their test attempt at call-in-and-lose was not successful.  Fremantle obviously wanted to keep the relationship with News Corp. on a happy basis, considering that they co-own the most profitable show on network television and the backbone of the Fox network.

In the end, Fremantle gave Twentieth exactly what they wanted.  And Ginger Simpson gave Fremantle exactly what they wanted.  And what they wanted was something that would support an alternative revenue stream better than the straightforward Q&A with a twist we've all known and loved.  The fact that it's staying on is because the alternative revenue stream is working--and the fact that there's a relative dearth of successful product out there for daytime syndication.

The question here though is whether they can convince the stations that aren't owned by Fox to stay with them on this project--and whether the revenues from the alternative revenue stream offset the lousy ratings and low ad rates enough for the stations to want to keep the show for a second season.

[Kniwt]

Sometime in the past couple of weeks when I wasn't paying attention, the double run in Fresno -- at noon on the local CW affiliate -- has gone back to just a single run, with the second half-hour replaced by a locally-produced infomercial show repurposed from the co-owned Fox station.