I actually thought "Blackout" was a good concept, but just how it was played (and the fact that the $25KP was just taking a lunch break from the schedule) is what killed it.
Had the game played everyday common words for points instead of filling a 4-blank joke puzzle, I think this show could have been resurrected somewhere else on another network or on cable.
I also think "The Big Showdown" deserved a longer run.