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Alternate realities when it comes to game shows
BillCullen1:
--- Quote from: chris319 on June 20, 2023, 11:06:46 PM ---Another thought exercise:
Pick a better emcee for Mindreaders than Dick Martin. Though the format was fundamentally flawed, Dick didn't help. He was better in office run-thrus but once he got into the studio he was never smooth at it. He was always a bit awkward.
--- End quote ---
100% agreed. On several occasions, Dick had that "deer in the headlights" look. He did move the game along, but he was not as polished as Cullen, Rayburn etc, I do believe The Cheap Show was his only previous hosting job. He was fine on that, but not here.
Jeremy Nelson:
--- Quote from: chris319 on June 20, 2023, 11:06:46 PM ---Pick a better emcee for Mindreaders than Dick Martin.
--- End quote ---
I could, but then we'd still be asking a seasoned jockey to ride a mule to the Kentucky Derby ;)
--- Quote from: BrandonFG on June 20, 2023, 01:06:18 PM ---Oh, and since Wheel went off the air around '87 Pat Sajak gets a CBS gig, but in 1993. Letterman replaces Carson in '92 and Jay Leno gets something in syndication.
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My curiousness lies in what Pat Sajak does for 5 years to end up with a late night gig! Also, if Jay Leno still has Helen Kushnick in your alternate reality, I don't see a way in which he doesn't end up with that job.
I've got one:
The staff of Family Feud is so fed up with Richard's attitude that they refuse to return to work until he's let go. The work stoppage is leaked to the press, and with mounting pressure from all sides, Goodson removes Dawson as host in 1981. With Alex Trebek already on NBC daytime, Geoff Edwards is hired as his replacement.
ABC, not wanting to lose their star talent, signs Dawson to a network deal. The relationship is buddy-buddy at first. Dawson trashes Family Feud and Geoff in a magazine feature, which blows over, but then he trashes ABC and his contract in 1982. After some middling primetime specials in 82 and 83, the network determines he's not in their future plans and he's bought out by 1984.
With a breath of fresh air in the studio, Geoff begins his tenure in 1981. Ratings see a noticeable boost thanks to the public's curiosity but aren't sustainable. Wheel still comes in and eats Feud's lunch, but instead of the Dawson series finale eulogy, it's a relatively happy affair with the staff and crew joining Geoff on stage during the final segment.
TimK2003:
I'll throw a "what if" into the mix:
What if LMAD never bolted to ABC in the late 60s? The only real game shows ABC had around then were mostly Barris shows.
Would NBC have given Monty a shot at a syndicated nighttime version of the show?
Would LMAD have been such a lasting game show over the decades, because it seems the show really took off after going to ABC.
chris319:
--- Quote ---100% agreed. On several occasions, Dick had that "deer in the headlights" look. He did move the game along, but he was not as polished as Cullen, Rayburn etc, I do believe The Cheap Show was his only previous hosting job. He was fine on that, but not here.
--- End quote ---
ISTR on Cheap Show he had an "assistant" to help him with the format, and we took that into account when considering him for Mindreaders. As I say, he was better and more at ease in the office and went "deer in the headlights" in the studio.
After thinking it over, I'd like to see how Dick Gautier would have done with a game show. Also Nipsey and Greg Morris would have been worthy of consideration. I liked Nipsey as an emcee and he had good command of the format.
The auditionee would be sent a script to study, then do one or more run-thrus in the office for the producers. Later, Mr. Goodson would see it and if Goodson approved, "the network", e.g. Mike Brockman, would be invited over to see it.
snowpeck:
This came up in our Twitch chat the other night. Let's suppose Super Password was still doing well for NBC and didn't get cancelled in 1989. Who would have taken over the show when Bert's health took a decline for following year?
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