The Game Show Forum

The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Mario on November 06, 2012, 03:23:29 AM

Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: Mario on November 06, 2012, 03:23:29 AM
How do you all look back on the 1984 and 1993 versions of Scrabble, today?

What they share in common:
* Chuck Woolery as host
* Show was produced by Reg Grundy Productions, Inc. (later Grundy Organization International, Ltd. and FremantleMedia)
* Show aired on NBC
* Sound effects

What they don't share in common:
* Theme music

~Benjamin "Mario" Edge
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: BrandonFG on November 06, 2012, 10:01:15 AM
How many times can you compare the two versions of Scrabble or talk about the board game?

To answer the question, the '84 version, post-spelling. I liked both formats with the win 5 games, get $20,000 (10 for $40K) as well as the Bonus Sprint.

In retrospect, the 1993 version was good because it meant that game shows were on the air (I really did enjoy it as a child). 20 years later, it seemed pretty cheap, although I did like the deco-ish contestant island.
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: Chief-O on November 06, 2012, 10:24:24 AM
What they don't share in common:
* Theme music

More to it than that. Different set [and the '93 one wasn't too hot], prize budget ['93 was cheap].
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: clemon79 on November 06, 2012, 01:11:03 PM
How many times can you compare the two versions of Scrabble or talk about the board game?
As long as...

Quote
To answer the question, the '84 version, post-spelling. I liked both formats with the win 5 games, get $20,000 (10 for $40K) as well as the Bonus Sprint.
...you keep feeding him answers.
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: TLEberle on November 06, 2012, 01:26:56 PM
How do you all look back on the 1984 and 1993 versions of Scrabble, today?
I can't say for everyone, but for me, the password is "fondly."
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: Mario on November 06, 2012, 02:16:57 PM
May I ask you all: were there any exciting moments about both versions of Scrabble?

~Ben
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: aaron sica on November 06, 2012, 02:23:07 PM
How do you all look back on the 1984 and 1993 versions of Scrabble, today?

The same way I looked back on them yesterday.
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: SRIV94 on November 07, 2012, 03:07:08 PM
The same way I looked back on them yesterday.

<like>
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: bossjock967 on November 07, 2012, 07:58:16 PM
The tiles.  I liked the tiles.
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: parliboy on November 10, 2012, 03:24:38 PM
May I ask you all: were there any exciting moments about both versions of Scrabble?

~Ben

Ben:

It is time for you to ask questions about things other than Scabble. Your displayed obsession is, quite frankly, unhealthy, especially in light of a wide range of game shows.  So, here is a 10 hour video of Nyan Cat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZZ7oFKsKzY

Every time you ask about Scrabble for the rest of the month, I will respond with this video.
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: aaron sica on November 10, 2012, 04:36:50 PM
Every time Ben asks about Scrabble, a Nyan Cat flies for 10 hours nonstop. Parliboy, you rock. :)
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: TLEberle on November 10, 2012, 05:27:06 PM
It is time for you to ask questions about things other than Scabble.
Why? That just encourages him to ask more questions.
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: Strikerz04 on November 10, 2012, 09:26:42 PM

Ben:

 So, here is a 10 hour video of Nyan Cat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZZ7oFKsKzY

Every time you ask about Scrabble for the rest of the month, I will respond with this video.

Win.
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: jjman920 on November 11, 2012, 01:13:35 AM
May I ask you all: were there any exciting moments about both versions of Scrabble?

~Ben

Ben:

It is time for you to ask questions about things other than Scabble. Your displayed obsession is, quite frankly, unhealthy, especially in light of a wide range of game shows.  So, here is a 10 hour video of Nyan Cat:

video

Every time you ask about Scrabble for the rest of the month, I will respond with this video.
My toe is all worn out from all the tapping.
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: parliboy on November 11, 2012, 08:23:14 AM
It is time for you to ask questions about things other than Scabble.
Why? That just encourages him to ask more questions.
Baby steps.
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: Adam Nedeff on November 11, 2012, 01:46:51 PM
Every time you ask about Scrabble for the rest of the month, I will respond with this video.
One of the annotations in that video is a link offering to take me to "10 hours of Mario." I'll pass.
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: Jimmy Owen on November 11, 2012, 02:33:33 PM
One thing I found odd about the 93 version is that when they showed the repeats late in the run, a disclaimer card was plastered over the original video.  If you remember the disclaimer slides they used on "The Gong Show," it had a similar look.  A still photo of Chuck and a contestant on the set.  Kind of odd.  Trade mags of the time noted that Scrabble 93 and Scattergories were stop-gaps between the soap Santa Barbara (which cost a lot more to make) and the John and Leeza talk show (which wasn't quite ready), so the shows weren't meant to last. (Source: 11/18/92 issue of Variety)
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: BrandonFG on November 11, 2012, 03:57:26 PM
Trade mags of the time noted that Scrabble 93 and Scattergories were stop-gaps between the soap Santa Barbara (which cost a lot more to make) and the John and Leeza talk show (which wasn't quite ready), so the shows weren't meant to last. (Source: 11/18/92 issue of Variety)
I remember reading that here, but I couldn't remember whether it was true or not, and didn't want to start more idle speculation. Good to have confirmation on that, although I dunno why NBC didn't just show reruns of some of their sitcoms as a placeholder (i.e. "Fresh Prince" and "Blossom").
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: Twentington on November 11, 2012, 06:42:10 PM
As many game shows as I watched in the early 90s, I'm surprised Scrabble 1993 pretty much escaped my grasp. The only memory I have of it is catching a glimpse of it on a neighbor's TV while they were holding a yard sale, and pointing it out to my mom because I had remembered her telling me that when I was a baby, she'd watch the 1984 version with me in her lap.
Title: Scrabble 1984 and 1993
Post by: TLEberle on November 12, 2012, 12:33:17 AM
For me, it was one of those shows that I'd watch because I enjoyed the game albeit on a shallow level because I just wasn't all that good at it (Concentration and Name That Tune would fall here as well). Watching it again fifteen years later than the USA reruns allows me to enjoy the game because I think I could have won a smallish pile of money, and it's just so damn good.