On the Buy a Vowel Wheel of Fortune messageboards, one of the board\'s sysops announced last week about updates to the boards, and then continued on about the NYC shows and a show that will air this month. He wrote:
Additionally, be sure to watch the last week of shows next month (May), as something big is going to happen...
When I originally saw this, I thought, \"Well, someone will win the million, ending the nearly five-year drought since Michelle Lowenstein\'s win.\"
So, what do you think this \"something big\" is?
Brian
Yep...fall of \'08. Michelle won in October or so of that year.
I\'m guessing another million dollar win or a really extravagant car being offered in the bonus round...there have been so many $100K wins that it isn\'t really considered a \"major\" event anymore* (in message board terms).
On the other hand, if it is a million dollar win, it happening once every five years is okay with me too. Of all the shows that have offered such a prize, at least Wheel makes the contestants earn the big money, even though I\'m still not sold on million dollar Hangman.
*It\'s unfortunate that game shows have diminished six-figure wins to that point
It could just be another big puzzle solved with just a handful of letters revealed. I can\'t remember the name of the attractive young lady who last did it.
I remember one gag from the late-80s (sunburst backdrop era), where the contestant indeed retired with six figures, and Pat noted that the totes only displayed five characters. No problem; he pulled out a slip of paper with the number 1 on it, and held it to the far left of the tote. It\'s been years since I\'ve seen that episode, but I\'m sure Mother McKenzie got a huge kick out of that one.
I can\'t remember whether the shopping era was gone by this point, but did the chevron backdrops have totes on them as well?
The thing is, if a million dollar win happened on the road, don\'t you think it would have leaked out by now? Now a million dollar LOSS, that probably wouldn\'t leak..
It could just be another big puzzle solved with just a handful of letters revealed. I can\'t remember the name of the attractive young lady who last did it.
Has such a thing been pimped before as a \"big event\"? Because I couldn\'t think of an event less noteworthy than leaving a ton of money up there on the board.
I can\'t remember whether the shopping era was gone by this point, but did the chevron backdrops have totes on them as well?
Yes. I wanna say the chevrons happened with the move to CBS.
I can\'t remember whether the shopping era was gone by this point, but did the chevron backdrops have totes on them as well?
Yes. I wanna say the chevrons happened with the move to CBS.
YouTube has the sunbursts on Rolf\'s last show and the chevrons when Pat went downstairs from his late-night show to visit Bob Goen in Studio 33 to mark that version\'s premiere, so I\'d assume that\'s right.
I remember one gag from the late-80s (sunburst backdrop era), where the contestant indeed retired with six figures, and Pat noted that the totes only displayed five characters. No problem; he pulled out a slip of paper with the number 1 on it, and held it to the far left of the tote. It\'s been years since I\'ve seen that episode, but I\'m sure Mother McKenzie got a huge kick out of that one.
I\'ve never heard of that, but I know there was one such instance shortly into Season 7 where Pat stuck a piece of cardboard reading \"$1\" to the left of the total. (It was shown as a retro clip earlier this season, in fact.)
I can\'t remember whether the shopping era was gone by this point, but did the chevron backdrops have totes on them as well?
Yes, they did. The main reason is because the chevrons, and the sunbursts before them, were little more than fancy-looking colored filters attached to the original green-glitter backdrops.
I may be thinking of that season 7 episode. I found another episode on Youtube from November 1989, with the contestant\'s total indeed being displayed on the chevron backdrop...I don\'t think the show instituted returning champions until season 7, right after the chevrons made their debut, so there\'s also that.
If it is something big...it must be the return of Big Money Wedge!
Okay, seriously, I\'d guess some huge winnings of some sort, but not the million. Perhaps the biggest money winner (non-million). That record was actually broken already this season. It\'d be cool to see it happen twice in one season.
/but I would like the Big Money Wedge to return for one week each season.
I can\'t remember whether the shopping era was gone by this point, but did the chevron backdrops have totes on them as well?Yes, they did. The main reason is because the chevrons, and the sunbursts before them, were little more than fancy-looking colored filters attached to the original green-glitter backdrops.
[citation needed]
Did anybody consider that such an announcement probably doesn\'t have much to do with the gameplay?
Because when I first saw the topic a million dollar bonus round playing didn\'t enter into my train of thought.
Did anybody consider that such an announcement probably doesn\'t have much to do with the gameplay?What else could it be? They\'re (almost certainly) not taking on another co-host. Maybe they have another big huge shiny thing, where the bonus wheel can now display trillions of colors of light for the viewing audience at home who will be so blissed out from the experience that they\'ll have to call in sick the next day.
Pat goes topless.
Vanna goes topless.
Vanna goes topless.
You\'d think that would be the big news... but they discovered that the Women 25-54 demo would have gotten turned off by it.
A new custom is instituted whereas all three contestants celebrate the solving of each puzzle by dancing Gangnam Style a single lap around the wheel.
We\'re really setting ourselves up for disappointment. We\'re going to find out what the thing is, swarm the boards to complain and that\'ll be it.
This is correct. I remember last year when Gwen and Amber posted about something \"big\" happening on Price that day they were tapiing. So everyone was wondering what it was, only to find out that it was a 1/2 Off win, with the only thing making it the slightest bit noteworthy was that it was the first time Amber had modeled the boxes when the game was won.
I mean who knows what that person\'s definition of \"big\" is?
I\'ll still hope for Chuck Woolery\'s return to Wheel to host Love Connection, with him and Vanna as the subjects.
Whatever it ends up being, it STILL won\'t air in high definition in the Tennessee Valley.
BTW, Chris L., has Wheel gone HD in Seattle yet?
BTW, Chris L., has Wheel gone HD in Seattle yet?
Yeah, few years ago.
Knowing Henke, Cincinnati is probably mentioned in a puzzle.
I remember last year when Gwen and Amber posted about something \"big\" happening on Price that day they were tapiing. So everyone was wondering what it was, only to find out that it was a 1/2 Off win, with the only thing making it the slightest bit noteworthy was that it was the first time Amber had modeled the boxes when the game was won.
I mean who knows what that person\'s definition of \"big\" is?
Louie Anderson does awalk-on. dive in -- into the Rock Center fountains outside.
That would be something big.
FTFY.
The thing is, if a million dollar win happened on the road, don\'t you think it would have leaked out by now?
Here\'s a much more possible answer: Caesars is running a promotion where 20 players nationwide win $50K and a trip to Vegas, where one of the 20 picks up an additional $1 Million.
If there is a Millionaire win on the show, this is a good \"look at the shiny!\" diversion.
I think I can say this without directly spoiling anything -- the \"vague message\" and the associated event are not referring to the New York shows. \"The last week of shows next month (May)\" means just that.(And who\'s to say it didn\'t technically leak? If the event is a $1,000,000 win, here\'s how I imagine it went down: A random New York City audience member says, \"Cool, I just saw them give away a million dollars. And hey, here\'s a \'Wheel of Fortune\' message board. I\'ll e-mail the moderator and let them know it\'s coming up.\" And then the moderator, not wanting to spoil the result but also unable to contain himself, posts a vague message saying something big is going to happen.)
Here\'s a much more possible answer: Caesars is running a promotion where 20 players nationwide win $50K and a trip to Vegas, where one of the 20 picks up an additional $1 Million.
If there is a Millionaire win on the show, this is a good \"look at the shiny!\" diversion.
I don\'t think it\'s that- the original post said it happened during the last week of shows, and the contest runs two weeks.
There\'s a lot more to all this than you guys may think -- I myself only know some of it.
Ah, so now you fall right into \"I know something you don\'t know!\"
Don\'t ever change.
There\'s a lot more to all this than you guys may think -- I myself only know some of it.
I think I can say this without directly spoiling anything -- the \"vague message\" and the associated event are not referring to the New York shows.
There\'s a lot more to all this than you guys may think -- I myself only know some of it.
Hmm....I\'m wondering now if we might be hearing about a retirement of one or more major people in front of the camera and/or behind the scenes after the 2013-2014 season- That would certainly qualify as big news..(The show\'s contracted until 2016, so it\'s not ending)..or they\'re going to put the million dollar envelope on the Bonus Wheel permamently as of next season- no jumping through hoops to have the chance to win it, it\'s there every night..
It would also be big news if:
In other words, utterly random conjecture isn\'t interesting, and is only keeping Dan bouncing up and down in his little chair.
The $100,000 is won pretty often, my guess is at least 2-3 times a season. I doubt they\'ll make the million bucks that easy to win. As I said earlier, as much as I dislike the idea of Million Dollar Hangman, at least Wheel does make you work for the money.
Rolf Benirschke comes back.
The $100,000 is won pretty often, my guess is at least 2-3 times a season. I doubt they\'ll make the million bucks that easy to win. As I said earlier, as much as I dislike the idea of Million Dollar Hangman, at least Wheel does make you work for the money.
It might be a ratings ploy though- Feud\'s been sneaking up on both Wheel and J! the past couple of years...maybe they don\'t put it on automatically, but cut some of the steps out to get it in the bonus round (say eliminate some of the risk of losing it- you can lose it during the round when you landed on it by hitting Bankrupt, but if you can solve the puzzle that round, the million dollar envelope is in the Bonus Round if you get there regardless of what happens in later rounds).
Or maybe for a week they automatically put the million on the bonus wheel (big money week or something like that)
Rolf Benirschke comes back.
No, they\'re trying to give us a reason to watch. :)
Or maybe for a week they put the million on the bonus wheelWhy not? The idea of winning a big prize on a game show is nearly commonplace.
The only reason Feud is sneaking up is because of the obligatory dick jokes or those of the same ilk. The momentum isn\'t going to last.
Besides, even with the improved ratings aren\'t they still at least half of what the big two pull in?
The most recent report from TV By the Numbers has Wheel at a 6.5, Jeopardy! at 5.9, Feud at 4.6.
Steve Harvey\'s presence and increased popularity helps, but I think it\'s only a matter of time before the dick jokes get old for other viewers. At least, I really hope viewers aren\'t so desperate for outrageous toilet humor that they\'re watching Family Feud to get their daily quota.
Maybe Wheel will fight back by putting innuendo in their puzzles too.
I\'d like to solve the puzzle.
Bitches be trippin\' the light fantastic.
I\'d like to solve the puzzle.
Bitches be trippin\' the light fantastic.
This is Wheel of Fortune Kevin! :)
The only reason Feud is sneaking up is because of the obligatory dick jokes or those of the same ilk. The momentum isn\'t going to last.
Besides, even with the improved ratings aren\'t they still at least half of what the big two pull in?
Isn\'t Feud\'s ratings somewhat inflated compared to WoF & J!\'s??? In most markets, J! and Wheel are seen once a day (with J! up to twice and Wheel up to 6 days a week) while Feud might be run on non-cable channels up to four times a day in any given market (like where I live).
Separately.
How it can be spun, though, is a different matter.
Maybe Wheel will fight back by putting innuendo in their puzzles too.