The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: pyrfan on April 24, 2014, 01:28:52 AM
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Let's say that you could be the head writer on one of the game shows listed below. Assume that the show in question pays you more than handsomely each year and will be on the air five days a week from the time you graduate high school/college until you're ready to retire. You can only choose one for your entire life. Which is it, and why?
$100,000 PYRAMID
BLACKOUT
FAMILY FEUD
HOLLYWOOD SQUARES
MATCH GAME '90
ROCK & ROLL JEOPARDY!
SALE OF THE CENTURY (Perry)
SUPER PASSWORD
TATTLETALES
WHEW!
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I think the question for me is more which ones to rule out. I don't have nearly the breadth of knowledge required for r&r jeopardy.
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I think I pick the one that requires twenty questions PER WEEK.
"We've got Friday's show in the can? Great. What time is it? 10:30? Kickass, who wants pizza? It's Mozzarella Monday down at Cici's."
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I suspect/hope that's why he said 90.
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Boy, is that a tough call.
And I've actually done question writing for a quizzer before. So I know the stress. ;)
Well, I feel I would be strongest at either straight quiz or word games considering the subject matter of the shows listed. Which leaves me Sale and SP. I would probably pick Sale, because to me it's easier to find trivia subjects consistently and I would run out of ideas for password puzzle combos
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FAMILY FEUD
If only to get rid of the penis questions and to have the pleasure of firing the sorry arse of anyone who suggests that one be used.
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I would pick Sale, since many of the questions are easier general-knowledge ones, and seem easier to write. Even the Fame Game ones are linear in structure.
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I write 10 Whew questions every week for the Game Show Gauntlet and I HATE it. It's surprisingly difficult for me. Out of all of these, I think I would best write for Super Password. It doesn't seem that hard.
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I suspect/hope that's why he said 90.
I was thinking Tattletales, actually. Even MG '7x got through more than four questions a show, if you count Super Matches.
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I figured TT might be what you were driving at. So here's my thing: what all goes into being "head writer"? I assume that if you're writing a week of Tattletales questions (or even overseeing the writing process) you can't have two questions that start "Let's say you and your partner are stranded on a desert island" or repeating key elements--wasn't the practice on Pyramid that the writers were allowed to use something again after a month long wait?
The shows where I would have the least fun doing it would be TT, Squares, Rock&Roll Jeopardy, and in the current incarnation Feud. With the proper host I think I'd go off the board and choose to write for Card Sharks. That said I reject the idea of being shackled to a single show for my entire working career.
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So here's my thing: what all goes into being "head writer"? I assume that if you're writing a week of Tattletales questions (or even overseeing the writing process) you can't have two questions that start "Let's say you and your partner are stranded on a desert island" or repeating key elements--wasn't the practice on Pyramid that the writers were allowed to use something again after a month long wait?
I am sure there was some sort of cooldown period for TT subjects, too. I don't believe that changes the fact that among the titles in the given list, it is GLARING how little work TT requires as opposed to the others. I was mostly pointing out that major shortcoming in the question, which to me demonstrates a lack of actual thought put into it. And if the asker isn't going to put thought into it, why should I?
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I was mostly pointing out that major shortcoming in the question, which to me demonstrates a lack of actual thought put into it.
It does seem to be both a strangely arbitrary and a strangely specific ("Rock & Roll" Jeopardy?) list of ten shows.
But yeah. Tattletales.
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He probably wanted to make sure no one was confused and thought they'd be writing for Joe Garagiola's Sale of the Century.
It reminds me of the question" If you could go on ONE game show what would it be?" and I said "all else equal, I want to cut down on the competition and increase the chance at my prize, so Deal or No Deal."
Blackout requires a certain sense of humor that I can't wrap my brain around. The thing working in Whew!'s favor is that there seems to be about twenty different categories so you take whatever was unrevealed (and 17/23rds of the board will be unrevealed) throw it into a bucket for the next game and fill the gaps. Knowing what I know about the writing process for Only Connect, I think I would need to be very well compensated to deal with the deadlines and requirements for what material can and can't make it into a game.
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Super Password / Password Plus would be my first choice, with Blockbusters a close second.
My "off the board" game show would be Trebek's Double Dare.
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My "off the board" game show would be Trebek's Double Dare.
I can't imagine writing for that and staying sane very long.
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I'd say "scrabble" only because of the creative aspect (and by the end of the run and into the '93 version, the writers really perfected it).
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I'd say "scrabble" only because of the creative aspect (and by the end of the run and into the '93 version, the writers really perfected it).
Man, when I'm getting paid handsomely to work ten hours a week, I'll find ways to be creative with the other 30 on my own time and terms. :)
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Man, when I'm getting paid handsomely to work ten hours a week, I'll find ways to be creative with the other 30 on my own time and terms. :)
I'd just throw on a podcast and get really good at Fruit Ninja.
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I gotta go with Pyramid or Super Password (I'll narrow it down by the time I finish this post). Even with a team of writers, crafting a question takes work...I've done it for various people's games as well as a "home version" of a game I put together called Countdown. Don't even get me started on the wordy questions Barry and Enright used to ramp the drama. Each producer had his or her own style of writing, though...
For a trivia game like $ale or Jeopardy!, you're prolly looking at a good 30-40 for the former (including Fame Games and the Speed Round), and 61 for the latter. My hat always goes off to the writers who compile your generally "difficult" trivia (a $2000 level clue on J!, anything in the upper tier on Millionaire), or even the riddles on Jackpot. However, I'm with Chris in the fact that I wouldn't mind getting the hard work out the way, then enjoying the rest of my week.
Granted, coming up with seven subjects for a category on Pyramid is no walk in the park either. It's not so much the fact that you gotta come up with seven items...it's coming up with seven items one can describe quickly. In the case of SP, you gotta have five good words that can be described in just one word. All that being said, I think I could have enough fun with Pyramid, and would love trying to come up with good Winner's Circle topics. So yes, Pyramid. :-)
Off the board, Split Second or Double Talk. Now, am I just a head writer, or do I get promoted any point? Can I pitch my own show to the network after certain milestone years? ;-D
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In the case of SP, you gotta have five good words that can be described in just one word.
I don't think I agree with that.
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I might've phrased that wrong (damn stream of consciousness), but I think it falls into a similar category as Pyramid. You can have five clue words that are related to the subject, but can they necessarily be described without complicating the process. It was a similar issue I had with Body Language...there were quite a few words that were great as clues, but not so easy to describe or act out.
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With "head writer" implying I'd also have a staff alongside, I'd go with Squares. The combination of looking up fascinating trivia and all of us working on punch lines to go with them would be too much fun. Stressful, but fun.
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Which one has the best craft services table?
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It was a similar issue I had with Body Language...there were quite a few words that were great as clues, but not so easy to describe or act out.
I think that's part of the fun of the game. Part of the challenge of the writing is to strike that balance of interesting to play out, interesting to play along, and does it fit the puzzle. I think one of the things Body Language did (and Blackout too) to distinguish itself from Super Password is having words that don't lead you to the answer until you insert them into the puzzle. Win, Lose or Draw's puzzle round had that problem, I thought.
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Which one has the best craft services table?
That eliminates Bob Stewart Productions...
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...among the titles in the given list, it is GLARING how little work TT requires as opposed to the others. I was mostly pointing out that major shortcoming in the question, which to me demonstrates a lack of actual thought put into it. And if the asker isn't going to put thought into it, why should I?
Actually, I put a pretty good amount of thought into the question and the possible choices. Then again, the way I intended it to be read was "Which of these shows would you most enjoy writing for?" You took it as "On which game can I do the least amount of work and still get paid?" However, the fact that you read it that way doesn't mean that the question is inherently flawed.
Also, you're assuming that the first 20 "Tattletales" questions that you and your staff come up with are solid gold and you can just go have your pizza at 10:30. After roundtabling your questions, you might be left with three good ones, and then it's back to the drawing board.
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Then again, the way I intended it to be read was "Which of these shows would you most enjoy writing for?"
Then perhaps you should have said that instead of what you said.
The fact that some of us didn't answer your question the way you wanted them to doesn't necessarily mean the problem is on their end.
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Then again, the way I intended it to be read was "Which of these shows would you most enjoy writing for?" You took it as "On which game can I do the least amount of work and still get paid?"
Since you went to exceptional lengths to state that I would be making a comfortable living and was under no threat of cancellation, ever, and since I've written questions professionally and know what the job entails, I stand by my answer. You seem to think the two statements above are mutually exclusive. You would be wrong.
What Travis said: if you don't like how I answered your question, it is in fact possible that you set it up badly.
Also, you're assuming that the first 20 "Tattletales" questions that you and your staff come up with are solid gold and you can just go have your pizza at 10:30. After roundtabling your questions, you might be left with three good ones, and then it's back to the drawing board.
Way to completely miss the point.
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Oh, holy hell. It was a simple human-interest question.
Congratulations, guys. It's taken over a decade, but you've finally broken me. I'm done.
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Make sure you grab your ball before taking off.
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Brendan, don't let Chris and Travis get you down. They act like they're tougher and smarter than everyone else on this forum, but in reality, they just bully good people like you to leave.
Brendan, you are one of the few sane people on this forum.
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Oh no, Chris! The Game Show Lover born in 1987 is on to us! He's figured out our master plan! Whatever shall we do? I for one am wilting under his house of cards built on shrill rantings and baseless claims.
And for serious, because I think Vahan is full of what makes the grass grow: who can you prove that I have directly "bullied into leaving"? I think if you're going to throw around stuff like that you should have proof of action.
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Brendan, you are one of the few sane people on this forum.
Yet consider the source.
you've finally broken me. I'm done.
3:49pm FRIDAY 4.25.14 with a post count of 390. Post #391 will be along before the Kentucky Derby, if not much sooner. See you then.
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It does seem to be both a strangely arbitrary and a strangely specific ("Rock & Roll" Jeopardy?) list of ten shows.
First thing I thought too. Wasn't sure why Blackout and specifically Match Game '90 were listed.
The way it was worded, I also jumped to the conclusion of "what amount of work could I handle into retirement age without wanting to slam my head into a wall" and I split the difference with Feud. I couldn't feign enough interest in Tattle Tales to keep it going long enough, low requirements aside. There's enough producer-y decisions in what Feud questions to ask and where to use them that it would challenge me sufficiently.
-Jason
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The way it was worded, I also jumped to the conclusion of "what amount of work could I handle into retirement age without wanting to slam my head into a wall" and I split the difference with Feud. I couldn't feign enough interest in Tattle Tales to keep it going long enough, low requirements aside. There's enough producer-y decisions in what Feud questions to ask and where to use them that it would challenge me sufficiently.
And here's something that didn't really get answered in the original question: if we know that the show is on for as long s we work, does that mean we can mold the questions to give the kind of show we want to see rather than the kind of show we're getting? Does it presume that we have a staff and are making the decision of what gets to the eventual show (what Jeopardy at various times called Editorial Producer or what have you.)
If I fell into the job of writing for TTales, you better believe I want to get that done as fast as possible because neither the game nor subject matter appeal to me in the least. I don't really get whipped into a frenzy over what Hollywood Squares is asking though I did like some of what I saw from H2. If I had editorial control and could end the Genital Parade I would absolutely take the Feud job, but I think I would also enjoy the challenges of Super Password as well. I just don't think that I would choose one and say "yup, that's the career on which I'll hang my hat" because then I'll be like that guy from Ratt who is likely pondering why it took so darn long to leave the band.
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I would like to go off the board and say Concentration. I have always had a flair for designing rebus puzzles. Otherwise, Scrabble.
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Brendan, don't let Chris and Travis get you down. They act like they're tougher and smarter than everyone else on this forum, but in reality, they just bully good people like you to leave.
Brendan, you are one of the few sane people on this forum.
I don't know about that much, but I consider Travis and Chris to be two of the more knowledgable people here. Even if I don't always find myself agreeing with both of them.
Unlike a conspiracy theorist like you, who has some of the thinnest skin of any forum member I have ever come across.