The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => Game Show Channels & Networks => Topic started by: Shredder on May 04, 2004, 09:22:56 AM
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Too bad I'm not at the shore house to actually watch it after the cable guy rehooks up our familly cable service for the summer.
But after dreading all these reality shows heading to GSN, what is actually worth checking out? I saw MAtch Game last year on a recommendation and it's one of my new favorites...
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[quote name=\'Shredder\' date=\'May 4 2004, 08:22 AM\'] Too bad I'm not at the shore house to actually watch it after the cable guy rehooks up our familly cable service for the summer.
But after dreading all these reality shows heading to GSN, what is actually worth checking out? I saw MAtch Game last year on a recommendation and it's one of my new favorites... [/quote]
MG and Feud will stay on GSN for the foreseeable future most likely(at least as long as the Goodson-Todman show license is renewed for). Pyramid and Hollywood Squares(2001-02 season) seem to be leaving the weekday schedule come mid-June. GSN is acquiring Street Smarts and the 2003 revival of Star Search, as well as Average Joe and Dog Eat Dog, for airing this SUmmer as well. As for the current crop of originals, Lingo(though in reruns, and not guaranteed a new series of shows at this point) and World Series of Blackjack are the best of the bunch. Reruns of the Mole and the original show Fake a Date are on the network now, but will leave this Summer. Another new original, Extreme Dodgeball, bows this Summer as well. No word on how long Press Your LUck, Let's Make a Deal, Card Sharks, Blockbusters, the Black and WHite overnight hour, or Wheel and Jeopardy! will stay on the schedule.
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What's new worth checking out?
Your local library.
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[quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'May 4 2004, 09:39 AM\'] What's new worth checking out?
Your local library. [/quote]
I feel as if I'm watching CBS Storybreak....:)
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What a pile of garbage this has turned into.
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When MG and FF leave GSN for good,then there's no point of keeping this channel. TPIR won't come back EVER. Thanks Crorin! *rolleyes*
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[quote name=\'JerrysFeudinAgain\' date=\'May 4 2004, 12:11 PM\']When MG and FF leave GSN for good,then there's no point of keeping this channel. TPIR won't come back EVER. Thanks Crorin! *rolleyes*[/quote]
Need I remind you that Rich Cronin had nothing to do with the "TPIR" package leaving GSN--that was his predecessor's doing. Also, it seems that he would still love to have "TPIR" back--it's Fremantle and CBS who are the ones in the way.
And Rich did fight back the wolves at the door for 2 1/2 years and did his damnest to get people to come to his channel, despite all odds. It inevitably didn't work in ratings and revenues, but all in all he gave it a bloody go. In the end, though, in the immortal words of Donald Trump, "It's nothing personal--it's just business."
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Ratings were at an all time high in Early 2003, due Largely to 4 of the 5 originals on the schedule, and an entire slew of classics/classics-related programs. Rich ordered a slate of original programming & reruns. Ratings nosedived.
Ratings started an upswing from Oct 2003 to Feb 2003, due largely to Lingo, MG, WWTBAM, and a decently scheduled rest of the lineup. What happens? "Game-Related" programming.
I *seriously* don't think the man gets it this time. I really don't. When ratings go up, you stay with what WORKS, and expand on THAT. You don't go and try to change half the network.
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When ratings go up, you stay with what WORKS, and expand on THAT. You don't go and try to change half the network.
True enough, and that's why nowhere near half the network is getting changed. You'll notice that the Three Musketeers which brought the network nice household numbers earlier this year will still get heavy exposure: Millionaire, Lingo and MG.
Sure, GSN is trying some other shows to get younger demos. But they're hardly abandoning the programming that you're praising. Best as I can figure from the Prof's comments, GSN will still show the Boden originals that you liked in early 2003 and the other game shows that you liked in late 2003.
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[quote name=\'CaseyAbell\' date=\'May 4 2004, 03:10 PM\']
When ratings go up, you stay with what WORKS, and expand on THAT. You don't go and try to change half the network.
True enough, and that's why nowhere near half the network is getting changed. You'll notice that the Three Musketeers which brought the network nice household numbers earlier this year will still get heavy exposure: Millionaire, Lingo and MG.
Sure, GSN is trying some other shows to get younger demos. But they're hardly abandoning the programming that you're praising. Best as I can figure from the Prof's comments, GSN will still show the Boden originals that you liked in early 2003 and the other game shows that you liked in late 2003. [/quote]
I'm beginning to think Casey is Rich's PR manager. ;) Seriously, with Lingo and MG cut down to 2 eps. a day (and out of prime-time), Pyramid and HSQ leaving (at least) weekdays, and Star Search (twice daily) and Dog Eat Dog gaining weekday berths, how can you say the same programming dominates the sked? And we haven't mentioned that they are eliminating 80's NG and LC. In effect, only 1 show in primetime will remain from March 12th (Millionaire).
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[quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'May 4 2004, 05:36 PM\'] [quote name=\'CaseyAbell\' date=\'May 4 2004, 03:10 PM\']
When ratings go up, you stay with what WORKS, and expand on THAT. You don't go and try to change half the network.
True enough, and that's why nowhere near half the network is getting changed. You'll notice that the Three Musketeers which brought the network nice household numbers earlier this year will still get heavy exposure: Millionaire, Lingo and MG.
Sure, GSN is trying some other shows to get younger demos. But they're hardly abandoning the programming that you're praising. Best as I can figure from the Prof's comments, GSN will still show the Boden originals that you liked in early 2003 and the other game shows that you liked in late 2003. [/quote]
I'm beginning to think Casey is Rich's PR manager. ;) Seriously, with Lingo and MG cut down to 2 eps. a day (and out of prime-time), Pyramid and HSQ leaving (at least) weekdays, and Star Search (twice daily) and Dog Eat Dog gaining weekday berths, how can you say "classic" programming dominates the sked? (And no, Lingo, RR, W!, FOF, Cram, Weakest Link and Millionaire don't count). [/quote]
if only i had game show network before 2002
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[quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'May 4 2004, 05:36 PM\'][quote name=\'CaseyAbell\' date=\'May 4 2004, 03:10 PM\']
When ratings go up, you stay with what WORKS, and expand on THAT. You don't go and try to change half the network.
True enough, and that's why nowhere near half the network is getting changed. You'll notice that the Three Musketeers which brought the network nice household numbers earlier this year will still get heavy exposure: Millionaire, Lingo and MG.
Sure, GSN is trying some other shows to get younger demos. But they're hardly abandoning the programming that you're praising. Best as I can figure from the Prof's comments, GSN will still show the Boden originals that you liked in early 2003 and the other game shows that you liked in late 2003. [/quote]
I'm beginning to think Casey is Rich's PR manager. ;) Seriously, with Lingo and MG cut down to 2 eps. a day (and out of prime-time), Pyramid and HSQ leaving (at least) weekdays, and Star Search (twice daily) and Dog Eat Dog gaining weekday berths, how can you say the same programming dominates the sked? And we haven't mentioned that they are eliminating 80's NG and LC. In effect, only 1 show in primetime will remain from March 12th (Millionaire).[/quote]
*But* that's not going to be permanent--I think that with all of the intentionally short-run originals, there's going to be a lot more frequent programming changes on GSN now. I don't see them running either "Star Search" (if it's the most recent version, and I'll wait until I see a press release before I believe the Perfesser) or "DED" for a real long time in marquee time slots with such short inventories.
And as pointed out elsewhere, the household numbers are pure "beauty contests"--even at those peaks the median viewer age and the percentages from the older demos were probably still higher than Sony and Liberty wanted (and I still believe that Rich Cronin is simply following the dictates of his corporate masters, which you have to do in the industry).
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GSN is becoming trash every day. they should get classics and other game shows.
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[quote name=\'JacksonBrowne1980\' date=\'May 5 2004, 09:28 AM\'] GSN is becoming trash every day. they should get classics and other game shows. [/quote]
But they're not going to, so you should deal with it or find something else to watch.
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I'm beginning to think Casey is Rich's PR manager. ;)
I've already confessed on the GSN board that Cronin pays me seven million dollars to watch the network. If I'm gonna have to do p.r. work, too, I want MORE MORE MORE.
I'll own up to a sneaking interest in some of the new shows - Street Smarts, Dog Eat Dog, Dodgeball, Celeb Blackjack. If that amounts to Cronin p.r., I enter a guilty plea.
Sorry, but Pyramid is the only show I watch that's apparently on the hit list. So no, I'm not pulling my hair out, as one GSN poster announced he would do. But I can understand why the changes aren't going over like gangbusters with GSN's core audience.
As I also related on the GSN board, I took a stroll through TV Land's message boards. This cabler is moving to more recent shows and there are, gasp, rumors of (EEK!) originals. The reaction from some posters is almost word-for-word the same as from some posters on the game show boards. A sample:
"Well, they may as well have left the schedule alone..I don't like this one any better. I wish they would put the 80's shows on nick at nite and give us the classics!"
Which again is completely understandable. You're going to alienate the niche fans when you start moving away from the niche. TV Land sometimes cracks the top 25 ad-supported cablers in household count, something GSN has never achieved. But the network clearly wants younger demos and wouldn't mind a bigger overall audience. So they're risking unhappiness from the core fans for (maybe) bigger rewards down the road.
Sounds familiar.
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[quote name=\'CaseyAbell\' date=\'May 5 2004, 10:58 AM\'] I've already confessed on the GSN board that Cronin pays me seven million dollars to watch the network. [/quote]
Hey! He only pays me $10,000 a year!
...then again, I don't even have to watch the network to get that. ;)
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I actually have no problem with MG and FF only being shown twice a day. I thought four times a day was overkill. Of course, I would've preferred if those extra airings had been replaced with more classic game shows rather than the stuff they're putting on now.
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[quote name=\'FeudDude\' date=\'May 5 2004, 05:49 PM\'] I actually have no problem with MG and FF only being shown twice a day. I thought four times a day was overkill. Of course, I would've preferred if those extra airings had been replaced with more classic game shows rather than the stuff they're putting on now. [/quote]
you're right; GSN should get the rights to more classics. the classics they should get are merril-heater, mgm, and orbis communications, and kline & friends.
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I don't see them running either "Star Search" (if it's the most recent version, and I'll wait until I see a press release before I believe the Perfesser) or "DED" for a real long time in marquee time slots with such short inventories.
The press release is out, and the Prof seems to have gotten everything right:
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories....02167842&EDATE= (http://\"http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/05-05-2004/0002167842&EDATE=\")
In fact, Mr. Steve seems to have more info on the schedule changes than the release contains. Can't know for sure, of course, but maybe he has a source at the network who's feeding him stuff in some kind of effort to slow down GSN's move beyond traditional game shows. He's certainly had very good information on GSN lately.
I agree that the network will burn through all the Star Search and Dog Eat Dog episodes pretty quick. Even with GSN's brutal rerun cycles, something else will have to go into the slots before too long.
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I agree that the network will burn through all the Star Search and Dog Eat Dog episodes pretty quick. Even with GSN's brutal rerun cycles, something else will have to go into the slots before too long.
I've never understood why they would run a show with only 26 episodes five days a week. You'd figure shows like that they'd save for the weekends. If they want to attract a steady primetime audience, they'll change the channel pretty quick if they're watching something they just saw a month ago - how do you build an audience that way?
When you look at other genres, it's a generally accepted rule that you need 100 episodes of a show before it will be strip syndicated, meaning that each episode will pop up about once every five months.
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You know that, I know that, and I believe most people here know that.
But for some reason, Cronin doesn't know that.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'May 6 2004, 09:30 AM\'] You know that, I know that, and I believe most people here know that.
But for some reason, Cronin doesn't know that. [/quote]
I'd say at this point, Cronin's just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks. I wouldn't be surprised to see shows getting rotated in and out on a regular basis. The same used to happen when game shows were a priority.
Tyshaun
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[quote name=\'JacksonBrowne1980\' date=\'May 5 2004, 07:56 PM\'] you're right; GSN should get the rights to more classics. the classics they should get are merril-heater, mgm, and orbis communications, and kline & friends. [/quote]
Why? Were they "cool"?
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[quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'May 6 2004, 12:11 PM\'] But for some reason, Cronin doesn't know that. [/QUOTE]
I'd say at this point, Cronin's just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks. ... [/quote]
I wonder if he had that idea while making spaghetti. That's the way to use your "noodle".
[ducks]
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[quote name=\'GS Warehouse\' date=\'May 6 2004, 06:44 PM\'] [quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'May 6 2004, 12:11 PM\'] But for some reason, Cronin doesn't know that. [/QUOTE]
I'd say at this point, Cronin's just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks. ... [/QUOTE]
I wonder if he had that idea while making spaghetti. That's the way to use your "noodle".
[ducks] [/quote]
[cue Blockbusters '80 & '87 losing melodies, TPIR losing horns, HS '86 car loss]
Tyshaun
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[quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'May 6 2004, 09:07 PM\'] [cue Blockbusters '80 & '87 losing melodies, TPIR losing horns, HS '86 car loss] [/quote]
Don't hold back, Tyshaun. Tell me what you really think! :-D I thought that old line was a two-buzzer joke, tops.
If you think that joke was bad: my supervisor at my last job says that there is one other thing besides spaghetti that, if it sitcks to the wall, it's done ...
[drumroll]
... underwear.
[rimshot]
That's only one reason why I don't work for him anymore.
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[quote name=\'familyfeudfan\' date=\'May 4 2004, 09:24 PM\'] if only i had game show network before 2002 [/quote]
I can't tell you how many times I've said that.
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[quote name=\'JacksonBrowne1980\' date=\'May 5 2004, 09:56 PM\'] [quote name=\'FeudDude\' date=\'May 5 2004, 05:49 PM\'] I actually have no problem with MG and FF only being shown twice a day. I thought four times a day was overkill. Of course, I would've preferred if those extra airings had been replaced with more classic game shows rather than the stuff they're putting on now. [/quote]
you're right; GSN should get the rights to more classics. the classics they should get are merril-heater, mgm, and orbis communications, and kline & friends. [/quote]
Who the hell is Orbis Communications?
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[quote name=\'Dsmith\' date=\'May 7 2004, 12:44 AM\'] Who the hell is Orbis Communications? [/quote]
I believe they were associated with HS86...
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I wish I had GSN before 1999. :)
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Orbis was a syndicator that distributed TJW90 and the Davidson Pyramid. The Davidson Squares was distributed by Orion.
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if only i had game show network before 2002
You could have watched great moments in teevee like Extreme Gong, Love Buffet, All New Three's a Crowd, Throut & Neck...
Okay, it's unfair to tar the whole network with these godawfulnesses. But there were some real hunks of junk on GSN back then. Much worse than any of the originals currently on the network.
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[quote name=\'CaseyAbell\' date=\'May 7 2004, 09:42 AM\']
if only i had game show network before 2002
You could have watched great moments in teevee like Extreme Gong, Love Buffet, All New Three's a Crowd, Throut & Neck...
Okay, it's unfair to tar the whole network with these godawfulnesses. But there were some real hunks of junk on GSN back then. Much worse than any of the originals currently on the network. [/quote]
Yep, there was a lot of junk on the network then, but not as much as now! You had more of a variety of classics prior to 2002.
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Disagree. No show on the network right now is as bad any of the four shows I mentioned. It's not even close, in fact.
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Right now, Casey?
What? You're not counting Crappy vs. Sappy, Fake-A-Mate, and ****-TV?
God, and now we have Idol Wannabe and Beating the crap out of people with balls
Perhaps I was very fortunate to get GSN after the mess that was the first generation originals, but they can't be half as bad as the crap I listed.
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Kenny vs. Spenny, Spy TV and Fake-a-Date are mediocre offerings, no doubt. But they're downright wonderful compared to the revolting Extreme Gong, the obnoxious Love Buffet, the braindead Throut & Neck and the putrid All New Three's a Crowd. The bad old days at GSN were really BAD sometimes. You're lucky you missed them. Unfortunately I had some toxic exposure to all these pools of crud.
Not to dump on GSN excessively, they did produce a few decent originals back then. Inquizition, for instance, was a competent quizzer with a cute gimmick, though it sometimes got a little dry and repetitious.
As for the dodgeball show, I'm looking forward to it. Sounds like a fun, fast-paced stunt show. Talent contests aren't my fave, but Star Search certainly offers far more entertainment value than the Foul Foursome. I can't imagine any of those four shows surviving for three weeks on network prime time, much less a couple seasons.
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I did get to see Thickehead and "Inquizition". They were pretty good. My only complaint with Thickehead's show was that there wasn't enough questions. And of course, the problem with "Inquizition" was it's cheapness.....Then again, Thickehead was cheap, too.
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I thought Thicke looked and sounded stoned most of the time on All New Three's a Crowd. Not that I blame him. The show screened out contestants with IQ's above single digits, the questions were embarrassingly unfunny, and the whole concept reeked of idiotic prurience.
Except for that, it was a great show. For more enthusiastic viewer comments:
http://www.jumptheshark.com/t/allnewthreesacrowd.htm (http://\"http://www.jumptheshark.com/t/allnewthreesacrowd.htm\")
The jump-the-sharkers are about right, only they're too kind.
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I agree with Casey....
Throut and Neck, AN3AC, Extreme Gong, and Inquizition definitely were four of the worst. The commercials to promote them stank up the joint, too..
if I was exhausted, I'd use Inquizition to fall asleep because it was just so boring to watch....
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[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'May 7 2004, 12:12 AM\'][quote name=\'Dsmith\' date=\'May 7 2004, 12:44 AM\'] Who the hell is Orbis Communications? [/quote]
I believe they were associated with HS86...[/quote]
Nope--Davidson "Pyramid" and that game of definitions. Yeah, that one.
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Though it couldn't match the freak-show entertainment value that made the original worth watching, I enjoyed AN3AC. I thought Thicke did a good enough job for what it was. I agree that there needed to be a few more questions, esp. since they often had to slow the closing credits to a snail's pace to fill out the time.
I wasn't a regular viewer of Inquizition, but I thought it was okay as cheap Q&As go. Now Throut & Neck and the Love Buffet didn't even qualify as "so bad it's good". I didn't like Mall Masters, but I'd now rather see reruns of it than new episodes of Spy TV or Kenny vs. Spenny. (I'm not fond of the blackjack show, but that's just because I'm not interested in any of the various poker/gambling shows; I can still see that it's pretty good if you like that kind of show.)
Since they brought back reruns of Who Dares Wins, I'm surprised thay haven't also tried to bring back the wretched DJ Games, which seems like it would better fit the network now than it did then.
At least Lingo is still around. Fun to watch even if I've already seen the episodes.
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[quote name=\'David Lawrence\' date=\'May 7 2004, 03:39 PM\']Though it couldn't match the freak-show entertainment value that made the original worth watching, I enjoyed AN3AC. I thought Thicke did a good enough job for what it was. I agree that there needed to be a few more questions, esp. since they often had to slow the closing credits to a snail's pace to fill out the time.
I didn't like Mall Masters, but I'd now rather see reruns of it than new episodes of Spy TV or Kenny vs. Spenny. (I'm not fond of the blackjack show, but that's just because I'm not interested in any of the various poker/gambling shows; I can still see that it's pretty good if you like that kind of show.)
[/quote]
Not my kind of show, but for the most part, it was a well-crafted effort and Gurin did fix most of the holes in the original's format. And the announcer was good. :)
I wasn't a regular viewer of Inquizition, but I thought it was okay as cheap Q&As go.
I had to admire just for the fact that Sande Stewart could boast that he did the show that broke most of the rules of what is perceived as a game show (no flashy set, no catchy music, no cordial host, no screaming audience). Nothing great, but a decent little half-hour time-waster. In an extreme way, it's a little like what Hugh Downs wanted "Concentration" to be like (he supposedly kept pushing the producers to drop the audience, screaming announcer and organ music and was consistently rebuffed--he believed that the game itself could stand up without any of those).
Now Throut & Neck and the Love Buffet didn't even qualify as "so bad it's good".
"Love Buffet" was a great concept that was just poorly executed, IMHO. (Funny that the same producers were able to pull off the much more difficult "Night Stand," since how can you parody something like daytime single-topic talk shows that are already parodies?) Somebody should try it again sometime--just do it better.
Since they brought back reruns of Who Dares Wins, I'm surprised thay haven't also tried to bring back the wretched DJ Games, which seems like it would better fit the network now than it did then.
"WDW" is simply the better show--"Fear Factor" with a smile.
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You know, I still don't understand why people complain that GSN is trash and crap now when just their primetime lineup is! The rest (and some of primetime) is STILL game shows!
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"Throut and Neck" was a pleasant time-waster, with the good-natured rivalry of a "Kenny vs. Spenny." The host was good. I'm not sure if I prefer today's originals to the old ones. It's sort of a draw to me.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'May 7 2004, 02:46 PM\'] I did get to see Thickehead and "Inquizition". They were pretty good. My only complaint with Thickehead's show was that there wasn't enough questions. And of course, the problem with "Inquizition" was it's cheapness.....Then again, Thickehead was cheap, too. [/quote]
Hey...$250 is *always* better than the GSN 30-minute phone card!