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Ever since they changed puzzles, and added all this new (unneeded) crap, Wheel seems to have jumped the shark. Anyone agree?
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Only If "jumping the shark" means that your constant whining about game shows is getting real old, real fast, then yes.
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[quote name=\'TPIRFan\' date=\'Oct 10 2005, 01:27 PM\']Ever since they changed puzzles[/quote]
You'd prefer they use the same puzzles every day?
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I meant puzzleboards.
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My point still stands.
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[quote name=\'TPIRFan\' date=\'Oct 10 2005, 03:27 PM\']Ever since they changed puzzles, and added all this new (unneeded) crap, Wheel seems to have jumped the shark. Anyone agree?
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How about you do all of us a favor here, and why don't YOU jump the shark?
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You know... there are those of us out there who don't like Wheel. Hell... Mr. Sajak used to sign my paycheck... and if he ever saw it fit to walk into the studio when I was on the air and ask me if I liked the show... I'd tell him "no".
I don't like Wheel now... I didn't like Wheel before they eleventy billion colors of light... and I didn't like Wheel when they made the contestants buy cheesy prizes.
Not that anybody cares... but those are my 2 Lincolns. YMMV.
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I don't think that Carl and Ben are saying that someone can't like Wheel; I think they're saying that TPiRfan hasn't been around all that long; and all he's done is complain about things.
I've been wrong before though.
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I mean, just because he's made it very well-known that he can't stand Rich Fields doesn't mean he can't have a valid opinion on Wheel. I actually agree with him in this case. I still watch from time-to-time, but Wheel was actually something I looked forward to watching about 10 years ago, you know, when it was about the GAME.
The puzzles get more and more lame, and the show becomes more about the graphics and sponsors. It's nothing but a dog-and-pony show, all style, very little substance. Give me the GSN reruns any day (or at least when GSN was airing it).
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[quote name=\'TPIRFan\' date=\'Oct 10 2005, 03:27 PM\']Ever since they changed puzzles, and added all this new (unneeded) crap, Wheel seems to have jumped the shark. Anyone agree?
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Yes...still too many sponsor plugs, "toss-up" puzzles, and unneeded grapics.
I wonder if Merv Griffin approoves of the current WHEEL OF FORTUNE?
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[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Oct 10 2005, 06:34 PM\']I don't think that Carl and Ben are saying that someone can't like Wheel; I think they're saying that TPiRfan hasn't been around all that long; and all he's done is complain about things.
I've been wrong before though.
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Maybe, but you aren't wrong about this one, Mark. :-D
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[quote name=\'musicman\' date=\'Oct 10 2005, 07:13 PM\']I wonder if Merv Griffin approoves of the current WHEEL OF FORTUNE?
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Probably instead of a satisfied, happy-sounding "ooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHhhhhhh", it sounds more like a disgusted, painful-sounding "ooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHhhhhhh".
BTW, Merv's favorite saying on October 31st??? BoooooOOOOOOOOooooohhhhhh!!
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I actually went on a very long tirade about it outside of here. Mainly complaining about commercial pacing and how it just didn't feel as interesting as it used to.
Although, I brought up an interesting theory how I wish Wheel would give away more than just cash, cars, trips and those gift tags they stick on an $800 space or whathaveyou. I remember the days when they were giving away stuff like Tiffany Lamps and Grand Pianos.
I even wrote this at one point:
If The Price is Right gave away just cash, cars and trips, it wouldn't be as enjoyable, right? I don't see what's wrong with giving players furniture and stuff like that.
Although the theory above is possibly dumb, it's somewhat true. Wheel just isn't what it used to be. I mean, a few years ago it was tolerable, but now it's just near-unwatchable. Who's the dim bulb coming up with these silly ideas like the "1.5 MILLION COLORS OF LIGHT!!!" they were boasting on the bonus wheel?
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[quote name=\'TPIRFan\' date=\'Oct 10 2005, 05:24 PM\']I meant puzzleboards.
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Wasn't that almost 10 years ago?? Way to stay on top of things...
That's like complaining about the expansion of TPiR to 60 minutes (which you probabaly hate, too).
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[quote name=\'musicman\' date=\'Oct 10 2005, 08:13 PM\']unneeded grapics
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What's a grapic?
Honestly, though...did you really need to say anything?
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Personally, I've never been a fan of "Wheel."
However, the thing is that there would be a lot to screw up before the audience is gong to go away in droves--and in some ways, the show is better than it was in the early days. And Sajak is hands down the better host.
A lot of it may be force of habit (and the audience is no doubt aging), but no matter what you think, it's going to be a long time before "Wheel" goes away.
What I don't know is why there seems to be more objections to the sponsorships, which take up much less time than those long plug reads Jack Clark did after big shopping hauls. With all due respect to Mr. Clark's fine work, that was not riveting television.
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I was a fan of Wheel from the time I started watching it when it hit syndication in '83. I liked the puzzle-solving but thought the shopping part was boring.
Luckily that was solved (pardon the pun!) in '87, when they went all-cash. It's between '87 and whenever they started the damn toss-up rounds that I enjoyed the show the most. Although I missed the old puzzle board, shows do need to evolve.
I find the show all but unwatchable these days, especially after reading about the sloppy edits on here.
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[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Oct 11 2005, 10:34 AM\']What I don't know is why there seems to be more objections to the sponsorships, which take up much less time than those long plug reads Jack Clark did after big shopping hauls. With all due respect to Mr. Clark's fine work, that was not riveting television.
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[/quote]I think it's because the plugs were part of the shopping game. Now they seem to be inserted artificially with the sponsoring of the Jackpot space and the rabbit-like multiplication of the gift tags.
There was a clip of Jack Clark reading copy for about three minutes, which was what you're talking about.
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[quote name=\'CarShark\' date=\'Oct 11 2005, 12:42 PM\'][quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Oct 11 2005, 10:34 AM\']What I don't know is why there seems to be more objections to the sponsorships, which take up much less time than those long plug reads Jack Clark did after big shopping hauls. With all due respect to Mr. Clark's fine work, that was not riveting television.
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[/quote]I think it's because the plugs were part of the shopping game. Now they seem to be inserted artificially with the sponsoring of the Jackpot space and the rabbit-like multiplication of the gift tags.
There was a clip of Jack Clark reading copy for about three minutes, which was what you're talking about.
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And it happened more than once over the years--let me assure you.
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I guess they played under a couple of assumptions. 1) That the contestant wouldn't earn much money and 2) If they did earn a lot of money, then they would buy the most expensive prizes, and only two or three plugs would be read.
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I agree with TonicBH about the prizes. Why must every prize wedge on the wheel (and every Prize Puzzle) be a trip? Granted, many non-trip game show prizes (like bedroom groups) aren't as exciting as trips, but what about electronics? I'd much rather win a snazzy state-of-the-art television/home theater system than a trip. And if they offered something like that, it would allow a furniture manufacturer to provide the entertainment cabinet and get in on the sponsorship action.
I know that at one point, the Mystery Round was played for a $10,000 Sony gift certificate, but it seems like they could be using that relationship more to give some variety to the prizes.
I also agree about the editing. I saw a recent episode where Pat was making comments about the wheel being unfriendly. Presumably it was because the three contestants spun Bankrupt or Lose a Turn in succession down the line, but since it was edited out, the entertainment value was lost and the comments made no sense.
On the flip side, I think that shopping dragged the game down. I'm all for a focus on game play, but not to the extreme that Wheel has taken it, where anything unique that might happen is cut to get more puzzles in.
--
Scott Robinson
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I was a fan of Wheel from the time I started watching it when it hit syndication in '83. I liked the puzzle-solving but thought the shopping part was boring.
I watched the NBC version whenever I was home from school back in the '70s. The shopping didn't bug me because I enjoyed hearing Alan Thicke's cues in the background during prize descriptions :)
I watched the syndie version almost every night from Aug 1983 (when it started in our area) to about 1986. Since then, I've watched it occasionally but not regularly. These days I only usually watch if something special's going to happen - such as the 4000th syndie ep from a while back. In my area the show currently competes with "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" - and Merideth gets my vote.
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[quote name=\'PYLdude\' date=\'Oct 11 2005, 09:59 AM\']What's a grapic?
Honestly, though...did you really need to say anything?
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I'm sorry, I meant "unneccesary graphics" such as "PRIZE PUZZLE" and "FINAL SPIN".
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[quote name=\'musicman\' date=\'Oct 11 2005, 06:49 PM\'][quote name=\'PYLdude\' date=\'Oct 11 2005, 09:59 AM\']What's a grapic?
Honestly, though...did you really need to say anything?
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I'm sorry, I meant "unneccesary graphics" such as "PRIZE PUZZLE" and "FINAL SPIN".
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I would've heeded his advice there if I were you, Mr. Complainer. What's next, you gonna do a bit on why Pat Summerall and John Madden no longer broadcast football games together anymore?
(I know that has nothing to do with Wheel, but I'm in smart-ass mode today. :-P)
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[quote name=\'MSTieScott\' date=\'Oct 11 2005, 02:58 PM\']I think that shopping dragged the game down. I'm all for a focus on game play, but not to the extreme that Wheel has taken it, where anything unique that might happen is cut to get more puzzles in.
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As boring (and as looong) as some of those shopping trips were back in the Woolery Days, the shopping did allow for more 'play at home' time than currently.
Back then, I would be shouting with others at the TV suggesting what to pick or what *we* would choose with the money that was won in that round.
When the "W-H-E-E-L" Bonus round was enacted, sure you could still try to guess what the puzzle was, but if you chose a letter different than what the contestant chose, you never found out what you could've won...or lost. The least Wheel could've done then was to reveal which letter had the Top Prize.
Nowadays, the only thing you can do at home besides the WoF Drinking Game, is guess the puzzles and that's pretty much it.
To summerize: WoF in the 21st Century has cut down on "play at home" opportunities.
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[quote name=\'MSTieScott\' date=\'Oct 11 2005, 12:58 PM\']I agree with TonicBH about the prizes. Why must every prize wedge on the wheel (and every Prize Puzzle) be a trip?
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Because they're usualy free. They're giving away eleventy billion dollars in cash on the rest of the show, they gotta make up the slack somewhere.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Oct 11 2005, 08:42 PM\'][quote name=\'MSTieScott\' date=\'Oct 11 2005, 12:58 PM\']I agree with TonicBH about the prizes. Why must every prize wedge on the wheel (and every Prize Puzzle) be a trip?
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Because they're usualy free. They're giving away eleventy billion dollars in cash on the rest of the show, they gotta make up the slack somewhere.
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[/quote]Can't they get anything else for free? I thought that any manufacturer would jump at the chance to get advertising on the most popular syndie show in America.
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[quote name=\'CarShark\' date=\'Oct 12 2005, 10:43 AM\']Can't they get anything else for free? I thought that any manufacturer would jump at the chance to get advertising on the most popular syndie show in America.
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Yeah, but that would require actual work, where a schlockmeister can easily call Royal Caribbean or whatever and land a boatload ('scuse the pun) of different trips easily. Path of least resistance.
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[quote name=\'TimK2003\' date=\'Oct 11 2005, 07:36 PM\']Back then, I would be shouting with others at the TV suggesting what to pick or what *we* would choose with the money that was won in that round.[/quote]
Not to single out your Wheel-watching behavior, but I saw very little appeal in most of the prizes they had up there, and often the contestant would select things before the camera ever managed to pan to them.
(I'm no better, of course--what *I* was doing was seeing how fast I could figure out in my head how much they had left to spend after each purchase.)