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Being Thankful
Gordon Pepper
I have said on more than one occasion that the business
of television is a cyclical one - meaning that every
couple of years, a genre turns into the 'hot' genre, and
then every network scurries left and right to try to
capitalize it until they have milked all they can from
that cycle and then wait for another couple of years
until it becomes hot again. Of course, we can talk about
how there would be no such thing as a milked-out genre
if the networks learned a thing or two about moderation,
but that is another topic for another time. It's also
amazing how many 'experts' completely ignore the
cyclical workings of the business and exclaim that the
genre itself is dead, only to completely forget that he
said it once the genre is returned to again, but that
will also be another topic to be discussed at another
time.
Sticking to what this topic IS about, we focus on the
beginnings on what looks to be another dip into the
classical gaming cycle, the one ironically that's
starting on regular networks instead of where it should
be starting - GSN (though that is ANOTHER topic for
another time). NBC picks up Deal or No Deal, while CBS
picks up Ant and Dec's Game Show Marathon and the
Discovery Channel picks up Cash Cab. Should the ratings
on these shows come anywhere near Lost or Desperate
Housewives, then we'll start to once again see every
network and their mom carry a traditional game show
somewhere on it's lineup.
Even if the ratings don't warrant it, there will still
be another surge of game shows. Why? Very simple - cable
needs content. There are some networks that are
screaming for content and will settle for any cheap
programming instead of the 5,786th re-airing of Trading
Spaces or I Dream of Genie. Ian Valentine, the person
who is the new helm of the ship GSN, realizes that the
ratings for GSN will continue to hover at 0.3 or worse
unless they get some new games in there (I mean that is
why we watch GSN, isn't it?) and hence I've Got A
Secret, along with some other shows, will be heading our
way.
GSN isn't the only one. Discovery picked up Cash Cab
because they liked the idea that they transfer knowledge
in a different way. AMC has picked up another run of
Celebrity Charades. At least 5 other major cable
networks are working on classic game shows of their own
which we will be seeing in 2006.
So why the new renaissance? You guessed it - money.
Comparatively speaking, game show creation is still one
of the cheapest forms of getting entertainment on the
air. They are also able to do something called
'stripping'. No, Meredith Vieira does not wind up naked
on your screen (get your mind out of the gutter).
Stripping is a process that enables you to tape a week's
worth of shows in one day. Most shows can't let you do
that, but a game show can, which is why tapings for
shows like Millionaire and Wheel of Fortune end in
March, at the very latest. Less days on a show - less
production time - less amount of money you have to pay
the crew, and you can have a 10 month season in the can
and ready for airing in around 4 months. With that much
of an advantage on other syndicated shows, game shows
will always be a commodity.
So as Thanksgiving comes around, we all look to see what
we are thankful for. For me, it is the new cycle of game
shows coming our way - the ones that we know will be
appearing on our television sets and the ones yet to
come.
Being Thankless
Gordon Pepper
Two Sundays ago was to be the final episode of Poker
Superstars 2. I eagerly gathered my popcorn, was on the
cell phone ready with a friend and saw...a college
football game instead. Wha?
Apparently, for whatever reason, they preempted the last
episode of PSI2 - and they haven't aired it on Sundays
since. Fortunately, I have gotten my hands on the last
episode off of a weekday repeat (so it will be on the
site this weekend), but it sure is frustrating that this
occurred.
The question remains though as to why they did it. It's
not because of ratings - heck, they already signed on
for a third season of the show. It's not because of the
game - they could have easily rearranged the show before
or afterwards. They had a poker show right after
football, so they could have moved PSI2 there instead.
So why the move? Beats me.
Obviously, I can't have a column without being a little
bit of a Haterade. So as much as I am thankful for the
new game shows, I am thankless for the network who
decides to disconnect the slot machine before it comes
up with the big payout.
Gordon Pepper had a happy Thanksgiving, as he made $30
playing sit-and-go. E-mail him at gordon@gameshownewsnet.com. |
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