Episode 25.6 - A Week of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Celebration of Our 8th Anniversary
October 25

Chico: .... Buffalo chips?
Gordon: You do know what a Buffalo chip is, right? :)
Chico: I know what a Buffalo chip is.
Gordon: Not as tasty as a Marshmallow Rice Krispie treat.
Chico: I'm just wondering why the chips with the O-fer holes.
Gordon: You can put the oferhole on the chip. I think the tastes blend well. and add some Buffalo Dip with the chip
Chico: Okay, before Jason Elliott yanks us...again... Welcome back, this is the WLTI 8th Ann'y + One Week show. Thanks for reading. Now it's time for you to take your medicine. Or rather... take ours. It's Maximum Strength Capsule Review time.
Gordon: This could help with the indigestion you may have after those buffalo chips.
Chico: We give you the good, the bad, and the brutally honest.
Gordon: You have the list, right?
Chico: I have the list.
Jason: Lets give it to them :)
Chico: First up...

	HOLE IN THE WALL Cartoon - Wednesdays 7:30p ET
	GORDON	CHICO	JASON	AVERAGE-O-MATIC
	F	D	NO GRADE	D-

Jason: Haven't seen this one yet.
Chico: The latest in a long-line of basic cable reboots. If you remember the show on Fox, it's the same show... only kids are now involved.
Jason: Any rules changes?
Chico: Well, there are a few. Actually, it changes from show to show.
Jason: But nothing new to the table
Chico: There's the single wall, the blind-back-turned-to-the-wall, the triple wall, the prop wall, a wall with a question on it that can only be stopped when you answer it, mirror walls... It's walls all over the place. Bigger variety of walls, but the crux is still the same. Find a hole, go through it.
Jason: Right.
Chico: Winner gets a trophy and is immortalized in the show's "Wall of Fame". Let's start with the good... It's a show that knows its audience. It caters itself accordingly.
Jason: Any prizes?
Chico: No prizes. This is strictly for the spirit of... sport?! The increase of variety of walls is a plus. Teck Holmes is better than Mark Thompson and/or Brooke Burns in engaging the players.
Jason: Hmmmmm
Gordon: It's a no prize Hole in the Wall with screaming people. We've seen this before. I hated it then and I hate it now. F.
Chico: I'm going to go with a D. I mean, there's a greater variety of what we've seen before. And I can't fault it for that, but still, it's a hole in the wall.
Gordon: The variety doesn't do anything for me. They didn't fix the format, and now there's no prizes? Wha?
Chico: Now there's no prizes. And honestly, were you expecting any?
Jason: I would be. Kids game shows = prizes.
Gordon: If anything, the kids should get prizes for embarrassing themselves on this show.
Chico: ... Point taken. Next show is...

	THE ARRANGEMENT Logo - Mondays 11p ET
	GORDON	CHICO	JASON	AVERAGE-O-MATIC
	C+	C-	NO GRADE	C

Jason: Sorry. (I didn't see this one either.) I should flog myself now.
Chico: You really should. =p Floral arranging... it's a competition, beeyatches.
Gordon: The Good: It's what you expect it to be.
Chico: It might as well call it "Project FTD" or "Top Arranger" or something like that, because it's exactly what you think it is. If I were to be quick about this... The good: It's everything it is. The bad: it's nothing it isn't. If you have seen every career-aspiration-aesthetic-substance/style competition series, you've seen this one. Only add flowers. Lots. And lots. Of flowers.
Gordon: Pretty much. It's a generic 'Top ____' show. However, the execution is done well, complete with clichés and stereotypes. But I'm going to be nice, because we've seen other shows take this formula and fail with it (Fashion Show, anyone?) C+.
Chico: If there's something else that's really bad about this show... Seriously... how many plant puns can you come up with?!
Gordon: Many. But I won't uproot the show because of it.
Chico: This sort of thing is supposed to be a sapling that you feed... and water... and help grow. Instead... it's just a sapling. C-
Jason: Can we leaf and go on to the next show? :)
Chico: I can dig it. Next!

	PICTUREKA! The Hub - Weekdays 4p ET
	GORDON	CHICO	JASON	AVERAGE-O-MATIC
	B-	B	B-	B-

Chico: Before we continue.. Jason, TELL ME YOU'VE SEEN THIS SHOW.
Jason: Yes. Actually. And I like it.
Chico: Just making sure. If you've played the game from which the show it's derived, you know how it goes. You look for items, and you look for them rather quickly. The good: another show that knows its audience and plays accordingly. Excellent use of source material. Paced nicely.
Jason: Exactly. Does it and does it well.
Gordon: It's a very good translation of the board game.
Chico: Very good. Now the bad... Cory Almeida's first job as host. It isn't terrible, but it can be grating after a bit.
Gordon: Cory needs to get into it. It takes time. What I find more pressing than that is the pacing. It needs to be sped up.
Jason: So overall...fun...but needs improvement B-
Chico: Def. B. It's good... it can be great.
Gordon: I'll go B- as well. Now what about Family Game Night?

	FAMILY GAME NIGHT The Hub - Fridays 7p ET
	GORDON	CHICO	JASON	AVERAGE-O-MATIC
	B+	A-	A	A-

Jason: Best new show of the year. Period. Big. Loud.
Chico: Garish even! :-)
Jason: Everything about this show works for me.
Chico: Seriously, another one of those show that does what it says on the box. Literally. It's a bunch of board games, played roulette-style. ... for fun and profit. What happens is the winner of each game gets a Monopoly Crazy Cash Card. One of them is worth SERIOUS cash money. Team with the most cash goes on a family vacation. And there's an ATM at the end.
Jason: That spits out Monopoly money. Newton is great. The games are fun. And the playing along factor at home is HUGE.
Chico: The good: the games are fun. Todd Newton is money. As usual. Lots of big time talent in front of and behind the scenes. Just a great production all around. Now the BAD, and it's something Gordon and I talked at length about. Hasbro's Family Game Night line of board games are all encompassing. But the show itself can come across as an hour-long commercial for said line.
Gordon: It does feel in some aspects like an hour long infomercial.
Chico: And I can see where the Parents for a Commercial-Free Childhood may have a problem with this!
Jason: You know what...when a show is this good...I can forgive that.
Gordon: I can't. And I do not like some of the changes' they made to the games - being suspended in mid air, shooting the basketballs in Connect 4, etc.
Chico: Not to mention the Boptagon.
Jason: I am sorry, The Boptagon is AWESOME. You guys are being picky. LOL
Gordon: Um...we're reviewing. Our job is to be picky.
Chico: We're just pointing things out here.
Gordon: Actually, I like the Boptagon. I'm still not nuts about some of the execution on the games, and the crazy cash could have been sponsored by almost any game, so I don't see how Monopoly's branding helps the show here.
Chico: Judging from the show itself... It's a stellar production. I think everyone on the team at Discovery Communications and Hasbro ought to be commended. I'm just pointing out where some people may have issue. Me? I like it. All that money and you don't see it.
Gordon: I also like the show, but I'm not in love with it as you guys are. It's solid and a good game. But it could be money from ANY Hasbro game.
Chico: The cash cards have the Monopoly tokens on them. But yeah, that was just "Okay, team. How can we put Monopoly on this show?" But still, good show. A-.
Jason: I have spoken to at least 3 families who want to be on the show after seeing it. Game. Set. Match. This is a solid A for me.
Gordon: Those are all logos, there's no game play. I could make this any money game with any tokens and the game plays the same way. I like the show, but I don't love it. It's still solid. B+.
Chico: I can see where this could be the flagship of the Hub's programming. It gets you in. It goes where it needs to go.
Gordon: I can see it, too. If they are smart, they will build on it. I also want to see more rotation of games and more creativity on themes, etc., but I'm sure they will get to it when the time comes.
Jason: That is what Season 2 is for.
Chico: Next...

	DOUBLES POKER CHAMPIONSHIP GSN - Saturdays 9p ET
	GORDON	CHICO	JASON	AVERAGE-O-MATIC
	C-	C	C	C

Gordon: It's poker with doubles. One person decides what to do to start the hand, then the other person has is forced to play out the hand.
Jason: I don't like it at all. It's team poker which makes no sense to me.
Chico: Seems kinda cruel and twisted. I can see where you love it, G. :-)
Gordon: I like the team poker concept. The failure here is the execution.
Chico: It's always the execution on this network for some reason.
Gordon: I know what they are trying to do is to see the dynamic of 2 people playing and the unintended consequences. I think this, though from a game play perspiective, would have been better if you had them isolated.
Chico: Sorta like Million Dollar Challenge, only without the half-play. I can dig that. But it seems like it's okay if you're into the kind of show and you an tolerate the monkey wrench, but if you can't, you're going to be put off rather quickly
Chico: I like the players, though. I like to see the different styles of play, and how they mesh OR not mesh.
Gordon: I wanted to like the show, and I do like the play between the team, but it's all about the execution here and it could have been done a lot better. C-.
Chico: This is one of those that's give or take.. but I don't grade on potential. C. I look at the set and say "So THAT'S what happened to the Celebrity Blackjack/Poker Dome sets.
Jason: C.
Chico: Finally...  How about a second dose...

SECOND DOSE	LET'S MAKE A DEAL CBS - Weekdays 10a/3p ET
	GORDON	CHICO	JASON	AVERAGE-O-MATIC
	A-	A+	A+	A

Chico: Now that the firm of Brady, Mangum, and Coyne have established themselves as our generation's Hall, Stewart & Merrill... they've let the dogs loose. They're injecting their own brand of chemistry... and the show is a lot better off for it.
Gordon: You can tell that this is tighter than season 1.
Jason: Much tighter. They know the blueprint
Chico: They know the plan, they follow through... and they have a bit of fun along the way.
Gordon: I like the fact that LMAD expended their portfolio of games. We said they needed to, and they delivered.
Jason: The set is great, the zonks are more fun and it's just FUN.
Chico: Can't say this enough. I. Love. This. Show. I don't usually do this... A+
Jason: I have to agree with Chico. It's about the best thing on TV today. A+.
Gordon: I'm glad that the show has improved. A-.
Chico: We're glad you're glad. And now be glad for this: A whole list of hypotheticals. Would you come back for that? COULD you come back for that?
Jason: I would. And you could too.

(Brought to you by The Approaching Menace... a love story about a man, a chair, a timekeeper... and two minutes in absolute quiz show hell).

Chico: That last break was for the guy who wrote "The Approaching Menace" for Mastermind, Neil Richardson... also passed away this week.
Jason: One of the best British Shows of all time.
Chico: Yep.

(Silence)

Gordon: Thank you.
Chico: Now we move onto the game with the Thinker. We present you with a scenario, you tell us how you'd play it.
Jason: (poses thoughtfully). OK
Gordon: It's time to play Would You Could You.
Chico: Gordon, start it.
Gordon: I start with this.

Would You... Dance in front of a web cam for fun and profit?

Chico: Umm... why not. I've sung in boxers for a college audience. This, of course, for Dance Cam Slam for VH1.
Jason: Are you kidding? Hell no. I am older, a little heavy and have the dance skills of a bull elephant. NO NO NO
Chico: And not as sexy.
Jason: Not even close.
Gordon: No amount of money would make me do that.
Chico: Fair enough, G. Next...

Would you... pull off a crime for a game show if you KNEW you could get away with it?

Jason: What's that one for?
Chico: This, the premise of another ABC greenlight, "Take the Money and Run"
Jason: Sorry. No. I am not into this sort of stuff. "The Phone" which was another kind of show like this was successful. This - not so much.
Gordon: Actually - I would do it. It's fun and promotes intelligence.
Chico: I would do it as well. It encompasses strategy, problem solving, logic, reason, that sort of thing. Plus it gives me a chance to unleash my inner bad boy.
Gordon: Being the inner bad boy is fun as well. Next one...

Would you... skate with celebrities?

Jason: You know I would. I would fall on my A**. But it would be fun.
Chico: Depends on the celebrity. If she was serious and/or hot, I'd give it a go.
Gordon: This would clearly be an opportunity to have fun schmoozing, because I have no prayer to win. But I'd do it.
Chico: You and your schmoozing
Gordon: I like schmoozing. Next one?
Chico: Next one...

Would you... let contestants stay over at your place if you were judging them in a talent contest?

Jason: Where is this from?
Chico: This is from a story where Simon Cowell let X Factor contestant stay in his London apartment. It didn't go over well.
Jason: Going by that story, no. I have a lot of fragile things.
Gordon: Absolutely, 100%, NO. You're supposed to be unbiased. And I don't need my place any more of a nuclear disaster fallout shelter than it already is.
Jason: LOL
Chico: That would be a no... NEXT!
Gordon: Next one...

Would you be a contestant on Studs: 2011?

Chico: HELL NO! My friends and family already know how much of a bore I am in social situations, why should the entire country know?
Jason: Are you kidding. NO Way. :)
Gordon: Actually...yes. It could be fun. I can be saucy. And maybe I can get my 15 minutes of fame and then be cast in other reality shows. And I can get my own wall poster.
Chico: And a spot on your own Brainvision report. And schmooze some more. LAST ONE...

Would you... buy pizza from a celebrity?

Gordon: Does he say 'I get that a lot?'
Chico: No, but he does report to Donald Trump.
Jason: I believe this was an "apprentice" task.
Chico: This was an Apprentice Task. First one of the upcoming season.
Jason: Then yes. :) I have bought cupcakes from them.
Chico: I would. Can't say no to pizza, man... what are you?
Gordon: If you said didn't say no to cupcakes, you can't say no to pizza. I'd buy some cheesy goodness.
Jason: Mmmmm....goodness
Chico: Again, can't say no to pizza.
Jason: Nope.
Gordon: And that ends this game. We'll wrap everything up next!

(Sponsored by Apprentice Pizza. We have Meatloaf flavored pizza (he would put anything on the pizza for love), Jose Canseco pizza (with mystery ingredients) and Richard Hatch Pizza (which is naked. No cheese or sauce.) That's Apprentice Pizza! Try some today!)

Jason: Sounds Yummy.
Chico: With apologies to Bill McDonald... our friend Bill McDonald... Even bad pizza is better than no pizza. Just like Speedy round is better than slow round. Let's do it!
Jason: Let's go.
Gordon: Survivor: Are we putting up a Logan's Run graphic next week?
Jason: Yeah I think so
Chico: Me too. Dancing... can we PLEASE boot Bristol now?
Jason: Time is about right for her.
Chico: It's about right for her right now.
Gordon: TPIR. Can we have a moron free week?
Chico: No, but I am watching Halloween. It's going to be awesome.
Jason: Halloween is going to be great...I believe we may be going to visit the Wizard :)
Gordon: Halloween should be a blast. So are viewers emails. What do we got?
Chico: I got nothing. Let's go to the Facebook question.. We asked about the fall shows and which ones you liked... Greg Palmer said...

“

I like how TPIR's going with the new announcers. I just wish they'd bring back some of the old ones. - Greg Palmer

”

Gordon: We agree, Greg.
Chico: We so agree on that one.
Jason: Sure.
Gordon: This week's Facebook Question...

BIG FACEBOOK QUESTION It's Halloween! What's the scariest game show moment so far this year?

Chico: By the time you read this, it should be on site. Go to Facebook and search for We Love To Interrupt to answer. Or if you want to shoot us off an e-mail to wlti@gameshownewsnet.com, you can do that as well.
Chico: Jason, always a pleasure to have you...
Jason: Always a pleasure to be there. here.
Gordon: That ends this week. Special thanks to Jason for joining us. Next week, things get scary as we start the sweep.
Chico: Until then for Gordon and everyone at GSNN, I've been Chico Alexander... Game over... and spread the love.