Episode 22.16
December 28

Jason: That's impossible.
Chico: He's crying. You made Harry Potter cry. Gordon? Cry? Gordon MAKES cry!
Gordon: Bwa ha ha ha ha
Chico: Welcome back. We're running short on time, so let's bring in... the toilet! *hamsters bring in the Supertoilet 5100*
Jason: Fresh and Clean
Chico: I guarantee you it won't stay that way because it's time to Push... or FLUSH!
Jason: One my favorite games of the decade
Chico: In my hand, the first eight. Here's what we have...

FRANK THE ENTERTAINER... IN A BASEMENT AFFAIR VH1 9p ET Sundays

FLUSH

Gordon: And we start off the year immediately with a candidate for Drano. FLUSH.
Jason: Exactly. FLUSH
Chico: VAN GINKEL FLUSH. Draaaaaaaaaanooooooooooooo
Gordon: ONE!
Chico: TWO!
Jason: THREE!
Everyone: PLUNGE!
Gordon: Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Chico: Heh. Next...

WORST COOKS IN AMERICA Food Network 10p ET Sundays

PUSH

Chico: It's on after Iron Chef. That ALONE is a Push.
Jason: This one I am going to PUSH. The concept looks like fun.
Gordon: Really? How do we know it's the 'Worst'. I hate the premise. Flush.
Chico: 2-1, Push.
Gordon: If they teach the basics, I can be converted. It just seems more like a let me fake cook badly so I can get on tv and win.
Jason: If it comes out that way I will be right along with you G.
Chico: Right. Let's hope not. Next...

THE BACHELOR: ON THE WINGS OF LOVE ABC 8p ET Mondays

PUSH

Chico: That's the worst use of one of my favorite songs ever. TURBO FLUSH.
Jason: I Have to PUSH this. The show is hot, the show has had pub all year.
Gordon: Sorry kids. This is going to be a hit, especially because he's a major fan favorite. Push.
Chico: You suck. 2-1 Push.
Gordon: HOWEVER
Chico: HOWEVER...
Jason: Yes?
Gordon: Our man Jake has already gone on record saying that he did not offer a ring at the end, so this does have potential to be train wreck TV.
Jason: Uh oh.
Chico: Come on... man.. You know you wanna.. Just say it.. Say that five letter word I love so much.
Jason: Can't.
Gordon: I wanna flush, but I can't.
Chico: Aww. You suck. You make cry. Next..

CONVEYOR BELT OF LOVE ABC 10p ET Monday

FLUSH

Jason: They should have called this SUSHI CONVEYOR BELT OF LOVE. FLUSH HARD.
Gordon: If I flushed this one, would I make you happy?
Chico: You would make me happy.
Gordon: Ok. Flush then.
Chico: ONE!
Jason: TWO
Gordon: THREE!
Everyone: PLUUUUUUUUUUUNGE!
Gordon: Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Chico: Get some Rid-x for that s(^_^)
Jason: That looks NASTY
Chico: Next...

THE BIGGEST LOSER COUPLES NBC 8p ET Tuesdays

PUSH

Jason: This is a major PUSH for me. JD knows what to do.
Gordon: Looks like another fun season. push it.
Chico: Major PUSH for me too. 3-0 PUSH! (Final Fantasy victory). Next...

LAST RESTAURANT STANDING BBC America 9p ET Tuesdays

FLUSH

Jason: Didn't like the concept on NBC, don't like it here. FLUSH
Gordon: I'm not a fan of this series. Sorry. FLUSH
Chico: Agreed. I tried watching... Raymond Blanc doesn't do it for me. FLUSH! ONE!
Gordon: TWO!
Jason: THREE!
Chico: PLUNGE THE LOOOOOOOO!
Gordon: Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Chico: Next...

AMERICAN IDOL Fox January 12

PUSH

Chico: Easy. though I think about 12 people short of every damn body will watch this.
Jason: I would so LOVE to PUSH this season. But I can't.
Gordon: I will, because it's Idol and because it's the last season with Simon. Push.
Jason: I think we are still going to see a show in flux and make the show about Simon Cowell and not about the talent...PASTRY.
Chico: I'll push in spite of everything. Because it's Idol. So 2.5-0.5 Push.
Jason: Yeah
Chico: Last one this round...

OUR LITTLE GENIUS Fox January 13

FLUSH

Jason: This one has ICK written all over it. FLUSH
Gordon: Exploitation at one of it's worst points. FLUSH.
Chico: You know something.... I don't think it's going to be as bad as it's made out to be. It's on after Idol and it looks good.. So... I'll PASTRY.
Jason: You are kidding right?
Gordon: Set For Life wasn't bad enough for you? It's the same mechanics.
Chico: Hey, we flushed 5th Grader, remember?
Jason: Yeah
Gordon: I didn't.
Chico: Set for Life had no game behind it. And Jimmy Kimmel was a stiff as a board. I think we may have something here.
Gordon: America does like kids. I don't think they'll like this.
Jason: They will see it as greedy parents abusing their kids as performing seals.
Chico: We'll see. Okay. That's it this week. Next time, eight more.
Gordon: And we have our last break of 2009...now!

(Brought to you by Grizzlebees end of the year spectacular! We have sushi conveyor belts featuring the Biggest Lobster. With Cook Cookies and Quiche Bachelorraine. Top it off with some Little Merengenius Pies. Our prices are at Basement Level and we will be the Last Restaurant Standing. Grizzlebees. You'll wish you had less fun!)

Chico: Tinfins!
Gordon: Sounds tasty.
Jason: Yummy!
Chico: Okay, not a lot of time, so let's go to Stat Boy.

Gordon: Hey Statboy.
Chico: Hey Statboy. On January 7, I have Carnie.
Gordon: I'll go with Carnie and no plans to revise Debt. I think they'll come up with something more creative.
Jason: Carnie and no Debt.
Chico: No Debt. Why would you redo Debt if Pay It Off didn't work?
Jason: it worked as a limited run show.
Chico: Just throwing that out there.
Gordon: No I wouldn't. It's reverse Jeopardy and I don't think it works now. I think you need a new concept.
Chico: There you go. Okay, final thoughts for 2009, Jason?
Jason: 2009 may not have been the best year overall for shows in general. But we had personalities on the extremes of both good and bad. Who would have thought we would see people like Susan Boyle and Ryan Jenkins in the same year? But this year was the foundation for another game show renaissance. You have Let's Make A Deal here, with more to follow. 2010 is going to be a huge year. Count on it. Thank you.
Chico: Thank you. Gordon?
Gordon: 2009 wasn't a great year for game shows. However, it did lay the blueprints down for what we could see in the future of 2010, between daytime programming and syndication. All we need now is the same ideas that sparked the revolution of this past decade. If we do that and have a successful integration between the worlds of television and technology, then game shows can play a pivotal role in the tv landscape. Thanks again to the producers who create it, the fans who play it, and for you readers for following what we cover for it.
Chico: Thanks, G. It hasn't been a wild year but for a couple of big stories. A few great games. And some moments that we'll be talking about well into the next 10 years. And if we helped make these stories relatable... then we've done our job. Who knows, maybe in 2019, we'll be back here talking about the NEXT great game show wave or perhaps something even more incredible. But we shouldn't try and change the future. Instead, let's change tomorrow. Shoot for 2010, and we'll see where we go from there. A big thank you to James Dinan, Joe Mello, Mike Klauss, Carrie Grosvenor, and Tom Gauer for their thoughts on our list as well as everyone who contributed. And thanks to you for reading, and again, we realize you have a choice in game show news and views, and we thank you for choosing us.
Jason: Yes, Thank you. I have been honored to be a small part of this. With my columns and recaps. Thank you for the voice and the space.
Chico: The honor is ours. For Jason Block, Gordon Pepper, and the entire Game Show Newsnet family, I've been Chico Alexander. WLTI is back January 11 with a new season of... stuff...
Gordon: Now for the past few years, we promised a 2 week break but couldn't deliver. This time we WILL have a 2 weeks break...hopefully. And as you read our credit crawl and some of our best moments, we'll with you all a Merry Game Over and a very safe holiday season.
Jason: Get home safe. Don't drink and drive
Chico: Drive 55, arrive alive... And as always... SPREAD THE LOVE.