August 28, 2006

Jason: That would be a great sequel. No joke.
Tom: And potential hoe-dum
Chico: I knew a few people would be great in it.
Tom: Rupert Murdoch. No, he's probably ineligible, because he's a pro.
Jason: (shakes head)
Gordon: I think you could get almost all of the out of work actors in Beverly Hills, as well as all of the North Carolina Tar Heel fans who will get a
delivery of Kentucky Fried Tar Heels this year.
Jason: Oh you DID not go there?
Chico: Excuse me...
Tom: The smack-talking has started
Chico: *clubs kneecaps* ... and that's only because I'm so fond of him.
Jason: Besides the GW Colonials will kick ass anyway!
Tom: Kids, if you can't play nice, I'm turning this show around.
Jason: Sorry!
Gordon: Save that for the North Carolina offensive linemen who will get called for all of those clipping penalties. I knew they got that tactic from somewhere.
Chico: Dude.. it's called basketball season.
Gordon: College Football starts in two weeks
Tom: FINALLY! About the same time as the new season of Wheel and J!
Chico: Meanwhile, the football that counts has already started, as has the new fall season. Which means it, in true WLTI tradition, we go into.. Push.. or Flush.
Gordon: and I am...Super Plunger Man!
Chico: We have a list of shows. Buzzers and plungers apply.
Jason: Let's do this.
Chico: We start with four shows that have premiered already...

CHAIN REACTION GSN Tuesday-Saturday at 9p ET

PUSH

Chico: We saw what Michael Davies can do.
Jason: Mild Push.
Chico: Do we approve of the rest of the series? I'm going push.
Jason: Its ok, but the potential is there.
Tom: It needs some retooling. I want the REAL letter board, more cash, and better contestants. A new host wouldn't hurt either.
Gordon: Needs to clear out some kinks, but I think it can. It also needs better contestants. Push on the show. Flush on the contestant coordinators.
Chico: How many times have we seen something that could've been resolved through the form-of-word rule?
Tom: TOO DAMN MANY!
Chico: Too damn many.
Tom: That's a bad, bad thing.
Chico: Read aloud... reading aloud... Come on, people. It's not that damn hard.
Tom: It hurts contestants, and irritates viewers.
Chico: Exactly. But still, the potential is there for greatness. 4-0 Push (Small case cue)

STARFACE GSN Tuesday-Saturday at 9:30p ET

PUSH

Chico: It's harmless.  It gets the job done.
Tom: I still like the show, for some twisted reason.
Gordon: It's also formless and baseless. Flush
Jason: Mild Push here again. Not great, but fun enough for me.
Tom: Push.
Chico: I'll give it a pastry. It'll hold my interest, but it's not appointment television.
Tom: Ditto.
Chico: I credit/blame Danny Bonaduce. The anti-host factor. That I love. I love the anti-host.
Tom: I think Danno is doing okay, what he's supposed to do. At least he seems to enjoy the game.
Gordon: I don't have a problem with Bonaduce. He's stuck with the one-note format
Chico: Granted. But it's not that bad. We get a 3-1 push.

NICK CANNON PRESENTS WILD'N OUT MTV Thursdays at 10p ET

PUSH

Tom: Yawn.
Jason: This is a guilty pleasure of mine. PUSH.
Chico: More improv from the home of freestyle comedy.
Gordon: Love it. Love it. Love it. PUSH
Chico: I think it's pretty damn funny. Not as good as season 2, but doable. Push.
Tom: Sorry, it's wearing thin.  Flush it.
Chico: Alright. 3-1 Push.
Tom: For those of you scoring at home, we have no Simon Cowell today.
Chico: Hello, Gordon's right there.
Tom: Mr. Pepper is being charitable today, I think.
Chico: Next up...

ULTIMATE FIGHTER 4: THE COMEBACK Spike TV Thursdays at 10p ET

PUSH

Chico: Past UFC fighters square off for one more go in the octagon.
Gordon: Don't test my patience, boy
Jason: UFC Rocks and it still is doing well. PUSH
Tom: He's throwing down the gauntlet.
Gordon: I like the concept. So far, I haven't been disappointed. Push.
Tom: I have a vested interest in this type of thing now, so I'll have to disqualify myself Bud.
Chico: It's been good stuff. Quality stuff. Nothing pretentious Push it.
Tom: Oh what the hell, push it.
Chico: (small case cue)
Tom: I don't want the lawyers calling from the network.
Chico: Lawyers don't know we exist ... and we intend on keeping it that way. Next? Celebs sing with singers. Another Simon Cowell joint called...

CELEBRITY DUETS Fox Beginning August 29, Thursdays at 8p ET

PUSH

Jason: This is going to be fun. PUSH.
Tom: Which I dreamed up 18 months ago, and we couldn't get it past a single agency.
Chico: Just goes to show you.. Hire Simon Cowell.
Tom: I'm bitter.  PUSH it, just to show 'em I coulda been a contender.
Jason: And besides I am voting for Chris Jericho to win.
Chico: I'll give it a mild push. But if it turns into "But Can They Sing" redux, I'll turn on it.
Tom: gag. I fear it will be the same thing with more cool lights and camera angles. It's a shame Burton Richardson won't appear on the show.
Gordon: I will give it the benefit of the doubt and Push it. I will turn on it in a second should it turn into But Can They Sing 2, Electric Boogaloo
Tom: Now that, would be a disaster.
Chico: I just said that.
Gordon: Next show?
Chico: 4-0 Push (small case). Next, September 11 sees the four big daytime games premiere.

WHEEL OF FORTUNE Syndication Beginning September 11, check local listings

PUSH

Chico: First, Wheel... in HD.
Tom: I can't wait.
Jason: How can you not PUSH this?
Chico: I can't.
Tom: I just wish Harry would go back to traditional gameplay.
Chico: Next year, Tommy.
Gordon: You have to Push this one. you actually have SMART people playing so far.
Tom: Gotta push "Wheel" with the HUGE first three shows.
Chico: 4-0 Push (small case)

JEOPARDY! Syndication Beginning September 11, check local listings

PUSH

Chico: Next... Jeopardy!... in HD.
Tom: Another more extensive set revamp
Chico: Are the screens in HD too, Tom? I couldn't tell from photos.
Jason: PUSH again. Jeopardy rocks
Chico: They looked like it.
Tom: Unfortunately, it kills my dream of seeing the board with the cardboard answer cards coming back.
Chico: Your dream died in , dude.
Tom: Low def production in HD, no one has tried it!
Gordon: Push it...even if we don't see  Deal Or No Deal Models holding cardboard answer cards.
Tom: Jeopardy! would get a push if Danny Bonaduce took over for the Nov. sweeps. But I would prefer the models idea....... They could use it for May.
Gordon: Leyla, open the answer case.
Chico: Push it! (small case)

WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? Syndication Beginning September 11, check local listings

PUSH

Chico: Next, Millionaire... in SD.
Chico: But with Meredith back at the helm
Tom: But for how long?
Jason: Millionaire is SD-Super Dominant...Meredith still rocks. PUSH.
Tom: It's still watchable, without any Friedman upgrades... it gets a push.
Gordon: I think we'll see a lot more action on this season's Millionaire. Call it a hunch =). Push.
Tom: Oooooh, full-contact Millionaire?
Chico: I'd pay to see that. For now, though.. Push it.
Gordon: Let's just say that Mr. $500,000 Question will not be lonely this season, and we'll leave it at that.
Chico: I'll call it you have season tickets to ABC. And I'll leave it at THAT (small case cue).

FAMILY FEUD Syndication Beginning September 11, check local listings

PUSH

Chico: And finally, Family Feud in 30th anniversary retrovision.
Tom: I hear nothing but good things about Feud.
Jason: The set is awesome. And FF with John O Hurley looks real real good.
Chico: It does indeed.
Jason: This could make it last a few more years. BIG PUSH.
Chico: Maybe Fremantle might not mess it up as bad as they have in previous years. Push.
Tom: I'll personally get behind Feud myself and shove if I have to-- PUSH.
Gordon: I think O'Hurley could be the host that they have been looking for for the past 7 or so seasons. Push.
Tom: I hope it scores, it would be the first Fremantle product that would succeed.
Chico: Aside from... that.. other.. show... with the thing and the... other thing. Four and out... (small case)
Tom: Maybe they'll get the idea that it's not right to screw with a classic show.
Gordon: So we're...being nice this season? Huh?
Chico: sometimes screwing works. The original PIR was screwed with.
Tom: TNPIR was essentially a different show.
Chico: Essentially. Look where that went. Okay, two more, and then we're shuffling the rest of the list for two weeks.
Tom: Goodson rebuilt it from scratch... and it was MARK GOODSON who did the work, not some Aussie bastards.

MIDNIGHT MONEY MADNESS TBS Beginning August 28, Monday-Thursday (early Tuesday-early Friday)

PUSH

Chico: First one... Gordon's favorite... Midnight Money Madness.
Tom: Here we go.
Jason: Mild Push
Tom: I'll give it a mild push, just because I like that idea of interactive, live TV-- not because I really like, "MMM".
Chico: I say, Trust Endemol.. but verify that you were the first out the gate. Mild push.
Gordon: I trust Endemol. I don't trust the concept and I don't know if anyone can get it done correctly. Flush.
Chico: Live TV isn't impossible in the US. Just ask Lorne Michaels. Of course, it helps if you have and east and a west feed. One more

WORLD BLACKJACK TOUR GSN September 4 at 10p ET

DRAW

Chico: GSN is launching a one-off in which Blackjack players from all over the world compete for a cash prize. They call it the World Blackjack Tour.
Jason: Why not...PUSH.
Gordon: Let me walk this out....ouch (stumble). You know what I found?
Jason: what?
Gordon: A dead horse. Flush.
Tom: It's not something I plan to watch, but if I stumble upon the GSN Blackjack shows... I end up watching for the duration.  Gotta give it a push, I guess. 
Chico: It's okay, except for one thing.. this reeks of Professional Poker Tour all over again. Flush it. I'll watch, but still, it's nothing we haven't seen before...
Tom: It beats the GSN alternative... more Love Connection.
Chico: Point, Tom. Anyone who has seen "Professional Poker Tour", though, knows what I'm talking about.
Gordon: Black Jack Season 3, Black Jack in the Football Season, Black Jack internet. It does not have the staying power of poker nor the interactivity. It's just not as exciting as poker.
Tom: I frankly think the whole, "Card games on TV" concept is wearing thin. "Millionaire Syndrome."
Gordon: I don't completely agree. I think that Poker. marketed properly, is like any other sport. The Poker Superstars Series is a perfect example of that.
Tom: I dunno, I know a lot of avid viewers two years ago, who don't watch any televised poker, now. That doesn't bode well.
Gordon: I watch the good stuff. I think that the market is oversaturated, but even then, it finds the audience.
Chico: High Stakes Poker elevated the genre to a whole new level that hasn't been matched since, not even by WPT.
Jason: I agree with Gordon. Even Daniel Negreanu, in a recent interview with Inside Poker, says the next step is a proper marketed league, not unlike the PGA.
Tom: Well, we'll see if it's in the cards.
Chico: I'm still thinking that the cream is rising to the top. People have been tolling the death knoll for years, but those same people have been proven wrong every time. We'll see indeed.
Jason: I think Poker is here to stay.
Tom: Woo Hoo!
Gordon: I think poker is here to stay, like any other sport. It needs to be regulated. Why not do a team poker league, something like Poker Royale, but with cities and pay outs.
Chico: Meanwhile, we'll have to do the rest of the list next time, because we're running short of time, and we've got a lot of mail in the Big Finish. That's next. BUT FIRST going to break, Brainvision Bonus time. If you want to preview the next season of the Feud, just go to the show's page at YouTube.com/user/FamilyFeud. Stay there.

(Sponsored by High Steaks Poker. In a Big Brother-like twist,  poker superstars are trapped in a house, where the chips are food stamps. Who gets to eat for the week?)

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