79 replies to this topic

[PYLdude]

oaklandfan2kx, on 10 April 2012 - 02:44 PM, said:

Great Work, GSN let's hope BBC America picks up Dancing With The Stars along with Strictly Come Dancing with Bruce Forsyth as well as Classic Episodes of the Generation Game with Bruce Forsyth!

Or perhaps the National Grammar Rodeo at the Sheraton Hotel in Canada, maybe?

[gameshowlover87]

Everytime I tried to give a newer show on GSN a chance (an original or a slightly older show), I always found it to be a bit underwhelming. It's like something is missing. Either it comes off as forced, the contestants have the intelligence of a rock, it feels too dark like millionaire, it relies too much on "Million Dollar Syndrome", or it doesn't feel as relaxed and laid back. Whatever it is, it makes me miss the days of game shows in the 70's and especially the 80's.

But of course, that doesn't mean I think anything older is automatically better, regardless of the B.S. a certain former user on this forum said.

[BrandonFG]

gameshowlover87, on 10 April 2012 - 08:28 PM, said:

Everytime I tried to give a newer show on GSN a chance (an original or a slightly older show), I always found it to be a bit underwhelming. It's like something is missing. Either it comes off as forced, the contestants have the intelligence of a rock, or it doesn't feel as relaxed and laid back. Whatever it is, it makes me miss the days of game shows in the 70's and especially the 80's.

GSN's last good crop of shows came out around 2002. Wasn't fond of Friend or Foe, but loved Russian Roulette and Lingo...Whammy was okay, but missing the charm of the original (well, the 80s version).

Like you said, a lot of the stuff after that was pretty half-baked. I think things reduced to quarter-baked, if not raw, after the 2004 rebranding.

[gameshowlover87]

And you know what else I miss?

As we obviously know, even some of our favorite classics, were, at one point, new shows. Back then, typically, it would take a successful, continuing series on any of the major networks, 4-5 years (100 episodes; give or take a few) for it to begin making the rounds in syndication. For example, The Simpsons, the Fox Network's juggernaut, began it's back-end (or off-network) syndication run as early as September 1994, almost 5 years after it premiered.

But look at how it is now: Steve Harvey's era of FF was acquired by GSN, a little over A YEAR after it started!

[TLEberle]

fostergray82, on 10 April 2012 - 08:35 PM, said:

GSN's last good crop of shows came out around 2002. Wasn't fond of Friend or Foe, but loved Russian Roulette and Lingo...Whammy was okay, but missing the charm of the original (well, the 80s version).

Like you said, a lot of the stuff after that was pretty half-baked. I think things reduced to quarter-baked, if not raw, after the 2004 rebranding.

I got the channel just before senior year started. And for that period (1998-2000) it seemed like they had a direction and purpose, and they were having fun with the interactive games, and they had some good product out. They were putting their back into it. Now it seems like straps of Deal or No Deal, Fifth Grader, or whatever the flavor of the month is.

A couple of years ago I got GSN on an introductory rate. From 10 to midnight, there was Jeopardy, Bergeron Squares and an hour of Pyramid. And before that they had 21 on Saturday nights. And they weren't afraid to trot out Trivia Trap or Now You See It, and so on. The problem isn't so much that I feel like I've seen everything GSN has to offer, but that they're not putting any sweat equity into what they're doing.

[PYLdude]

gameshowlover87, on 10 April 2012 - 08:43 PM, said:

And you know what else I miss?

As we obviously know, even some of our favorite classics, were, at one point, new shows. Back then, typically, it would take a successful, continuing series on any of the major networks, 4-5 years (100 episodes; give or take a few) for it to begin making the rounds in syndication. For example, The Simpsons, the Fox Network's juggernaut, began it's back-end (or off-network) syndication run as early as September 1994, almost 5 years after it premiered.

But look at how it is now: Steve Harvey's era of FF was acquired by GSN, a little over A YEAR after it started!

That's not really the same thing. USA was guilty of that too- picking up the original Wipeout right after its cancellation, for one.

Also, IIRC, didn't they pick up Davidson Squares and Scrabble while both shows were still in first-run?

A better example probably would be to stick with scripted series in that case- for example, a show like Still Standing or 'Til Death. Neither one of those made it to that point, did they?

[TLEberle]

Still Standing: 88. Til Death: 81. 8 Simple Rules: 76.

A season of 200-ish episodes of a game show isn't really comparable.

Was USA guilty of anything, or just being awesome?