Busy, Busy Embassy Row
Variety put out a nice little article about our friends at Embassy Row. It looks like they’ve got a ton of projects lined up on all sides of the coast on a multitude of different networks. Let’s start with the obvious one first. As anyone who actually watches the show knows by now, GSN’s Newlywed Game has been renewed for a second season after some good ratings for the network. 65 episodes are being produced this season and the show will move from New York to Glendale, California, for what we’re being told from insiders is a wide variety of different reasons.
Variety also says that Embassy Row is still waiting on the word from CBS if The ($1,000,000) Pyramid has been picked up for a series in daytime, replacing Guiding Light. The truth of the matter is that while they are sending out applications and that’s great, nothing is set in stone. I’d place money on Pyramid being picked up but I’ve been really wrong before. The show would have to go out at the end of September, when Guiding Light ends, and they just had to start the casting process in order to cover their bases. So again, it’s a great development but don’t start clearing your afternoons to watch it. Let’s Make A Deal is a major major contender for that slot as well. Embassy Row also shot a pilot for The Dating Game for the afternoon but to be frank I’d be amazed if that makes it there. I really don’t enjoy that style of show at all either so I’m really biased.
Elsewhere, Embassy Row is working with CMT on the National Bible Quiz, pitting teams of different faiths against each other in, you guessed it, a religion quiz. Yeah, you can have fun with that one. Michael Davies of Embassy Row is personally helping out on the new TV Land pilot Celebrity Mr. and Mrs. which we previously discussed. They’ve also got stuff with ABC, Bravo, YouTube, and many other places. Basically if you turn on TV and watch an unscripted show and it’s not from Mark Burnett, it’s from Embassy Row.
I agree, Myke. It has to be monitors. It saves money and man hours trying to turn the trilons. But, like everyone else, I could care less as long as the show gets picked up.
Trilons or monitors…or doesn't make a difference to me. I just think that the set is a great homage to the classic set. As for other things, I'd like (and this is just a preference) to have the classic music back. Whatever's used is fine…as long as the Donnymid theme is never brought back…ever. LOL :)
Why do you hate it that much? Come on people, give it a rest, the music doesn't matter either.
On that, I disagree. The music is VERY important. It audibly sets a tone for entire show. You hear a hard-driving riff on The Price Is Right, you know they just brought out a car! A lighter bubblier diddy, and their describing Metamusil.
A good theme song will stick in your head long after the show is over.
The original Pyramid theme song ("Tuning Up") created a sense of importance. Lots of horns (synthesized, of course), a great bass underscore. And when someone made it to the top of the Pyramid, that song sounded like a heralded victory…like you really just accomplished something great!
The themes for To Tell the Truth in the 50s & 60s had a slightly mysterious and eerie feel that was perfect for a show where you had to figure out who is and isn't lying to you. The British Beat theme they used in the 70s wasn't as appropriate, but it was still a great song!
Match Game had a playful theme…perfect for a comedy show.
Some of these songs have become iconic…ingrained in the fabric of America. Do you think there are very many people in this country who wouldn't recognize the theme to The Price Is Right?…or Jeopardy? You can't even hum the theme to Donny's Pyramid…it's just noise!
The music matters…a LOT!
Exactly! Music is just as inportant as the sound effects & the gameplay/format. If all the components work together perfectly, then you have a hit show. If any one of these is poorly executed, than the show may not work. Sure you might have a good set or a good host, but music, sound effects & gameplay are the 3 key components of a good game show. Pyramid needs to execute these flawlessly in order for it to work.
Myke25 and Craig: Thank You! I KNEW I wasn't crazy.
Hey…I gotta be me! ;)
There are conflicting reports about the LMAD pickup…some articles say it'll be an hour long, others say a half-hour, most don't say what length. They didn't shoot a one-hour pilot for LMAD, did they?
Firstly, does that mean LMAD got picked up. Secondly, the only hour long version was "The Big Deal"…which, it wasn't. Thirdly, other than Pyramid, I hope LMAD does get picked up.
Yup. An hour-long LMAD got picked up.
Official from CBS, it is, indeed, an hour: http://www.cbspressexpress.com/div.php/cbs_entert…
According to Wikipedia, it is an hour. But Variety said that CBS isn't ruling out Pyramid or the Dating Game for future considerations, IMO, it'll likely be 2010 when As the World Turns, which, like the outgoing Guiding Light, isn't doing good in the ratings either, contract ends.
Are you right about this, are you sure that Pyramid is not down and out for the count?
I love this debate. But to be clear, I never considered even for a second using monitors instead of trilons. The reveal, however you built it graphically, would just be totally different.
Firstly, how can the show work in an hour format? I hope it's not stretched to thing (a la GSN's BSN). Also, I sincerely hope that Pyramid is still happening…they've started casting for gosh sakes.
Well, you're right, it does matter, but Donny's theme was meant to be more modern and it gets more modern viewers because the fact is, most people are not like you and me, most people who watch game shows are casual fans and want something flashy.
It just wasn't that bad. I'd probably like the original to open the show but the Donny music as the categories are revealed. Remember before Donny it was just silent, so it did build up more hype.
Apparently, the Mole did the same thing with its casting bit a few years ago. There WAS no Mole 3 as was originally intended upon the airing of Tbe Mole 2. Sometines, producers tend to "jump the gun" too quickly on certain shows as far as auditions & casting goes.
Thanks for clearing that up, Mr. Davies. From what I've seen and read about the pilots, you did a great job in doing right by the Pyramid.
What's next for Pyramid? Are you going to shop the show around elsewhere, or are you going to see what happens with LMAD and As The World Turns?