“Cash Cab” Goes to Off-Net Syndication in 2010
So far we don’t have any new syndicated game shows announced for Fall 2010, but one popular cable show is making the move. Discovery’s Cash Cab will be going into off-network syndication next September. What does this specifically mean? It’s the reruns of the episodes shown thus far. The show has won the Emmy for Best Game Show in 2008 and 2009 so making a move like this seems like a pretty logical step. I’ve got no idea how many episodes are shot total but given the order numbers from releases I’ve found it looks like there’s enough for a season and a half or two before we get into massive reruns.
Nothing’s ruling out exclusive new episodes for syndication either really. It depends how Cash Cab does against everything else. It clearly has a pretty nice following on Discovery and is critically acclaimed. If nothing else it’ll really expand the show’s reach and open it up to a new group of fans. The show’s definitely bone cheap to produce compared to most other game shows so we’ll have to see.
I’m very sure we have some fans of Cash Cab around here so you should be excited. It’s decent enough for me if there’s nothing else on but I’m bored to tears watching it for extended periods of time. Frankly I would have never expected this to become the cult hit it has become, and I’m very happy to see it doing well. It’s quirky enough to work. The best news for this show is that they do go through a lot of questions per show so it’s not like you’re going to remember all the answers from the first-run on Discovery. It’s got the all-important replay value. Regardless I’m incredibly glad to see a successful cable show make the move, and hopefully we can see more episodes pop up in the future. Given the constant Emmys and good ratings I wouldn’t doubt it.
By my count, the show has about 280 episodes, as they've had seven seasons of 40 episodes each
Well that’s so far. It’s early in the new season, so who knows? If CBS is commited to keeping As the World Turns on (which, right now, seems unlikely), maybe Pyramid could end up in syndication. But Cash Cab would be a nice addtion to the syndication arena. Like you, Alex, I thought it was boring at first, but after watching it a few times (thanks to my brother), I actually like it. So kudos to Discovery for that. Maybe if any of the game shows on the new Discovery/Hasbro network becomes successful, you could be looking at a new trend.
Now if GSN would just be smart enough to do the same to "Lingo", we'd be in business. Anyone who watches GSN leisurely knows and loves "Lingo" for the most part. LONG overdue! As for "Cash Cab", I completely agree. I've ALWAYS loved it, but, when I initially watched it, I NEVER would've thought it would become the success it has become. I LOVE it though! It's going to be an even more crowded syndication arena next season, but at least it'll have Emmy winners and good, quality shows like "Cash Cab"! :)
Just recently got cable, so I'm a new fan. Love this show. Ingenious in it's simplicity.
Love the Cash Cab! Every time I'm in Manhattan, I look for that Toyota–never see it though and I never know when they are taping.
In the post it mentioned "bone cheap to produce compared to other game shows"–just piques my interest as to how much is really does cost to produce most game shows–anyone here know?
This is a great idea. With this, a LOT of game shows (BIG & small) should move to the syndie market like:
Lingo: (we know GSN won't bring it back) have it return with the Netherlands format.
The Money List: (same fate as "Lingo") the format is good and it can fit as a popular show
20Q: rather towards MyNetworkTV
Also, what about Millionaire: Hot Seat? Instead of it being for a replacement to the daytime version, use it as a partner for the show. Take a look at this for it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:GameGuy95/Milli…
If not, GSN can have it.
Also, if CBS doesn't take The $1 Million Pyramid, I would rather see it on ABC (you know, like back in the 70s when CBS made their mistake on The $10,000 Pyramid.)
CASH CAB is just a good game show. Even if it isn't Howard Felsher's (the onetime producer of the original FAMILY FEUD) idea of "having a game show with nothing but two people playing in an open field" – or somethig to that effect).
I like how you think, Andrew. I would love to see Pyramid on ABC, but, that’s highly unlikely to happen because 1. The View’s ratings are improving, and 2. Which soap would you cancel in order to air it? Granted their ratings are ratherly low, especially One Life To Live, but if you cancel that show, it wouldn’t make sense to put Pyramid in its place because that would sandwich it in between 2 soaps. Now, if that’s the case and I ran ABC, I would have it like this:
11/10c: The View
12/11c: Local News
1/12c: All My Children
2/1: General Hospital
3/2: Pyramid
That’s how I would do that.
What about @ 1:00, and shift the soaps you have listed forward (@ 2:00-4:00)? Just a thought.
Picture this okay,
IF (and there’s a big if). If however ($1,000,000) Pyramid comes home to ABC, and if I ran ABC; here’s I would picture:
11/10c: One Life to Live 12/11c: Local News 1/12c: All My Children 2/1c: General Hospital
3/2: $1,000,000 Pyramid 3:30/2:30c: Family Feud (Daytime version)
That would work too.
I agree. It is a very good show. I, like Kevin, would never think that this show would be the success that it is.
But the reason for Pyramid being on @ 3/2 is to get back at CBS for passing on it.
But you'd also want to see it succeed, right? Why put it against another game show? They'd cannibalize each other. And I still don't think 60 minutes will work for Pyramid.
So…as long as we're playing Fantasy Programmer…
If I were programming ABC and wanted to pit a game show in the mix, I'd cancel OLTL and schedule thusly:
All times Eastern
1:00 Game Show TBA (maybe Press Your Luck or <gasp> something NEW!)
1:30 The Pyramid (to keep it away from Y&R)
2:00 All My Children (Move a few characters over from OLTL to hold on to some of it's audience)
3:00 General Hospital (to counter-program LMAD)
That might have a better chance of weakening CBS than throwing a game show right at LMAD…all vengeance aside.
Hmm, the problem I see with DeVares' schedule is that some markets air LMaD in the afternoon(which is not the case in my neck of the woods). Myke25's "revision" works better because it can actually weaken CBS.
As for Cash Cab, you can easily get 1 full calendar year(5×52). However, 2 26-week cycles is most advantagious. After running the first cycle once, run it again partially only this time adding the extra 20 episodes along the way during the summer months. If J! can air first-run shows in July, why not off-net Cash Cab?
I think I’ve started something: Fantasy Programmer.
Myke25, your schedule works better than mine simply because I was using the revenge factor on CBS. And I wasn’t thinking Pyramid to be a hour long show, I just couldn’t think of another show at the 3:30/2:30. And I wouldn’t cancel OLTL, just make it exclusive to SoapNet, which airs same day episodes anyway. Press Your Luck seems like a good idea for ABC considering they were the first network to air it (in 1976 as Second Chance).
Maybe NBC O&O will pick up this fall and replace cancelled Deal or No Deal.
I really have enjoyed Cash Cab over the years…I got hooked on it while laid up in a hospital bed and have watched it loyally ever since.Sometimes I can't stand a particular personality of a contestant though but I almost die laughing at the real dumb answers some people say.It seems to me though that everything is a rerun now…I can't remember when I seen a new episode so I'm not watching it as much as I was.I'd really like to see a bunch of fresh new episodes.Anyone know if there will be any soon??
“PLEASE” BRING BACK CASH CAB, WITH ALL NEW Episode’s.