Bad news for Crosswords fans like myself. According to multiple sources, Program Partners is putting the low rated quizzer on hiatus until 2009 because of high production costs. At this point, to be completely honest, unless GSN picks it up which I doubt they will I don’t see the show coming back. Its demise leaves a very nice gap for Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? for next season, though. It’s a shame because while the show had issues it was still fun to play along with and was a fast paced intelligent quiz show; something we have barely any of now. More than 3/4ths of the country cleared the show for the new season, so it’s leaving them in a bind. Program Partners is giving them a few options, one of which is pretty interesting.
First, stations can take a “Best of Crosswords” package which will last about one week I’m guessing. Stations can take a Canadian reality show called Style by Jury. However, the final might be the best: stations can pick up a Canadian game show called Inside the Box. It’s essentially 20 Questions but television oriented and extremely fun and honestly better than Crosswords. We’ll try to get a video of it this weekend. “TV stations will be the first to tell you they are suffering in daytime right now,” said Ritch Colbert, principal of Program Partners. “This gives station one more opportunity to meet their year-end sales goals.” Regardless of the outcome, it will be sad to see Crosswords be in limbo because of budget, and hopefully something can be worked out so we can see some new episodes.
Lots of game show fans enjoy playing their favorite shows from home. With that, we have a small update on different game shows that are recently available at home or online. First off, what people are probably more excited about, iToys’s The Price is Right tabletop electronic game. It’s from the same company that did the 1 VS 100 and Family Feud games, and both are really good, so this one’s bound to be fun. It also looks like it comes with three set pieces: the Big Wheel, Hole in One, and Plinko. No word on additional pricing games on the actual console itself now, but I’d have to imagine since playing the same two pricing games over and over is going to get really irritating.
Thanks to reader John Moss for pointing out a recent article from Media Life Magazine which talks about the current syndication market and next year’s. Very few shows are on the bubble to be picked up for a second season. The only two shows listed are Montel Williams and Crosswords. Interesting,
Game show fans who have the way overpriced and overrated Microsoft XBox (sorry, I’m not a Microsoft fan of anything) can be on the lookout for new Crosswords games for XBox Live and 360, and also the Playstation 2 if anyone cares about that thing anymore. Program Partners licensed the game to the THQ brand on Monday.
Temptation might be on hold for a bit, but the better of the two new syndicated shows, Crosswords, will be holding auditions on the other side of the country so more people can try out. Auditions will take place at the NBC Towers in Chicago. The Crosswords crew will find 50 contestants, fly them to Los Angeles, and have them compete on national television for thousand(s?) of dollars and trips to (exotic?) places. Auditions will take place on Saturday, October 13th at 10AM. The exact address is NBC Towers, 454 North Columbus Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60611. There are a few stipulation, of course: you must be 18, you cannot have been on a game show in the past six months, and you can’t know anyone who works for Program Partners, William Morris Agency, Merv Griffin Entertainment, or anyone on the show’s staff. Good luck to all that try out!
Big Edit: Someone from an early taping recently commented, and there are a few differences in the rules for them. Did they switch rules after a few weeks?