CBS Cancels “As The World Turns”; Could We Be Seeing “Pyramid”?
We’re starting to see what the appearance of Let’s Make A Deal has done to change current daytime television. CBS announced today that the long-running soap opera As The World Turns has been canceled. The show has been on the air for over fifty years. Rumors of As The World Turns‘s cancelation has been around for a year, as we previously discussed here. It’s the second soap opera canceled in a year. The first was Guiding Light which as we know was replaced by the incredibly fun Let’s Make A Deal. I actually think a reason we’re seeing As The World Turns go away is because of the relative success that Deal has been. It hasn’t lighted the world on fire but it’s improved the overall and male ratings, though the women demos went down a bit. We haven’t seen recent ratings, though. It’s also been a stronger lead-in for The Price is Right and actually helped to raise them up a bit also. I really think As The World Turns is going away because CBS has seen how a cheaper game show can bring in some more people for a lot less money.
And now comes the big speculation game of what replaces it. As always it could be a talk show. CBS has many lined up in development. But don’t forget, of course, that talk shows will open up more when CBS loses Oprah next year. The recent word we’re hearing is that (The $1,000,000) Pyramid could be coming back. We’ve got it from very close sources that Pyramid is still alive and kicking and also, and I quote, “Don’t count Pyramid out yet.” Whenever we’re told something by this source it ends up being true every time. Of course we don’t know but the games are doing well in daytime and I can’t see CBS breaking up a block that does this well.
There’s a great number of possibilities as well. The Dating Game is another show we’ve heard slight mumblings about, and CBS shot a pilot for it a while ago, but it really wouldn’t fit the MO of CBS’s daytime right now. Fremantle’s Press Your Luck has been discussed off and on frequently since the former CBS series Game Show Marathon revived it. I can’t believe we haven’t heard Fremantle/CBS looking at this one, since CBS wanted it for primetime a while ago. But as of now we’ve heard from numerous industry sources that Pyramid is looking pretty good right now. I don’t know the economics of it, but if it were me I’d be greenlighting Pyramid and doing a pilot for Press Your Luck to see how that would fit. Again, I still cannot understand why we haven’t heard a single thing about Press Your Luck given it fits exactly with the CBS daytime game show look and feel, merchandise still comes out for it, and it definitely has a following.
So are we excited? We seriously could see an entirely new era of daytime game shows. I never thought it would happen.
That's not going to happen. I wish I had a better explination, but this is the best I can do for now. The British just do things differently, and based on your description, it doesn't sound feisable, let alone practical.
You forgot Wayne Brady, and Greg Proops.
Could it really be that the problem is all of us fans when commenting on these sites about what networks should do and what we'd like to see is 99% about remakes instead of originals; or is it that some of us are so cynical about any concept that we compare everything to everything else that has come before it we tend to brand nothing as original?
Could it really be that the problem is all of us fans when commenting on these sites about what networks should do and what we'd like to see is 99% about remakes instead of originals; or is it that some of us are so cynical about any concept that we compare everything to everything else that has come before it we tend to brand nothing as original?
Remakes are like comfort food. They are comfortable. And they come with built-in brand awareness. They are just safer to program.
Of course, when that remake isn't exactly like the original, we'll come to sites like this (and REALLY like G-R.net) to bitch and whine about how our favorite show has been ruined.
No genre of TV entertainment gets recycled more than game shows. Right now, none of the major game shows on broadcast TV are in their first incarnation. Even the top shows on GSN are remakes.
I'd love to see a good original game some day. But I also want to see a new Pyramid. Pyramid and Password were my all-time faves growing up. So I'll always want to see them come back.
Remakes are like comfort food. They are comfortable. And they come with built-in brand awareness. They are just safer to program.
Of course, when that remake isn't exactly like the original, we'll come to sites like this (and REALLY like G-R.net) to bitch and whine about how our favorite show has been ruined.
No genre of TV entertainment gets recycled more than game shows. Right now, none of the major game shows on broadcast TV are in their first incarnation. Even the top shows on GSN are remakes.
I'd love to see a good original game some day. But I also want to see a new Pyramid. Pyramid and Password were my all-time faves growing up. So I'll always want to see them come back.
Absolutely illogical. Why would NBC pick up a lower-rated serial? If their intent is to keep going with one show in the genre, the younger-skewing Days is the one that makes sense to keep, not CBS's low-rated castoff.
Absolutely illogical. Why would NBC pick up a lower-rated serial? If their intent is to keep going with one show in the genre, the younger-skewing Days is the one that makes sense to keep, not CBS's low-rated castoff.
Blockbusters? Seriously? I don’t think Blockbusters need to be revive on CBS and definately not over Pyramid. Now if you were to revive it, put it in syndication and pair it with Family Feud. It would be successful there than on CBS.
There's a bunch of game shows that deserves a another chance on network daytime. Some of them are Card Sharks(Eubanks/Rafferty version), Pyramid, Press Your Luck, High Rollers, and Scrabble. Mr. Quiz told me before that revivals of Go, Hit Man, Hot Potato, Dream House, and Whew won't come back because housing business in finical trouble(Dream House), and take forever to come up with the joke answers on Whew. The short runs of Time Machine, Your Number's Up, and Child's Play won't come back. But I think some of those short-lived game shows from the 70's and 80's need another chance. Match Game will never come back because it won't be the same without Gene Rayburn, Brett, Charles and Richard. Wheel and Jeopardy! won't return to network because that will lower the syndication ratings and probably won't pay Pat, Vanna, and Alex more $$ to do the daytime version.
There's a bunch of game shows that deserves a another chance on network daytime. Some of them are Card Sharks(Eubanks/Rafferty version), Pyramid, Press Your Luck, High Rollers, and Scrabble. Mr. Quiz told me before that revivals of Go, Hit Man, Hot Potato, Dream House, and Whew won't come back because housing business in finical trouble(Dream House), and take forever to come up with the joke answers on Whew. The short runs of Time Machine, Your Number's Up, and Child's Play won't come back. But I think some of those short-lived game shows from the 70's and 80's need another chance. Match Game will never come back because it won't be the same without Gene Rayburn, Brett, Charles and Richard. Wheel and Jeopardy! won't return to network because that will lower the syndication ratings and probably won't pay Pat, Vanna, and Alex more $$ to do the daytime version.
There's a bunch of game shows that deserves a another chance on network daytime. Some of them are Card Sharks(Eubanks/Rafferty version), Pyramid, Press Your Luck, High Rollers, and Scrabble. Mr. Quiz told me before that revivals of Go, Hit Man, Hot Potato, Dream House, and Whew won't come back because housing business in finical trouble(Dream House), and take forever to come up with the joke answers on Whew. The short runs of Time Machine, Your Number's Up, and Child's Play won't come back. But I think some of those short-lived game shows from the 70's and 80's need another chance. Match Game will never come back because it won't be the same without Gene Rayburn, Brett, Charles and Richard. Wheel and Jeopardy! won't return to network because that will lower the syndication ratings and probably won't pay Pat, Vanna, and Alex more $$ to do the daytime version.
Nick Clooney also had an anchorman gig at WGRZ here in Buffalo in '94 before moving on to AMC…
Nick Clooney also had an anchorman gig at WGRZ here in Buffalo in '94 before moving on to AMC…
They would, but then you have to cater to the youth on Saturday mornings. The last gane show to do a Saturday morning stint was Endurance Island, I think. Sundays are OUT OF THE QUESTION, That day's reserved for the news junkies.
Good schedule. If CBS came out with some more game shows, then they can put those on the weekends.
They would, but then you have to cater to the youth on Saturday mornings. The last gane show to do a Saturday morning stint was Endurance Island, I think. Sundays are OUT OF THE QUESTION, That day's reserved for the news junkies.
They would, but then you have to cater to the youth on Saturday mornings. The last gane show to do a Saturday morning stint was Endurance Island, I think. Sundays are OUT OF THE QUESTION, That day's reserved for the news junkies.
@palmercomm: Granted The Edge Of Night and Search For Tomorrow did swtich to ABC and NBC respectively, but that was in ’75 and ’82. In today’s economy, it’s hard for a soap opera to do that because the Big 3 are slowly swaying from the genre.
Exactly. You couldn't do it today. The point is, they were relatively low-rated at the time they switched (ironically, ATWT was the powerhouse in those days).
As for what should be revived, how about High Rollers, Card Sharks (Rafferty/Eubanks version), and Pyramid?
Exactly. You couldn't do it today. The point is, they were relatively low-rated at the time they switched (ironically, ATWT was the powerhouse in those days).
As for what should be revived, how about High Rollers, Card Sharks (Rafferty/Eubanks version), and Pyramid?
Well, serials have made many network switches over the years.
Take for example:
[youtube FknCQchIqCQ&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FknCQchIqCQ&fe... youtube]
[youtube glCTnLQIsTs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glCTnLQIsTs youtube]
Well, serials have made many network switches over the years.
Take for example:
[youtube FknCQchIqCQ&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FknCQchIqCQ&fe... youtube]
[youtube glCTnLQIsTs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glCTnLQIsTs youtube]
If CBS puts more game shows on, NBC is going to have to counter-attack by putting on game shows too. NBC will have to cut out several hours of Today, and there's a rumor that Days Of Our Lives might end next year. The other thing is to keep game shows out of the 12-noon time slot(Death slot for game shows). Most cities show their local noon news, the networks must be very careful of not putting any game shows at 12-noon.
If CBS puts more game shows on, NBC is going to have to counter-attack by putting on game shows too. NBC will have to cut out several hours of Today, and there's a rumor that Days Of Our Lives might end next year. The other thing is to keep game shows out of the 12-noon time slot(Death slot for game shows). Most cities show their local noon news, the networks must be very careful of not putting any game shows at 12-noon.
NBC could and should do that, Matt. There’s also a rumor floating around that ABC could send The View to syndication in 2011 when Oprah ends, so ABC’s probably seeing what happening. As for the 12/11 slot, ABC and NBC’s very smart by giving that time to affiliates. CBS (at least in the Central and Mountain time zones) are very smart by airing the Young & the Restless at that time slot.
Assuming "Pyramid" comes back as a half-hour show, I'd love to see it paired with a straightforward and relatively intellectual Q&A show like "Split Second" or "The Who, What or Where Game" get revived. Whether or not today's daytime audiences would take to being challenged in such a way, however, is another matter. Perhaps lighter fare like "Card Sharks" or "High Rollers" would indeed fit the bill.
Incidentally, if – on the remotest of chances – "High Rollers" were to ever return, IMHO it should be done à la the 74-76 format without the columns. (No face puzzle, though. That was just silly. And let's just pretend the Martindale version never happened.) Giving away so many prizes with the column format would likely be too expensive to sustain in the long run. It should also have the original theme music and something as close to the original set as possible. The original "High Rollers" always had an element of Vegas-style glitz and glamour that other shows of the era couldn't match. Any revival absolutely MUST carry on that legacy.
Since we're on the subject of Bob Stewart shows, has anyone given any thought to pairing "Pyramid" with a revival of another of his creations other than "Password"? I like to think "Three on a Match" would make for an interesting comeback. It had a unique bidding format and questions that were fairly easy. The game board element would also make it the next best thing to a revival of "Concentration". (Take THAT, greedy greedy old NBC! You're just shooting yourself in your FOURTH PLACE foot by selfishly hoarding that show.)
Just my two cents.
Assuming "Pyramid" comes back as a half-hour show, I'd love to see it paired with a straightforward and relatively intellectual Q&A show like "Split Second" or "The Who, What or Where Game" get revived. Whether or not today's daytime audiences would take to being challenged in such a way, however, is another matter. Perhaps lighter fare like "Card Sharks" or "High Rollers" would indeed fit the bill.
Incidentally, if – on the remotest of chances – "High Rollers" were to ever return, IMHO it should be done à la the 74-76 format without the columns. (No face puzzle, though. That was just silly. And let's just pretend the Martindale version never happened.) Giving away so many prizes with the column format would likely be too expensive to sustain in the long run. It should also have the original theme music and something as close to the original set as possible. The original "High Rollers" always had an element of Vegas-style glitz and glamour that other shows of the era couldn't match. Any revival absolutely MUST carry on that legacy.
Since we're on the subject of Bob Stewart shows, has anyone given any thought to pairing "Pyramid" with a revival of another of his creations other than "Password"? I like to think "Three on a Match" would make for an interesting comeback. It had a unique bidding format and questions that were fairly easy. The game board element would also make it the next best thing to a revival of "Concentration". (Take THAT, greedy greedy old NBC! You're just shooting yourself in your FOURTH PLACE foot by selfishly hoarding that show.)
Just my two cents.
Besides that, same themed weeks, same special editions and finally a celebrity edition for the daytime show. Plus, the occasion of Tournament of 10.
Besides that, what about other shows? NBC could do something for their line-up. How about a revival of Match Game with the year change (under the FOX title: What the Blank? 2010) with Andrew Daly or Rick Dees as host?; or a $OTC/Temptation revival with the Australian format (Temptation)?; or maybe Wheel of Fortune with the nighttime format and budget? I've got plenty of ideas.
Well, I am a little edgy about this. I mean its great CBS is reviving Pyramid but I have doubts for the CBS revival. I actually don't have enough fanship for the LMAD revival mainly because of the whacked budget and sepertion from the original format. The hour-idea is cool, but the show is just bland to me. Also, the format is a little edgy. What Pyramid should do is this:
-Four trips to the Winner's Circle (no more, no less)
-Four amouns to play for ($25,000; $50,000; $75,000; $100,000. All together winning $250,000)
-Contestants that have won all four have an option of keeping $250,000 or playing the Winner's Shot Tournament for $1,000,000 (tournament would begin after six $250,000 players have opted to go for $1,000,000)
-Six play the regular game in a process of elimination with the final two playing for the Winner's Circle.
-Winner plays the Winner's Shot for $1,000,000 (if win contestant gets the million dollars; if lose, contestant loses the $1,000,000 and loses the $250,000, but walks with $100,000 (a $150,000 drop)).
Well, I am a little edgy about this. I mean its great CBS is reviving Pyramid but I have doubts for the CBS revival. I actually don't have enough fanship for the LMAD revival mainly because of the whacked budget and sepertion from the original format. The hour-idea is cool, but the show is just bland to me. Also, the format is a little edgy. What Pyramid should do is this:
-Four trips to the Winner's Circle (no more, no less)
-Four amouns to play for ($25,000; $50,000; $75,000; $100,000. All together winning $250,000)
-Contestants that have won all four have an option of keeping $250,000 or playing the Winner's Shot Tournament for $1,000,000 (tournament would begin after six $250,000 players have opted to go for $1,000,000)
-Six play the regular game in a process of elimination with the final two playing for the Winner's Circle.
-Winner plays the Winner's Shot for $1,000,000 (if win contestant gets the million dollars; if lose, contestant loses the $1,000,000 and loses the $250,000, but walks with $100,000 (a $150,000 drop)).
Now I think ABC should take it to add their daytime schedule as their return of game shows because of history repeating itself and ABC is well known for lots of money on game shows. As for a partner, I'd say once Meredith leaves from her contract of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, have ABC take the show, add it to their daytime schedule and reformat it to an hour-long weekday version with fastest finger, clock (same times except can switch occasionally to shot clock), and two money trees:
*$1,000,000
$500,000
$250,000
$125,000
$64,000
*$32,000
$16,000
$8,000
$4,000
$2,000
*$1,000
$500
and…
*$2,000,000/$2,500,000
$1,000,000
$750,000
$500,000
$250,000
$100,000
*$75,000
$64,000
$32,000
$25,000
$16,000
*$8,000
$4,000
$2,000
$1,000
$500
(16-question tree played on occasion)