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.
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)
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.
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.
Congratulations, PJA – you have proven that there's someone other than me that's been hoping for 3Ws or Three on a Match. Obvoiusly, we need somebody to host that has the same vibe Messrs. James and Cullen had, and that'd be a once in a lifetime find. Would like to think it can be done…
Congratulations, PJA – you have proven that there's someone other than me that's been hoping for 3Ws or Three on a Match. Obvoiusly, we need somebody to host that has the same vibe Messrs. James and Cullen had, and that'd be a once in a lifetime find. Would like to think it can be done…
"Match Game" wouldn't work in today's climate – three versions have failed, cause all failed to match the chemistry of the 70's revivial – haven't you learned that by watching "Match Game '98?"
"Match Game" wouldn't work in today's climate – three versions have failed, cause all failed to match the chemistry of the 70's revivial – haven't you learned that by watching "Match Game '98?"
Yeah, & not only that, we ALREADY have a syndie Wheel. We don't NEED a duplicate network versiom. That would cause confusion.
Yeah, & not only that, we ALREADY have a syndie Wheel. We don't NEED a duplicate network versiom. That would cause confusion.
True, DENo1MatchGameFan, Match Game ’98 has really killed the show, so it was really no surprise that TBS passed on it in favor of Lopez Tonight. As for Wheel Of Fortune, why would you 1. put it on a network when the syndicated version is doing well without it? And 2. use the same budget and format for a network version that the syndicated version uses? I agree with Craig, it would, not only cause confusion, but it would lower the ratings of the latter, as I explained numerous times before.
What, nobody mentioned Tattletales? That can also come back.
@jhshifris: Nobody mentioned Tattletales because Fremental….I mean Fremantle never want Tattletales to be revived, although they did a pilot in ’98, possibly to pair it with Crap Game….I mean Match Game ’98.
I'm sorry, I didn't know but it's just that it's an idea.
I'm sorry, I didn't know but it's just that it's an idea.
With all of the celebrity relationships breaking up nowadays, I don't think the format is viable – and the way some shows choose their hosts, we'd probably be getting a Mark DeCarlo ("Studs") type that fits in the 'sleaze factor' instead of a Bert Convy type who knew how to mesh with the celebrity couples.
With all of the celebrity relationships breaking up nowadays, I don't think the format is viable – and the way some shows choose their hosts, we'd probably be getting a Mark DeCarlo ("Studs") type that fits in the 'sleaze factor' instead of a Bert Convy type who knew how to mesh with the celebrity couples.
Why bring back shows from the past, when we should bet borrowing shows from Japan? Oh right, legalities…
http://www.sebastienwilcox.com/2009/12/is-our-soc…
Why bring back shows from the past, when we should bet borrowing shows from Japan? Oh right, legalities…
http://www.sebastienwilcox.com/2009/12/is-our-soc…
Why bring back shows from the past, when we should bet borrowing shows from Japan? Oh right, legalities…
http://www.sebastienwilcox.com/2009/12/is-our-soc…
The problem with reviving Tattletales is that there just aren't that many husband-wife celebrity teams anymore, and even less that would agree to go on a game show.
The problem with reviving Tattletales is that there just aren't that many husband-wife celebrity teams anymore, and even less that would agree to go on a game show.
You don't really need BOTH the husband and wife to be celebrities on TattleTales, just one. In fact, I often found it more interesting if one of the spouses WASN'T a celebrity.
They really don't even need to be married. They had a few boyfriend/girlfriend combos. They even had Fannie Flagg paired with "good pal" Dick Sargent one week. They were both gay…though the public didn't know it at the time.
And considering what passes as "celebrity" these days, I'm sure there would be plenty of D-listers who would do the show. You could bet that George Takei and his husband would get a booking.
You don't really need BOTH the husband and wife to be celebrities on TattleTales, just one. In fact, I often found it more interesting if one of the spouses WASN'T a celebrity.
They really don't even need to be married. They had a few boyfriend/girlfriend combos. They even had Fannie Flagg paired with "good pal" Dick Sargent one week. They were both gay…though the public didn't know it at the time.
And considering what passes as "celebrity" these days, I'm sure there would be plenty of D-listers who would do the show. You could bet that George Takei and his husband would get a booking.
Press Your Luck all the way. Just no Newton and no Whammy: ANPYL studio set. They need to go back to the square board and a classic set. It can be slightly updated, but it needs to retain an 80's feel. i.e. The Price is Right set. I would actually like to see Chuck Woolery or even Howie Mendel take over the reigns of a new PYL. I think either would have the chemistry for it.
Speaking of Chuck Woolery, why not a revival of Scrabble in its original format. Not that it had ever changed, but they need not mess with a working format. I would absolutely love to see Scrabble return.
Not Howie. Not Howie. He's already doing DOND.
Not Howie. Not Howie. He's already doing DOND.
But it's often seen on ABC stations.
But it's often seen on ABC stations.
Closest thing we can get to Bill Cullen these days is Mark L. Walberg.
We need a pyramid revival, the set will be an even bigger version of donny osmond pyramid, black marble floors, flat scrren tv's and others, but the rules will be like the 1985-88 version.
We need a pyramid revival, the set will be an even bigger version of donny osmond pyramid, black marble floors, flat scrren tv's and others, but the rules will be like the 1985-88 version.
We need a pyramid revival, the set will be an even bigger version of donny osmond pyramid, black marble floors, flat scrren tv's and others, but the rules will be like the 1985-88 version.