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.
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