GSN Officially Announces “Bingo America”
GSN’s bouncing into interactive television again big time with Bingo America, which is essentially a 40-episode retooling of ABC’s National Bingo Night. The new version, which involves players “earning” letters by answering questions, will debut on March 31st at 7:00PM ET every weekday, and repeating on weekends at 4:30PM ET.
Obviously money will be given away to people in the studio. However, as was ABC’s version, people at home can win cash, too. At-home players can download up to ten cards a day on GSN’s Bingo America website. People will also be able to play along with the bonus game. No more details are known yet, but they are taping extremely soon so we’ll be sure to find out. I believe we have a few contestants on this site, don’t we?
Yet again, GSN scores a big name to host the show: Patrick Duffy. For our older readers, you may know him from Dallas. For our younger readers (which is a majority), you’ll remember him as the father from Step By Step.
Remember, ABC’s version was rather low rated but the online hits the show got were astronomical. I can see this working a lot better on a network like GSN, especially in a daily format. The show just did not feel like a primetime network show. The combination of a bingo game and 1 VS 100 with the total luck of Deal or No Deal without making any decisions just really did not work out. A retooling was needed, and they realized it, so I’ll definitely be giving this one a chance, and it looks to be rather good. This seems to be better for GSN always. They’ve always been a big player in terms of interactivity. You aren’t getting much more interactive than this. What do you all think? As optimistic as I?
I thought that NBN was picked up for a second season by ABC. With the writers’ strike, I would think they would want to bring it back. It seems like an OK format, but who knows? Who is this being produced by? Is it the same team that did National Bingo Night? Plus, why Patrick Duffy? I don’t really see him as a game show hosting type.
I really didnt’ see Bob Saget as a gameshow hosting type but he surprised me and I’m thinking that patrick duffy might do that here but who knows. I am also surprised that NBN wasn’t picked up by ABC and also Duel because of the writer’s strike.
I like me some Patrick Duffy. And although I am a younger viewer who knows him from “Step by Step” (unfortunately), I also know about his work as Bobby Ewing where he gets killed off, yet reappears in the shower!
I think anything right now would be better than “How Much is Enough”. Let’s hope GSN finally has a hit on their hands with this one.
Patrick Duffy seems like a good choice. Corbin Bernsen surprised the heck out of me at how good he was a HMIE, so Duffy is a good move.
Alex –
Are you on drugs? Can I have some? When BIngo Night in America gets shot by the viewers, I don’t want it hanging out in my bathroom taking a shower. ;P
G.
And for those who are even OLDER still, you might remember Mr. Duffy from is “breakthrough” series “The Man From Atlantis” (I know, “breakthrough” somehow sounds contradictory, when you consider that show failed after one season…)
He’s currently on The Bold And The Beautiful as well. I noticed him as I was flicking through channels one day.
I can’t picture Patrick Duffy as a game show hsot either but we’ll see. as far as the game, I agree Alex, NBN was better suited as a light-hearted cable show rather than a primetime big-money network show.
getting back to the hsot, yes GSN is getting more well-knowns but they’re still for the most-part C or D list celebs. but eventually GSN is going to ink a deal with an a-list star that may attract a huge audience let’s hope so anyway since GSN hasn’t ha d a 1.0 or higher rating on a show since big Bucks: the press your luck scandal if memory serves me right.
They should have huge (for GSN) numbers once the new season of the World Poker Tour begins airing later this year. (If previous seasons are a indication, looking at like March-April on that)
Yeah, the promos say “Coming in March” for WPT. This could be what GSN needs to get up from the dismal numbers they have been seeing as of late.
GSN has made many hits IMO: Russian Roulette; Lingo; TTQ; WPT; Friend or Foe; (Yes, I admit I was a fan of that show….once)
I bet you when we see Bingo America, many of us may be thinking….”Now THIS is what NBN SHOULD have been!” But, we’ll see.
The aspect of players earning letters by answering questions leads me to wonder:
Bingo America=Bingo at Home remake?
It seems to me that GSN is desperate for a hit. So why not bring back some of the old originals like Whammy (one of my favorites among the GSN originals) or Russian Roulette? Besides, if NBN didn’t work on ABC, what makes GSN think their version will?
This sounds cool. I’ll be sure to watch this since I never saw ABC’s verson so this will be quite a surprise for me.
Also yes, devares, I would love GSN to bring back their ratings powerhouses like Whammy (for season 3 since the show is already on), Friend or Foe and Russian Roulette brought back also for season 3.I’m sure it wouldn’t be hard to get Mark L. Walberg and Todd Newton back but I’m not sure about Kennedy. She’s currently hosting Reality Remix on Fox Reality but I guess anything can happen. Besides with World Poker Tour, Bingo America and hopefully the bring back of their 02 originals eventually, GSN really needs to scrape at every possibly opportunity to get great ratings/primetime ratings.
Sounds like an interesting concept. Since PlayMania’s demise, GSN has been saying that they’d develop some kind of new interacitve thingy, and lo and behold, here it is.
On a completely different note, are there any South Park fans around here? If so, you might remember an episode entitled “Scuzzlebutt”. Based on that, we now have the first game show that has Partick Duffy for a leg.
Absolutely the perfect format for GSN. Good call. Will it be any good? Who knows. Will it be successful for GSN? Almost certainly.
If lame games is what GSN wants nowadays, why not buy the rights to the British hit, Sudo Q? It was based on the too hot,too hard numbers games.
“Scuzzlebutt” was the first thing I thought of when I read about Patrick Duffy hosting this show.
On another note, GSN has been running pop-up ads for something new they’re developing called “GSN Live”. Not many details were revealed, but it will be interactive, and will debut on January 25 at 12 PM on the east coast and 9 AM on the west coast. The ad also said “less commercials”. I’m guessing this will be interstitial segments running during breaks, much like they did in their earlier days. The fact that it’s airing live on both feeds is very encouraging – IMO that was one of their big mistakes with PlayMania.
I am a contestant on Bingo America and I just finished filming my episode. I am not allowed to disclose…pretty much anything…but I will tell you that Patrick Duffy is a fantastic game show host – he was made to do it! He’s also a really nice, genuine guy which makes it easy to relate to him on camera.
One of the things I love about the show is the trivia itself. It’s not ridiculously easy, but it’s not very hard either. It’s that perfect “play along at home” type where you could watch with your friends and see who gets the most answers. If there are two of you, and you’re reasonably intelligent, one of you will most likely know the answer.
But it’s a great level of play and a fun show. I hope it does well! Watch me :)
Gee,
Thinking about this and since Patrick Duffy played on the Bold and the Beautiful. He should have auditioned to succeed Barker. Imagine seeing Patrick Duffy on TPIR instead of Drew. Now I am not knocking Drew I think he is a terrific host but imaginr Patrick Duffy!
Yeaaaaaaaaaah, Patrick Duffy hosting TPiR. Again, why would he be good?
Well,
i can see him host PIR. He looks like the kind to host TPIR. He was on Bold and the Beautiful when Barker retired I wonder why he didn’t try out
Because looks are everything when it comes to hosting. *rolls eyes*
I mean, TPIR is Duffy’s kind of show
Ah, now I get it. Thanks for elaborating. *eyeroll*
Seriously, how is TPiR Patrick Duffy’s kind of show? That’s like saying The $10,000 Smell Your Own Farts/Who Hid My Hot Pockets? Hour is Pat Sajak’s kind of show. You’re making absolutely no sense at all.
i am deaf man and from indepnence kentucky,do you think that ican play with bingo on your show ? if they can play with me with interpter but I never see deaf people playing for game on tv show !!! that why I try into your game ok thanks stephen our phone is number is 859-356-1749
can we play and when i thought it was tonite
what channel is it on? i dont have gsn om tv.
what channel is it on? i dont have gsn om my tv.
I’m going to have to agree with Mike, James. Because many people complained about Patrick Duffy’s hosting duties. And he would not fit as host of “The Price is Right”.