http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20188066,00.html

Enjoy the craptitude.

Still casting, huh? Then maybe it isn’t completely out yet…

The middle version was the best: 3 x $1000 before first escape, 2 x $2000 before second escape, 1 x $3000 before escape, and each step after that +$1000; three helps (Ask, Poll, and Trust); two-step tricky logic questions (Capitol of US? Must figure out its mayor to get it right) - this had “respectable, semi-major hit” written all over it. Then Cometh The Money Tree (aka, the Shark Jump), when the bounty changed from so much for each player to a set reward for outing 10 players. Having a Jackpot winner on the first show of this new format couldnt’ve helped either. Could part of the reason DoND is still active (while not too bad Millionaire “clones” (term used loosely) like Power of 10 and Your Chance of a Lifetime (remember that one, and where’s Gordon Elliott, by the way?) fall away too soon) be that there’s NOBODY that has yet claimed the show’s Holy Grail, though some have chosen the case with the Million? Would like to see how Regis’s MDPW lasts should they end up with a ringer on week 1 or 2. At least they’re giving star editions of John O’Hurley’s Feud a chance come summer.

Come to think of it, howsabout Bob Saget sign up for host of TBS’s new Match Game revival? Just a thought…

1. NBC will change this proposed schedule shortly after all the other networks present their fall schedules in May. The Peacock made such changes the last two seasons, and I expect them to do the same again.

2. It isn’t a guarantee some of these shows will be around by the time NBC plans on airing them. Gladiators, for examples, lost half its overall audience and demo from its premiere to first-season finale. If it falls further this summer, NBC may just pull the plug on the show, rather than doing a 2009 season.

3. At least one prominent, overhyped show is missing from this list. Where’s the planned U.S. version of “Top Gear” that the Peacock’s been crowing about for the last few months? I’ve noticed in recent years, with the rise of unscripted programming (reality/game/etc.), that the networks tend to keep several of its unscripted options hidden from the media and rivals until shortly before announcing its existence.

As far as 1 vs. 100 goes — AFAIK, NBC still has a good relationship with Endemol. DoND, despite being overused, overhyped, etc., remains a ratings winner for the Peacock. But I can’t help wonder if Howie Mandel or a higher-up at the show will put their foot down at the amount of episodes the network and NBC’s syndication arm are expecting from the show. As we’ve heard, a typical episode of nighttime DoND can take 6-8 hours to film. The daytime version shouldn’t be that bad (given that it’s only 30 minutes and most of the nighttime circus elements are expected to be removed), but this still requires Mandel and company to produce at least 195 daytime (if 39 weeks of shows are approved) and 50+ nighttime episodes. I could see DoND balking at the workload, and perhaps NBC could drop the Friday edition in exchange for 1 vs. 100 or another game show.

As far as DoND being pulled off Mondays at 8 — the show carries a similar demo as Dancing with the Stars, and DWTS gets a better rating. Hence, why DoND doesn’t air Mondays at 8 while Bergeron and company are in action.

Wait, that’d be sensible.

NBC: fourth for a reason.

I know DoND did a lot better than Chuck, but I’m definitely glad to see Chuck back in the same Monday timselot. Hopefully it’ll get more viewers, cuz it really is a great show in my book.

I’m kinda surprised American Gladiators is going to be a summer show though. I thought maybe there might be one DoND and one American Gladiators on the fall schedule.