No News Video: “Debt”

13 Apr

Posted by Alex Davis as Video

As always, lots of parties + no real news = no updates. So here’s a fun video that I’m really glad I found.

I’m in my 20s, so shows of the 90s were the ones most in my mind. Honestly I wasn’t that into game shows until Who Wants to be a Millionaire? came out, but there is one that I remember, and that was Debt. For the life of me I can’t remember why I watched this show since it’s on Lifetime and I don’t really care for movies with houses suddenly being set on fire starring Meredith Baxter-Birney, but I’m glad I did. It’s just an extremely fun show and if the tapes still exist I’d love to see GSN pick this up some day. Enjoy this portion of the show, and you can find more on YouTube as well. We’ll throw up more later if people want more.

8 Responses

steve
1
April 13th, 2008 at 8:24 pm

Alex: If I remember correctly, this show was actually cancelled for the very reason that it got more male viewers than females (a 2:1 ratio, I think). When Lifetime execs realized this, I think they canned it after the second season. So worry not, you’ve lost no masculinity in enjoying this show. I loved this show when I was a kid, always on right after Supermarket Sweep. Good times, they were…
Jordan Hass
2
April 14th, 2008 at 12:58 am

I loved DEBT, it was all the greatest game shows in one, Jeopardy, Name that Tune, Idiot Savants, then a Double or Debt question with a scary bald guy holding a briefcase with exactly $8,137.

Plus I know Wink had more fun on this show, than Tic Tac Dough, or Trivial Pursuit.

Plus the joke of “Contestants Walk Away with NOTHING” still cracks me up. I also like how it was the show where people started “In The Red” to begin with. There was nothing I hated about this show, except for its cancellation. Debt is way better than Temptation, Merv Griffins Crosswords and even Cash Cab. GSN could bring back this show, It could fit their budget of giving away $18,658.

Plus The Debt Piggy Bank with a Savings Bond, best Consolation Prize ever!
J.C.
3
April 14th, 2008 at 2:08 am

Are you serious, Steve? Wow, I’ve got to say that’s the dumbest reason (if not one of the dumbest reasons) I’ve ever heard for a cancellation. Who cares what group your channel is geared towards, if you’ve got the viewers, keep the damn show going! That’s my rant for this go round, thanks for watching.

Seriously though, this show should definitely be brought back.

P.S., Jordan: Unless some drastic changes have been made of which I’m unaware. Saying a show is better than Temptation’s not saying much. Reality is better than Temptation, and this is coming from someone who would ban reality from television if given the opportunity.
Marc Power
4
April 14th, 2008 at 10:31 am

I agree with J.C. on that, why cancel your show if you’re getting viewers and as far as I understood networks actually make more money from amle viewers than female viewers (not to sound sexist or anything)

I liked this show, I just never understood why the questions were written like that : “I’m the/You’re the” and a few tacky things like the obvious fake audience groans and cheers and the fact they score it as minus a negative which would actually add to the debt and calling the contestants: contestai (sp?) which is impropper english

If this were to come back I’d love to be on it, I’m about $7,000-$7,500 in debt thanks to college and being currently unemployed
Nikolai
5
April 14th, 2008 at 11:23 am

I think this show is a pretty good one. I’m still trying to see if there was a good reason for the show’s cancellation. I believe the remaining episodes that were unaired on Lifetime went into syndication, but there weren’t that many left. I believe the piggy bank that they showed for the two runner-up contestants looks like Hamm from “Toy Story”. One of the episodes I have seen of this has Frank Nicatero as a contestant before he did “Street Smarts”.
J.C.
6
April 14th, 2008 at 11:54 am

Marc: Chances are the “contesti” thing was just to be funny more than anything.
glenn
7
April 14th, 2008 at 12:23 pm

ill say it again…people who nitpick debt don’t get the idea…it was a PARODY of game shows…that still had real results…therefore the contesti, negative scoring and obvious plays on Jeopardy (i thought the I am you are format was hillarious!)

It was a great show and well knowing lifetime’s braintrust, i wouldnt be shocked…I know they were pitching the show for syndie or even ABC (with mortages being paid off) but they decided not to…the one issue about a GSN remake, they need a tried and true older host to make the stchick work…dunno if winker would want to come out of retirement (or any other classic gs host for that matter)
Intelligentfan777
8
April 15th, 2008 at 1:44 pm

Did you know that Street Smarts host Frank Nicotero was a contestant on the show in 1997?

He went all the way and won $14,106. Pretty impressive!