Comments on: The State of GSN

By: Scott Meckley

Scott Meckley — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:12:37 +0000

I think this channel should be mainly nothing but gameshows. I even think if GSN wants to go reality how about a reality show about gameshow wannabe’s try out to be a gameshow host. that would be a reality show I would actually watch. I think GSN needs to pick up some more classics ( Sale Of The Century, Scrabble, High Rollers, Caesar’s Challenge, Wipeout, $1,000,000 Chance Of A Lifetime, and bring back Joker’s Wild and 80’s Chain Reaction. Also if you want to go towards newer gameshows why not revive say Hot Potato, Go, Trivia Trap, Wipeout. I personally would love to see GSN be bascially an all classics network but that’s more than not likely.

By: Jakes

Jakes — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 20:52:34 +0000

I agree with Seth–”…GSN’s problem isn’t even entirely *what* they’re showing, so
much as *how they’re showing it…” To put my own word in edge-wise, GSN doesn’t nessicarily need more original game shows or remakes/revivals of their original game shows but, in my opinion, remakes/revivals of somewhat less popular game shows; following the same format but making them better and more want-to-watchable
like back in 2002-2003.

Also I’d like to put a word in for GSN’s “To Tell The Truth” revival, which I love.
(Paula Poundstone is hilarious!)

By: TSS_Killer

TSS_Killer — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 03:31:49 +0000

Typo there, regular basis*…and I wonder why I didn’t catch that when I wrote the comment.

By: TSS_Killer

TSS_Killer — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 03:29:37 +0000

I have said it before, and I’ll say it again…GSN has not lived up to expectations since 2000. When I was 12 (in 2000), GSN was a dream network for me…a network that I wished my cable operator would carry at the time (I didn’t get GSN until July of ‘03). With the Barry & Enright shows, TPIR, and 25k Pyramid, it was a well oiled machine. To tell you the truth, if GSN was like this back in 2000, I’d never want to watch it. I haven’t watched GSN on a regular since March 1st (and the only thing that would possibly make me reorder a pay tv service is because of Card Sharks…that’s all I’m interested in right now). In any case, GSN needs to realize that we are tired of the Poker and Blackjack shows that are shown on several networks as clones and revert back to the classics. I also agree that something should be done about mixing classic shows with interactive games. I would find that more entertaining than some of their newer shows they’re producing right now. GSN needs to choose someone that will be the Castrol GTX to its media machine, and if that person makes horrendous programming choices, all the better for me not to suffer through it.

By: Bobby

Bobby — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 22:24:57 +0000

GSN needs to start all over again or go off the air. I love GSN and I do not know how I would spend my TV watching time if it was not on but maybe it’s time that the network goes off and is reinvents itself.

By: Pierre Kelly

Pierre Kelly — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 22:07:43 +0000

If there’s any indication why we should get rid of the shrinking credit graphic so we can hear the “Super Password” whoosh ending, then it’s my vote. Reruns of DED, Millionaire, Lingo and something else just doesn’t cut. Bring back Hot Potato, Body Language, TJW, TTD, Cram or an old GSN program. I like the way Camouflage is, but put it to an hour earlier. Playmania needs to stop having a hypnosis moment and take it somewhere else. They need to borrow a page from the “Take The Cake” playbook and have the callers call back within 30 seconds. And get the red clock out of here. Stalling just doesn’t cut it. Without Prejudice is okay, but it’s taking a cue from “Big Brother” and “Change of Heart.” Get rid of that! GSN needs to get their head in the game!

By: Seth

Seth — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 19:34:55 +0000

GSN has serious issues - they can’t decide whether to be a rerun channel, or an originals channel, or a poker channel, or a reality channel. There’s an old axiom that states that “If you try to please everyone, you risk pleasing no one”. That’s what’s largely occuring here. It’s not even so much the varies genres of programming, so much as the way said programming is scheduled. There’s no rhyme or reason or logical progression behind scheduling. Originals follow poker, with random reality mixed in. Mid-afternoon programming is now dominated by reruns of the original programs that didn’t manage to lose their audience between Poker and Playmania…it’s a mess.

http://drbullfish.com/gsn.txt

Made in less than 15 minutes - most time spent was on physically typing the list. Uses the framework of the current schedule. Programming, aside from the 10 PM slot, is mostly structured. “Rerun abuse” is minimalized. Some of the vault programming is aired on Weekends for variety’s sake. It uses the same formula as GSN’s schedule, but in a much more organized format. This isn’t so much an attempt at an “OMG DREEM SCHEDULE”, moreso, it’s to show that GSN’s problem isn’t even entirely *what* they’re showing, so much as *how* they’re showing it.
—-
In regards to credit crunches and cuts: I always throught that certain aspects of the credits were mandated to be displayed (or at least strongly encouraged), either due to government (copyright details) or by unions (crew members, etc). GSN’s the *only* network I know that doesn’t air a credit roll to it’s entirety. Even networks like ABC Family, Lifetime, the broadcast networks, will use CGI credits - but they do air a full roll.

By: DDELE7

DDELE7 — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 03:26:05 +0000

I cant understand GSN’s ways. Do they really hate end credits. I mean they squashed the credits of O’Hurleys To tell the truth which had the classic Mark Goodson productions logo. To me thats insulting.

I thought that Without Prejudice was an interesting show. It gave viewers something new and rarely seen on GSN, a psychological thriller of a program which broke the rules and wasnt any word game program or card show.

If GSN wanna be Las Vegas 24/7 and offer only poker shows then make the move. If they want to cater to us old-skoolers and give us the classic programs, then jump on it. But whatever they do make a move quickly and smoothly. This would have been the best time of year to do something cause GSN would be prepared to offer something new for the fall.

I hope that without prejudice has a good run on the network for games. For some reason, i feel like its best suited for primetime network TV. I do know, that if it wasnt the summer, Oprah Winfrey would have a show on this. It is a great concept.

By: The Great Butler

The Great Butler — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 01:02:35 +0000

I don’t know if this is the right place to vent, but I need to let it out.

Without Prejudice was horrible, even worse than I expected. I watched the entire premiere (no lie) to give it a shot, thinking maybe my initial impressions were wrong. After the initial controversy by that guy’s “I don’t like him ‘cuz he’s black” comment, all they did was talk… it was SO boring. The end was even more lifeless than an entire episode of Camoflauge… “We’ve decided to give you $25,000, congratulations, goodbye”… Robi Ludwig failed miserably. I remember someone saying she would need to take on the panelists, which she didn’t… the show needed a spark plug host and she couldn’t do it… I will admit I was heartened by that same guy’s ending up voting for the black man to win though.

By: Ben Williams

Ben Williams — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:14:08 +0000

I don’t think that GSN has the viewers to move to sole destination night programming- TNT/TBS and others started out with a predominantly stripped program schedule, but as the channel got more popular, they moved to single night programming.
You are right though- they do need to not run every new show as a strip. The idea of running a light word game from 7-8 and then from 10-11 seemed to be working, but in between, there’s too much of shows weve seen before (DED, Greed, millionaire and 21). They need new shows (and not nessacarily game shows) in that spot.
And Ive said it before and I’ll say it again…running just classic game shows won’t make the network a success.

By: myke25

myke25 — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:45:58 +0000

Ben -
Millionaire would likely still be on ABC if they didn’t put it on every freakin’ night (and didn’t overdo the whole celebrity thing). I’m only suggesting that if GSN goes into rebuilding mode, strips may not be the way to go. I think it’s good that Without Prejudice is not on 5 nights-a-week. I would argue that I’ve Got A Secret might have performed better if they didn’t strip it, thus burning out the few episodes they made real fast. GSN’s not stripping in prime time now, but many of their prime time shows are just tired old reruns, and frankly I’ve had my fill of Dog Eat Dog and Greed…and I like them both.
And as for cable being a different beast…BS! Outside of the news channels and The Daily Show, how many cable channels strip their original shows in prime time? I don’t see The Sheild on every night at 10. FX started with one night of originals and built from there. TNT is making Monday their night for originals and building from there.
GSN abandoned its core audience by going after reality and poker fans. They had a nice little niche there. The originals (RR, ForF) were pretty good and had better ratings than what the gaming show get now. Maybe in order to look forward, they need to look back at what was working for them. And the new boss needs to be a game show guy…not a cable guy.

By: Steve Baxley

Steve Baxley — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 23:08:00 +0000

To me, GSN is in need of more than a band aid, it needs an VERY EXTREME MAKEOVER!

First,Can we say now that without a doubt they have lost direction TOTALLY and need to get back to what made them watchable…how about a 50-50 mix of classic and new shows.
The Poker and Blackjack shows may be good, but lets face it the fad is showing some fade out.

Second,Things are NOT looking good for the survival of its live latenight interactive game show “PLAYNANIA”, with its parent company (Optimistic Entertainment) drowing in bankruptcy
and the various “Computer Problems” they have had recently, looks like the end is near for Shandi late night.

Someone better right the ship FAST

By: Brandon

Brandon — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 22:34:25 +0000

GSN doesn’t know what they want to do. They throw whatever idea against the wall, and see if it sticks. And even if it does, they still don’t stay with it.

Do they want traditional game shows (Camouflage, That’s the Question, Lingo), do they want the ESPN casino programming, or do they want to be a reality show network? They need to figure this out behind closed doors and stop these on-air experiments. I think they’ve tried to reinvent themselves several times since the 2004 rebranding, and so far they haven’t found anything.

Also, if you’re going to squeeze credits, how about you let the actual credits finish out and not cut to the next show before the first one is done.

All in all, GSN looks like a bush-league network run out of someone’s basement. They really need to step it up in numerous ways.

By: Ben Williams

Ben Williams — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 20:42:57 +0000

Its very intersting the response of people to Camoflage- I see that most people like it, but if they don’t get the answers quickly, it’s claimed as “too hard” and is thus a “bad show.” I will concur, I am slightly alarmed to see that all of GSN’s orginals lately have some of the most basic bonus rounds in history.

myke25’s theory of “one big night” simply won’t cut it anymore…cable is a different beast- if they put all their eggs in one basket, GSN would possibly get higher ratings, yet, what would happen with the rest of the schdule?

I feel that Game show network changed to GSN to become more of a hybrid of casino/classic/new classic/contemporary shows to appeal to the masses. But they haven’t found that balance yet.

By: myke25

myke25 — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:32:52 +0000

The relative success of Lingo and some of the big network game shows (1 vs 100, 5th Grader) tells me that there’s still an audience for traditional game shows where the average Joe can win some decent money and where the audience can play along. GSN seems to find this baffling. The gaming shows they air are nothing but rich people playing cards. Who cares? Even the traditional (original) games they do air are, for the most part, lifeless. Camoflage isn’t doing much for me so far and That’s The Question was OK, not great. They are just not exciting shows to watch. I still get most of my enjoyment from GSN watching the classics during the day. Match Game is still one of the funniest game shows ever on TV. Pyramid’s winner’s circle is by far the most exciting bonus round ever created. If they could do a two-hour block of two re-visioned classics with name recognition, add an interactive element to each, and develop a couple of exciting new traditional games, I think they’d have something…even if they did it just one night-a-week…say like Friday. 1 vs 100 proves that there’s an audience there on Friday nights. Who says you have to strip everything? Make a big splash on one night.