26Jan2009
“Wheel of Fortune” Celebrates 5,000 Episodes
A lot of game show milestones have happened over this past television season, and quite a few for Wheel of Fortune especially. It’s still number one in syndication, getting ratings that primetime networks would dream of having on such an unbelievably regular basis. They added a million dollar top prize which was won in the first five weeks in some act of witchcraft by contestant Michelle Loewenstein. Wheel can now add celebrating the 5,000th episode to its roster. The number one syndicated game show, hosted by Pat Sajak and Vanna White, celebrated the 5,000th episode on Janaury 15, 2009 at Sony Picture Studios in Culver City. Here are some pictures of the festivities.
Photos courtesy of Carol Kaelson/Sony Pictures
Wow! That’s great! Now the article says January 15th, was that the tape date or the air date
I hope it’s a tape date, I’d like to catch this one!!
Great “act of witchcraft” line, Alex.
I believe it was taping date, so be on the lookout for when it airs. I didn’t get to see the show last week so I don’t know if they used the log cabin-looking set, but I’m sure I would have heard earlier if so.
That just blows my mind. Pat and Vanna have undoubtedly become household names over the last 29 years and there’s no question I never thought 5000 episodes would ever be surpassed in the history of television. Just Incredible indeed.
1/15 was the tape date. The air date is the week of Feb 23, I’d believe 2/27, as that, mathematically, would be when a round number like 5000 would fall.
Also, I’d think Chuck and Susan would have something to say about that 29 year statement. Chuck would especially say he had that momentarily mental lapse only 28 years ago ;).
27 years this year Pat and Vanna have been on WOF together. However, that was including the 1 year they were prior to the syndie premiere in 1983.
I believe, IIRC, only TPIR at this moment has taped more episodes. Jeopardy tapes more episodes than WOF every season, so J! will actually pass WOF in the number of eps, in their current respective runs, very soon.
Nevertheless, 5000 is an admirable milestone in TV that very few shows ever get to. Here’s to 5000 more for Wheel, it looks like it very well might happen, which fills my heart with joy. :D
I understand that all this stems from WOF’s syndicated run. But, it seems to me that, in general, its entire run in daytime (including the “Chuck Woollery/Rolf Benirshke/Bob Goen” eras) is treated like that proverbial “red-haired bastard stepchild.”
So, does that make Wheel the second show to hit #5,000, after The Price is Right? Or did another show pass that landmark, too?
By the way, I think TPIR has also hit its 7,000th episode on January 19th. I don’t know if they did a celebration show then or if one’s on the way, though…
If you’re talking about ANY show, I believe some of the oldest network soap operas still running have passed the 10,000 episode mark. There are probably a number of other soaps that passed 5,000. The Tonight Show passed 5,000 episodes years ago. Other than those, TPIR, Entertainment Tonight, and Wheel, I can’t think of any other shows on commercial TV that produced 5,000 episodes in a single run.
Alex (not Davis): Price did pass it’s 7000th taped show, but according to episode numbers, it’s still yet to happen.
Good on Wheel for getting to 5000. Next stop: 6000 shows!!!