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Theme/celebrity weeks on game shows during sweeps periods

E

EricStein

It seems like every game show pulls out stunts (such as bringing in B/C-list celebrities to play or visiting another city) during sweeps months. I suspect they do this to try and boost ratings, but I'm surprised that doing so actually helps the shows.

Personally, I'm turned off when a game show does this and prefer the normal contestants. I want to get some views on this subject.
 
Pretty simple...they do it because it generally works. Not like you can get 100% agreement on anything, so you balance the up and down sides; curious people may tune in for the stunt, and if they stay with you, all the better. If not, you didn't have them before, so you got a little bonus. And nothing indicates the core viewers abandon you.
 
I think I have to agree with Eric; for most people watching celebrities
playing for charity doesn't have the same excitement as "ordinary" people
playing for themselves. I haven't seen a "Celebrity Jeopardy!" tournament
in years, and I know it helped kill the network version of "The Weakest Link".

Interesting that once upon a time huge audiences tuned in to watch celebrities
having the fun of playing the game without concern for the money ("What's My
Line?," "I've Got A Secret," "To Tell The Truth"); nowadays, "Line" hasn't made
any new shows since 1975, and the other two have come and gone several times
in short-lived new versions.
 
I think it's give the show a nice break. I remember when WHEEL and JEOPARDY first started going to
other cities........it was like WoW.......why didn't they start doing this a long time ago, what
took them so long?
 
bpatrick said:
I think I have to agree with Eric; for most people watching celebrities
playing for charity doesn't have the same excitement as "ordinary" people
playing for themselves. I haven't seen a "Celebrity Jeopardy!" tournament
in years, and I know it helped kill the network version of "The Weakest Link".
Click to expand...

Wasn't over-exposure of celebrities one of the reasons the network version of "Millionaire" died quick and painfully (obviously, over-exposure of the show itself did them in)?

I was surprised to find members of the Harlem Globetrotters as the theme of the second week of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader's season this year. 20th TV shouldn't be surprised that ratings are down for them this year (tied with unwatchable rookie and sister show Don't Forget the Lyrics).

As for "Celebrity Jeopardy!" - I believe they still put this on, but the last time I saw one it was during the summer months.
 
Last season, Celebrity Jeopardy was a season-long event--one show per month until they reached the semis/finals. They then repeated it in the summer. In the previous season, there was no "week," just scattered specials mixed in here and there.
 
Celebrity competitions on TV then:
"Battle Of The Network Stars."

Celebrity competitions on TV now:
"I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!"

How times have changed.
 
imhomerjay said:
Last season, Celebrity Jeopardy was a season-long event--one show per month until they reached the semis/finals. They then repeated it in the summer. In the previous season, there was no "week," just scattered specials mixed in here and there.
Click to expand...

In other words, there were weeks when J! aired one Celeb J! and the rest of the week consisted of regular contestants, is that what you're saying? What day of the week did those Celeb J!'s air, homer, Fridays, perhaps?

I'll have more to say on this tonight.

ixnay
 
Let's also not forget shows like "Hollywood Squares" and "Match Game" where the celebrities were always there just to have fun...and to promote their new project.
 
ixnay said:
imhomerjay said:
Last season, Celebrity Jeopardy was a season-long event--one show per month until they reached the semis/finals. They then repeated it in the summer. In the previous season, there was no "week," just scattered specials mixed in here and there.
Click to expand...

In other words, there were weeks when J! aired one Celeb J! and the rest of the week consisted of regular contestants, is that what you're saying? What day of the week did those Celeb J!'s air, homer, Fridays, perhaps?

I'll have more to say on this tonight.

ixnay
Click to expand...

Not Fridays. Thursdays, IIRC.
 
The third Thursday of every month. Fortunately, they've abandoned that format this season, and will presumably do this year's celebrity tourney under their old schedule.
 
imhomerjay said:
Pretty simple...they do it because it generally works. Not like you can get 100% agreement on anything, so you balance the up and down sides; curious people may tune in for the stunt, and if they stay with you, all the better. If not, you didn't have them before, so you got a little bonus. And nothing indicates the core viewers abandon you.
Click to expand...

Sorry I'm late getting back. I was too tired last night to go on the computer.

Eric, if you don't like the stunt, don't watch, it's that simple. Come back when the regular contestants do. And welcome to the club. But at least it breaks the monotony. Although I do enjoy J!’s tournaments of champions, and if I were connected with one of the institutions involved in WoF or J!’s college stunts, I’d want to watch that.

Homer, as with TWC’s “diversification” of the schedule, King World seems to be simply diversifying with their stunts, the way the Beatles came to diversify their music, starting with “Yesterday”.

As for Celeb J!, don’t they lob nerfball answers at the celebs? TVG, back when it was digest-sized, took a “jeer” at this with something like, “A: He’s known as ‘Uncle Walter’. Q: Hmm, laying in on a bit thick, Alex?”

My mother watched WoF last night, which is rare for her these days. She was a long time devotee of Sajak/Trebek until she discovered House Hunters International and House Hunters on HGTV, and started watching those faithfully (they air opposite WoF and J! in our market). She’ll watch the HH’s for a few weeks, then get bored, then watch the King World game shows for a few weeks, then go back. And she seems to not mind the stunts.

ixnay

Homer
 
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