TV Show Cancellation Thread (including ending ones)

[WheelRob]

This was covered in other threads, but the syndicated run of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? was cancelled at the end of its 17th season. The final episode aired on May 31, but reruns are currently airing through September.

The ratings were usually around 1.6 for the last few years, around a quarter of the bigger game shows Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, and Family Feud. A big turn-off for fans was that nobody correctly answered a million dollar question since 2003, with the drought somewhat remedied by having a special tournament in 2009 guaranteeing a million dollar payout to the winner.

Another bad mistake that contributed to its downfall was the complete shake-up (literally) of the game's iconic format in 2010, with questions and their difficulties now presented in a random order for most of the game. They eventually ditched this and returned to the original format in 2015, but it was too little, too late. Something that also didn't help the show's excitement factor was that no contestant made it to the million dollar question since 2013; most contestants in the final few seasons left with $5,000 (the first milestone, equivalent of the $1,000 mark in the primetime run with Regis) due to the question difficulty bordering on impossible by the $30,000 mark.

The show also went through four different hosts in a span of just four seasons, settling on Bachelor host Chris Harrison for the final four seasons.

 

[crainbebo]

I think the downfall of Millionaire? began with the timed format in 2009. Hated it. Really hated it. I think they designed that to put more commercials in the show...
Then they brought back the non-timed version the next year but didn't have a hot seat whatsoever. There hasn't been a Hot Seat in that studio for years. Losing Meredith for Cedric, then Terry, then Chris, just meant the downfall was here. I don't think anyone has won more than $100,000 in this past season. The few that even made it up there usually walked away or got it wrong...
Wonder how Regis feels about his show going down to this shell of its own self? THEY HAD NINE CONFETTI DROPS IN 2 1/2 YEARS! The syndicated version had two millionaires in the first season, then a 'forced' millionaire with the Tournament of Ten. ABC used to win entire weeks with WWTBAM in primetime, sometimes airing it 3-4 nights a week. In 1999-2000 it was #1 in the Nielsen's.

It's easier to get all six songs right in the bonus on Beat Shazam, than it is to get to the million dollar question on Millionaire. And for that factor, it's easier to win on 'Shazam' than it is to keep the million dollar wedge, spin the right envelope and solve the puzzle on Wheel. And yet $2,000,000 was lost in one week this January.........

 

[anotherguyTN]

I posted this in another thread but I'm surprised that Millionaire wasn't already canceled years ago because of the factors mentioed of the format change and there being no big winner since 2009, but in a lot of cities it was either stuck in an extreme late night or or early AM time slot or not on at all.

 

[Will_H_69_9]

also i wouldn't be surprised if they bring WWTBAM back in a few years with the classic format back as a Summertime game show for ABC's fun & games summer lineup.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

The show ran darned near close to two decades. Its “downfall” was it just ran its course. Talking about 2009 being the beginning of the end? That was an entire decade. Heck, the final host had a run longer than many shows have in their entirety. Things wear out.

I’m not sure I’d bet on Millionaire making the summer game lineup. It’s a different kind of show from a different era (the remaking of To Tell the Truth not withstanding). They’ve been mining a more 70s/80s vibe with a modern twist. That was never Millionaire’s approach.

 

[davideduardo]

The show ran darned near close to two decades. Its “downfall” was it just ran its course. Talking about 2009 being the beginning of the end? That was an entire decade. Heck, the final host had a run longer than many shows have in their entirety. Things wear out.

I’m not sure I’d bet on Millionaire making the summer game lineup. It’s a different kind of show from a different era (the remaking of To Tell the Truth not withstanding). They’ve been mining a more 70s/80s vibe with a modern twist. That was never Millionaire’s approach.

And one has to consider that a million dollars is nowhere near as valuable as it was when the show started. When there are lottery prizes routinely in the hundreds and hundreds of millions, a single mil just is not very exciting. The concept might have to be rethought.

 

[WheelRob]

I posted this in another thread but I'm surprised that Millionaire wasn't already canceled years ago because of the factors mentioed of the format change and there being no big winner since 2009, but in a lot of cities it was either stuck in an extreme late night or or early AM time slot or not on at all.

Here's the list of markets that didn't carry the show at all:

* Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto, CA
* Pittsburgh, PA
* Memphis, TN
* Savannah, GA
* Burlington, VT/Plattsburgh, NY
* Tri-Cities, TN/VA
* Springfield/Holyoke, MA
* Traverse City/Cadillac, MI
* Bakersfield, CA
* Monroe, LA/El Dorado, AR
* Binghamton, NY
* Yuma, AZ/El Centro, CA
* Lake Charles, LA
* Watertown, NY
* Alexandria, LA
* Bowling Green, KY
* Greenwood/Greenville, MS
* Presque Isle, ME
* Juneau, AK

It is also not available to watch in Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands, unlike Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! (via WSEE Erie for PR, and native ABC affiliate WCVI-DT2 for USVI)


These markets only air it in late-night slots. This does not count stations that air it overnight but also have a daytime or evening airing:

* Washington, DC - WJLA (ABC) at 1:07 and 1:37 AM Eastern
* Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, FL - WPLG (ABC) at 1:37 AM Eastern
* San Antonio, TX - KMYS (CW) at 12:30 AM Central
* Columbia, SC - WOLO (ABC) at 1:06 AM Eastern
* Lafayette, LA - KLFY (CBS) at 12:37 AM Central

 

[anotherguyTN]

And one has to consider that a million dollars is nowhere near as valuable as it was when the show started. When there are lottery prizes routinely in the hundreds and hundreds of millions, a single mil just is not very exciting. The concept might have to be rethought.

But one million is still the top prize on several game shows, with the exception of some like Spin the Wheel that has potentially higher amounts but their biggest winner so far was $700,000+ last night, and big winners on Jeopardy like James Holzhauer that don't happen very often.

 

[crainbebo]

Which could have been a television-history-record-breaking $4,051,000 if she didn't take the offer. (Not counting lottery game shows). That would have totally destroyed Holzhauer AND Jennings AND IIRC, Rutter too.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

But one million is still the top prize on several game shows, with the exception of some like Spin the Wheel that has potentially higher amounts but their biggest winner so far was $700,000+ last night, and big winners on Jeopardy like James Holzhauer that don't happen very often.

That’s true. But those shows aren’t based—to the extent it’s in the title—on the prize. It’s not that a million isn’t “a lot” to most of us, but that the show needs something a little “more” to it. The new Press Your Luck offers a potential—if darned near impossible—million, but the appeal and fun is in the game itself, as one example.

I think David’s point is well taken. WWTBAM was all tension and hype towards that one goal. Now that tension and melodrama seems a bit overdone relative to the prize.

 

[WheelRob]

But one million is still the top prize on several game shows, with the exception of some like Spin the Wheel that has potentially higher amounts but their biggest winner so far was $700,000+ last night, and big winners on Jeopardy like James Holzhauer that don't happen very often.

It feels like several game shows whose name doesn't start with J have had trouble producing big winners this year.

Millionaire failed to give away more than $100K all season; apparently nobody won the next-highest prize $250K since 2017.

The Price is Right hasn't had any "Double Showcase Winners" or "Perfect Shows" (where all six pricing games are fully won) this season. Though for the past few years, they've been purposefully pricing the Showcases such that you cannot win both showcases with a round $XX,000 bid, so if both players make such bids, you know right away only one Showcase at most is getting won. Still, this would be the first season with zero DSW's since the last season where the range was $100 instead of the current $250 (sometime in the 90's I think).

Wheel of Fortune had an abysmal final six weeks of its season, most of which "coincidentally" fell during Holzhauer's streak (he lost the Monday of Wheel's season finale week). Out of the final 30 episodes, only one ended with a Bonus Round win, and it was filmed before the other 29 episodes with losses. The last taped win aired in late April. Even though they up the minimum Bonus Round prize every year (a stupid gimmick, IMO), they managed to give away less money this season than the last. Only about 30% of Bonus Rounds were won in the 2018-19 season overall. As was noted earlier, two people lost the $1,000,000 prize (against microscopic odds to begin with), and another six lost the normal time prize of $100K, with only one person winning it all season. The $100K/$1M has only been won 10% of the time in the past three years, with only one win per season since 2016 and at least eight losses each season.

 

[anotherguyTN]

Which could have been a television-history-record-breaking $4,051,000 if she didn't take the offer. (Not counting lottery game shows). That would have totally destroyed Holzhauer AND Jennings AND IIRC, Rutter too.

If Justin Smith had won the $4 million+ it would have been the biggest single amount ever, but in overall winnings Rutter and Jennings would still be on top because of their multiple winnings at different times on Jeopardy and other shows with Smith being third.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_game_show_winnings_records#All-time_top_ten_winnings_list

 

[landtuna]

Just a curious question to all you quiz show geeks.....

Do you gather in front of your TV with your dinner on your TV tray to watch just like we did in the 50's?

 

[anotherguyTN]

Just a curious question to all you quiz show geeks.....

Do you gather in front of your TV with your dinner on your TV tray to watch just like we did in the 50's?

Sometimes at lunch for Jeopardy.

 

[crainbebo]

I've noticed that about Price. No DSWs, but a lot of double overbids and a horrific $40 overbid a while back...just seems weird to not hear the whoops and clangs even once this season during the showcase. Seems like the showcases keep going up in value each year too. Modest-looking bids are off by $8-13,000...

 

[Syfy]

Which could have been a television-history-record-breaking $4,051,000 if she didn't take the offer. (Not counting lottery game shows). That would have totally destroyed Holzhauer AND Jennings AND IIRC, Rutter too.

What was that on spin the wheel? Or what shw offered that much?

 

[Syfy]

This was covered in other threads, but the syndicated run of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? was cancelled at the end of its 17th season. The final episode aired on May 31, but reruns are currently airing through September.

The ratings were usually around 1.6 for the last few years, around a quarter of the bigger game shows Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, and Family Feud. A big turn-off for fans was that nobody correctly answered a million dollar question since 2003, with the drought somewhat remedied by having a special tournament in 2009 guaranteeing a million dollar payout to the winner.

Another bad mistake that contributed to its downfall was the complete shake-up (literally) of the game's iconic format in 2010, with questions and their difficulties now presented in a random order for most of the game. They eventually ditched this and returned to the original format in 2015, but it was too little, too late. Something that also didn't help the show's excitement factor was that no contestant made it to the million dollar question since 2013; most contestants in the final few seasons left with $5,000 (the first milestone, equivalent of the $1,000 mark in the primetime run with Regis) due to the question difficulty bordering on impossible by the $30,000 mark.

The show also went through four different hosts in a span of just four seasons, settling on Bachelor host Chris Harrison for the final four seasons.

Why dont they have cedric the entertainer hosting millionaire any more?

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

It feels like several game shows whose name doesn't start with J have had trouble producing big winners this year.

Wheel of Fortune had an abysmal final six weeks of its season, most of which "coincidentally" fell during Holzhauer's streak (he lost the Monday of Wheel's season finale week).

Different taping schedules. So yeah. coincidence.

 

[anotherguyTN]

What was that on spin the wheel? Or what shw offered that much?

Yes that was on Spin the Wheel. The top spot on the wheel is $3 million and they supposedly claim that the potential winnings could be $23 million, but it's not very likely to happen. Most players will never hit anywhere near that, or will take the bailout offer.

 

[crainbebo]

Bailout, which was what happened. I was really hoping for a TV-history breaking moment....but perhaps she took the offer in good taste knowing there were what? a dozen Back to Zero's that would end the game?
However their ratings are falling - reruns of The Wall are destroying them on Thursday nights. NBC allegedly taped 20 new 'Wall' episodes but with the sexual harassment case that happened against Chris Hardwick, they haven't tried to air them. I believe Chris was cleared of wrongdoing. They BOTH got 0.5/3 in the ratings but in terms of viewer count, The Wall had 3.4 million vs. Spin the Wheel's 2.43. Beat Shazam had 100,000 more viewers on Mon night, a 0.6/4 share, and they only give away up to $1,000,000. But there's no wheel involved, no 'scripted' message and conversation from the family member, etc etc. That's what I don't like about STW and The Wall. The endings look so scripted...