What Went Wrong? (Part 4 of 6) (The Pyramid: Davidson and Osmond versions)

[grammarguy]

I liked the Davidson's version -- it was "true" to the Pyramid formula (same music; same set) with a couple of wrinkles: the "Gamble for a Grand" card was a nice wrinkle to the front game: If you can do 7 in 25 instead of 30 seconds, it was worth a $1000. Would you gamble? I didn't care for the two-word phrases in 45 seconds they sometimes played. Davidson was decent as a host with a hefty burden: Compare him to other two hosts: Dick Clark (top-notch broadcaster without question) and Bill Cullen (I'd watch him host a dinner).

The show came (and left) at an odd time for syndication -- it ran the calendar year 1991, not over a traditional tv season. That certainly didn't help it, either.

[espnews26]

Suggesting that Pyramid is one of Harry Friedman's 3 worst shows he produced (along with Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune) is inane.

[Lingofan97]

Simpsons has been syndicated in reruns for years.

My mistake. I always think of "Syndicated" as game shows.

[phgellis]

Simpsons has been syndicated in reruns for years. There was a time back in the '60s when if a show was syndicated in reruns but also was airing first-run on the networks, they had to change the name of the syndie versions...the Andy Griffith Show became Andy of Mayberry, there was the Dick Van **** Daytime show etc etc. I believe MASH was the first show to keep its name in reruns while first-run still aired.

Can't believe GSN censored Dick Van you-know-who's last name.....as far as JD's Pyramid goes, I thought he was fine...he kept out of the way, he let the game take center stage. He didn't have the charm and intellect of Dick Clark, but no one ever will.

[Lingofan97]

Suggesting that Pyramid is one of Harry Friedman's 3 worst shows he produced (along with Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune) is inane.

Someone said that? That's unbelievable.

[drglo20]

When is the GSN Version supposed to begin?
Did we ever determine exactly why Dick Clark's version was pulled so abruptly?
And the answers they accept on Donny Osmond's version is a joke. The one episode tonight had a keyword of Lion and because they didn't phrase the answer exactly as it was written, they wasted another 10 or 12 seconds getting to it. It's so confusing because instincts as a contestant would make you stop saying the word Lion in your answer once it wasn't accepted, at least according to the standards from Dick Clark's version.

[Lingofan97]

When is the GSN Version supposed to begin?
Did we ever determine exactly why Dick Clark's version was pulled so abruptly?

We have no clue about The $100,000 Pyramid yet for GSN. All we know is that GSN is recording the pilot on June 11th and if they like that they will continue to produce 39 more episodes on July 24th and beyond.

And for Dick Clark's Pyramid, I'm assuming they are waiting for a lease. GSN hasn't really pulled the show off. They planned to show it last night, but couldn't, but they really want to show it. It's still on the schedule for next week.

[pzimm7778]

We have no clue about The $100,000 Pyramid yet for GSN. All we know is that GSN is recording the pilot on June 11th and if they like that they will continue to produce 39 more episodes on July 24th and beyond.

And for Dick Clark's Pyramid, I'm assuming they are waiting for a lease. GSN hasn't really pulled the show off. They planned to show it last night, but couldn't, but they really want to show it. It's still on the schedule for next week.

Yes, they could have if they wanted to. My money is on Osmonds shows being on next week.

[matchgame74fan]

Someone said that? That's unbelievable.

I don't know about that other person who said that, but I'd say that while I have my issues with Donnymid and present-day WoF, but I think Jeopardy is at a really good place right now. It's aged well IMO and is a perfect example of modifying with the times while keeping the game neatly intact. I'll still actually make time to watch it if I can't sit down at 7:30 every night to see it.

As for Donnymid... as much as I didn't care for the set or the music, I could live with it. The judging on the other hand.... -_-

Let's hope if GSN's version happens, Pyramid follows this same light of modifying while keeping what makes the game traditional and memorable in the first place.

[Lingofan97]

See, I don't mind Osmond's Pyramid airing on GSN, but at 10:30am is a bad slot. I think a Pyramid (Osmond) slot at noon, or even a Pyramid hour at noon, and a Lingo hour at 1pm would do well. In this case, $25,000 Pyramid could keep the 10:30am slots, 3am slots, then whatever they decide to do with Friday nights is a toss up between modern Pyramid and Clark's Pyramid.

But this coming Fall no matter what, GSN's Pyramid will take over the schedule. They may keep Clark's Pyramid in the morning, but I'm not sure.

[price4eva]

I like donny as host but the 6 20, Strict judging and no champs I think was what went wrong

[BillCullen1]

Donnymid - Osmond surprised me with his hosting ability. He was good. Inconsistent judging made the game bad, IMO. Also, if you passed on a word, you didn't get credit for it if you said it later. The original version gave you credit.

John Davidson was the WORST Pyramid host ever. He stumbled through the rules and screwed up more than once. He once told a team "You need seven to tie, eight to win." A loud buzzer is then heard. Davidson - "what, they can only get seven to tie." I mean for God's sake, if you're going to host a game show, LEARN THE RULES!! 'Nuff said.

[phimat37]

Donny Osmond's version - The 20 second time limit, the game just seemed rushed. This version was okay, but not one of my favorites. Donny was a good host, but eventually, I think the show just got old. The show could have lasted longer if they didn't "ruin" the game in a way. Also, having 6 words? I didn't care for that. I liked having 7 words. I hope in GSN's remake they don't screw anything up because, when CBS was planning on bringing back Pyramid as "The $1,000,000 Pyramid", I saw pictures of the set and it looked like just a modern version of the old set in a way.

John Davidson's version - I don't have much to say about it. It was absolutely the worst version ever, IMHO. Donny's version can beat John's version any day, IMHO.

[Lingofan97]

I like donny as host but the 6 20, Strict judging and no champs I think was what went wrong

The strict judging was horrible on Donny's Pyramid. Hopefully GSN goes the more classic way towards judging. Some player in the winners' circle would be one word off from the actual clue, and they would still mark them wrong

[catnap72]

The strict judging was horrible on Donny's Pyramid. Hopefully GSN goes the more classic way towards judging. Some player in the winners' circle would be one word off from the actual clue, and they would still mark them wrong

In as much as DC said the exact opposite a few times (usually because of a heartbreaker bobble where they had to review the tape), I think Donnymid really did want to try to limit the amount they had to pay out, which would explain the ridiculous judging and tournament structure.