The Games Of 90 – Monopoly
Game Show Gumbo
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The first video in a monthly series of looking at all the game shows that debuted in 1990, or had other massive changes that made them different. This month’s subject will be the ABC Saturday Night flop: Monopoly. Did it deserve longer than the 12 week run it got with Super Jeopardy?
09.04.2022
12 episodes in 3 years of filming is what I call development hell
I have to admit, the Big Money Round was too damn short. I'd wished it was an hour show.
i am subscribed is that a bad thing????
Monopoly aired on ABC on Saturdays at 8 pm from June 16 to September 1, 1990.The Nielsen ratings for the show were as follows:* June 16, 1990: 7.1/15, 10.7 million viewers, 62nd out of 83 (second in timeslot in households, first in timeslot in viewers)* June 23, 1990: 6.3/14, 8.8 million viewers, 71st out of 86 (third in timeslot)* June 30, 1990: 6.5/15, 9.8 million viewers, 66th out of 86 (second in timeslot)* July 7, 1990: 5.8/13, 8.8 million viewers, 67th out of 86 (second in timeslot)* July 14, 1990: 5.6/13, 8.2 million viewers, 70th out of 84 (third in timeslot in households, fourth in timeslot in viewers)* July 21, 1990: 5.4/12, 7.9 million viewers, 74th out of 89 (third in timeslot in households, fourth in timeslot in viewers)* July 28, 1990: 5.0/11, 7.1 million viewers, 75th out of 90 (fourth in timeslot)* August 4, 1990: 5.4/12, 8.1 million viewers, 74th out of 93 (third in timeslot)* August 11, 1990: 4.5/10, 6.2 million viewers, 81st out of 91 (third in timeslot)* August 18, 1990: 4.2/9, 6.7 million viewers, 82nd out of 90 (fourth in timeslot)* August 25, 1990: 5.8/12, 8.2 million viewers, 73rd out of 89 (second in timeslot)* September 1, 1990: 5.2/12, 7.6 million viewers, 76th out of 88 (second in timeslot)Source: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WniiWDIV-v39jqKweeGe7G58lMKDkkdB/view
This game had so much potential but a novice host really brought it down, Billy Gardell with the Monopoly Millionaires Club was so much better even for a novice host.
Hell Mike Reilly, I would have rather seen him instead of Rolf Benirschke as host of daytime wheel!
The problem Peter had was with them using the midget as Rich Uncle Pennybags, he felt Merv was objectifying the actress playing the character.
Also, one question about the end game… I know if you hit a "Go to Jail", that's it, game over. If you exhaust all five rolls and fall short of Go, do you still lose your money?
I'm going to give Mike Reilly a pass, to be honest. He had three strikes against him.
1) He's never hosted anything before.
2) He was an 11th hour choice to host.
3) The game had so many intricacies that even a veteran host would have been in over their head.
Otherwise, you're on the money, boss.
To be fair, Monopoly did need an extra person onstage to roll the dice (the dice propelled into the bowl by an unseen force used in the pilot would've been kind of awkward), so you might as well have someone that's easy on the eyes do it. Also, Pat and Vanna didn't have much in the way of chemistry for a few years, so I can forgive the lack of interaction here.
The big problem with Monopoly was that it just doesn't fit into the template of a game show. Few board games do. After all, you don't see anyone tripping over themselves to do a game show version of Catan.
I just want to note about the bonus round that you would get an extra roll of the dice of you rolled doubles. Also, I thought I heard that there was an additional unaired episode. On the night it was supposed to air, they just replaced it with a rerun of America's Funniest Home Videos.
4:37 Judging by this vid, I guess she'd be my favorite;)
Did you see the original pilot featuring Marc Summers as host? The Peter Tomarken Pilot was a revamped version of Marc Summers pilot.
Michael Reilly was one of the few civilians to have actually hosted a game show; Larry Toffler is the only other one that comes to my mind; then again, Vanna White was a civilian when Merv signed her to do Wheel of Fortune; she, of course, became a star in no time.
here's my theory on how Mike Reilly got the hosting gig (based on stories I've heard). Peter indeed had a falling out with merv and dropped out of the show, Mike according to a web site I read was an aspiring actor, who put his showbiz career on hold to work as a waiter trying to help his wife pay for college. Merv needed a host and only had a 13-week commitment from ABC. Merv heard Mike's story and felt generous. that and he still felt he could do no wrong even though he missed with Rolf Benirschke.
And this is why you don't pass on a popular game show host in favor of some pilot contestant with ZERO hosting experience.
Monopoly Millionaire's club is a step up from this, only thing they kept is the final game except for the extra go to jails, and each space you land on a either a prize or a cash amount, also if you roll doubles you get a free roll except if you get doubles 3 times in a row that equals go to jail.
questions. what do you think would have happened if peter had stayed on as the host? could this show have worked in syndication? would have peter made it work on abc? could have made it work in syndication?
where did you get the footage of the Pilot episode?
Can you please send me a link?
I believe another show that didn't need a model was The $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime. Don't get me wrong, I liked Karen Thomas just fine but they tried to fix something that wasn't broken.
I loved Monopoly and still feel it was a good show. I enjoyed the quick pace. I wish the bonus round was better, however.
Peter looks like Johnny Olson!
I'm surprised this never aired on GSN
Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.
Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.
Yes, maybe the models weren't needed but that's one thing I really remember about the show!! Especially the model in lowcut red dress !
Monopoly Millionaires Club did this 1000% better.
Are those the same SFX used in the front game of supermarket sweep?
I thought Mike Really did well. Too bad the morning network game show blocks didn't last past 1993. He could of had a show or two of his own.
Hello Robert Simon
I remember seeing this in the summer of 1990 and I wish it was a hit. 😀👍
Michael Reilly had previously been a contestant on “Jeopardy!” and lost.