So it has been more than a week since people stopped watching Wheel of Fortune because they'll never watch it again so long as Ryan Seacrest is the host.
Sure, Jan.
People are weird. We all know that. Some claimed they'd stop watching, and maybe they will. I doubt that the show is going to lose many viewers because of a host change, and I suppose a few people are going to tune in for the first time in a long time because the host is new.
A lot of us simply like the game, and like playing along. Only a bad host and a dramatic change in the overall production will drive us away.
So I watched a handful of episodes thus far, and I have mixed feelings about it all.
Foremost, Seacrest is just fine. Is he perfect? No. He knows how to host. He knows how to broadcast. Wheel isn't in his DNA, but emceeing is. He's not flawless in his delivery and witty banter. But he'll get there.
I read an article pointing out that during the speed-up portion of the final round, Seacrest didn't remind a contestant to call a letter before solving the puzzle when she asked if she could solve it. Pat Sajak usually would note to the contestant that s/he could pick a letter first and bank more money. So the woman lost out on extra cash as a result. Oh well. Seacrest will get better at that sort of thing as he faces it on a recurring basis.
The hardest thing for me is just simple stuff. I'm not Sajak's biggest fan, but his style, cadence, etc. were familiar. Seacrest does everything just a tiny bit different, and it feels a bit odd. It's not painful, but I didn't expect it, either. I'll adjust, and after a while I won't even remember how Sajak did it.
What bothers me is that they've really messed with the continuity of the show. I just can't sleep at night.
I read the suggestion, more than once, that it was really important to bring Vanna White back to the show after Sajak's faux retirement, because it was important for Abraham and Agnes to see her familiar face. Without her, they'd be so confused and disoriented they'd turn the channel to a rerun of Card Sharks on Buzzr.
People really think Vanna is that vital. You can't make it up.
And yet, as critical as it is to maintain some sort of continuity for the poor, simple-minded viewers, they changed the set to some weird, freakish chamber of odd wheel shapes. The puzzle board has this odd array of wheels spanning behind it, and the elements are incongruous. Not significantly, but they're a bit uneven. I'm not sure what that accomplishes, but it's an odd look, if you notice that sort of thing. I didn't, but another viewer did. And now I can't unsee it.
Likewise, they have those same odd wheel shapes, in varying sizes, behind the contestants. I'm not losing sleep over it, but why change all that to coincide with Seacrest's first season if continuity is so critical?
They changed the video editing of the show, as well. Now we see isolated screen shots of each contestant's giant head under the puzzle board during toss-up rounds. No big deal, but damn, you've upset my precious continuity.
Somehow they don't seem as interested in highlighting Jim Thornton, the announcer. They had made his face a part of every show at one point. Now I don't see him as often. That's awkward, and ruining the continuity of the show I use to love.
I haven't been able to sit through 30 minutes of every new episode thus far, but I'm seeing less of Thornton, and the one time I recall seeing him, they did an awkward bit between him and Seacrest, promoting a show sponsor. This isn't uncommon, in-show sponsorships of game shows dates back decades. But this seemed new and awkward for a show that needs continuity to keep me from running away.
I didn't care for the gimmicky bonus round promotion during the opening week of the season, either. The gimmick was that LG, the home appliance and electronics company, sponsored the bonus round, and was adding $10K to the bonus round prize. And in doing so, players got an extra letter, the G, as in LG, as part of the opening package of letters for the bonus round puzzle. No harm in that, it doesn't do much for me, other than disrupt the show's continuity.
And where are the cars? I haven't seen a car on the set. Did they get rid of prizes on the bonus wheel. Is it all cash prizes on the wheel now. If they said so, I missed it. I'm fine with that, but doing so in the fall of 2024 really hurts the show's continuity.
Without continuity, the show is going to fail. Sorry Seacrest, you're a one-and-done guy. Not even Vanna will save you now!
