User:Daniel Benfield/Nighttime Video Archive/Season 14

Go back to Season 13, or forward to Seasons 15-18?

September 2, 1996 - June 13, 1997

This was pretty much the season that changed everything.

To start, many aesthetic changes: an abbreviated intro which bypasses the opening bars, going straight into the "Changing Keys" melody and ending with the puzzle-solve cue. After the logo separates (letters to the sides, wedges forward and center backward), the graphics change to a CGI Sony Pictures Studios complex that includes a yellow two-row logo below the Columbia TriStar logo, with each company's name next to its respective logo. When zoomed in, the circular concrete transforms into a Wheel graphic with no Bankrupt or Lose A Turn spaces and is similar to the one seen here, and the complex changes to four gold squares with the two-row logo on the reverse showing Pat, Vanna, and a CGI version of the $25,000 sign using last season's graphics as a backdrop, with a zoom-in on the fourth (later slowed down and amended to put the zoom on the third square).

Other changes include a video wall at center stage, a $25,000 graphic replacing the sign, Vanna showing off the $25,000 prize by using its envelope or a flashing battery-operated version, various new camera shots, nearly every week being themed, brown Prize wedges (which have glitter the first two weeks), new category strips, an on-model "3" on $3,500, Surprise's final design, rotating music going into commercials, and rotating contestant backdrops. The burst backdrops are still used occasionally until January, while the post-main game and post-Bonus Round totals stop flashing by October.

Starting in October, the show ends with the copyright date, "Created by Merv Griffin" chyron credit, and King World/Columbia-TriStar logos (with no spiels for any; also, the King World music is dropped); this is also seen on weekend repeats of Season 13. For the rest of the season, a www.sony.com URL appears between the credits and the copyright date. Beginning September 30, closed-captioning plugs are done before the first commercial break (by Vanna or Charlie), and some closing fee plugs are recorded by the company.

Gameplay-wise, several changes occur: returning champions are dropped in favor of the Friday Finals (in which the Bonus Round winner also gets an extra prize), the $10,000 Wedge moves to Round 2 only (over the lone Bankrupt), and the Round 4 Prize is removed and moved up to Round 3, but only if the Surprise is won by that time. Bonus category questions are now worth $2,000.

On September 16, the Wheel adopts a single-template system (with the center becoming teal) based on that of Round 3: $150, $200, $750, and $1,500 are gone, with $250 the new minimum and no more "working" for vowels. The top dollar is placed over the yellow $1,000, the Round 2 Prize over $350, Surprise over the $400 between $500 and $250, the Free Spin over the green $300, the $10,000 Wedge over the golden $300, and the extra Bankrupt for Rounds 3+ (in Clarendon for its first few weeks) over the golden $300. In addition, the Jackpot debuts in Round 3, and all yellow spaces are now brighter.

On November 18, the Jackpot graphic adopts its familiar red semicircle. On December 9, a new Jackpot wedge debuts with solid-red coloring, yellow lettering in a simpler font, and a black curve on the top (which becomes brown on the 16th).

Also on December 16, the category strips become large blue ovals, which are altered on January 13 to match the length of the text. The Wheel's automation is removed on January 6, and on February 7 the Jackpot minimum increases to $10,000 for Friday Finals.

The trilon-based puzzle boards appear for the last time in February: the 7th for the "home base" board, the 21st for the road-show board. On February 10, the W-H-E-E-L envelope holder adopts a turquoise/red zigzag pattern.

Many changes are made on February 24, including the new touch-screen puzzle board, the current contestant nametags (a blue oval design), and the envelope holder gets green letters and gold lights. In addition to aesthetics, Final Spins that land on a non-cash wedge begin to be edited out; perhaps to compensate for this, the second Bankrupt is removed during Round 4 (or later) if it begins as a Speed-Up, returning the golden $300 in play.

By about April or May, the Jackpot round begins to have sponsors on the wedge itself, and as such get sponsor plugs. If there are any Round 3 Prizes (whether they be used on episodes with no Surprise or replace the claimed Surprise), Charlie's plug begins with "And we've added this prize to the Wheel..." (this plug lasts until the end of Season 19).

This season is also the last time that College Week that uses a team/multi-player format; from next season on, all schools are represented by one player only.

New Categories: Headline on September 3, Show Biz on September 9, Classic TV on September 16, Proper Name in October.

Road Shows: Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, California (November 11-22); Blockbuster Desert Sky Pavillion in Phoenix, Arizona (February 10-21); San Diego Convention Center in California (May 12-23).

Repeat Weeks: December 30-January 3, March 24-28.

GSN Repeat Dates: April 3-November 2000.

LEGAL STUFF SO I DON'T GET SUED: I'm only linking to these videos, none of which were uploaded by me, for the purposes of research and as a public record. Footage ©1996-97 Califon Productions/Merv Griffin Entertainment and associated entities.

September 1996

 * September 2, 1996 (#S-2536/Season Premiere: Jim/Rich/Valerie, with a cold open that becomes a semi-regular thing for this season, Pat mocking the Olympic T-shirt promotions of Season 13, and him telling Vanna to just turn a letter whose trilon won't light up {alternate copy})
 * September 3, 1996 (#S-2537: Danielle/Mike/Chuck, with Pat slightly insulting the already-pretty-insulting Psychic Friends Network)
 * September 12, 1996 (#S-2544: Tim/David/Kim, with a senior moment for Pat when the Final Spin chimes play and a preview of the upcoming Jackpot wedge {alternate copy, taped from GSN in November 2007 during a Feast of Favorites})

Jackpot/"one-template" Wheel debuts, Pat no longer mentions top value until R4


 * September 16, 1996 (#S-2546: Grace/Gary/Candy; taped from GSN in April 2000 with commercials, including a Hollywood Showdown promo and a "Dafuq?"-inducing Swiffer ad {alternate copy of Rounds 1-3})

Opening slowed down


 * September 25, 1996 (#S-2553: Lynn/Harry/Keith, with Pat mentioning that there's now a Proper Name category by Harry's request {alternate copies: #1, #2})

October 1996

 * October 7, 1996 (#S-2561/Discover the Americas, Day 1: Teresa/Susan/Doug, with a rare multiple-choice bonus question; repeat seemingly from December 30 with oval category strips and a really small curved Jackpot display edited in, pretty low audio)
 * October 11, 1996 (#S-2565/Discover the Americas, Finale; repeat seemingly from January 3, 1997 with oval category strips and curved Jackpot display edited in)
 * October 29, 1996 (#S-2577/Southwestern Week. Day 2: Dean/Darlene/Sandy, with a cold open showing a clip from 10/28)
 * October 31, 1996 (#S-2579/Southwestern Week, Day 4: Larry/Brad/Sujata, with a cold open of Pat and Vanna's self-portrait pumpkins, the camera zoomed out too far at 7:57, and Fill In the Blank being solved with the common word included; ends at outcome of Pat's Final Spin {separate clip of pumpkin-likenesses as part of Pumpkin Masters Week})

November 1996

 * November 19, 1996 (#S-2592/College Week, Day 2: Mel/Amber/Stacy, with Pat having a hoarse voice this week due to laryngitis; taped from KSBW with most commercials {including a promo for their 11:00 PM newscast with Dan Green}, begins at "Fortune!" of opening chant)
 * November 21, 1996 (#S-2594/College Week, Day 4: Thayer/Julie/Bambi?, with Pat and Vanna swapping for the Bonus Round due to said laryngitis; taped from WABC with most commercials {including a New York Lottery drawing}, begins at "Fortune!" of opening chant, small portion missing from start of Round 2 {cuts from "And here is our next-" to while the first letter is turned} {alternate copy)
 * November 22, 1996 (#S-2595/College Week, Finale; notable for Pat going mostly silent {and using hand signals} for the first portion of Round 4 due to said laryngitis; audio/video is slightly off)

December 1996

 * December 3, 1996 (#S-2602/Escape to Hawaii, Day 2: Michelle/Brad/Andrew; taped from KTIV with commercials, plus the first two minutes of that night's Mad About You {alternate copies: #1; #2, by the original uploader})

Oval category strips


 * December 18, 1996 (#S-2613/Family Week, Day 3; Charlie does the CC plug {alternate copy... thing})
 * December 27, 1996 (#S-2620/Happy Holidays Week, Finale: Juan/Romy/Cliff {alternate copy})

January 1997

 * January 9, 1997 (#S-2624/Wheel Into 1997, Day 4; has the $10,000 Wedge accidentally reversed for Round 2; taped from GSN, with commercials {including a Hollywood Showdown promo})

"New" oval category strips


 * January 13, 1997 (#S-2626/Alpine Ski Adventure, Day 1; taped from GSN, with commercials {including one for the "Psychic Network" hosted by the late Bo Griffin, which may have been the inspiration for Miss Cleo}; begins with the tail end of what's likely Hot Potato, given the timeframe)
 * January 16, 1997 (#S-2629/Alpine Ski Adventure, Day 4)

February 1997

 * February 3, 1997 (#S-2641/Sweethearts Week, Day 1)

W-H-E-E-L envelope holder becomes turquoise/red


 * February 11, 1997 (#S-2647/Phoenix, Day 2; taped 1/24/97, with slate! {alternate copy})
 * February 18, 1997 (#S-2652/Phoenix, Day 7)
 * February 21, 1997 (#S-2655/Phoenix, Finale {alternate copies: #1, #2})

Set overhaul


 * February 24, 1997 (#S-2656 {alternate copies: #1; #2; #3a, #3b, and #3c})

March 1997

 * March 4, 1997 (#S-2662)

Pat finally stops saying "We're playing for cash."


 * March 20, 1997 (#S-2674/Spring Break, Day 4: Pleshette/Chad/Greg; taped from KETV, with some commercials {alternate copies: #1a and #1b, #2a and #2b, #3})
 * March 21, 1997 (#S-2675/Spring Break, Finale; taped from KETV in Nebraska {alternate copies: #1a and #1b, #2a and #2b, #3})

April 1997

 * April 1, 1997 (#S-2677/European Vacation, Day 2; Alex Trebek and Lesly Sajak host {alternate copies: #1, #2, #3a and #3b})
 * April 30, 1997 (#S-2698)

May 1997

 * May 1, 1997 (#S-2699 {alternate copy... thing, by the original uploader})
 * May 2, 1997 (#S-2700)
 * May 5, 1997 (#S-2701/Celebrities and Moms, Day 1)
 * May 6, 1997 (#S-2702/Celebrities and Moms, Day 2)
 * May 8, 1997 (#S-2704/Celebrities and Moms, Day 4: Steve & Tony/Bonnie & Alice Hunt/Nick & Joyce {alternate copy})

June 1997

 * June 5, 1997 (#S-2724)
 * June 6, 1997 (#S-2725, with a full credit roll; begins with the close of that night's NBC Nightly News, ends at Sony.com graphic)