User:Daniel Benfield/Nighttime Video Archive/Season 12

Go back to Seasons 8-11, or forward to Season 13?

September 5, 1994 - June 23, 1995

Even more cosmetic changes, most notably the fifth "Changing Keys" (now a big-band style; the puzzle-solve cue changes to match on October 4), there is now a half-second pause between each word in the opening chant starting with this season, the puzzle board's new "spiky" border (the spikes themselves stop flashing on October 7), the retirement of the turntables and rugs, and Columbia-TriStar Television taking over production as part of Merv's "deal" he made in July, which also allows him to remain executive producer until 2000. For this season and the next, Round 4 Prizes are only described if claimed and won.

For this season, the show's promo campaign features famous Soul and R&B artist Aretha Franklin promoting the show (alternate copy) as America's Game.

The $10,000 Wedge debuts on November 28, sporting a different font that changes to the regular one a week later. By October 18, the "decade" categories are no longer followed by bonus questions. November 7-18 are the Red White and Blue Sweepstakes, while the Red-Letter Puzzles appear to depart around February 8.

On February 24, the "Created by Merv Griffin" credit becomes separate, complete with Charlie's voice; weekend repeats of Season 11 only feature his voice (which is heard in full credit rolls once the aforementioned credit appears on screen).

Sometime in May, the opening is altered to remove "the" before the show's title, as well as the phrase "soaring into your lives" before Pat and Vanna's introductions.

Probably the largest change is the replacement of Nancy Jones by Harry Friedman on June 14.

This is also the show's final season at CBS Television City, and thus the last season to use the network's applause machine; from Season 13 on, all episodes feature actual applause at the show's new home of Sony Pictures Studios.

New Categories: Megaword on September 20, Next Line Please on December 9, Fictional Place by May 30.

Retired Categories: The "old" Fill In the Blank around November 4 (became Next Line Please), Nickname around December 19 (possibly; that thing's been hard to figure out), Megaword around April 6, Slang around June 21.

Road Shows: Fair Park in Dallas, Texas (October 31-November 4/November 21-25); Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida (February 6-March 3); USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in Newport News, Virginia (May 15-26).

Repeat Weeks: December 26-January 6, April 17-21.

GSN Repeat Dates: January 7, 2008-January 21, 2010 (two complete cycles and a partial third, ending with #S-2280 {on a Thursday, strangely}).


 * Around mid-November 2008, the GSN logo changed from a single square with "GSN" (sometimes with ".com") at the bottom to the current "nine-square" style in various color schemes. Episodes aired during GSN Live (which debuted February 25, 2008 and changed its logo in May 2009) use that logo instead.
 * The second cycle began October 1, 2008, and the partial third cycle on July 6, 2009.

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 ©1994-95 Califon Productions/Merv Griffin Entertainment and associated entities.

September 1994

 * September 5, 1994 (#S-2146/Season Premiere/Teen Week I, Day 1: Melody/Stacy/Jason, with Pat making a comment about shows resting on their laurels {"You know, a lot of shows after being #1 for 12 years would just rest on their laurels and just not try anything new, nothing exciting, nothing hot."} that doesn't reflect well on the more recent seasons)
 * September 6, 1994 (#S-2147/Teen Week I, Day 2; taped from GSN, with commercials)
 * September 7, 1994 (#S-2148/Teen Week I, Day 3)
 * September 8, 1994 (#S-2149/Teen Week I, Day 4 {Bonus Round clip})
 * September 9, 1994 (#S-2150/Teen Week I, Finale)
 * September 15, 1994 (#S-2154; taped from GSN, with commercials)
 * September 16, 1994 (#S-2155)
 * September 19, 1994 (#S-2156; Pat's "Surprise" Final Spin)
 * September 20, 1994 (#S-2157; debut of a new Mighty Morphin' Power Ranger Megaword {EXTEMPORIZE})
 * September 22, 1994 (#S-2159; taped from GSN, with commercials)
 * September 23, 1994 (#S-2160)
 * September 26, 1994 (#S-2161)

October 1994

 * [Around this point, Megaword makes its first known appearance in the Speed-Up. The contestant fails to use HAPHAZARDLY in a sentence.]
 * October 4, 1994 (#S-2167; taped from GSN, with most commercials {alternate copy})
 * October 5, 1994 (#S=2168)
 * October 7, 1994 (#S-2170; taped from GSN, with commercials {alternate copy})
 * October 11, 1994 (#S-2172)
 * October 12, 1994 (#S-2173; taped from GSN, with commercials)
 * October 13, 1994 (#S-2174; taped from GSN, with commercials)
 * October 14, 1994 (#S-2175)
 * October 18, 1994 (#S-2177)
 * October 24, 1994 (#S-2181: Danny/Jeanne/Rosemary {alternate copy})
 * October 25, 1994 (#S-2182; taped from GSN in 2008, with commercials)
 * [The Megaword puzzle on October 26 (#S-2183: Jacqueline/Joe/Robin) is mostly unknown, but per an old recap it's **R*SANT*E*** .]
 * [The Megaword puzzle on October 28 (#S-2185: Josephine/Steven/Stefan) is mostly unknown, but per an old recap it's ****RINT* . During the closing chat, Pat plugs the next three special events before saying "And the week after [11/21-25], we're doing our all-Megaword week."]
 * October 31, 1994 (#S-2186/Dallas Week I, Day 1; taped from GSN, with commercials)

November 1994

 * November 2. 1994 (#S-2188/Dallas Week I, Day 3; taped from GSN in 2008, with commercials
 * November 3, 1994 (#S-2189/Dallas Week I, Day 4; taped from GSN, with commercials)
 * [The Megaword puzzle on November 4 (#S-2190/Dallas Week I, Finale: Bree/Greg/Harold) is mostly unknown, but per an old recap it's ***T***SITI*N .]
 * November 7, 1994 (#S-2191/Red, White, & Blue Sweepstakes, Day 1; taped from GSN in 2008)
 * November 9, 1994 (#S-2193/Red, White, & Blue Sweepstakes, Day 3; taped from GSN in early or mid-March 2008 {there's a Bingo America debut promo for 3/31})
 * November 15, 1994 (#S-2197/Red, White, & Blue Sweepstakes, Day 7)
 * November 16, 1994 (#S-2198/Red, White, & Blue Sweepstakes, Day 8; taped from GSN in 2008 {alternate copy thing...pretty self-explanatory})
 * November 17, 1994 (#S-2199/Red, White, & Blue Sweepstakes, Day 9: Darlene/Renee/Teresa {Megaword: PATERNALISTIC}; taped from GSN in 2008)
 * November 18, 1994 (#S-2200/Red, White, & Blue Sweepstakes, Finale {Megaword: TBA})
 * November 21, 1994 (#S-2201/Dallas Week II, Day 1...with two returning champs)
 * November 22, 1994 (#S-2202/Dallas Week II, Day 2: Denise/Vince/Sophie {alternate copy... thing})
 * [The Megaword puzzle on November 24 (#S-2204/Dallas Week II, Day 4: Tamara/Denise/Tina) was VACILLATING.]
 * November 25, 1994 (#S-2205/Dallas Week II, Finale: Scot/Marilyn/Tom {Megaword: HYPOTHETICAL}; taped from GSN in 2008, with commercials)
 * November 28, 1994 (#S-2206; debut of the $10,000 Wedge)

December 1994

 * December 5, 1994 (#S-2211)
 * December 9, 1994 (#S-2215; debut of Next Line Please, and a contestant tries to play Loophole Abuse with the Megaword {PROLIFERATION}...and somehow fails)
 * December 13, 1994 (#S-2217: Liza/Gary/Marianne, with what Pat says is the first time anyone's landed on the $10,000 Wedge {or perhaps picked it up}; taped from GSN in 2008)
 * December 15, 1994 (#S-2219: Ina/Erica/Marc, with the last known use of "Nightwalk" and Pat singing the 1957 Zorro theme {no, seriously}; begins at "America's Game!" graphic in opening, cuts off during credit crunch {replaced by a circa-1990s Price Is Right clip that begins late in Showcase #2 and cuts off shortly after the Showcase results; I love fun extras like this :D})
 * December 16, 1994 (#S-2220: ? {female}/Ina/? {female}; clip of the PRISTINELY Megaword flub)
 * December 19, 1994 (#S-2221/Family Week, Day 1; last known appearance of Nickname)
 * December 20, 1994 (#S-2222/Family Week, Day 2: Carine & Patricia/David & Mark/Judy & Diane; Vanna shows off her newborn son, Nicholas {alternate copy... thing, pretty self-explanatory})
 * December 21, 1994 (#S-2223/Family Week, Day 3: Dawn & Cheryl/Tamara & Tiffany/Brendan Jr. & Brendan Sr. {alternate copy})
 * December 22, 1994 (#S-2224/Family Week, Day 4 {"Yes, it's Megaword. Just our way of saying Happy Holidays": COPACETIC; alternate copy of said round})
 * December 23, 1994 (#S-2225/Family Week, Finale)

January 1995

 * January 9, 1995 (#S-2226/Wheel Into 1995, Day 1: Sheba/Mary/Ina; taped from GSN in 2008, with commercials and a credit-crunch promo for Bingo America Season 1)
 * January 12, 1995 (#S-2229/Wheel Into 1995, Day 4: Paula/Melanie/Chris)
 * January 13, 1995 (#S-2230/Wheel Into 1995, Finale: Chris/Arselan/Betty)
 * January 19, 1995 (#S-2234/Best Friends Week, Day 4: Ryan & Diana/Chi Lan & Le/Ben & Julie; taped from GSN, with commercials)
 * January 20, 1995 (#S-2235/Best Friends Week, Finale {Megaword: SYNCOPATED; alternate copy})
 * January 24, 1995 (#S-2237)
 * January 25, 1995 (#S-2238)

February 1995

 * February 1, 1995 (#S-2243: Verla/Fred/Howard {Megaword: EROTICISM})
 * February 2, 1995 (#S-2244: Howard/Michael/Janice)
 * February 3, 1995 (#S-2245: David/Michael/Patrick, with Where Are We? still using the four-clue format {Megaword: AMBIVALENCE})

Walt Disney World


 * February 7, 1995 (#S-2247)
 * February 8, 1995 (#S-2248)
 * February 10, 1995 (#S-2250)


 * February 16, 1995 (#S-2254: Sandi/Cele/Keith, with a very familiar bonus puzzle if you've ever seen the "alleged" daytime finale; taped from GSN, with commercials)
 * February 17, 1995 (#S-2255: Shelley/Sean/Sandi; Sandi suggests a name for the flashing arrows after Pat brings it up the previous night: "Vheel" {"the V above the Wheel"; pronounced like "veal", and this is the most likely spelling})


 * February 20, 1995 (#S-2256/"Some of the Greats", Day 1: Raymond {won $81,665 in January 1994}/Kelly {won $75,498 in December 1992}/Carol {won $76,403 in December 1992})
 * February 21, 1995 (#S-2257/"Some of the Greats", Day 2: {champ}/David {won $71,534 in November 1990}/Monty {won $76,451 in March 1993}, with a Megaword {TBD}; taped from GSN, with commercials {alternate copy... thing, pretty self-explanatory})
 * February 22, 1995 (#S-2258/"Some of the Greats", Day 3: {champ}/Robin {won $43,000+ in March 1994}/Alison {won $77,109 in February 1994}, with ten wrong letter calls in Rounds 3 and 4 {alternate copy})
 * February 23, 1995 (#S-2259/"Some of the Greats", Day 4: Maria {won $76,421 in November 1993}/Nicole {won $91,530 in October 1989}/{champ}, with a Megaword {TBD})
 * February 24, 1995 (#S-2260/"Some of the Greats", Finale: Gary {won $39,400 in March 1992}/{champ}/Angie {won $60,693 in October 1993}, with a Megaword {TBD} and the COWBOY bonus puzzle {alternate copies: #1; #2a, #2b, #2c, #2d, and #2e})


 * February 27, 1995 (#S-2261: Dan/Jean/Renae, two days before BOMBASTIC)

March 1995

 * March 1, 1995 (#S-2263: Renae/? {male}/?, clip of the BOMBASTIC Megaword sentence and Nancy's possibly-fatal reaction)
 * March 2, 1995 (#S-2264: Alan/Jim/Doris)

Back to Television City


 * March 6, 1995 (#S-2266: Phil/Alan/Jay, with probably the dumbest Slang puzzle {seriously, OFF THE BEAM?})
 * March 7, 1995 (#S-2267; taped from GSN in 2008, with commercials)
 * March 8, 1995 (#S-2268)
 * March 9, 1995 (#S-2269: Frank/Doreen/Bill {"The ever-popular Megaword": WITTICISM; alternate copy of said round})
 * March 10, 1995 (#S-2270: Doreen/Matt/Amy)
 * March 15, 1995 (#S-2273: Kathy/Joe/Glenn; clip of the OXIDIZED Megastumper Megaword puzzle {"Y!" "A very good question." [...] "Akin to a root canal, isn't it?" [...] "Put down those remotes, you people!"})
 * [The Megaword puzzle on March 16 (#S-2274: Patty/Joe/Gary) was VALEDICTORIAN.]
 * March 17, 1995 (#S-2275: Steve/Erica/Joe {alternate copy})
 * March 23, 1995 (#S-2279)
 * March 28, 1995 (#S-2282: Ralph/David/Michelle {"Heeey, it's Megaword": COGNIZANT; alternate copy of said round})
 * March 29, 1995 (#S-2283: Colleen/Jack/Ralph; clip of the GARGANTUAN "I don't know about you, but I'm in the mood for a Megaword" puzzle)
 * March 30, 1995 (#S-2284: Ralph/Brian/Todd; clip of the REVERBERATION Megaword Speed-Up puzzle)

April 1995

 * April 6, 1995 (#S-2289: Richard/Anne/Llewellyn, with Pat accidentally spilling his water glass into Richard's shoe {"Hey, look, it's Megaword": REJUVENATED, which seems appropriate given what was to come})
 * April 7, 1995 (#S-2290: Lou/Joe/Richard, with the last known appearance of "The infamous Megaword" {CIRCUMFERENCE}, someone actually solving a Clue puzzle in the form of a question!, and Vanna explaining how the puzzle board works; taped from GSN with commercials and GSN Live segments, followed by the first 1:08 of an NBC Card Sharks Young People's Week episode {Alma vs. Sam, the latter being a wheelchair-bound player whose disability was well taken care of})

'''"Here they are, soaring into your lives..." becomes "Here they are..."'''


 * April 10, 1995 (#S-2291/Teen Week II, Day 1 {"I'm always guaranteed to be the oldest person on this set."}: Azie/Khalilah/Chris; taped from GSN, with commercials and GSN Live segments)

May 1995

 * May 1, 1995 (#S-2301/Celebrity Award Winners, Day 1: Richard Karn/Deidre Hall/Louis Gossett Jr.)
 * May 2, 1995 (#S-2302/Celebrity Award Winners, Day 2: Paul Rodriguez/Chelsi Smith/Jeffrey Tambor; probably the only time you'll see footage of Paul's Newlywed Game {1988-89} on GSN)
 * May 3, 1995 (#S-2303/Celebrity Award Winners, Day 3: LL Cool J/Garry Marshall/Jess Walton)
 * May 10-11, 1995 (#S-2308 or 2309 {Wednesday or Thursday}: Patrick/Russ/Kathleen; taped from GSN on May 20-21, 2009 {there's a GSN Live promo announcing its return on 5/26})


 * May 15, 1995 (#S-2311/Armed Forces Week, Day 1: Arrah/David/Billy)

Fill In the Blank's name now shown in full


 * May 24, 1995 (#S-2318/Norfolk Week, Day 3 {"We're vowelless, we're out of vowels, we're devoid of vowels, we have no vowels."}: Kyle/Rebecca/Mark, with a larger puzzle solved relatively quickly {"Hurry up, Vanna, turn the puzzle quick-quick-quick!"}, Fill In the Blank's question marks revealed at the outset, and several fun quips from Pat {"We have more cash to give away-we're loaded around here! TURN OFF THE FANS!"}; taped from GSN, with commercials and GSN Live segments)

June 1995

 * June 1, 1995 (#S-2324: Corey/K.C./David, with a hard bonus puzzle {which Pat doesn't try to mask} and Pat and Vanna pointing out flaws with the show {"What are we gonna gripe about tomorrow? See, we're finding flaws in this show! Just because it's a big hit doesn't mean it doesn't have flaws!" Holy crap it's what I've said for the past three years! {montage uploaded by Corey himself})


 * June 19, 1995 (#S-2336/Teen Week III, Day 1 {"Seems to be unanimous, I've been scarred again."}: Lavada/Jennifer/Erin)
 * June 21, 1995 (#S-2338/Teen Week III, Day 3: Brook/Emily/Nikeldla, with the last known appearance of Slang)
 * June 22, 1995 (#S-2339/Teen Week III, Day 4; clip of the closing chat, in which Pat embarrasses himself and Friedman {who appears on-camera})
 * June 23, 1995 (#S-2340/Season Finale/Teen Week III, Finale – I'm not sure if "Buzzword" was used after this point, but here it is...along with absolutely no mention of it being the end of the season; taped from GSN, with commercials and GSN Live segments)