User:Daniel Benfield/Nighttime Video Archive/Season 28



Ah, yes...the season where the show did three utterly-inexcusable things that made me lose any respect I had left for modern-day Wheel. Gonna be hard to talk about this without feeling bitter, but you'll see why.

Mind you, it started out well: the traditional logo returns to prominence in new intros based on the Wii game released in November (you can see those here), $30,000 becomes the lowest amount on the Bonus Wheel, and winning a car in the Bonus Round awards an additional $5,000 (probably so they can offer cheap cars without looking cheap; bit late for that). Prize Puzzles now stay out of the Jackpot Round, too.

Charlie dies on November 1, and despite a heartfelt tribute aired on the 5th, Wheel went and did their first utterly-inexcusable decision: dubbing over his 40 yet-to-air episodes because "it was a tough decision, but it would have been too sad to hear his voice so close to his death" (the fact the concept was even suggested was a middle finger for Charlie's fans and anybody with common sense; the fact they actually went through with it and gave an excuse inflated the finger). A bunch of announcers (Lora Cain, Joe Cipriano, John Cramer, Rich Fields, Johnny Gilbert, and Jim Thornton) are used through April 15, being dubbed over Charlie along the way because hey, they're clearly of a higher caliber than O'Donnell ever was and, you know, they have to keep up the "We don't tape out of order!" appearance.

The "Vanna for a Day" contest begins in January, and the winner (Katie Cantrell) gets to do Rounds 2 and 3 on March 24...which, as you may have guessed, isn't actually a "day" (the second utterly-inexcusable decision).

The ½ Car wedges are used the week of April 11, and become permanent (albeit with major tweaks) the next season. During this week, the Wild Card moves to the pink $900 and the red $900 (due to being next to one) becomes blue for Rounds 1-3.

Jim becomes the new announcer on April 18, although his hiring isn't announced until June, at which point Summer repeats include him being dubbed over the other substitutes to "establish" him (which, if you're keeping score, is the third utterly-inexcusable decision)...although repeats of the first two months of this season retain Charlie's voice as well as weekend repeats of Season 27. I'd hate to see what happens if Jim can't make it to a taping...

New Categories: Same Letter on September 15, What's That Song? on September 16. Retired Categories: Rock On! on February 9. Road Shows: The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada (September 13-17, November 8-12, February 7-11); The Palazzo in Las Vegas (September 20-24, December 27-31, March 28-April 1); Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana (May 2-20).

September 2010

 * September 13, 2010 (Season Premiere/Venetian Week I, Day 1 {alternate copy})
 * September 14, 2010 {Venetian Week I, Day 2)
 * September 15, 2010 (Venetian Week I, Day 3)
 * September 20, 2010 (Palazzo Week I, Day 1)
 * September 21, 2010 (Palazzo Week I, Day 2)
 * September 22, 2010 (Palazzo Week I, Day 3)
 * September 23, 2010 (Palazzo Week I, Day 4)
 * September 27, 2010 (World Class Spas, Day 1 {intro by Pipeworks Software})
 * September 28, 2010 (World Class Spas, Day 2)
 * September 29, 2010 (World Class Spas, Day 3)
 * September 30, 2010 (World Class Spas, Day 4)

October 2010

 * October 1, 2010 (World Class Spas, Finale)
 * October 19, 2010 (Get Out of Town!, Finale {intro by Pipeworks Software})
 * October 22, 2010 (Halloween Week, Day 1 {clips by Pipeworks Software: intro, Prize, Prize won})

November 2010

 * November 1, 2010 (Wheel Loves L.A., Day 1; Johnny Gilbert announces {intro by Pipeworks Software})
 * November 2, 2010 (Wheel Loves L.A., Day 2)
 * November 3, 2010 (Wheel Loves L.A., Day 3)
 * November 5, 2010 (Wheel Loves L.A., Finale; tribute to Charlie included {alternate copy})
 * November 8, 2010 (Venetian Week II/Big Money, Day 1; Johnny Gilbert announces in post-production)
 * November 9, 2010 (Venetian Week II/Big Money, Day 2)
 * November 10, 2010 (Venetian Week II/Big Money, Day 3)
 * November 29, 2010 (Wheel Around the World, Day 1; Rich Fields announces)
 * November 30, 2010 (Wheel Around the World, Day 2)

December 2010

 * December 13, 2010 (National Parks, Day 1; Rich Fields announces {alternate copy})
 * December 14, 2010 (National Parks, Day 2)
 * December 15, 2010 (National Parks, Day 3)
 * December 16, 2010 (National Parks, Day 4)
 * December 22, 2010 (Happy Holidays, Day 3; Jim Thornton announces)

January 2011

 * January 3, 2011 (America's Game I, Day 1 {Happy Holidays}; Jim Thornton announces)
 * January 4, 2011 (America's Game I, Day 2 {National Parks})
 * January 5, 2011 (America's Game I, Day 3 {At the Movies})
 * January 6, 2011 (America's Game I, Day 4 {Going Green})
 * January 10, 2011 (Picture Perfect, Day 1; Lora Cain announces)
 * January 17, 2011 (World's Best Beaches, Day 1; Jim Thornton announces)
 * January 20, 2011 (World's Best Beaches, Day 4)
 * January 24, 2011 (Gone Fishin', Day 1; Jim Thornton announces)
 * January 25, 2011 (Gone Fishin', Day 2)
 * January 26, 2011 (Gone Fishin', Day 3)
 * January 27, 2011 (Gone Fishin', Day 4)

February 2011

 * February 24, 2011 (Sand & Sea, Day 4; Jim Thornton announces)

March 2011

 * March 3, 2011 (Great American Cities, Day 4; Jim Thornton announces)
 * March 4, 2011 (Great American Cities, Finale)
 * March 9, 2011 (Leave Winter Behind, Day 3; Joe Cipriano announces)
 * March 14, 2011 (Pet Lovers, Day 1; John Cramer announces)
 * March 21, 2011 (Vacation of a Lifetime, Day 1; Jim Thornton announces)
 * March 23, 2011 (Vacation of a Lifetime, Day 2)
 * March 24, 2011 (Vacation of a Lifetime, Day 4; Katie Cantrell's dream come true: being Vanna for two rounds mid-show {alternate copy})
 * March 25, 2011 (Vacation of a Lifetime, Finale)
 * March 28, 2011 (Palazzo Week III/Spring Fling, Day 1; Jim Thornton announces in post-production {alternate copy})
 * March 29, 2011 (Palazzo Week III/Spring Fling, Day 2)
 * March 30, 2011 (Palazzo Week III/Spring Fling, Day 3)

April 2011

 * April 4, 2011 (Going Green, Day 1; John Cramer announces)
 * April 6, 2011 (Going Green, Day 3)
 * April 8, 2011 (Going Green, Finale)
 * April 11, 2011 (Road Trip, Day 1; Joe Cipriano announces)
 * April 12, 2011 (Road Trip, Day 2 {alternate copy})
 * April 13, 2011 (Road Trip, Day 3 {alternate copies: #1; #2, by the original uploader})
 * April 14, 2011 (Road Trip, Day 4)
 * April 15, 2011 (Road Trip, Finale)
 * April 18, 2011 (Give Me a Break!, Day 1; Jim Thornton announces from this point onward)
 * April 19, 2011 (Give Me a Break!, Day 2)
 * April 20, 2011 (Give Me a Break!, Day 3 {Teen Best Friends})
 * April 21, 2011 (Give Me a Break!, Day 4)
 * April 22, 2011 (Give Me a Break!, Finale)
 * April 28, 2011 (Desert Oasis, Day 4)

May 2011

 * May 2, 2011 (Celebrating New Orleans, Day 1)
 * May 3, 2011 (Celebrating New Orleans, Day 2)
 * May 4, 2011 (Celebrating New Orleans, Day 3)
 * May 9, 2011 (College Week, Day 1 {alternate copy})
 * May 10, 2011 (College Week, Day 2 {alternate copy})
 * May 11, 2011 (College Week, Day 3 {alternate copy})
 * May 12, 2011 (College Week, Day 4 {alternate copy})
 * May 13, 2011 (College Week, Finale)
 * May 16, 2011 (Fabulous Food, Day 1 {alternate copy})
 * May 17, 2011 (Fabulous Food, Day 2 {alternate copy}
 * May 18, 2011 (Fabulous Food, Day 3)
 * May 19, 2011 (Fabulous Food, Day 4)
 * May 20, 2011 (Fabulous Food, Finale)
 * May 23, 2011 (Wendy's Family Week, Day 1)
 * May 24, 2011 (Wendy's Family Week, Day 2)
 * May 25, 2011 (Wendy's Family Week, Day 3)
 * May 30, 2011 (Tennis Week, Day 1 {alternate copy})
 * May 31, 2011 (Tennis Week, Day 2 {alternate copy})

June 2011

 * June 1, 2011 (Tennis Week, Day 3}
 * June 2, 2011 (Tennis Week, Day 4)
 * June 3, 2011 (Tennis Week, Finale)
 * June 6, 2011 (America's Game II, Day 1)
 * June 7, 2011 (America's Game II, Day 2)
 * June 8, 2011 (America's Game II, Day 3 {alternate copy})
 * June 9, 2011 (America's Game II, Day 4 {alternate copy})
 * June 10, 2011 (Season Finale/America's Game II, Finale {alternate copy})