User:Daniel Benfield/Nighttime Video Archive/Seasons 19-22

Again, like Seasons 15-18. Cluttering up the main subpage, none had enough for their own page, yadda.

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 ©2001-05 Califon Productions/Merv Griffin Entertainment and associated entities.

Season 19 (2001-02)
The current $1,000-$2,000-$3,000 Toss-Up structure is introduced, and the puzzles are revealed using a purple disc that says "Toss" on the edges (the first being right-side-up and the second being upside-down), and "Up" in the center. Also, the W-H-E-E-L envelopes remove all non-car/cash items in favor of having three cars and two $25,000 all week.

By this season, the Final Spin is not done until after the puzzle and category are shown.

October 22 brings the largest change, namely the Bonus Wheel, whose center changes by December 19 to a larger dome-ish light. The Big Money Week of February 18-22 introduces cash amounts of $30,000, $35,000, $40,000, $45,000, and $50,000, all of which become permanent the next season.

New Categories: Song Lyrics at...some point.

Road Shows: Knight International Center in Miami, Florida (November 5-23); Las Vegas Hilton in Nevada (February 11-March 1); Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois (May 6-24).

2001


 * September 3, 2001 (Season Premiere {alternate copy})

Bonus Wheel debuts


 * October 22, 2001 (Big Money Week, Day 1 {alternate copy})

"Domed" Bonus Wheel center


 * December 19, 2001 (Douglas/Beckie/Mike, with the first $100,000 win {alternate copy})
 * December 20, 2001 (Danielle/Cori/Dave {alternate copies: #1 #2})

2002


 * January 7-10, 2002 (NFL Players Week, Day ?: Shannon/Mazi/Kristy)
 * February 5, 2002 (Hershey's Pot of Gold Sweepstakes, Day 4)
 * February 6, 2002 (Hershey's Pot of Gold Sweepstakes, Day 5 {alternate copy by the same uploader})
 * February 14, 2002 (Sweethearts Week, Day 4 {alternate copy})
 * April 25, 2002 (NASCAR Week, Day 4: Jim/Brian/Debbie {alternate copy})
 * May 2002 ("At the Movies", Day ?: Nicole/Randy/Peggy)

Season 20 (2002-03)
On September 16, Columbia-TriStar Television becomes Sony Pictures Television. New music is added to the Toss-Ups (including its solve cue), main solve cue, Final Spin, Bonus Round, and credits.

The scoreboards are now computerized, and swivel when the scores change; at the show's open, the scoreboards read "WHEEL", "OF", and "FORTUNE", respectively; upon the revealing of the first letter of the $1,000 Toss-Up, they vanish via an explosion graphic. When Bankrupt or Lose A Turn is hit, the appropriate colors appear with the words of the space hit.

Gameplay-wise, the Mystery Round debuts on September 2 in Round 3, and feature two black $500 spaces with question marks on them, one with a Bankrupt, the other an economy car; both appear on the colored $500 spaces (teal and orange, respectively). As a result, the $10,000 space moves to Round 1, and is now over the orange $800. Also, the second Bankrupt returns to Round 3, over the purple $600 next to the top dollar, the Round 3 Prize is removed, and the Gift Tag moves to $700.

The Bonus Round now makes the cash amounts from last season's Big Money Week permanent; when announced, there is a graphic of the Bonus Wheel slowly spinning as each envelope opens and its amount is announced; after the $50,000 envelope, it zooms in for a shot of the stage and the announcement of the $100,000 top prize.

Sometime in January, all cash amounts on the Wheel (except the top values) get their current font and Lose A Turn also changes to Clarendon.

On April 28, the puzzle board's frames are removed except for the ones on the bottom.

Retired Categories: Fill in the Blank by September, possibly earlier.

Road Shows: Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle (November 4-22), Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee (February 3-21), and the San Diego Convention Center in California (April 28-May 16).

2002


 * September 2, 2002 (Season Premiere {alternate copy})
 * November 4, 2002 (Seattle Week, Day 1)
 * November 5, 2002 (Seattle Week, Day 2)
 * November 8, 2002 (Seattle Week, Day 5)
 * November 21, 2002 (Family Week, Day 4)
 * November 22, 2002 (Family Week, Finale {alternate copy})
 * December 3, 2002
 * December 4, 2002 ({alternate copy})
 * December 5, 2002
 * December 6, 2002
 * December 13, 2002
 * Late 2002-Early 2003

2003


 * 2003
 * February 3, 2003 (Nashville Week, Day 1) {alternate copy}
 * February 7, 2003 (Nashville Week, Day 5 {alternate copy})
 * April 24, 2003
 * May 1, 2003 ({alternate copy})

Season 21 (2003-04)
The puzzle board adds black carpeting and changes its border to a neon frame, which is also added to both video walls. The Wheel's base also changes to neon, and the Prize Puzzle debuts September 11. Also, this is the only season thus far with no $100,000 winners.

New Categories: On the Menu on September 10.

Retired Categories: Fill In the Number on April 28, oddly with two different numbers.

Road Shows: Radio City Music Hall in New York (November 3-21); Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona (February 9-27); Moscone Center in San Francisco (May 3-21).

2003


 * September 8, 2003 (#S-3901/Season Premiere {alternate copy})
 * September 22, 2003 (#S-3911 {alternate copy})
 * November 10, 2003 (#S-3946 {ceremonial #4,000} CLIPFEST, taped from GSN on August 18, 2007 {alternate copies: original/repeat #1, original/repeat #2, same-ish source/lower quality})
 * November 11, 2003 (#S-3947/New York Week, Day 2)

2004


 * January 5, 2004 (#S-3986/NFL Players, Day 1)
 * January 6, 2004 (#S-3987/NFL Players, Day 2)
 * January 7, 2004 (#S-3988/NFL Players, Day 3)
 * January 8, 2004 (#S-3989/NFL Players, Day 4)
 * January 12, 2004 (#S-3991/"Winter Sports", Day 1 {alternate copy})
 * January 19, 2004 (#S-3996/"Coast to Coast", Day 1)
 * May 3, 2004 ("Mom & Me" Week, Day 1; has commercials)
 * May 4, 2004 ("Mom & Me" Week, Day 2; has most commercials)

Season 22 (2004-05)
Several gameplay changes are made: a second Gift Tag is placed over the pink $300 between $400 and $900, and both Mystery Wedges are raised to $1,000. Aesthetically, the Bonus Wheel gets neon lights and blue lettering.

New Categories: Fun & Games on September 6; Best Seller on September 8 (oddly, in Round 5).

Retired Categories: Clue on January 18. Road Shows: Wachovia Center in Philadelphia (November 8-19, January 31-February 4); Las Vegas Hilton in Nevada (February 7-25); Bartle Hall in Kansas City, Missouri (May 2-20).

2004


 * September 6, 2004 (Season Premiere)
 * September 27, 2004 ({alternate copy})
 * October 19, 2004 ({alternate copies: #1; #2a, #2b, and #2c})
 * October 29, 2004 (Halloween Week, Finale {alternate copies: #1; #2a and #2b})
 * December 2, 2004 (Pacific Coast Highway, Day 4)

2005


 * January 3, 2005 (NFL Players Week, Day 1)
 * January 4, 2005 (NFL Players Week, Day 2)
 * January 5, 2005 (NFL Players Week, Day 3)
 * January 6, 2005 (NFL Players Week, Day 4)
 * January 7, 2005 (NFL Players Week, Finale)
 * March 22, 2005 (World Class Spas, Day 2)
 * April 15, 2005
 * 2005