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 3), the addition of a half-second pause between each word in the opening chant, 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 a "deal" Merv Griffin 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 & 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 onscreen).

On April 10, 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. For the rest of the season, the applause machine's "awww" track is less frequently used for wrong letters, compared to its constant use before.

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

This is also the final season taped at CBS Television City, and thus the last season to use the network's applause machine.

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 7, 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 (No links available) (#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; taped from GSN in 2008)
 * September 6, 1994 (No links available) (#S-2147/Teen Week I, Day 2: Adam/Lauren/Danielle; taped from GSN in 2008, with commercials)
 * September7, 1994 (#S-2148/Teen Week I, Day 3 {"Thank you, Charlie. Our best to you and your floppy disk."}: Cameron/Paul/Tonya, with Pat and Vanna talking about the on-set home theater during the final segment; December 28 repeat taped from WISH, with a brief news promo at the beginning)
 * 8, 1994 (#S-2149/Teen Week I, Day 4 {"Just put up with me, I'm the host, I have to be here."}: Christine/Barry/James; Bonus Round segment, taped from GSN in 2008)


 * September 15, 1994 (#S-2154: Wayne/Lesley/Jack, with a huge win; taped from GSN in 2008, with commercials {alternate copy, same source but no commercials})
 * September 16, 1994 (No links available) (#S-2155: Diane/Lesley/Rich, with a rare "old-style" Fill In the Blank with the question mark in the middle; taped from GSN in 2008)
 * September 19, 1994 (#S-2156 {"I may have to spin again because the host can't get a Surprise; he has enough of those."}: George/Diane/Maryanne, with a boat's life preserver using the traditional logo; tail end of final round {including Pat's "Surprise" Final Spin} through end of segment; taped from GSN in 2008-09, albeit through a camera pointed at a TV, and as such $550 appears to be indigo instead of purple)


 * September 20, 1994 (No links available) (#S-2157: George/Anne/David, with the debut of a new Mighty Morphin' Power Ranger Megaword {EXTEMPORIZE} – and Pat's clearly not a fan; taped from GSN in 2008, with commercials)
 * [Mind you, Pat's introduction of Megaword isn't odd in and of itself since he also joked about Same Name and Before & After during Season 6. The difference with Megaword is how quickly he doesn't stop snarking about it, but as you'll see every snarky remark {and not just by Pat!} was well-deserved.]
 * September 22, 1994 (No links available) (#S-2159; taped from GSN, with commercials)
 * September 23, 1994 (#S-2160: Tanya/Chris/Kevin; taped from GSN in September 2008 {alternate copy, same source but no commercials})
 * September 26, 1994 (No links available) (#S-2161: Joy/Bill/Roger; taped from GSN)
 * [Probably on September 28 {known to have been aired by GSN on January 30, 2008}, Megaword makes its first known appearance in the Speed-Up. The contestant fails to use HAPHAZARDLY in a sentence. {This of course assumes that GSN began with the Season Premiere and didn't skip anything...or didn't skip too much.}]

October 1994

 * October 4, 1994 (#S-2167: Dan/Laura/Scot)
 * October 5, 1994 (No links available) (#S-2168)
 * October 7, 1994 (#S-2170 {"We had a tragedy here at Wheel, by the way-I accidentally dropped our printed rules of our new category on a stagehand and killed him."}: Diane/Frank/Connie, with Pat and Charlie having some fun after Round 1 {yes, Charlie made a Megaword joke} – and Megaword isn't even used on this episode!; taped from GSN, with commercials begins at second spin of Round 1 and missing various other brief bits})


 * October 11, 1994 (No links available) (#S-2172)
 * October 12, 1994 (No links available) (#S-2173; taped from GSN, with commercials)
 * October 13, 1994 (No links available) (#S-2174; taped from GSN, with commercials)
 * October 14, 1994 (#S-2175: Donna/Katie/Yasin {Megaword: COMMENDATION})


 * October 18, 1994 (No links available) (#S-2177)
 * October 24, 1994 (#S-2181: Danny/Jeanne/Rosemary)
 * October 25, 1994 (No links available) (#S-2182 {"Turning to our producer, who seems to be nodding...either that or is dozing, I'm not sure."}: Al/Erin/Jacqueline, with Pat reading off the definition of that day's Megaword {HYPOTHESIS, and even Vanna seems to get in on the category-bashing fun :P}; 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*** {possibly CHRYSANTHEMUM}.]
 * [The Megaword puzzle on October 28 (#S-2185: Josephine/Steven/Stefan) is mostly unknown, but per an old recap it's ****RINT* {possibly LABYRINTH}. 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 (No links available) (#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 {most likely JUXTAPOSITION}.]


 * 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 {"Here he comes Vanna, run for your life!"}: Gary/Beth/Mick; taped from GSN in 2008, with sweepstakes plug intact!)
 * 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: Gregory/Teresa/Lisa {Megaword: MELODRAMATIC})


 * 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)

$10,000 Wedge added


 * November 28, 1994 (#S-2206)

December 1994

 * December 5, 1994 (#S-2211: Brian/Tom/John, with Brian performing a Wheel rap {alternate copy of intro and rap})
 * [The Megaword puzzle on December 6 (#S-2212: Kathy/Bob/Brian) was CORNUCOPIA.]
 * December 9, 1994 (#S-2215: Stephen/Jocelyn/Jerry, with the debut of Next Line Please {"Another show-stopping category!"} and someone trying to play Loophole Abuse with "The ever-popular Mmmmmmmmegaword" {PROLIFERATION}...and somehow failing)
 * 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; alternate copy of said round})
 * 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/My Favorite Teacher Week, Day 2...with a rule that both members of the team get the amount of cash they win in each round? Pat gives a long-winded explanation of this at the end of the show)
 * February 8, 1995 (#S-2248/My Favorite Teacher Week, Day 3)
 * February 10, 1995 (#S-2250/My Favorite Teacher Week, Finale)


 * 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} {alternate copy... thing, same source})
 * February 21, 1995 (#S-2257/"Some of the Greats!", Day 2: {champ}/David {won $71,534 in November 1990}/Monte {won $76,451 in March 1993}, with a Megaword {ENTREPRENEUR}; 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 {Megaword: APERITIF; 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 {STUPEFIED})
 * 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 {CONTORTIONIST} 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 {"If she really feels that way!"}: Renae/Mike/Jackie; 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 in its three-year history {seriously, OFF THE BEAM?})
 * March 7, 1995 (#S-2267; taped from GSN in 2008, with commercials)
 * March 8, 1995 (#S-2268 {alternate copy of Round 3})
 * 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!"}, taped from GSN in 2008)
 * [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; alternate copy of Vanna's explanation})

Opening spiel shortened: "the" removed from before the show's title, "soaring into your lives" removed from Pat and Vanna's intro


 * 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)
 * May 30, 1995 (#S-2322 {"Was that live or on tape?"}: Nancy/Steve/Jack, with the first known appearance of Fictional Place {"We don't get that one very often."}; 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 since late 2010! {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)