User:Daniel Benfield/Nighttime Video Archive/Seasons 8-11

Go back to Season 7 or forward to Season 12?

These were cluttering up the main subpage, but none of them really had enough for a page on their own and I knew Season 12 would need its own sub-subpage given how much GSN aired the thing. Hence, this sub-subpage contains Seasons 8-11...only one of which has actually been shown by GSN.

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 ©1990-94 Califon Productions/Merv Griffin Entertainment and associated entities.

Season 8 (1990-91)
September 3, 1990 - June 14, 1991

The road-show diamond backdrops become permanent at home base; the score displays become connected, with seven digits and an adjusting dollar sign; and the floor is now black (daytime retains the chevron backdrops and white floor). The Wheel's lights are brighter, and the bottom layer flashes clockwise in sync with the others (it previously went counterclockwise). The new backdrops also result in an outgoing/returning champ's total being flashed onscreen like the post-Bonus Round total.

Sometime between September 11 and December 25, the rule for picking up Prizes or the Free Spin is altered to require a correct letter first. Sometime between September 11 and January, the W-H-E-E-L envelope holder gets a thick golden ring around it; the Merv Griffin Enterprises graphic returns to its old animated form with "A unit of Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc." underneath; and the King World logo adopts its familiar "spotlights" animation, where the logo starts just as the bars cross and the triangle flips to form the star.

Sometime between September 11 and January 25, Prizes stay on the Wheel past the round they're introduced in. The chevrons behind Pat get some lights sometime between April 16 and May 14.

Outside of Season 3, I'm pretty sure this is the rarest season prior to Nancy's departure. Much like Season 3, the seven episodes listed below are all that's known to circulate.

New Categories: Clue in October, Title/Author at...some point.

Repeat Weeks: December 31-January 4, April 8-12.

GSN Repeat Dates: N/A as of yet.

1990


 * September 10, 1990 (#S-1371: Gemini/Julia/Mark; taped from what appears to be WABC {which just picked up the show from WCBS} with commercials {including one for Citrus Hill orange juice that goes out of its way to not show the logo of the "leading brand", which resembles Tropicana; of course, everyone knows that such taste tests can and do swap the glasses around...}, ends just as King World logo appears {alternate copy, same source but no commercials})
 * September 11, 1990 (#S-1372: Dede/Don/Gemini; taped from what appears to be WABC with commercials, ends during eligibility disclaimer {alternate copies, same source: #1a and #1b, by the original uploader; #2, no commercials}; NES Action Set plug, with Jeopardy! and Wheel video games)
 * Fall 1990 (WABC promo with clips from this season {6-second version})

1991


 * January 1991 (KHOU "Wheel is Gonna Get Ya!" promo with clips from Seasons 6-8 {and possibly 5 as well})


 * January-May 1991 (Monday: most of closing segment, with Pat's comments indicating that Vanna has been gone for a week; weekend repeat from March 7, 1992, with commercials and that night's Florida Lotto drawing)
 * [Wheel has one Prize wedge. I don't see any lights on the chevrons.]
 * January-May 1991 (begins just before fee plugs; WFTV weekend repeat from May 23, 1992, with commercials and that night's Florida Lotto drawing)
 * [I don't see any lights on the chevrons.]

Prize wedges removed if a round begins as a Speed-Up


 * April 16, 1991 (#S-1517: Stella/Bill/Scott, with a contestant plug; taped from WABC, with commercials)
 * April? 1991 (Wednesday or Thursday: Carla/Bob/Winston; comes after the January and April 16 changes, but before May 6 {Teen Week})

Light-up chevrons behind Pat


 * May 14, 1991 (#S-1537/College Week, Day 2: Becky/Andrea/Vince; taped from WPVI, has 1:05 of commericals pre-show)

Season 9 (1991-92)
September 2, 1991 - June 12, 1992

The contestant's Bonus Round letter choices become blue, and the blue Wheel wedges become teal. Bizarrely, "A unit of Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc." is removed from the Enterprises graphic.

New Categories: Foreign Word(s) by March 26 (the singular version is known to have debuted by May 8), Foreign Phrase likely around the same time.

Road Shows: Disneyland in Anaheim, California (September 2-6; the regular puzzle board is used); Arie Crown Theatre in Chicago, Illinois (September 30-October 11); Disney/MGM Studios at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida (October 28-November 22, April 27-May 22).

Repeat Weeks: December 30-January 3, April 20-24.

GSN Repeat Dates: N/A as of yet.

1991


 * September 3, 1991 (#S-1562/Teen Week, Day 2: Gary/Jason/Jimmie; has commercials)
 * September 6, 1991 (#S-1565/Teen Week, Finale Monica/Jason/Mardell; begins at the end of the contestant interviews)
 * October 28, 1991 (#S-1601/Wheel Around the World, Day 1: Gary/Steve/Susan, with clips of the Aussie Wheel; video occasionally goes monochrome with a white skew from Round 2 onward)

1992


 * February 28, 1992 (#S-1685/Watch and Win Sweepstakes, Day 15?; closing segment, with commercials)
 * March 13, 1992 (#S-1695/Watch and Win Sweepstakes, Day 10; closing segment, taped from WFTV with commercials)
 * March 18?, 1992 (#S-1698?/Watch and Win Sweepstakes, Day 13?: Jim/Glenn/Bennett, "contest" version; airdate is the most likely one per available info {alternate copy})
 * March 26?, 1992 (#S-1704?: Don/Gary/Renee, with Pat forgetting to announce the Round 3 category until after the first spin, the first known appearance of a "Foreign" category, and a full credit roll; begins near end of Round 2, no fee plugs {alternate copy of closing segment})


 * May 6, 1992 (#S-1728/Walt Disney World, Day 8: Sherry/Nancy/Scott, with the THE SOUL OF WIT puzzle; taped from WPVI with commercials, including a graphic of that day's Pennsylvania Lottery numbers)
 * May 7, 1992 (#S-1729/Walt Disney World, Day 9: Shane/Nancy/Connie; begins about halfway through opening {alternate copy from Shane's website})
 * May 8, 1992 (#S-1730/Walt Disney World, Day 10: Florence/Duncan/Shane; muffle-y audio {alternate copy from Shane's website})
 * May 18, 1992 (#S-1736/Walt Disney World, Day 16: Joe/Shane/Peter, with Vanna saying that Charlie told her the biggest winner ever had $143,046...which is wrong; ends just before fee plugs {alternate copy from Shane's website}
 * May 22, 1992 (#S-1740/Walt Disney World, Finale; taped from WFTV with commercials, begins at very end of Bonus Round segment)


 * May 27, 1992 (#S-1743: Kathy/Linda/Charles; taped from WPVI with commercials, ends after Bonus Round segment)
 * 1992 (Maryann/?/?, closing segment with Pat mentioning that they had a BISCUITS AND GRAVY {or BISCUITS & GRAVY} puzzle "last week" and that Maryann will be back "tomorrow"; weekend repeat from March 13, 1993, with commercials)

Season 10 (1992-93)
September 7, 1992 - June 18, 1993

Many cosmetic changes: the fourth version of "Changing Keys" (the closing segment alternates between this and the 1989 version), the "dancing wedges"/"fashion show" opening, the "burst" contestant backdrops (the diamond ones are retained for road shows), the "clear block" towers behind the Bonus Round prizes and contestants, and the High Rollers chimes for Clue, Where Are We?, and Fill In the Blank.

Further, some Quotation and "decade" categories (as well as the occasional "regular" categories) are followed by questions asked by Charlie for a $1,000 bonus. These are preceded by a set of low-pitched beeps and are only for the contestant who solves the puzzle.

For the first two weeks, the base of the W-H-E-E-L envelope holder changes from this to this.

September 21 debuts a new, sturdier W-H-E-E-L podium with lights that flash if the Bonus Round is won, and light-up red letters which turn off when an envelope is selected at the sound of a chime (high-pitched at home base, low-pitched on road shows). At the same time, the center Wheel rug gets a golden border.

Surprise debuts on October 5, although its first week uses a narrow, plain Helvetica-ish font. The category chyron/prize value/credits/etc. font changes to the same narrow Helvetica-ish font for the first week of 1993, and then to Gill Sans by February 25, with road shows retaining the Helvetica style through Season 12 (with this font change, the rules disclaimer and Vanna and Pat's wardrobe credits "wipe in").

February 8-26 are the first Red-Letter Sweepstakes, which features a Red-Letter Puzzle in Round 3 that viewers at home unscramble.

Sony now owns Merv Griffin Enterprises, which adds "a Sony Pictures Entertainment company" to the Enterprises logo; on October 26, Charlie's closing spiel changes to "Merv Griffin Enterprises produces...Wheel of Fortune!", said over the title/copyright card, complete with drum roll in the background, with the King World logo getting its own music (the logo starts with the spotlights crossed, which then uncross as the music begins and then cross again and freeze as the music ends).

On April 1, the Enterprises logo becomes a gold griffin statue in front of the cloudy background used by Columbia Pictures Television, TriStar Television, and Columbia-TriStar Television, with the "Merv Griffin Enterprises" text and "Sony Pictures Entertainment Company" byline in the same Bank Gothic MD font as the aforementioned logos.

New Categories: Slang on September 7, Where Are We? at...some point, the "decade" categories by October 26, (Fill In the) Blank by December 25, Artist/Song by April 26.

Retired Categories: Foreign Word(s)/Phrase, around September 14; I doubt they made it to October.

Road Shows: Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, California (November 2-6/23-27); Philadelphia Convention Hall and Civic Center in Pennsylvania (November 9-20); Wang Center in Boston, Massachusetts (May 10-21).

Repeat Weeks: January 4-8, April 12-16.

GSN Repeat Dates: October 1997-October 1998 (sweepstakes references and King World logo edited out; the latter of which is replaced with the Columbia Tri-Star Television logo with Charlie announcing the company's name).

1992


 * September 1992 (10th-Anniversary promo #2, long version featuring clips from the first decade as well as people singing "I'm A Wheel Watcher"; taped from CKCK)
 * September 1992 (10th-Anniversary promo #2, short version; taped from WBRC, albeit dated 1991)
 * September 1992 (Ad for Tyco's Wheel and Jeopardy! board games)

12-wedge Wheel envelope holder gets new wedges and colors (see above)


 * September 7, 1992 (#S-1756/Season Premiere: Stephanie/Ben/Marilyn, with a pan of the $25,000 sign in the intro; taped from GSN {alternate copies: #1, begins just before first contestant interview with intro from a different episode; #2, complete})
 * September 10, 1992 (#S-1759: Art/Cliff/Jim, with a pan of the $25,000 sign in the intro, the SLIPPED ON A BANANA PEEL Event puzzle {solved with only the N's and L's!}, and a precursor to the "Charlie, put down that _____!" gag; taped from GSN {alternate copy})


 * September 14, 1992 (#S-1761: Jude/Barb/John, with Clue still using its original "fanfare", the MAZEL TOV/"category from Hell" incident, a lower-than-usual camera in the Bonus Round, one of the last appearances of $950, and 10th-Anniversary messages from Australia {with the pre-'92-overhaul set} and Turkey; taped from GSN in 1997-98, with some bits of commercials and a full Wheel 2000 promo {alternate copy})
 * September 15, 1992 (#S-1762 {"Let's have a What Will Pat Wear Tonight? campaign, what do you say?"}: Jude/Clayton/Jennifer, with the first known appearance of a "normal category bonus question" and a full credit roll; taped from GSN {alternate copy of final segment from original broadcast, including plugs for Jeopardy! and Wheel video games for the SNES and Sega (not "Saga") Genesis but no fee plugs})
 * September 17, 1992 (#S-1764: Joy/Laura/Randy; taped from GSN, begins right before Charlie's opening spiel {alternate copy, same source})

Puzzle-solve cue now used for correct Clue answers (Clue wasn't used on 9/15 and 17)


 * September 18, 1992 (#S-1765: Joy/Betty/Tony, with a weird opening, a good example of what it means when Pat omits "Person does not always mean Proper Name.", and a 10th-Anniversary message from Portugal; taped from GSN, with a Super Decades promo)

New open (low-level pan from $25,000 sign to contestant area during chant, with players walking into place), new W-H-E-E-L envelope podium


 * September 23, 1992 (#S-1768: Denise/Carol/Robert, with a distinct lack of puzzle-solve cue when the Round 2 puzzle is solved; taped from GSN in October 1997 or '98 {a "Happy Halloween" message appears briefly})
 * September 24, 1992 (#S-1769 {"Charlie, can you say "aluminum" again?"}: Robert/Bob/Regina, with a very tiny portion of a Wheel-themed song; taped from GSN on August 18, 2007)


 * September 29, 1992 (#S-1772/Teen Week I, Day 2: Courtney/Natalie/Angie, with the Helvetica font throughout, a blue border around the Speed-Up split-screen, and a full credit roll; taped from GSN {alternate copies, same source: #1, #2})
 * September 30, 1992 (#S-1773/Teen Week I, Day 3: Doug/Shelli/Jasdeep, with Pat making a rare reference to Nickname and using Vanna's dress as a cup holder; here's the kicker{-in-the-crotch} – the episode is complete, including a promo before the show, but almost everything not related to Doug is sped up past the point of being watchable because hey, nobody wants to watch that, right?)
 * October 2, 1992 (#S-1775/Teen Week I, Finale – Pat screws up the top value for Round 2 {"I'm generous with other people's money."}, a $20,000 college annuity uses the traditional logo {in the current font?}, and Danica McKellar appears to...not do much of anything except make Pat and Vanna plug The Wonder Years, really; audio/video is a bit off for opening segment {alternate copy, ends just before Enterprises logo – oh, and it's the same uploader as the 9/30 show, so speedups aplenty})

Surprise debuts
 * October 5, 1992 (#S-1776: Rob/Jennifer/Chris, with some great comedic timing after Round 1 and a pretty hard Bonus Round thwarted; taped from GSN in late 1997, with commercials)
 * October 8, 1992 (#S-1779: George/JASON BLOCK/Dalet, with the MARILYN MONROE'S LAST FILM debacle and a downright-amazing Bonus Round {alternate copies: #1; #2})

Normal Surprise wedge
 * October 14, 1992 (#S-1783: Kathie/Mark/Bobby, with a lot of wrong letters in the Speed-Up round)
 * October 26, 1992 (#S-1791: Victoria/Shirley/Craig, with Surprise on $1,000 in Round 1{?!} and an awesome "dark set" intro that they should've kept)

San Francisco


 * November 2, 1992 (#S-1796/San Francisco Week, Day 1: Richie/Donna/Jim, with no dollar signs on the scoreboards {reminds me of the early Wheel 2000 tapings, actually}, a very infamous Round 2, and a promo for the next three weeks; taped from GSN {alternate copy})

Philadelphia


 * November 10, 1992 (#S-1802/Philadelphia Week, Day 2 {"Well, we cut corners wherever we can, we give away a lot of dough here."}: Michael/Connie/Pat, with "Nightwalk" used as a prize cue, possibly the first use of The Fifties, an odd incident in Round 3, and a truck as the Round 4 Prize; video isn't the greatest, but still very watchable)
 * November 20, 1992 (#S-1810/My Favorite Teacher, Finale: Beth & Virginia/Julie & Janet/Jay & John, with a huge win; taped from GSN, first part of Round 3 missing {alternate copy, same source but dated 11/27})

San Francisco (again)


 * November 24, 1992 (#S-1812/Soap Opera College Challenge, Day 2: Jacqui/Michael Sabatino {Days of Our Lives}/Jill Larson {All My Children}; taped from GSN)
 * November 25, 1992 (#S-1813/Soap Opera College Challenge, Day 3: Jason/Scott Reeves {The Young and the Restless}/Frank Dicopoulos {Guiding Light}, with the FOG HORN bonus puzzle that should've been one word {alternate copy})
 * November 26, 1992 (#S-1814/Soap Opera College Challenge, Day 4: Fiona Hutchison {Guiding Light}/Lauralee Bell {The Young and the Restless}/Chico {alternate copies: Round 1 only, complete})

Back to Television City; pan changes to begin at the puzzle board


 * December 9, 1992 (#S-1823: David/John/Chris, with Pat making an odd-in-hindsight comment just before Round 4; taped from GSN, begins with a brief Price Is Right clip and ends with two Enterprises logos {alternate copies: #1; #2a #2b})
 * December 17, 1992 (#S-1829 {"Cheryl [Jacobs] has lots of time on her hands."}: Skip/Jim/Frank, with a huge win...plus Pat holding up cards of former Presidents James K. Polk and Rutherford B. Hayes before Round 3 for some reason, probably a running gag that week {he later quizzes Vanna}; taped from GSN)


 * December 23, 1992 (#S-1833/Family Week, Day 3: Javhar & Rashaunah/Tom & Cathy/Gary & Shari {Bonus Round only})
 * December 25, 1992 (#S-1835/Family Week, Finale {alternate copies: #1, taped from GSN's "12 Games of Christmas" marathon in December 2000 with Betty White host segments and a Hollywood Showdown "new season" promo; #2, from a separate airing circa December 2001, hence the TV-G rating and a Christmas wreath in place of the ball in "SHOW" in the GSN logo plus the bug is in the upper right corner; #3, #4; same source}; includes a plug for the Tyco board game)


 * December 28, 1992 (#S-1836/Wheel Into the New Year, Day 1 {"This doesn't mean from now on, you get to act out the puzzles. We don't want to set a precedent around here, it could get dangerous."}: Greg/Kelly/Linnea, with Pat making fun of the theme week name right off the bat, the debut of The Twenties, "That dance craze that went like...", and the 1989 theme in the credits; taped from GSN {alternate copy})
 * December 29, 1992 (#S-1837/Wheel Into the New Year, Day 2: Ray/Jeff/Kelly, with Pat mock-complaining that Charlie's getting more airtime {into a phone at his area?}, Fill In the Blank's question mark in the middle, and the 1989 theme in the credits; taped from GSN in mid-1998 with commercials {including one for Extreme Gong}, ends during Pat's wardrobe plug {replaced by the tail end of a circa-1998 Chuck Woolery Dating Game; alternate copy, no Dating Game clip})

1993


 * February 8-10, 1993 (#S-186?/Red Letter Sweepstakes, Day 1-3 {"And no-one heard it all, not even a chair."}: Debbie/Pat/Charles, with the narrow Helvetica font; begins just before Round 1, ends after Round 3 segment {replaced by a full episode of Jeopardy!})
 * February 12, 1993 (#S-1865/Red Letter Sweepstakes, Day 5: Steve/Jacqui/Brent, with the narrow Helvetica font throughout and the 1989 theme in the credits {alternate copy})

All chyrons change to Gill Sans, eligibility disclaimer and wardrobe credits wipe in


 * February 25, 1993 (#S-1874/Red Letter Sweepstakes, Day 14: Greg/Gordon/Larry, with the BUTTINSKY round {alternate copy of said round})
 * February 26, 1993 (#S-1875/Red Letter Sweepstakes, Finale: Greg/Seth/Tom, with Pat referencing the then-current iteration of You Bet Your Life, the 1989 theme in the credits {where it runs to its end, and then loops back!}, and a full credit roll {beginning with the white logo!})
 * March 5, 1993 (#S-1880: Marcia/Dana/David, with the Wheel rug lacking its golden border and the 1989 theme in the credits; taped from GSN, really high audio)

"Gold statue with cloudy backdrop" Enterprises logo


 * April 2, 1993 (#S-1900: Alfie/Richard/Leonard, with the 1989 theme in the credits {alternate copy})
 * April 9, 1993 (#S-1905/Teen Week II, Finale: Eric/Michelle/Ryan, with the 1989 theme in the credits; ends during Pat's wardrobe plug)

Wipes removed from eligibility disclaimer


 * May 7, 1993 (#S-1920/Sports Stars Week, Finale: Phil Esposito/Bill Walton/Dick Butkus, with the 1989 theme in the credits; taped from GSN {alternate copy}) still has wipes for the wardrobe plugs

Wipes removed from wardrobe plugs


 * May 19, 1993 (#S-1928/College Week from Boston, Day 3: Rich/Joe/Stacey; uploaded by Rich himself {alternate copy, as part of his "game show mixtape", a compilation of all his game show appearances})
 * May 21, 1993 (#S-1930/College Week from Boston, Finale: Jim Bob/Leah/Todd, with the Bonus Round played for a $50,000 college annuity; taped from WABC, with most commercials)


 * May 25, 1993 (#S-1932: Brian/Barry/Barbara, with the 1989 theme in the credits; taped from WABC, with commercials {alternate copy, same source})
 * May 27, 1993 (#S-1934: Father Chris/Paulette/Laurie, with the Round 2 Prize using a nice "sparkling" money graphic, a huge winner, a full credit roll, and the 1989 theme in the credits; taped from GSN on June 25, 1998 {VCR graphics pop up near the end of Round 4 and during Pat's final tally}, channel changes for one spin of Round 2)

Season 11 (1993-94)
September 6, 1993 - June 17, 1994

The opening is slightly altered to remove the "10th Anniversary" graphic and add a closed-captioning bug in the bottom-right corner. The Red-Letter Puzzles debut by November 12, while February 7-18 are the Gold Letter Sweepstakes.

For this season, the 1989 "Changing Keys" opens and closes every road show except Family Week (which uses Mannheim Steamroller's rendition of "Deck the Halls" in the opening and the 1992 "Changing Keys" in the credits) and Music Stars Week (which uses the opening version of the 1989 theme for the only time since the end of Season 9).

Weekend repeats of this season only feature Charlie's voice as he says the "Created by Merv Griffin" credit (which is heard in full credit rolls once the aforementioned credit appears on screen), before seguing into the Columbia-TriStar Television and King World spiels.

New Categories: The "new" (three question marks) Fill In the Blank, around January.

Road Shows: Disney/MGM Studios at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida (December 20-24, April 4-22, May 2-6/16-20); James L. Knight Center in Miami, Florida (February 21-March 4).

Repeat Weeks: December 27-31, March 28-April 1.

GSN Repeat Dates: N/A as of yet.

1993




 * October 5, 1993 (#S-1972: Rod/Jim/Belinda, with the second known nighttime tie and the 1989 theme in credits; has commercials, too)


 * November 12, 1993 (#S-2000: Stephen/Chanelle/Darryle {alternate copy})
 * December 24, 1993 (#S-2030/Family Week, Finale: David & Albertha/Chuck & Bridget/Kitty & Mariann)

1994


 * January 1994 (#S-20?? {Thursday}: RAYMOND TAYLOR/Steve/Dianne; begins as Pat recaps Steve's total, ends during Enterprises logo)
 * January 1994 (#S-20?? {Friday}: ? {female}/? {female}/RAYMOND TAYLOR; montage including Speed-Up and Bonus Round)


 * March 11, 1994 (#S-2080: Bob/Dan/Robin {taped 2/10/94}, with a likely-accidental {but how?} triple-buzz in the Bonus Round; begins right before "Of!" in opening chant, fee plugs cut out, decent video and audio, ends during Enterprises "page flip" transition)
 * March 14, 1994 (#S-2081: Deborah/Bob/Tony {taped 2/11/94}, with the 1992 theme in the credits; begins just as Pat walks up to his area, end of Round 4 cut out)


 * April 12, 1994 (#S-2096/Walt Disney World, Day 7 {"And now here's the dwarf Snow White never talks about."}: Eric/Bernard/Larry; taped from WAGA with commercials, begins at very end of Eric's interview, ends early in King World logo animation)
 * April 22, 1994 (#S-2105/Walt Disney World, Finale: Gloria/Chris/Donna)


 * May 3, 1994 (#S-2112/Music Stars, Day 2: "Weird Al" Yankovic/Tammy Wynette/Gladys Knight {alternate copies: #1a, #1b, and #1c; #2, focused on Tammy only})
 * May 6, 1994 (#S-2115/Music Stars, Finale: Lee Greenwood/James Brown & Little Richard/"Weird Al" Yankovic, with a reference to the shopping era and an appearance by Marilyn Horne)