Wheel of Fortune timeline (network)/1988

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January 1988

• Wheel does not air on January 1 due to the Tournament of Roses parade.
• On an episode from the week of January 18 (Kathy/Howard/Della):
  • The Jackpot is not plugged during the intro, despite being at $4,000.

    

  • Howard wears a button on his shirt beneath his name tag that resembles the Wheel and reads "WHEEL OF FORTUNE" around the top and "I'M A WHEEL WATCHER" at the bottom.
  • The Round 1 puzzle (CHILI WITH BEANS) is inexplicably categorized as Things instead of Thing.
  • The Jackpot cutaway graphic is an image of a full cookie jar, with a kid greedily staring into it. The money graphic is red with a white outline and is stationary, matching the one seen in the opening.
  • After Kathy chooses her last prize in the Round 3 shopping segment, Pat immediately puts the remaining $106 on a gift certificate without offering the option to put it on account.
  • Pat models a Mazda RX7 during the mid-show car plug. During this, an unknown person's hands can be seen clapping in the left of the shot.
  • The letter ding is used when the apostrophe is revealed in the Speed-Up, and the audience applauds for the first correct letter.
  • Eight consecutive wrong letters are called in the Speed-Up.
  • Rounds 2 and 4 are Title.
  • Kathy calls A in the Bonus Round, a rare instance of a player calling a vowel other than E under the five-and-a-vowel rules.
  • Pat and Vanna do not sign off; rather, the final segment begins with the sponsor list.
  • The sponsor list is not done over the spinning Wheel.
  • The Enterprises logo makes no mention of Coca-Cola Television or Columbia Pictures Entertainment, instead saying "Merv Griffin Enterprises © Califon Productions, Inc. 1988 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED" on three lines.
• As of the above episode, the beginning of the sponsor list still says the same thing it did on December 25, 1981.

February 1988

• Around this point, the Enterprises logo replaces "A unit of Coca-Cola TELEVISION" with "A unit of Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc."
• February 15 is Battle of the Sexes Week.
• On February 24, The Pat Sajak Show is announced by CBS. Likely at the same time, Pat announces his eventual departure from the daytime show.

March 1988

• March 15 has a Jackpot win.
• On March 17 (Scott/Brenda/Janice):
  • The money graphic is shown in the middle of the screen.
  • Pat enters carrying the frog hat he wore for St. Patrick's Day 1987. He mentions having worn it then, and that since he "looked so stupid doing it" he won't be wearing it again.
  • There are two sets of repeated categories: Person in Rounds 1 and 4, Phrase in Round 2 and the Bonus Round.
  • The Jackpot is claimed but not won.
  • The mid-show bumper logo and shot are not used, nor is the mid-show car plug done.
  • As Scott solves Round 3 for $10,950, Pat throws to a commercial immediately following the round. Scott does his shopping during the break, with Jack announcing his prizes at the top of Act 4.
  • Possibly due to the length of Round 3 and its extra prize plugs, Round 4 begins as a Speed-Up. As a result of the round beginning after the plugs, the puzzle is introduced normally, with the Final Spin chimes sounding after Pat mentions the category.
  • Scott finishes the day with a one-day total of $24,850.
  • In the final segment, Pat wishes a happy 35th Anniversary to NBC affiliate WWLP-TV in Springfield, Massachusetts, and Vanna wears the frog hat.
• By March 17, the beginning of the sponsor list changes to "THE FOLLOWING HAVE FURNISHED PRIZES FOR PROMOTING THEIR PRODUCTS".
• On March 18 (Scott/Colleen/Judy):
  • The money graphic is shown at the top of the screen.
  • Rounds 1 and 4 are Thing, while Round 4 is Things.
  • After Scott chooses his last prize in the Round 3 shopping segment, Pat immediately puts the remaining $53 on a gift certificate without offering the option to put it on account.
  • The mid-show bumper logo and shot are not used, nor is the mid-show car plug done.
  • At the start of the Bonus Round, Pat is holding a ceramic pig (which Scott purchased in Round 3).
  • Scott solves the bonus puzzle WHITE SALE before the timer can start.
  • The prize for departing contestants is plugged at the start of the final segment, which is done in front of the puzzle board, where Scott is sitting in the Jeep Cherokee he won in the Bonus Round.
• On March 21 (Jennie/Jack/Scott):

  

  "If I only had a brain..."

  • The money graphic is shown in the middle of the screen.
  • All of the puzzles are very short, with Round 2 (SPECIALTY OF THE HOUSE) being the longest at only 19 letters.
  • After mentioning the top value for Round 1, Pat quickly mumbles his way through the rest of the "try not to hit Bankrupt" spiel.
  • In Round 2, the contestants are shown turning their backs during the mid-round outro.
  • Bankrupt is hit four times in Round 2.
  • Following Round 2, Jack spends his $500 by buying a $100 serving bowl and, due to there being no other available prizes valued at $400 or less, places the remaining $400 on a gift certificate. This is the only known instance of more money going on a gift certificate than what is used for buying prizes.
  • At the start of Round 3, Pat has to ask a staff member what the category for the puzzle is (Person).
  • The bonus puzzle HEARTBREAKER is a rare instance of a one-word Phrase; it is not known why the puzzle was categorized that way instead of as Person.
  • Scott retires with $49,992.
  • In the final segment, Pat and Vanna wish a happy 35th Anniversary to NBC affiliate KFDX in Witchita Falls, Texas. They then show the cue card for this, after which Pat rips it up.
  • Jack plugs the home game and the computer games, which are offered as consolation prizes to all contestants.
• None of the above three episodes have a Jackpot plug during the intro.
• On all three of the above episodes, the Jackpot cutaway graphic is designed to look like the Yellow Brick Road from The Wizard of Oz, with paper cut-outs representing Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion "walking" on the Road. On all three episodes, Pat mocks this display in some form or another.

• March 28 is Teen Week.

April 1988

• On April 5:
  • Vanna wears a suit.
  • Contestant Sharon sweeps the game and wins a television and entertainment center in the Bonus Round.
  • During the closing chat, Vanna pretends to sign a fan's autograph with an oversized prop crayon from the shopping display.
• On April 6:
  • Somewhat unusually, Vanna's outfit includes a brooch.
  • One of the Prizes purchased after Round 1 is a Sharp watch resembling the Wheel.
  • For one of only six known times, a one-word puzzle (HYPERTENSION) is used in Round 2.
  • No vowels are bought in Round 3.
  • There is a $6,000 Jackpot win.
  • Contestant Debbie solves the bonus puzzle CHERRY JELL-O before the timer can start.
• On April 7:
  • The Round 1 puzzle TAKING STOCK OF THE SITUATION uses the second through fourth rows, a practice normally done only when the first word is too long for the top row.
  • The camera is zoomed out too far during Round 1, allowing the Wheel to be seen.
• On at least April 5-7, the Jackpot graphic is the same Wizard of Oz one used on at least March 17, 18, and 21.
• Jack Clark's last episode airs on April 22 or 29, with Charlie O'Donnell doing at least the following week.

May 1988

• Charlie announces for at least the week of May 2. Pat notes on at least the 6th that Charlie is "sitting in for Jack Clark this week", suggesting that Jack's departure was not yet permanent (though given his declining health at this point, he likely did not return).

• On May 4 (Chris/Mike/Bob):
  • The Jackpot cutaway graphic is a leprechaun sliding down a rainbow into a pot of gold, accompanied by a slide whistle sound effect (not the same one used for Bankrupt).
  • Chris retires with $62,087, having won all three of her Bonus Rounds and becoming the first of only two known players to win three cars. During the closing chat, Pat states that this is the "biggest three-day total".
• On May 6 (Jayne/Joan/Dottie):
  • The Jackpot graphic is the same one used on Chris/Mike/Bob.
  • The Round 4 puzzle PLACE MATS is misspelled (it should be one word).
  • There are two sets of repeated categories: Phrase in Rounds 1, 3, and the Bonus Round, Thing in Round 2, and Things in Round 4.
• As of May 6, the mid-show bumper is still in use.

• Around this point, contestant Debra Stuker plays for two or three shows, winning $36,829 (including a Jeep, sailboat, small motorboat, artwork, sportswear, TV, VCR, jukebox, and sporting equipment). Much later, at the end of August 1989, the Associated Press reports that while some of her prizes arrived respectably (including the Jeep, traded in for a van), the $4,200 jukebox and $10,000 boat were both delivered in very poor condition. At the time of the article, the show took back the boat without offering a replacement and offered $2,500 cash (not taken) instead of the jukebox.

June 1988

• At this point, there is still no ® on the show's logo.
• On June 14 (#3,421, taped May 14), when Pat introduces Vanna, Betty White comes out from behind the curtain and twirls. Pat walks up to her and corrects her, "Vanna White." Embarrassed, Betty pushes Pat and runs offstage, after which Vanna makes her entrance.

July 1988

• On July 1 and 4, the show is preempted by the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament.
• On July 21, Jack Clark dies.
• Johnny Gilbert announces for at least the weeks of July 25 and August 1.
• July 25 is Teen Week.

August 1988

• On August 8 (Bill/Lorayne/Joyce):
  • Johnny Gilbert fills in as announcer.
  • There is a $7,000 Jackpot win.
  • Eleven wrong letters are called in the Speed-Up.
• During at least the week of August 15, Charlie fills in as announcer.
• On August 18 (Laura/Barbara/Michele):
  • The Jackpot cutaway graphic is designed to look like the Yellow Brick Road from The Wizard of Oz, with paper cut-outs representing Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion "walking" on the Road.
  • Rounds 1 and 3 are Phrase, while Round 4 and the Bonus Round are Thing.
  • Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
• August 22 is Teen Week.

September 1988

• Charlie fills in as announcer from at least September 2-16.
• By September 2, a "registered trademark" (®) symbol is added to the show's logo, just below the N.
• On September 2 (Chuck/Sharyn/Carol):
  • All of the puzzles are very short, with Round 3 (WHOLE GRAIN BREAD) being the longest at only 15 letters.
  • Round 3 goes to Speed-Up with only one consonant remaining (the G in the above Round 3 puzzle).
  • The next-to-last segment consists entirely of Pat and Vanna paying tribute to Jack and ends with a photograph of him at his announcer's booth. Pat's comments strongly suggest that this was taped within a few days of Jack's death and was the first such episode to be recorded.
  • The final segment, containing the sponsor list and credits, consists of just two camera shots: the overhead spinning Wheel, and the Enterprises end card. Merv's composition "I Remember the Child" (from his 1970 album Appearing Nightly at the Piano) plays throughout. Charlie speaks in a somber tone of voice, and prior to the Enterprises spiel says, "This show is dedicated to the memory of Jack Clark."
• Same Name likely makes its daytime debut around this point.
• September 8 and 9 are the third known instance of two consecutive Jackpot wins, the former being $7,000.
• On September 9 (Tom/Kim/Cindy):
  • Rounds 2 and 4 are Occupation.
  • The set of Sharp watches Tom buys includes the Wheel watch (with the template as the second hand).
• September 16 is believed to be the last appearance of the daytime Jackpot.
• On September 21, M. G. Kelly becomes the show's announcer. Given that he had begun announcing on the nighttime show on September 5 (the first show of Season 6), this indicates that the two versions' taping sessions were not synchronized.
• On September 29 (Sarah/Lynn/Alvan):
  • Wheel is pre-empted after Round 3 on some stations due to coverage of the Space Shuttle Discovery launch.
  • Sarah fills in the entire Round 1 puzzle THE WALLS HAVE EARS by herself.

October 1988

• Around this point, the Bonus Round rules are changed to give RSTLNE automatically and ask the contestant for three more consonants and a vowel, along with reducing the time limit to 10 seconds. The first daytime bonus puzzle under these rules is believed to be OREO COOKIES, which is not solved.
• By mid-October, the Used Letter Board changes to a dry-erase board similar to those used in auditions since at least 1985. Other than being dry erase, the new board retains the old formatting.
• October 24 is Trick or Treat Week, held across all of NBC's daytime games. On Wheel, the turntable and spiral pillars are decorated for Halloween.
• On October 26 (Jeannette/Lenna/Elizabeth):
  • Pat's Final Spin lands on Bankrupt.
  • Rounds 1, 2, and the Bonus Round are Phrase.
• By October 26, the slide whistle no longer sounds if the Final Spin lands on Bankrupt.

November 1988

• Wheel does not air on November 24-25 due to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and special showings of NBC's Saturday-morning cartoons, respectively.

December 1988

• On December 7 (Shawn/Elin/Maddy):
  • Some price tags use a much smaller, thinner font than usual.
  • The puzzle board uses its original chase light sequence for the last known time on the daytime show.
• Wheel does not air on December 8 due to NBC News coverage of Mikhail Gorbachev’s return to the USSR. Gorbachev left the US early following an earthquake in Armenia.

• December 26 is Teen Week, with the Friday Finals format.
• On December 26 (Alan/Amanda/Amy):
  • Thirteen wrong letters are called in Round 1, seven of which are consecutive.
  • Round 3 (HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS) is the longest puzzle.
• On December 30, Pat announces that he will be leaving the daytime show the following week.