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A timeline for Season 4 of Wheel of Fortune, which aired in first-run from September 8, 1986 through June 19, 1987.
Season Changes[]
- The Wheel templates are overhauled:
- Lose a Turn changes from tan to yellow.
- In Round 1, $1,000 becomes pink. Going clockwise from there, $500 changes from light orange to yellow, $400 from red to purple, $200 from tan to red, Free Spin from brown to peach, $700 from orange to pink, $200 from tan to peach, $150 from red to blue, and $450 from brown to red. The blue $400 decreases to a purple $200, while the $250 next to it becomes a peach $400. The green $900 becomes a pink $250, the tan $600 darkens to peach, the brown $250 becomes purple, the blue $350 becomes orange, the tan $750 darkens to yellow, the orange $800 becomes blue, and the orange $200 lightens to peach.
- In Round 2, $1,000 becomes yellow. From there, the orange $600 becomes red, the red $300 becomes pink, and the brown $700 lightens to peach. Lose a Turn swaps positions with the $150 two wedges clockwise (which becomes purple), while the tan $800 becomes red, the red $500 becomes pink, the tan $400 becomes blue, the blue $250 becomes purple, the tan $400 upgrades to a peach $900, the blue $550 reduces to a red $300, and the brown $300 becomes a blue $250. The red $200 and tan $900 trade places (the former becoming pink and the latter becoming yellow), the orange $200 increases to $400, the blue $400 becomes a purple $550, the tan $500 becomes a peach $200, the second Bankrupt moves one wedge clockwise to replace the tan $600 (with a red $500 replacing the Bankrupt), the brown $250 becomes a pink $600, and the red $200 becomes blue.
- In Rounds 3+, the $1,500-Bankrupt-$700-$500 stretch is reversed. Also, $1,500 becomes yellow, the blue $700 becomes purple, the orange $500 becomes blue, the red $350 becomes pink, the brown $350 becomes purple, and the tan $300 becomes pink.
- Sometime this season, the $200 between $500 and $550 is temporarily increased to $900 for Rounds 2+, and the peach $900 temporarily becomes lime green.
- The King World logo becomes aqua blue, a color which remains through the end of Season 6.
- Around this point, Pat no longer says "For [amount], [solve/identify/what's] this [category]" after a contestant asks to solve.
- The WHEEL Vanity California License Plates seen on vehicles are changed from the 1969 base used since at least 1978 to the 1982 "Golden State" Base.
September 1986[]
- On an episode sometime this season, the Prize is a $31,211 Cadillac.
- On an episode from the week of September 8 (Jim/Rod/Nancy):
- In an unusual move, the audience does the "Wheel! Of! Fortune!" chant over top the existing chant.
- Ten turns are lost in Round 1, including a streak of seven consecutive wrong letters (one a repeat).
- No vowels are bought in Round 1.
- The Round 2 Prize is a $12,565 Dodge Raider.
October 1986[]
- On an episode during the week of October 13 (Julie/David/Nita):
- There are two sets of repeated categories: Phrase in Rounds 1 and 2, Place in Round 3 and the Bonus Round.
- The camera is zoomed too far out for the entirety of Round 2, showing the entire puzzle board and a portion of the Wheel.
- Very strangely, the sponsor list is done over the spinning Round 1 layout.
- As of the above episode, the set still looks the same as it did around October 1984.
- On October 17 (Kathy/Michael/Martha), the Free Spin space is yellow instead of peach.
- On an episode around this point (Marsha/Ed/Kathleen, known to have been rerun on September 11, 1987):
- The red portions are missing from the opening logo.
- The Round 3 puzzle FOOT-LONG HOT DOG has only one vowel.
- Ed wins with $4,750, earned entirely from a $5,000 spin in Round 3 followed by the purchase of a vowel.
- After Ed wins the Bonus Round, he is briefly shown in a "window" accompanying a shot of the prize played for (a diamond necklace), similar to the shot used in shopping rounds at the time.
November 1986[]
- By about mid-November, two set changes are made:
- The contestant backdrops are changed to streamline the jagged edges while retaining the same color scheme. The new backdrops' beams appear to resemble flower buds.
- The walls are replaced by a set of lights and a more colorful background.
- As of about mid-November, the Enterprises logo still looks the same as it did in September 1984.
- On November 13 (Jeff/Ruth/Debbie):
- The music runs to its end during the Round 1 shopping copy.
- The shopping round after Round 3 is edited out.
- Round 4 (CAMP DAVID) is shorter than ten letters and has none of the five most common consonants.
- The original Round 4, whose answer is DOG SHOW, is thrown out due to an audience member shouting out the answer right before contestant Jeff solves.
- Jeff's brother Andy later appears on the show late in Season 6.
- On November 17 (Erin/Anne/Bostic):
- As contestant Bostic is fluent in Russian, Pat has him say "once you buy a prize, it's yours to keep" in Russian during the introductory spiel.
- Round 2 is the only confirmed instance of Nickname between 1981 and 1988.
- On an episode sometime in November or December (Kate/Marc/Caryn):
- The Prize is a $13,187 Renault Alliance convertible.
- Round 4 is played for a gift certificate despite not beginning as a Speed-Up.
- By the above episode, and definitely by late December, the Enterprises logo is altered to add the line "A unit of The Coca-Cola Company", in the company's signature font, between the "Enterprises" marking and copyright date.
December 1986[]
- As of mid-December, the Used Letter Board is still a chalkboard.
- On an episode from this month:
- Pat removes the $5000 wedge from the wheel during the closing chat comparing it to Vanna's dress. As such, it stays off the wheel during the credits.
- The Enterprises logo shot begins with a closeup of the text of the logo, before zooming out to a full shot.
- On December 26 (Dan/Denise/Jo Anne):
- Round 1 is CHRISTMAS DAY despite it happening the day before.
- Contestant Dan wins with $15,000, all claimed on the last spin of Round 3.
- One of Dan's purchases in Round 3 is a mink coat. When Vanna is shown modeling it, the footage has a red circle around it, and she walks over to show it to him after the scores are recapped.
- Reruns air during the week of December 29.
- On an episode possibly no later than this point, a Bonus Round is thrown out due to Pat accidentally saying "The category is QUARTERBACK" (which was the answer to the puzzle, in the category of Person). Pat has recalled this incident on multiple occasions, with the first known recollection believed to have been in 1987.
January 1987[]
- On an episode around this point (Susanne/Rosemarie/Shauna):
- "A Time for Tony" accidentally plays during the Round 2 shopping segment instead of "Nightwalk".
- Rounds 2 and 4 are Person, while Round 1 and the Bonus Round are Thing.
- On January 5, 6, or 7 (Ann/Valerie/Helen):
- The Prize wedge closeup has it on the Round 1 layout, specifically the red $300 next to $800.
- Valerie sweeps the game and wins a Hi-Lo trailer in the Bonus Round.
- On the Pluto TV copy of this episode, the Enterprises logo is the 1988 version.
- On January 26 (Maggie/Faye/Scott):
- The first known five-figure non-car Prize wedge is offered: a $10,000 fur coat.
- During Round 2, Maggie's microphone falls off as she hits Lose a Turn, and Pat can be seen reattaching it when the shot cuts to her.
- Scott sweeps the game and wins a Toyota 4Runner in the Bonus Round.
- During the final segment, Pat presents Scott with one of the prizes (a ceramic cheetah) he purchased during the game.
- The Enterprises logo shot begins with a closeup of the text of the logo, before zooming out to a full shot.
February 1987[]
- On February 12 (taped January 18), then-future Oprah Winfrey Show producer LeGrande Green is a contestant. He wins $4,900 in the main game (including a sofa bed, brass clock, stereo system, and trip to Hawaii) plus a Renault in the Bonus Round, a total of $19,508.
March 1987[]
- Sometime in March or April, the money graphic begins zooming in rather than "flipping".
- By about late March, Jack begins announcing from a booth in front of the audience. This setup remains through at least mid-October 1988, and likely through the end of Season 6.
- On March 17 (taped February 9) (Therese/Ed/Rodger):
- The Round 2 puzzle PLEASE DON'T FEED THE ANIMALS is on the second through fourth rows, a practice normally done only if the first word is too long for the top row.
- In Round 4, which begins as a Speed-Up, the ding is accidentally used when the apostrophe in the puzzle is revealed.
- During the end-of-game tally, Pat mentions that Rodger's twin brother had been a contestant as well.
- On March 31:
- Contestant Leigh is the wife of contestant Randy Sampson, who competed on the daytime version on March 6 and 9.
- Leigh sets a new one-round record of $44,300 by solving AN AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY. This is also the highest one-round total to date, not counting Speed-Up rounds.
- Leigh wins three cars: one from the Prize wedge in Round 2, the other two from the aforementioned one-round record.
- Leigh sweeps the game but loses a yellow sapphire ring in the Bonus Round.
April 1987[]
- Reruns air during the week of April 13.
May 1987[]
- On an episode sometime this month (Mark/Barbara/Susan):
- In what seems to have been a rarity for the shopping era, two contestants (Mark and Susan) win at least $10,000.
- Mark wins two cars: a Jeep in the main game and a Renault in the Bonus Round.
- On May 22 (Sandra/Janet/Ray):
- The Prize is a $15,636 Buick Skylark.
- In an unusual move, Pat hands Sandra one of her prizes (a floral basket) after the final round.
- Pat and Vanna do the closing chat from Jack's booth, allowing him to be seen on-camera for the second known time during his tenure as announcer. This is followed by footage of Pat, Vanna, and Jack doing a train tour.
June 1987[]
- On June 2 (Sandy/Jim/Fran):
- Vanna wears a shirt and pants.
- Before Vanna walks out, Pat has the audience say "Oh, Vanna!"
- Round 1 is a rare instance of the category also being part of the answer (CARTOON CHARACTERS in the category of Fictional Characters).
- Against normal practice, the buzzer sounds on a repeated L in Round 2.
- Nine wrong letters are called in Round 2, including one repeat.
- Round 3 (ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE) is categorized as Thing instead of Title.
- Jim sweeps the game and wins a Pontiac in the Bonus Round.
- On an episode sometime this month (Martine/Jim/Gerri):
- At the start of Round 3, Pat mentions the category name (Things) before remembering to mention the $5,000 space.
- After the Speed-Up puzzle is solved, the contestant backdrops show a reflection of the puzzle board being wheeled away.
- The bonus puzzle UNITED STATES AIR FORCE is a very rare instance of one using all four rows.
- The category chyrons are still not present during Speed-Up rounds.
- The Enterprises logo still looks the same as it did in late December 1986.