Hollywood Squares

I'm as a big a fan of this show as they come, so I have a love/hate relationship of this incarnation. It started out with promise; a lot of new faces on the show (Gilbert Gottfried, Penn & Teller, and the very attractive Judy Gold were my favorites) and a few old regulars like Joan Rivers and Louie Anderson. Shadoe Stevens was back in the announcer's chair, although his role was severely limited compared to the Orion version, and Tom Bergeron proved to be very adept for the hosting role. So what could go wrong with this crowd?

The big downfall was none other than Ms. Whoopi Goldberg. While most celebrities were able to bluff or deliver one-liners efficiently, Whoopi would hog the spotlight for as long as she could, either stretching a semi-funny joke to the point where it was embarrassing, or even interrupting, whether it was other celebrities with her shtick, or even the contestant introductions by making some comment about their job or life. I really did not find her entertaining in the least and it was obvious she designed this show as an ego boost for herself. Face it, when the show opens with "...and starring Whoopi Goldberg!", and she is an executive producer, you know what's more important here Some other weaknesses were celebrity choices; the show suffered greatly from Caroline Rhea and Martin Mull overkill, and other celebrities seemed to treat the show more like a party and big joke and didn't really respect it. That was most disappointing to see.

Thankfully after 4 years, Whoopi moved on to other projects, and Henry Winkler came on to take her spot at co-producer. The show finally became enjoyable again with new themes, a new set, and no egos to deal with on screen. Now that "Whoopi Goldberg's brown-nosing sidekick" was no longer part of his job description, Tom Bergeron really blossomed as a host and proved why he was selected for the job in the first place. He proved to have as a good of a wit as the stars (or at least the joke writers) and made the show his own. The center square saw a different mix of panelists, including Magic Johnson, Brad Garrett, and Pamela Anderson among many many others. I admit that I didn't like the idea of rotating center squares at first, but it did keep the show fresh. And who could forget both Game Show Weeks? Particularly the first with the triumphant return of Peter Marshall. Between this, his book, and the classic squares returning to GSN, 2002 was a great year to be a Hollywood Squares fan! The only downside was replacing Shadoe Stevens with Jeffrey Tambor and John Moschitta, Jr. respectively. Both had very little announcing experience and it showed. They weren't terrible, but I think that is one thing I wish the Fonz had left alone.

Sadly the audience slowly slipped away and after two years, Squares was canceled. However, the two seasons under Winkler really saved it in my opinion. Nothing against Whoopi personally, as she has done a lot of good for many people and is a brilliant actress and comedienne in her own right, but Squares wasn't her forte, and her ego wasn't very well hidden on here.

The most recent incarnation of the legendary game show was brought to life by Whoopi Goldberg,who served not only as the center square for four seasons but as executive producer. Previously obscure--but HUGELY capable--TV host Tom Bergeron got the nod to pick up the mantle of MC and was able to supply a good give-and-take with Whoopi,regulars Bruce Vilanch and Caroline Rhea among others.

The show's game format was probably the weakest part,and in fact they changed the configs constantly of both the main game(mostly the money prize amounts)and the end game,which went from a simple win front-game,pick celeb,get prize(toward the beginning)through a series of end game bonus questions/money rounds and,eventually,back to the classic Hollywood Squares "pick a key" win try at a car/vacation/large jackpot/etc.

The last two seasons of the show's run saw the show change hands,with Henry Winkler taking over as producer when Whoopi either quit or was forced out(I forget the details exactly as to how that all played out). While the game element of the show may've smoothed out by then,the show had simply undergone too much change(in my opinion)and was not perceived as "with it" or "sexy" compared to reality television.I suspect that it also couldn't roll a steadier viewer-ship the way more established stand-bys like "The Price is Right","Wheel of Fortune" or "Jeopardy!" could.

As of the past March GSN's been re-running the show from the beginning. Plenty of good chances to either re-acquaint with or discover this very spirited and fun addition to the Squares legacy.

Henry Winkler and Michael Levitt made some nice changes to the Hollywood Squares. It's hard to compare it with the popular Peter Marshall version, but this version is more entertaining than the version's run by Whoopi Goldberg or Orion (1986-89).

Thumbs up:

Tom Bergeron as host. Whoopi Goldberg made the perfect call for Bergeron to take the reigns. His amicable and occasionally sarcastic style blends well with the straight man that one needs to be as a Squares host. He should be around for more shows to come.

The new end game. Facts about stars climaxing with a one-in-x chance to win a car/trip/cash jackpot. It moves well and stays entertaining to the end.

The question writing. It's a nice mix of pop culture, truly ridiculous facts (that might be false), and historical references. In the end, it's all about the questions.

Audience input. The producers actually ask for it. Granted, some of the recorded calls are used as amusement more than advice, but at least these are producers that listen.

Nice array of celebrities. The center square has had a decent mix of leading entertainers, such as Alec Baldwin, Ted Danson, Reba McIntyre and even Gloria Estefan. The remaining eight squares are filled with entertainers from all different facets and age groups. It's an eclectic mix where contemporary actors mixed in with comedy legends such as Rich Little, David Brenner, and Buddy Hackett. This edition is not afraid to honor squares of the past, and even granted Peter Marshall a December week as center square (hosting one show).

Thumbs down:

Audience direction. Does the audience need to applaud EVERY SINGLE TIME a contestant calls upon a star? This is over the top, and slows down the game.

Teena Marie (yes, the 1980's one-hit wonder) on theme song vocals. The music itself is quite good, but her vocals are a little screechy and annoying.

Ellen DeGeneres as center square. Mixing up the center square from week to week is a decent idea, but Ellen chooses to slow down the game by trying too hard to be funny. H2 would be wise to edit out her comments (quips?) and go straight to her answer.

H2 is guaranteed to run though 2003-04, but it's uncertain if the show will be shelved after that.

My favorite star of the show is Whoopi Goldberg. The way the game is played is they have various actors or actresses. Then at the end the winner teams up with a star and plays a sudden death round. Then when time is up the contestant is asked whether he/she wants to keep the money or whether they want to play for more money of course if they got there bonus question wrong they don't win anything.

This is one terrific show! Whoopi makes a great Center Square and Tom is a totally awesome host who never fails to make people laugh. Squares 98 pulls out one surprise after another, you never know what to expect next until the next joke is cracked. Definite Emmy material! It truly is hip to be Square!