I haven't done anything in a while, so I thought since GSN recently started airing the syndicated version of "Sale of the Century" (the best version of American "Sale of the Century", IMHO), I thought I'd share my thoughts on it, particularly the 23 episodes that have aired so far.
As mentioned in a previous blog entry, one major plus for the syndicated version of "Sale" compared to the daytime version was the placement of the Cash Jackpot ($50,000 + $1,000 each night until won). In the daytime version, the Cash Jackpot was Level 7 (between the CAR and the LOT {all the prizes plus the Cash Jackpot}), and as a result of that, many champions simply chose to take the money and run, even if they were in advantageous positions to win the LOT. When they began the Shopping endgame in syndication, Level 7 simply became All Six Major Prizes (including the CAR), making this version virtually identical to the Australian shopping endgame that ran from 1982 to 1988.
Originally, the Sale Price for the Level 1 price was $85, Level 2 was $195, Level 3 was $285, Level 4 was $390, Level 5 was $485, the Car (Level 6) was $610, All the Prizes (Level 7) was $720, and the LOT (Level 8) was $830. After three weeks, the prices for the prizes for all the levels except the first one were decreased (Level 2 was now valued at $175, Level 3 was $260, Level 4 was $340, Level 5 was $445, the Car was $530, All the Prizes was $640, and the LOT was $750. The first champion to win the LOT was John Goss, who, ironically, debuted in the first episode with the lower Sale prices, and also managed to win the Lot by accumulating EXACTLY $750 throughout his eight games (his Lot-clinching victory recently aired on GSN).
From what I've read, the Syndicated series lasted for 260 episodes, with the first half-season lasting 100 episodes (from January 7 to May 24, 1985), and the second full season lasting 160 episodes (debuting on September 16, 1985 and ending around late-April/May 1986). The randomized Fame Game debuted on episode #121 (OAD--October 14, 1985), and the Winner's Board debuted five weeks later (#146--November 18, 1985). Also, Instant Cash was never used in the syndicated version, instead debuting on the daytime version shortly after the syndie version went out of production.
Anyways, one of the minuses of the Shopping format that I haven't mentioned in previous entries is that if a champion is defeated while going for the next prize, their Bank is wiped out, and they leave with only the score on their podium in cash, along with any other cash and prizes accumulated throughout their run. I think their bank should have been given to them as a consolation gift along with the aforementioned cash and prizes. Now, the accumulating bank was dropped when "Sale" switched to the Winner's Board, so defeated champions only got "the cash in front of them" as Jim Perry would say if they didn't get any other cash during their run. If "Sale" is ever revived properly in the future, I think players that didn't get any cash or prizes during the show should get a "house minimum", as they do on "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" nowadays.
Well, that's all I can think of at the moment. Hopefully, my next entry won't take so long to post.
