TVSquad

You may or may not be watching Wheel of Fortune right now since its currently in repeats. I mean, it's not as fun to watch these shows when you already know what the answers to the puzzles are. But, I digress. If you have been watching this top-rated syndicated game show over the last week or so, you'll know about the big thing that is coming up for the 2008-09 season. And, when I mean big thing I really mean one million big things.

Next season, Wheel will join the ranks of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Million Dollar Password, and Million Dollar Naked Concentration (copyright me...don't make me come after you) by offering a million dollar cash prize. It won't be a part of the regular game, though. According to the promotions it will be part of the Million Dollar Bonus Round. This jump to a seven-figure cash prize is the biggest for Wheel since going from $25,000 to $100,000 as the premium cash total.

So, if you are interested, go ahead and register to be a contestant right now at the official Wheel of Fortune site. Don't dawdle, because the 26th season of Wheel (35th overall since premiering on NBC) begins in September.

Oh, the humanity! Wheel of Fortune is not all frivolity and fun. Merv Griffin knew what he was doing when he created this venerable game show. Drama, ensues! You think it's so easy spinning the wheel, buying a vowel, laughing at Pat Sajak's jokes and ogling Vanna's gorgeous gait? Well, it's not. Under all that pressure you'd be surprised -- or maybe you wouldn't -- to see how some people simply come up short in the solution department. The letters all float together and instead of spelling a word you know as well as your own name, you pick the wrong consonant and you're WAH-WAHed in shame and regret. The fortune goes to the next player and you're left with egg on your face.

Watch these great examples and you'll see what I mean (a sample is after the jump). Like Jay Leno's simple "man in the street" questions about common knowledge, you see that there's no telling how stupid people can be, especially with a camera and microphone in their face.

[via digg]

The news is not good for 82-year-old talkshow host and game show producer Merv Griffin. It is being reported that the TV legend is in grave condition after a return of prostate cancer.

Griffin was admitted to Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center back in July for a recurrence of the cancer, which he first battled in 1996. Various media outlets, such as Entertainment Tonight and KNBC, are reporting that the prognosis is not good and that Griffin is currently in the hospital's Intensive Care Unit. Griffin's representatives have yet to reply to press inquiries.

What probably comes as no surprise to anyone, both Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune have been renewed for two more years. That means that the two top-ranked syndicated game shows will remain on the air through the 2011-2012 season.

Currently, Wheel is the number one show in syndication, averaging 8.3 million households. Jeopardy is number three with an average viewing audience of 6.5 million households. By the time the 2012 season ends Wheel will have been on the air for an impressive 29 seasons while Jeopardy will have been on for an equally impressive 28.

One can only assume that Alex Trebek, Pat Sajak and Vanna White will remain with their respective shows. Then again, assuming is a bad thing. Heck, for all I know Howard Stern could be hosting the final two seasons of Jeopardy. Ratings may pick up then if the 'Daily Double' features half-naked lesbians giving out answers.

King World, the people behind Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy have created two new game shows and will offer the shows to syndication in a one hour block starting in the fall of 2007. NBC Universal is prepping a syndicated version of Deal Or No Deal. So now the show will be on 300 times a week.

The King World news is great, but frustrating, since there are no details at all yet on what the game shows will be. If they're successful, maybe this will mean a little resurgence of game shows (and not just reality show type game shows). But I won't be happy til they come back to daytime.