The Reel to Reel Picture Show

The Reel To Reel Picture Show was a short-lived game show that aired on PAX. It premiered on August 31, 1998, with Peter Marshall as the host and Bill Armstrong announcing. It was the channel's first game show, debuting the day the network launched.

The show was based on a Canadian board game, and the show was developed as a marketing tool to help sell it. Before the bonus round, Peter would show the game to the home audience, and even give a toll-free number to order it from.

The Main Game

Two teams, consisting of one civilian and one celebrity, competed. The civilian on the first team would push a button, which would randomly select one of six categories, and a point value (either 100, 250, or 500, depending on a difficulty). Peter would ask them a question in that category. Getting it right won the points, getting it wrong meant nothing happened. Then the second team repeats the process.

Some of the questions are special "Take Two" questions. If the team gets the first question right, they are then asked a second question related to the first one for double the point value. If they're wrong, they lose the value of the first question.

The round would end with each team getting three questions worth 300 points apiece. The third question would be a true/false question about the opposing team's celebrity. After this, the first round ends, and the team in the lead gets a small prize.

Round 2 was called the "Director's Chair". Six categories were given, and the trailing team selected one. They would then be asked six questions in that category. The questions were worth 100, 200, 400, 800, 1,000, and 2,000 points, respectively. Then the process is repeated with the second team. The team in the lead after this won the game, received a bonus prize, and advanced to the bonus round.

Bonus Round

The winning team is asked six questions. Each answer is a clue to a famous person, movie character, or title. After the six questions are asked, they have ten seconds to solve the puzzle. Getting it right wins a trip.

Cancellation

PAX had ordered 200 episodes, but the production company, TIL, went bankrupt, stopping production after 25 episodes had been filmed. None of the contestants, celebrity guests, or staff received any payment or prizes from the producers; in fact, one winner was so upset that he called PAX and demanded that they pay for his prize.

External links

* [http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/1998/08/17/story1.html An article touting Reel To Reel's premiere]
* [http://70.85.192.194/~loogsla/gameshow/rules/reel.shtml A review of Reel To Reel, including pictures]