SuperShow 8000: Scrabble

QUICK FACTS

DEBUT DATE:
JULY 2, 1984

FINALE DATE:
JUNE 11, 1993

TOTAL EPISODES
RECORDED: 1335

NETWORK: NBC

HOST:
CHUCK WOOLERY

ANNOUNCERS:
CHARLIE TUNA,
JAY STEWART

QUOTE:
"IT'S THE CROSSWORD GAME YOU'VE PLAYED ALL YOUR LIFE..."

RANDOM NOTE:
DISPITE NO GAMEPLAY CHANGES, THE REVIVAL OF SCRABBLE LASTED ONLY 104 EPISODES.

Welcome to the new Scrabble section on Xanfan's SuperShow 8000! Scrabble was the show that you, SuperShow 8000 viewers, wanted to see the most as a featured game show. Since I liked the show myself a lot, I decided that it would in fact be a welcomed addition. So, without further ado, and a slight hiatus, I bring to you, the all-new Scrabble section on SuperShow 8000!

Chuck Woolery may have been known for his version of Wheel Of Fortune in the mid to late 1970s, but Scrabble made him just as popular a game show host. In fact, an early commerical for the premiere of the show refered to Scrabble as a more upscale version of Wheel. Chuck hosted the show all the way through this time, and even hosted a short lived revival later on.

The show had some changes over the years that it was on the air. Some of them were good (like getting rid of the "pot" that was shown in early episodes and the pilot), and others were not so good (like the requirement to spell the answer instead of just saying it). Thankfully, Reg Grundy didn't keep the bad additions and kept the improvements. Something that in my opinion, is rarely found on any television game show in this day in age.

Sadly, Scrabble has been off the air in rerun form since the demise of USA Networks game show block in October of 1995. Game Show Network has yet to obtain the rights to the Grundy Library, and from the looks of it, doesn't have plans to get those rights. While rumors about a show that GSN is developing called "Scrabble" is true, supposedly it has nothing to do with this popular version that we are all familular with. What a pity!

Here, you can learn about the pilot episode, read the typical rulesheet, learn a little more about the 1993 revival of the show, and laugh at some of the mistakes that were made over the years that Scrabble was on the air.