History Series / Blackout

''Blackout'' is a cult classic whose brevity can be chalked up to bad timing and stiff competition -- it replaced ''[[Series/{{Pyramid}} The $25,000 Pyramid]]'' on January 4, 1988 and faced not only the still-popular ''Series/SaleOfTheCentury'' on Creator/{{NBC}} but also a massive outcry from viewers toward the network for killing off the Dick Clark-hosted game. The resulting low ratings caused ''Blackout'' to be canned on April 1. The show was then replaced with a final 13 weeks of ''Pyramid'', which would be canned (for good this time) on July 1 in favor of Ray Combs' ''Series/FamilyFeud''.

* {{Pilot}}: One taped in 1986, with Robb Weller in his first hosting gig outside ''Series/EntertainmentTonight''[[note]]Interestingly, Bob Goen himself would later anchor ''Entertainment Tonight'' in 1996.[[/note]] (he would later host the final syndicated season of ''Series/WinLoseOrDraw'', and unsold revival attempts of ''Series/SplitSecond1972'' and ''Series/AllStarBlitz''), and [[Series/LetsMakeADeal Dean]] [[Series/HighRollers Goss]] announcing. Though a full version hasn't surfaced yet, a clip was seen, oddly enough, in the intro to the 1994 Creator/{{ABC}} miniseries ''Series/TheStand''. (Said mini-series was produced by Laurel Productions, in turn a subsidiary of [[Creator/AaronSpelling Spelling Entertainment]], which in turn had acquired the Taft Entertainment Television library along with Worldvision Enterprises in the late 1980s, presumably explaining how it got there.)

In addition to Jay Wolpert, the show was also produced by Taft Broadcasting, a media company rooted in the family of UsefulNotes/WilliamHowardTaft. Amusingly, Taft Broadcasting at this time was also co-producing ''Series/EntertainmentTonight'', which Bob Goen would later join as co-anchor long after Taft ceased co-producing the series.

* {{Pilot}}: One taped in 1986, with Robb Weller in his first hosting gig outside ''Series/EntertainmentTonight''[[note]]Interestingly, Bob Goen himself would later anchor ''Entertainment Tonight'' in 1996.[[/note]] (he would later host the final syndicated season of ''Series/WinLoseOrDraw'', and unsold revival attempts of ''Series/SplitSecond1972'' and ''Series/AllStarBlitz''), and [[Series/LetsMakeADeal Dean]] [[Series/HighRollers Goss]] announcing. Though a full version hasn't surfaced yet, a clip was seen, oddly enough, in the intro to a 1994 Creator/{{ABC}} miniseries called ''The Stand''.

* {{Pilot}}: One taped in 1986, with Robb Weller in his first hosting gig outside ''Series/EntertainmentTonight''[[note]]Interestingly, Bob Goen himself would later anchor ''Entertainment Tonight'' in 1996.[[/note]] (he would later host the final syndicated season of ''Series/WinLoseOrDraw'', and unsold revival attempts of ''Series/SplitSecond'' and ''Series/AllStarBlitz''), and [[Series/LetsMakeADeal Dean]] [[Series/HighRollers Goss]] announcing. Though a full version hasn't surfaced yet, a clip was seen, oddly enough, in the intro to a 1994 Creator/{{ABC}} miniseries called ''The Stand''.

!!GameShowTropes in use:

* Personnel:
** TheAnnouncer: Johnny Gilbert for most of the run, Jay Stewart for the last two weeks when Gilbert became ill. Stewart had been fired from ''Sale'' a few months earlier due to severe alcoholism, and this appears to have been his last professional work before committing suicide in 1989.
** GameShowHost: Bob Goen.
** StudioAudience

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!!This show provides examples of:
* AdjustableCensorship: The Blackout Button's main purpose is to mute words that might lead an opponent to solving a puzzle.
* AnimatedCreditsOpening: Wolpert seemed to like animated intros; this one was a demonstration of the game mechanic at a restaurant table with a fast-talking lady (actually a sped-up recording of Wolpert's wife).
* {{Pilot}}: One taped in 1986, with Robb Weller in his first hosting gig outside ''Series/EntertainmentTonight''[[note]]Interestingly, Bob Goen himself would later anchor ''Entertainment Tonight'' in 1996.[[/note]] (he would later host the final syndicated season of ''Series/WinLoseOrDraw'', and unsold revival attempts of ''Series/SplitSecond'' and ''Series/AllStarBlitz''), and [[Series/LetsMakeADeal Dean]] [[Series/HighRollers Goss]] announcing. Though a full version hasn't surfaced yet, a clip was seen, oddly enough, in the intro to a 1994 Creator/{{ABC}} miniseries called ''The Stand''.
* PornStache: Goen had one. He got rid of it for some Sears commercials in 1989, and has kept it off ever since.

* {{Pilot}}: One taped in 1986, with Robb Weller in his first hosting gig outside ''Series/EntertainmentTonight''[note]Interestingly, Bob Goen himself would later anchor ''Entertainment Tonight'' in 1996.[/note] (he would later host the final syndicated season of ''Series/WinLoseOrDraw'', and unsold revival attempts of ''Series/SplitSecond'' and ''Series/AllStarBlitz''), and [[Series/LetsMakeADeal Dean]] [[Series/HighRollers Goss]] announcing. Though a full version hasn't surfaced yet, a clip was seen, oddly enough, in the intro to a 1994 Creator/{{ABC}} miniseries called ''The Stand''.

* {{Pilot}}: One taped in 1986, with Robb Weller in his first hosting gig outside ''Series/EntertainmentTonight'' (he would later host the final syndicated season of ''Series/WinLoseOrDraw'', and unsold revival attempts of ''Series/SplitSecond'' and ''Series/AllStarBlitz''), and [[Series/LetsMakeADeal Dean]] [[Series/HighRollers Goss]] announcing. Though a full version hasn't surfaced yet, a clip was seen, oddly enough, in the intro to a 1994 Creator/{{ABC}} miniseries called ''The Stand''.

** TheAnnouncer: Johnny Gilbert for most of the run, Jay Stewart for the last two weeks when Gilbert became ill. Stewart had been fired ''Sale'' a few months earlier due to severe alcoholism, and this appears to have been his last professional work before committing suicide in 1989.

In the event of a tie, there would be a sudden death round where the leading player would have the option of describing the single word (for ten seconds) or censoring three seconds of the description. Again, every duplicated key word would allow the opponent to mute out an extra second of the playback. Since neither teammate could hear the description, the wrong word would automatically lose.

* SoundproofBooth: The contestants wore headphones when needed, but rather than going into a booth the seat and table half the contestant sat at literally slid backwards instead.

** TheAnnouncer: Johnny Gilbert for most of the run, Jay Stewart for the last two weeks when Gilbert became ill. Stewart had left ''Sale'' a few months earlier, and this appears to have been his last professional work before committing suicide in 1989.

** TheAnnouncer: Johnny Gilbert for most of the run, Jay Stewart for the last two weeks (likely so Gilbert could come back in for the final run of ''Pyramid'' that replaced it). Stewart had left ''Sale'' a few months earlier, and this appears to have been his last professional work before committing suicide in 1989.

* {{Pilot}}: One taped in 1987, with Robb Weller in his first hosting gig outside ''Series/EntertainmentTonight'' (he would later host the final syndicated season of ''Series/WinLoseOrDraw'', and unsold revival attempts of ''Series/SplitSecond'' and ''Series/AllStarBlitz''), [[Series/LetsMakeADeal Dean]] [[Series/HighRollers Goss]] announcing, and celebrity partners. Though a full version hasn't surfaced yet, a clip was seen, oddly enough, in the intro to a 1994 Creator/{{ABC}} miniseries called ''The Stand''.

Should not be confused with the book ''Literature/{{Blackout}}'', or the VideoGame ''VideoGame/{{Blackout}}''.

* PornStache: Goen. He got rid of it for some Sears commercials in 1989, and has kept it off ever since.

[[spoiler:Creator/{{CBS}}]] GameShow hosted by [[spoiler:Bob Goen and produced by]] Creator/JayWolpert, whose other major contribution to the game show world [[spoiler:was ''{{Whew}}'' Thankfully, the game this time around]] is[[spoiler:n't as]] unnecessarily complicated.

''Blackout'' is a cult classic whose brevity can be chalked up to bad timing and stiff competition — it replaced ''[[{{Pyramid}} The $25,000 Pyramid]]'' on January 4, 1988 and faced not only the still-popular ''Series/SaleOfTheCentury'' on Creator/{{NBC}} but also a massive outcry from viewers toward the network for killing off the Dick Clark-hosted game. The resulting low ratings caused ''Blackout'' to be canned on April 1. The show was then replaced with a final 13 weeks of ''Pyramid'', which would be canned (for good this time) on July 1 in favor of Ray Combs' ''FamilyFeud''.

''Blackout'' is a cult classic whose brevity can be chalked up to bad timing and stiff competition — it replaced ''[[{{Pyramid}} The $25,000 Pyramid]]'' on January 4, 1988 and faced not only the still-popular ''Series/SaleOfTheCentury'' on Creator/{{NBC}} but also a massive outcry from viewers toward the network for killing off the Dick Clark-hosted game. The resulting low ratings caused ''Blackout'' to be canned on April 1. The show was then replaced with a final 13 weeks of ''Pyramid'', which would be canned (for good this time) on July 1st in favor of Ray Combs' ''FamilyFeud''.

!!GameShow Tropes in use:
* BonusRound: The Clue Screen — While one member of the winning team viewed the incoming clues on the screen (up to six), the other would have his / her back to this screen and would have to await a cue (“solve it!”) before turning around to see all of the accumulated clues at once. The cycle would repeat until they either ran out of time (70 seconds) or gave five correct answers, which would win $10,000.

** TheAnnouncer: Johnny Gilbert for most of the run, with Jay Stewart filling-in for the last two weeks (presumably so Gilbert could come back in for the final run of ''Pyramid'' that replaced it).

* SoundproofBooth: The contestants wore headphones when needed. But, instead of going into a booth, the seat and table half the contestant sat at literally slid backwards instead.

* AnimatedCreditsOpening: Wolpert seemed to like animated intros; this one has a demonstration of the game mechanic at a restaurant table with a fast-talking lady (actually a sped-up recording of Wolpert's wife).
* PornStache: Goen. He got rid of it by the time he took over ''WheelOfFortune'' in July 1989.

* BonusRound: The Clue Screen — While one member of the winning team viewed the incoming clues on the screen (up to six), the other would have his / her back to this screen and would have to await a cue (“solve it!”) before turning around to see all of the accumulated clues at once. The cycle would repeat until they either ran out of time (70 seconds) or gave five correct answers, which would win $10,000.

* ThisTropeIsBleep: The Game.