Line #18 Series/CouchPotatoes


1	[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/edited_CP_8348.JPG]]
2	[[caption-width-right:200:The "Couch Potato" Spud]]
3
4	While heavily involved with Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}'s ''[[Series/DoubleDare1986 Double Dare]]'', Marc Summers found time to host this 1989 syndicated GameShow from Creator/SabanEntertainment celebrating all things television.
5
6	Two teams of three people played, each named after an actual show ("''Get Smart''", "''The A-Team''") or a variation of one ("Bosom Buds", "The MAS*Hed 'Taters"). Marc asked a toss-up question worth 25 "Ratings Points" (50 in the second round), the team whose member correctly answered it then getting a chance to answer a series of three questions ether based on a specific series or on a genre of TV show. Each contestant on the team could only answer one of the three questions, if one incorrectly guessed or nobody buzzed-in, the other team got a chance to steal that question and any others left in the group. OnceAnEpisode, a television celeb rang the doorbell (the set was designed as an abstract living room) and enter to personally ask questions based on his/her show. Sometimes they walked right in, but other times they would enter in character (such as when Isabel Sanford came in delivering some dry cleaning or Norman Fell came in to complain about all the noise).
7
8	After four rounds of three questions apiece, the teams played the Couch-Up Round: two opponents had a face-to-face question as [[RandomNumberGenerator a graphic flashed 50, 100, 150, 200, and Couch Up]]. The team correctly answering the question would win the amount showing...but if the team behind got Couch Up and answered correctly, their score was immediately brought up to the level of their opponents. After six questions ("Twice down the couch" as Marc would say) the team in the lead won $1,000. The losing team got a "Canceled" graphic superimposed on them.
9
10	Acting as a GreekChorus to all this was show announcer Creator/JoeAlaskey[[note]]better known as ''Series/OutOfThisWorld1987''[='=]s Uncle Beano and eventual voice behind WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck[[/note]], who played the "[[WackyGuy Wacky Neighbor]]" in his own little abstract living room set. Some promotional material actually identified him as if his character was actually named Wacky Neighbor, although in-show his on-screen credit was just "Joe Alaskey as the Neighbor".
11
12	----
13	!!This show provides examples of:
14
15	* TheAnnouncer: Joe Alaskey, later Jim [=McKrell=] (a genre veteran, having hosted ''Series/CelebritySweepstakes'' in the 70s as well as a bevy of unsold pilots).
16	* BonusRound: "Channel Roulette". A graphic with 12 spaces numbered 2–13 was shown. The team picked a "channel" and tried to identify a cast picture worth anywhere from $100 (easy pictures like ''Series/TheBeverlyHillbillies'') to $1,000 (more obscure shows like ''Chopper One'' and ''Turn On''). The team had 30 seconds to get $1,000 total in order to win $5,000... however, one channel was "Pay TV", which, if selected, took away all of the team's money up to that point, forcing them to begin rebuilding toward the $1,000 goal.
17	* {{Cap}}: The scoring system on this show present a theoretical perfect score of 1,800. However, with the final question of the Couch Up round relying on a RandomNumberGenerator, the highest possible FlawlessVictory for a team in the front game is 1,600-0.
18	* CelebrityEdition: Among others, {{Game Show Host}}s Week and Famous Moms Week. The former is notable for [[Series/TheHollywoodSquares Peter Marshall]] appearing to plug ''3rd Degree!'', a series which was coming that Fall...except he was abruptly dismissed before it began taping and was replaced by producer [[Series/WinLoseOrDraw Bert Convy]] (Marshall sued Convy until Convy fell ill).
19	* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: The teams use blue and pink couches.
20	* ConsolationPrize: Called the "Cancellation Prize".
21	* FlawlessVictory: Done once in the Channel Roulette. Axel from Series/TheBradyBunch team selects a $1,000 photo first, then correctly identifies the photo--a still from the relatively obscure ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple%27s_Way Apple's Way]]''[[note]]created by Earl Hamner, Jr., responsible for the far more successful ''Series/TheWaltons''[[/note]]--within the first second of the round! [[https://youtu.be/L0O4wbhxkgU?t=17m20s See it here.]]
22	* GameShowHost: Marc Summers.
23	* GameShowWinningsCap: Champions could stay on for five days or until defeated, resulting in a maximum of $30,000.
24	* GoldenSnitch: The "Couch-Up" round, which made all of your progress in the first part of the show moot if your opponent picked it and got the question right.
25	* LosingHorns: At some point after Jim [=McKrell=] took over as announcer, the time buzzer in the Channel Roulette round was a two-note horn similar to if you hit a Whammy on ''Series/PressYourLuck''.
26	** Throughout the series, a menacing electronic version of the ''Franchise/{{Dragnet}}'' "dun-da-dun-dun" theme was heard if you hit [[{{Whammy}} Pay TV]] in Channel Roulette.
27	* LuckBasedMission: The Couch Up round--especially for the trailing team on the last question. Hit a 200 when you're down by 225? It's game over, man.
28	* OnceAnEpisode: A former (or then-current) TV celebrity shows up to ask questions, then shares what they're currently doing.
29	* RandomNumberGenerator: Determines the question values in the Couch Up round.
30	* StudioAudience: Marc would often have the audience try to answer a question both teams missed.
31	* {{Whammy}}: "Pay TV". Fortunately, it only appears once.

Context Series / CouchPotatoes