I’m ready to start my next side project — recapping some episodes from their 20th anniversary season (fitting I would start on Labor day weekend since this episode aired Labor Day back then :P). Here’s some notes according to the timeline:
- They started using computer-generated panel displays to replace the old eggcrate displays. There are animated graphics of BANKRUPT/Lose a Turn that would appear if those were hit.
- The higher cash amounts ($30K-$50K in $5K increments) added during Big Money Week that aired the week of Feb. 18, 2002 in the previous season became permanent.
- Beginning this season, a contestant who failed to solve any puzzle during the game was given $500 in consolation money to help w/ the cost of travel instead of parting gifts. That would change to $1K for S23 onwards.
- This was the first season to have the gift tag placed on the green $700 (Although the gift tag was placed on the red $800 this episode.).
- This was also the first season to have the $10K wedge on the orange $800 and be exclusive to R1.
EPISODE #3706: HOT CARS WEEK
$1K Toss-Up: ON THE MAP
T _ E / _ _ S T
R _ V _ _
Kelly was in the wrong place w/ THE WEST RIVER.
T H E / E _ S T
R _ V _ _
Patrick was correct w/ THE EAST RIVER. The first panel of S20 had two men…
Patrick Murphy: software engineer at a wireless networking co. and private pilot married to Lori from Phoenix
Kelly Hill: going to graduate school at Emory and wanted to become a professor married to Clayton from Atlanta
Roger Friend: married to Dina w/ a son named Alec who loves outside sports such as skydiving from Las Vegas
$2K Toss-Up: PHRASE
I ‘ _ / W A _ / _ H E _ D
O F / Y O _
Patrick’s saying to his opposition “I’M WAY AHEAD OF YOU”, because he’s two for two so far.
Gift Tag: DISCOVER
Round 1: EVENT
He started w/ a $300 T, a single E, but then the first dud of the season in R. Second, Kelly called up a $600 S pair only to LaT out just as quick. Third, Roger said N for negative. Patrick tried again w/ a $600 L but then BANKRUPTed out of $650. Kelly then chose two A’s and O’s, a $600 C pair, and a $900 B. We had…
B A C _ – T O – S C _ O O L
S A L E
She won her first $1,600 towards maybe shopping at a BACK-TO-SCHOOL SALE. Pat also points out the new scoreboard displays and jokes that there will be ads on them within the next couple of months.
DUDS: R (Patrick), N (Roger)
SOLE LaT: Kelly
SOLE BANKRUPT: Patrick
FIRST FEATURED PRIZE THIS SEASON: trip to the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa on the island of Oahu (incl. a viewing of PGA Tour Golf at the 2003 Sony Open) worth $4,500
Lean Pockets Jackpot Round: PHRASE
Kelly led off w/ an $1,800 L trio, a T for the Free SPIN, a single I, but then B for bad while on the Sony Open trip. Roger also missed w/ S for sorry. Patrick controlled the rest of the round for an R for DISCOVER, a $2,100 D trio, a $300 Y, and an $800 W.
I T ‘ L L / D _ / Y _ _
_ / W _ R L D
_ _ / _ _ _ D
He rightly said “IT’LL DO YOU A WORLD OF GOOD” for $4,200 cash & gift tag.
DUDS: B (Kelly), S (Roger)
UNCLAIMED JACKPOT: $7,700
Patrick: $7,200 cash & Discover/Kelly: $1,600 FS/Roger: NIL
This next round marked the debut of something that we still use today…
Mystery Round: BEFORE & AFTER
Call a correct letter on one of the two Mystery wedges and you may either flip it over or take $500 for every occurrence of that letter (that would become $1K in S22). If you go for it, you will either get the Mystery prize or a BANKRUPT. After one wedge is flipped over, the other acts as a normal cash space. The first Mystery prize offered this season was a Ford Focus ZX3 hatchback worth $13,780.
Roger first picked a $900 S, but then R for rats. Patrick secondly became the first ever player to land on a Mystery Wedge (next to the red $900) and got the decision w/ T. He obviously went for it…but the news wasn’t good. Kelly thirdly spotted a $700 H, three E’s, a $550 N, two I’s, and three M’s ($300), three L’s ($300) and C ($300) before she BANKRUPTed near TD and lost $2,850, prompting her to use the FS. Next up were an $800 D pair (obviously edited in from another spin, as the red arrow is shown instead), two A’s, and an $800 G to clean out the consonants. Board…
M A L C _ L M I N
T H E M I D D L E
A G E S
She IDed the fake show as “MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE AGES” for $1,350.
SOLE DUD: R (Roger)
BANKRUPTS: 2 (everybody else)
Patrick: $7,200 cash & Discover/Kelly: $2,950/Roger: NO LUCK
$3K Toss-Up: THING
A / _ L _ V _ R
I _ E A
Patrick had A CLEVER IDEA to sweep the Tossups.
Round 4: RHYME TIME
He started w/ five T’s on the Sony Open trip (ugh, big waste there -__-), a $700 H pair, four E’s and O, but the R was no good and it’s time for the first Final Spin of the season…
_ _ T / T H E / _ E _ _ _
T O / T H E / _ E T _ _
…w/ the remaining consonants worth $6K apiece! Kelly chose two P’s…
P _ T / T H E / P E _ _ _
T O / T H E / _ E T _ _
…and she’s able to PUT THE PEDAL TO THE METAL for $12K and the comeback win.
SOLE DUD: R (Patrick)
FINAL SCORES
Patrick: $10,200 cash & Discover/Kelly: $14,950/Roger: $500 GOOSEEGG
GT: $25,650
BANKRUPT TRASH: $3,500
Bonus Round
The first cars offered here this season were also Fords — a $39K+ Thunderbird and a $25K+ Mustang Convertible. Kelly landed on the third zero.
Category: THING
This puzzle was used again in Vegas during S27 premiere week (and it wasn’t solved for $35K)…
S _ _ _ _ N _
_ _ T
DGHO didn’t add much besides the obvious G…
S H _ _ _ N G
_ _ T
She only got the first word of SHAVING KIT and lost $25K.
MY RATING: 6
