WoF Retro Recap: January 20, 2012

Please don’t tell me we’re about to set a new RECORD-WORST in the modern era of this show. So far, a pathetic $97,076 went out the door. The current record-holder is the one from S24, “Weekend in New England”, w/ $124,350.

EPISODE #5550: PURE PARADISE

$1K Tossup: RHYME TIME

T _ _ / _ _ _ E / O F
_ _ E / _ A M _

THE NAME OF THE GAME is “Wheel of Fortune”, and Amanda solves this one to be interviewed first…

Amanda Dubin: sports broadcasting major who recently got accepted to Columbia University and also serves at a downtown restaurant Al Capone used to go to from Chicago (orig. from Highland Park, IL)

David Verschoor: restaurant general manager who jumped out of an airplane three times so far in his life from L.A. (born in CHI)

Casey Larkin: project mgr. for a health care software firm who went backpacking in Europe once from Madison, WI (originally from Chi-town as well)

$2K Tossup: SHOW BIZ

T _ _ R _ Z E
A R _ _ _ _

Casey solves TRAPEZE ARTIST.

FEATURED PARADISE: $7,800 Cuan Law boat ride through the British Virgin Islands from Hotwire

Jackpot Round: FOOD & DRINK

The first letters from her are three R’s for $1,650, but then a baddie of T. Second, Amanda calls up a $600 L, an N for the spawish gift tag, four E’s, and an A, then she puts in three B’s for another $900, a $2,500 Y, a $300 K, and three F’s for another $1,800…

F R E _ _ – B A K E _
B L _ E B E R R Y
_ _ F F _ N _

…she eats some FRESH-BAKED BLUEBERRY MUFFINS for another $6,700 cash and gift certificate.

SOLE DUD: T (Casey)
UNCLAIMED JACKPOT: $10,550

Mystery Round: TV QUOTE 

Amanda leads off this big one w/ five T’s for $2,750, but then the BANKRUPT near the WC. David’s first letters this episode are three H’s for $900, four E’s, but then S for sorry. Third for Casey are a $600 pair of R’s, two L’s for the cruise, and twin I’s. What you’re about to see now will bring back bad memories for you long-time viewers…

T H E / T H R I L L
_ _ / _ I _ T _ R _
_ _ _ / T H E / _ _ _ _ _
_ _ / _ E _ E _ T

…this Jim McKay quote triggered the worst one-round maingame loss in the history of this program back in ’85 ($62,400 to be exact), but she exactly recites “THE THRILL OF VICTORY AND THE AGONY OF DEFEAT” for $8,150 in cash & cruise.

SOLE DUD: S (David)
SOLE BANKRUPT: Amanda

Casey: $10,150 cash & cruise/Amanda: $7,700 cash & GT/David: NIL

Well, at least we won’t set a new modern low…

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PP Round: THINGS 

David’s first w/ an $800 pair of N’s, two A’s, three FP E’s, but then D for dud while on the blue 1/2 KIA. Casey next puts up two C’s for $1,200 and a $300 Q…

A C E
_ _ N _
Q _ E E N
_ A C _

…she solves ACE, KING, QUEEN (and) JACK for $1,500 plus a $6K SpaFinder.com trip to the New York New York Hotel & Casino in VEGAS.

SOLE DUD: D (David)

Casey: $17,650 cash & trips/Amanda: $7,700 cash & GT/David: NADA

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$3K Tossup: LIVING THINGS

_ R O C _ _ _ _ E S

Casey gets CROCODILES to go over $20K.

Round 4: PERSON

Two T’s for $1,100 get her going, but the R ends her turn just as quick. Amanda secondly inserts a $15K trio of S’s, an E, four A’s, and an $1,800 pair of L’s…

_ A S T – T A L _ _ _ _
S A L E S _ A _

…she solves FAST-TALKING SALESMAN for $16,300 and the lead!

SOLE DUD: R (Casey)

Casey: $20,650 cash & trips/Amanda: $24K cash & GT/David: STILL NOTHING

Round 5: PHRASE 

Amanda instantly LaTs out. David secondly puts up three T’s for $1,800, a $1K pair of S’s, three I’s, and two L’s to add $1,600…

I T ‘ S / _ L L / I _
T _ _ / _ _ I S T

…he says “IT’S ALL IN THE WRIST” to finally get off the schneid w/ $4,150.

SOLE LaT: Amanda

Casey: $20,650 cash & trips/Amanda: $24K cash & GT/David: $4,150

Speed-Up: WAYD?

The last FS this week is $1,400. After the man buys two O’s for for free…

_ O S _ N _ / F O R
_ _ _ T _ R _ S

…he’ll be POSING FOR PICTURES following this $2,800 solve.

SOLE DUD: L (Amanda)

FINAL SCORES
Casey: $20,650 cash & trips/Amanda: $24K cash & GT/David: $6,950

GT: $51,600
BANKRUPT TRASH: $2,750

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$100K Bonus Round

Amanda lands on the N of WIN.

Category: EVENT
I know the second word already…

_ _ _ _ _
_ _ R T _

PCMI does for her…

P I _ _ _
P _ R T _

…but she WON’T be throwing a PIZZA PARTY w/ the extra $45K since she only got the second word, so we have our THIRD OFFICIAL BR SHUTOUT of the season.

MY EP. RATING: 7