WoF Recap: June 5, 2023

WHEEL OF FORTUNE

Week XXXIX

STAR WARS GALACTIC CELEBRATION

The story so far…

It’s been a roller coaster ride since the $100K win to start the celebration.

JaDarrell and Dana Joel had quite a match on Friday and the former came out on top by a slim margin thanks to winning the Galaxy’s Edge trip. But the Dark Side got the best of JaDarrell even though he picked the hot vowel of three O’s in the Bonus Round.

Tonight marks the start of season finale week and the end of this celebration. The Dark Side unfortunately won the majority on the Bonus Round front, but let’s keep our fingers crossed for a strong ending.

EPISODE #7811: 💫STAR WARS GALACTIC CELEBRATION💫

$1K Toss-Up: CHARACTER

_ _ D _
_ _ _ _ E R

David knows that Luke Skywalker is a JEDI MASTER. He’s not the only man on this final night of the galactic celebration…

David Jones: delivery driver for 29 years and Sunday schoolteacher married to Jessica for 24 years w/ four daughters (and her youngest daughter owns a copy of the original 1977 STAR WARS poster in her room) from Lenoir, NC

Robert Degnan: professional drummer whose favorite character is Yoda and father of a 16-yr.-old daughter named Anais from Tampa, FL

Erica Rose: published author who wrote a self-help journal about practicing gratitude and believing in oneself and one’s dreams (and she also enjoys the animated series of the STAR WARS franchise) from West Babylon, NY

$2K Toss-Up: PHRASE

T H I S / _ S / N _ T
R _ H E _ R S A _

THIS IS NOT REHEARSAL you’re doing, Robert — this is the real deal.

Round 1: MOVIE QUOTE

Robert: three D’s for $1,500, five O’s, $5K pair of N’s, $2,700 trio of T’s, $1,200 pair of K’s, $1,300 pair of W’s, four E’s, PAINFULLY BANKRUPTs on MDW’s right side ($11,200 flushed away; and he banged his head on the railing, too!)

Erica: wasted spin w/ BANKRUPT near $2,500

David: $900 Y, $650 P, solve…

Y O _ / D O N ‘ T
K N O W / T _ E
P O W E _ / O _ / T _ E
D _ _ K / _ _ D E

He recites Darth Vader’s line “YOU DON’T KNOW THE POWER OF THE DARK SIDE” for only $1,550, because he didn’t go on for the two obvious H’s and two R’s.

Mystery Round: THING

Erica: $500 T, S for sorry

David: $3,500 R, triple E’s, one C for WC, two U’s, BANKRUPT near $3,500 (lost his own $3,500 and the WC)

Robert: triple P’s for STAR WARS GALAXY’S EDGE trip, three O’s (NMV), D for dud

Erica: other normal BANKRUPT (lost $500)

David: SPINGLE for $650 M, solve…

P O P / C U _ T U R E
P _ E _ O M E _ O _

There were three N’s he left behind, but he knows that the franchise is a POP CULTURE PHENOMENON.

Robert: $2K/Erica: BAD LUCK/David: $3,550

We need to do better than this…

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PP/Express Round: WAYD?

David: $3,500 G, two I’s and two E’s, $650 R, $1,700 pair of N’s, $500 T, sole dud vowel of U

Robert: $650 H, same side of MDW

Erica: BANKRUPT near $3,500

David: $7K pair of L’s, same BANKRUPT Erica got ($12,600 flushed away)

Robert: just solves…

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

Robert will be EXPLORING THE ISLAND of OAHU on his trip to that Aulani Resort worth $7,336.

Robert: $9,336 cash & Aulani/Erica: NOT HER NIGHT/David: $3,550

This cannot be happening… -___-

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Triple Toss-Up: PEOPLE

1.

_ R _ D E _ M _ I D S

Erica’s off the schneid w/ BRIDESMAIDS.

2.

_ _ _ _ M _ _ _ N

Erica’s right again w/ GROOMSMEN.

3.

W E D _ I _ G
_ R A _ H E _ S

You don’t want these people to disrupt the marriage between bride and groom, and David denies Erica of the sweep w/ WEDDING CRASHERS.

Speed-Up: EVENT

David just provided something we really needed — a $6K Final Spin!

David: S (DUD)
Robert: T
Erica: 2 R’s
David: 3 N’s
Robert: C
Erica: L (DUD)
David: 2 E’s
Robert: 2 M’s
Erica: G
David: L repeat
Robert: P
Erica: 2 I’s
David: F
Robert: H (HUH?!)
Erica: D (NMC)

D _ M I N _ T I N G
P E R F _ R M _ N C E

Not a DOMINATING PERFORMANCE by any of those panelists, but Erica completes the comeback win for $24K!

PENALTY BOX	DUDS	LaTs	BANKRUPTS	DQs
Round 1			2 (Robert, Erica)
Round 2	S (Erica), D (Robert)		2 (David, Erica)
Round 3	U (David)		3 (whole panel)
Round 4	S (David), L (Erica), H (Robert)			David’s L repeat

FINAL SCORES
Robert: $9,336 cash & Aulani/Erica: $28K/David: $5,550

GT: $42,886
BANKRUPT TRASH (excl. WC): $28,450

Erica tries to salvage this galactic celebration by picking one of these generic topics…

• PHRASE
• PLACE
• THING

She goes for my subject of PLACE.

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$100K Bonus Round

Erica’s cheering section is made up of boyfriend Justin & best friend Alyssa; she lands on what’s under the S of SPIN. I know this answer already…

_ _ E N
_ _ N _ / _ _ _ L T

GDMO only adds the vowel in the first word…

O _ E N
_ _ N _ / _ _ _ L T

She only gets the first word, so she won’t be collecting the $40K from their OPEN BANK VAULT.

In the end, the hosts talk about Disney’s $100 million commitment to supporting children’s hospitals globally. Both Disney and LucasFilm have teamed up with Starlight Children’s Foundation to donate STAR WARS themed hospital gowns to kids in hospitals nationwide (and nearly 40K items of clothing will arrive this summer).

MY RATING: 5 (thank goodness for the Final Spin)

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I’m sending in @jliu23232 for the next three episodes of finale week. I’ll be back w/ you on Friday for the season finale.