I’m surprised this wasn’t picked up! Classy set, well-known panel and a down-to-earth host! Maybe not obnoxious enough to last, as most game shows of the last 25 years seem to be loud, crass and fast-paced. Harry and Uncle Miltie were hysterical together! 🤣 Thanks for posting this! Like someone else said, this is far better than any other Pearson production I’ve seen! 👍
I am so glad that I was finally able to see this. I do not think it is bad, especially compared to other game shows that Pearson rebooted and annihilated at the time, and I could have seen this making it to air. As others stated, Harry did give away too many clues. John Daly would only give minimal hints. I also thought the flashback mystery guest segment was a bit cheap and should have a celebrity in the studio instead of using clips from an old episode.
I think the reason why Harry gave out too many clues was because this was a pilot, and had it gone to series (on CBS or in First-Run syndication via Tribune Entertainment), he would've been able to give as minimal of clues as possible.
With Betty White on the panel, and Uncle Milty as a mystery guest, is hard to not be a bad show (even with some negative points about this pilot). Still fabulous!
This should have made it to air. I am very disappointed that it didn't. It could have worked as a "To Tell the Truth/What's My Line" hour block in 2000.
10:49 Not true about Milton Berle being the first guest on the first What's My Line in 1956. The first show was in 1950, and the first mystery guest was Phil Rizzuto.
I agree. It actually made "Will you come in and sign in please" a statement that made no sense whatsoever. I think they might have done it this way because in the traditional sign-in process, some contentents too a very long time signing their names.
Decent, but can see why it didn't get picked up. I think it would've worked as an occasional special presentation, but not a regular series. Why did they do the Mystery Guest round so early? That was a bit odd.
That doesn't bother me so much, they used to do shows with the mystery guest earlier or even ones with 2 mystery guests at times. If they were going to do that on a regular basis that's a problem but changing it up every so often isn't so bad.
@davidlivingston2754 the early mystery guest might have been to hold people's interest. The last mystery guest using video from an old episode. Kind of like an early AI production. What was interesting was the panel and Milton Burle. Pretty popular bunch, not fringe celebrities that are on current game shows.
This was a sign of the times, My understanding CBS turned this down in favor of Survivor. A changing of the guard so to speak with the direction of prime time TV.
![What's My Line? - Phyllis Diller; Shelley Berman [panel] (Feb 10, 1963)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6i1uh33XlXE/mqdefault.jpg)
![What's My Line? - Phyllis Diller; Shelley Berman [panel] (Feb 10, 1963)](/img/tr.png)
I’m surprised this wasn’t picked up!
Classy set, well-known panel and a down-to-earth host!
Maybe not obnoxious enough to last, as most game shows of the last 25 years seem to be loud, crass and fast-paced.
Harry and Uncle Miltie were hysterical together! 🤣
Thanks for posting this! Like someone else said, this is far better than any other Pearson production I’ve seen! 👍
I am so glad that I was finally able to see this. I do not think it is bad, especially compared to other game shows that Pearson rebooted and annihilated at the time, and I could have seen this making it to air.
As others stated, Harry did give away too many clues. John Daly would only give minimal hints. I also thought the flashback mystery guest segment was a bit cheap and should have a celebrity in the studio instead of using clips from an old episode.
I think the reason why Harry gave out too many clues was because this was a pilot, and had it gone to series (on CBS or in First-Run syndication via Tribune Entertainment), he would've been able to give as minimal of clues as possible.
With Betty White on the panel, and Uncle Milty as a mystery guest, is hard to not be a bad show (even with some negative points about this pilot). Still fabulous!
This is rad, thanks for sharing! I would have dug this in 2000 and especially today, but I can understand why it didn’t get picked up either.
This should have made it to air. I am very disappointed that it didn't. It could have worked as a "To Tell the Truth/What's My Line" hour block in 2000.
Anymore please 😊
10:49 Not true about Milton Berle being the first guest on the first What's My Line in 1956. The first show was in 1950, and the first mystery guest was Phil Rizzuto.
I was going to point out the same thing. Maybe Harry was referring to the first mystery guest for that particular year?
Harry did not say the very first WML. He said this MG was the first MG on WML in 1956.
I was going to say the same thing. We all know our WML history.
This is a pretty good pilot, I miss betty white would've been a good summer show.
This could have been a good CBS summer replacement
heisenberg
When you ask the contestant to sign in and all we see is an electronic signature, it's off to a bad start.
I don’t think so. i think it was a good way to update the sign in. It looked good.
I agree. It actually made "Will you come in and sign in please" a statement that made no sense whatsoever. I think they might have done it this way because in the traditional sign-in process, some contentents too a very long time signing their names.
Set looks too much like The Tonight Show.
Decent, but can see why it didn't get picked up. I think it would've worked as an occasional special presentation, but not a regular series. Why did they do the Mystery Guest round so early? That was a bit odd.
That doesn't bother me so much, they used to do shows with the mystery guest earlier or even ones with 2 mystery guests at times. If they were going to do that on a regular basis that's a problem but changing it up every so often isn't so bad.
@davidlivingston2754 the early mystery guest might have been to hold people's interest. The last mystery guest using video from an old episode. Kind of like an early AI production. What was interesting was the panel and Milton Burle. Pretty popular bunch, not fringe celebrities that are on current game shows.
This was a sign of the times, My understanding CBS turned this down in favor of Survivor. A changing of the guard so to speak with the direction of prime time TV.
This video surfacing actually debunks that's rumor.
Survivor premiered in May 2000, while this pliot was Taped 2 months after in July 2000.
I guess it IS possible to dislike Harry Anderson. He crapped all over the game with the constant jibes and hints. The panel was fine.