COUNTDOWN [PBS] - Pilot

[hodders]

Well it just happens in time for recording that the University of York published a list of 30 "lost" words that are still relevant today.

For example, if you came across a rather difficult conundrum that drove fear into you, it could be described as tremblable. Betrump is unrelated to the POTUS, though it does mean to deceive. And if you were to work your way to being an octochamp, or climb socially, you could be described as a percher. Just don't be a nickum with a hidden dictionary..

[palmer7]

Or a calculator...

(audience cheers)

Thank you, Sam. I think. Right, Letters Game. Matt, you have control. How many vowels?

[mringgenberg]

4

[palmer7]

And five consonants. (Stephanie pulls out the letters)


[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]


Stephanie: I'll have to use some of those words in regular conversations. Here are the consonants this time....


[D][G][N][T][S][ ][ ][ ][ ]
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]


D, G, N, T, and S. And now the vowels.....


[D][G][N][T][S][A][A][I][I]
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]


A-A-I-I.


Greg: And you have 30 seconds.

(24 hours [maximum] to PM both Sam [hodders] and me the word and the number of letters you used, good luck)

[palmer7]

And this time we start with Matt.

Matt: 5 Letters

James: 4

Greg: And Matt, what's your five-letter word?

Matt: STING

Greg: Great artist, but he's starting to get overrated. Oh, the word? Yeah, that's a real word and it fits, too. Five more points. (audience applauds)


[JAMES] [MATT]
[ 14] [ 55]


Matt extends his lead, 55-14. Mr. Hodkin, can you find any longer words?

[hodders]

Well the more obvious 7 in there would be AGAINST, though you could have also had GAINSAID, meaning to deny or contradict, for 8.

[palmer7]


[ ][ ][ ][T][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
[G][A][I][N][S][A][I][D][ ]


I won't gainsaid that none of our contestants would have come up with that. James, we're up to the last Letters Game of the night. How many vowels do you want?

[Deleted]

3

[palmer7]

Three.


(Stephanie picks out the letters and puts them on the board)


[E][I][O][L][H][D][R][L][R]
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]


Stephanie: And the last letters are E-I-O-L-H-D-R-L-R.


Greg: Thank you, Stephanie. You've been a great letters picker. And here's another 30 seconds.

(24 hours [maximum] to PM both Sam [hodders] and me the word and the number of letters you used, good luck)

[palmer7]

And now, the final words. James, how many letters?

James: 6

Greg: And Matt?

Matt: 6 Letters

Greg: Hmmm, a tie. Matt, what was your word?

Matt: HOLDER

Greg: And James?

James: Holder (James shows his paper to Matt, and vice versa)

Greg: Well, in that case, you both get six points. (audience cheers)


[JAMES] [MATT]
[ 20] [ 61]


I came up with "Rolled" and "Roller". Sam, what words did you come up with?

[hodders]

Well, I managed to find an 8 that you wouldn't see much in the US, not many Lords around, but it's possible to be LORDLIER.

[palmer7]


[ ][ ][ ][ ][H][ ][ ][ ][ ]
[L][O][R][D][L][I][E][R][ ]


A word that describes Alistair Cooke but not Alan Cumming. And now, you're all going to be looking up Alistair Cooke on your phones. (audience laughs)

OK, final Numbers Game of the night, and it's up to you, Matt. How many large numbers and small numbers do you want?

[mringgenberg]

2 Large and 4 Small

[palmer7]

(Stephanie picks numbers at random)


[   ]
[75][100][9][9][4][4]


Stephanie: Well, we have 75, 100, a pair of nines, and a pair of fours. And the target number.... (she presses the button)


[276]
[75][100][9][9][4][4]


276.


Greg: Hmmm...... well now, let's see how close you get to that. Start the clock.

(24 hours to submit your answer and how you got there, and you must show your work. Good luck.)

[palmer7]

And now for the final numbers game results. Matt, what did you come up with?


Matt: 278


Greg: Hmmm.... within two. James?

James: 201


Greg: And nowhere close. Matt, talk us through it.


Matt: 75x4=300-9=291-9=282-4=278


[276]
[75][100][9][9][4][4]

75x4=300
300-9=291
291-9=282
282-4=278



(cheers and applause)


Greg: Well, you were pretty close, and for being within two, you get another 7 points. Stephanie, could this be solved?


[276]
[75][100][9][9][4][4]

((100 / 4 - 9) * 9 - 75) * 4 = 276
((25 - 9) * 9 - 75) * 4 = 276
(16 * 9 - 75) * 4 = 276
69 * 4 = 276


Stephanie: It sure could. First, you take 100 and divide that by 4 to get 25. Subtract 9 from that to get 16. 16 times 9 is 144, minus 75 equals 69. Multiply that by 4 to get 276.


(cheers and applause)


Greg: And I bet you couldn't have come up with that in 30 seconds.


[JAMES] [MATT]
[ 20] [ 68]


The score is James 20, Matt 68. .....Yeah, we know who the winner is. However, we're going to play the Conundrum anyway! James, this is your last chance to get any points on the board. Matt, winning this would be the icing on the cake. In a few minutes, we'll be showing you an anagram that makes up a 9-letter word. You'll have 30 seconds to buzz in and tell me what that word is. If you're right, you get 10 points. If you're wrong, you're locked out and your opponent will have an opportunity to buzz in and guess. If both of you are wrong, someone in the audience gets a chance at a Countdown coffee mug. Now, good luck to you both. Your time starts the moment the anagram is revealed.

Now, for 10 points.... here is tonight's Conundrum!


[C][E][L][L][M][Y][P][O][X]


Go!

(24 hours to submit a buzzcode from 1-100 and an answer)

[palmer7]

(the clock ticks)
(buzzcode: 56)
*James buzzes in (51)*
James?
James: Complexly?

Let's see....


[C][O][M][P][L][E][X][L][Y]


He's right! Well solved! (cheers and applause)


[JAMES] [MATT]
[ 30] [ 68]


And with that, Matt still wins by a score of 68-30! (cheers and applause) Matt, come up here so you can claim your prizes. (Matt joins me at center stage) Well, Matt, you've done very well and you've won the game. Congratulations to you. Now, as this was supposed to be the pilot, we would give you $400. However, after seeing the scores and how very unlikely this series will be picked up, I'm going to make an executive decision and award you the full $2,000. (I give him the money, cheers and applause) You've also won the 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary worth $1,142....

And a laptop computer worth $750....

And the all-important Countdown teapot! (cheers and applause)

And James, we're not leaving you empty-handed either. You take home our Countdown gift package, which includes a mug, a pen, your own clock, a copy of the Oxford Dictionary of English Third Edition, and a rather interesting book. It's Susie Dent's What Made the Crocodile cry?, a book analyzing the English language. We hope you had a good time.


Anything either of you want to say before my final remarks with the two Sams?

[Deleted]

Thank you Greg!

[mringgenberg]

Thank You

[palmer7]

You're both very welcome.

Now, I'd like to turn to our celebrity, Sam Ryan. Mr. Ryan, what did you think about tonight's proceedings? 

[Deleted]

I think we had a great match and it's great seeing how our contestants used their brains on addition, subtraction and making words that even I can't think of!

Also I think you done a great job hosting this show. That's all I have to say.

[palmer7]

Thank you, Sam. I'm glad at least you think so.

Well, Mr. Hodkin, based on what you've seen tonight and what you've seen on the Channel 4 version of the show, do you think America is ready for Countdown? What are your final thoughts on this match?

[hodders]

For a 15 rounder it was a low scorer, but highs and lows happen in any series. I'm not expecting any future Julian Fells, but anyone is possible.

[palmer7]

Well, good for you. I validate your opinion, even though I disagree with it. I thought this was an unmitigated disaster. (just then, the phone rings, and I answer it at my desk) Hello? (pause) Hmmm? You think so, too? (pause) You would? Thank you. Bye. (I hang up). That was Raney Aronson-Rath, and it seems that footage from this show will be used in a new Frontline documentary titled: Why Americans Can't Have Nice Things. Expect to see it very soon during a pledge drive. To the family of Armand Jammot and everyone who created this show: Je suis désolé. I'm sorry.

Stephanie, thank you so much for joining us.

Stephanie: And thank you, Greg.

Greg: You're welcome. Thank you for watching, if indeed you still are. Keep smiling, and again, my apologies. Good night.

[CLOSING THEME]
(cheers and applause as the set dims)

COUNTDOWN

Host
GREG PALMER

Featuring
SAM HODKIN
STEPHANIE LEYDON

Special Guest
SAM RYAN

Created by
ARMAND JAMMOT
by arrangement with
MARCEL STELLMAN

Executive Producers
PETER GWYN
NANCY LINDE
SAM HODKIN
GREG PALMER

Producers
SUSAN DANGEL
GARY JOHNSON
LIN SCHRIEBER

Directed by
DEREK HALLWORTH

Associate Producer
STEPHEN D. SWEIGART

Writers
JOSH CLARK
GREG PALMER

Assistant Producers
CAROLYN NICOLL
DAVID SMITH

Theme Music
ALAN HAWKSHAW

Titles
VTR NORTH

Consultants
OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY
MERRIAM-WEBSTER

Dictionary Engineer
PETE WHITELOCK

Make-Up
LOUISE DANIELS MILLER

Floor Manager
JONATHAN YARDLEY

Production Accountant
CAROL NICKSON

Production Business Manager
LAURA HILL

Associate Director
DEAN GORDON

Stage Manager
TERRENCE J. WITTER

Control Room PA
JOHN KEEGAN

Talent Coordinator
PHIL GULOTTA

Art Director
LAURA BROCK

Lighting Designers
DEKE HAZIRJIAN
TARAS KOCHAN

Costume Designers
WENDY STUART
BUNNY CHRISTIE

Production Design by
JAMES FENHAGEN
ERIK ULFERS
JOHN LEE BEATTY

Set Design
NICK KING

Technical Director
TOM GUADARRAMA

Audio
AL CENTRELLA
ROBERT AGNELLO
RON LANTZ
JAKE KNOTT

Video
KEN WISE

Tape Operator
JACK ROCHE

Electronic Graphics
LIZ MAUNDER

Camera
JERRY CANLEL
JOHN MEIKLEJOHN
PATRICK MINIETTA
DAVID SMITH
MARK WHITMAN
MATTHEW SPEDDINGS

Utility
ERNEST ALBRITTON

Business Affairs
AMBER GREY

Production Secretaries
LAURA BRUCE
ZOE BARTON

Special Thanks To
DELL, INC.
OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARIES
THE EMPLOYEES OF WGBH-TV

Executive in Charge for ITV Studios America
DAMIEN FADIE

Executive in Charge of Production
PAULA S. APSELL




A Production of
ITV STUDIOS AMERICA
for
WGBH BOSTON


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