Charge Account (NBC Daytime) Test Episode (THE END)

[joeygatorman]

You know the game (by now).

You’ve read the rules (I hope).

Now, come test Charge Account! I need two players to sign up. You get to be paid union scale!

[koopakid17]

I’m in!

[Deleted]

I'm in!

[joeygatorman]

Okay. Let's roll.

—

(Richard Myhill's "Smash Hit" plays over an animated neon opening.)

Michael Hanks: (VO) Today on Charge Account, one of our contestants will earn the right to go shopping in our showcase of luxurious prizes!

You'll be the envy of all your friends with this $8,400 game room, one of the prizes in today's showcase and yours for $500.

Ireland. The culture, the sports, the food—the dancing. All this and more in this $6,700 vacation, available today for $400.

Or go all the way with $750 in your charge account and you could drive away in this Mini Cooper S, valued at $29,300…


…plus $25,000 in cash!


And now, here's the host of Charge Account—Joseph Kristoff!

(more cheers and applause as Joseph enters from the side. The stage is full of prizes, with the car front and center. The studio backdrop is completely dark, with blue, pink and purple neon doing the lighting.)

This is it! Thank you, everybody! Thank you, one and all, and a gracious welcome to what I hope will be an exciting new game show: Charge Account. Behind me is a showcase full of exciting prizes totaling over a hundred thousand dollars (audience hoots), including, as Michael Hanks said, this Mini Cooper S plus $25,000 in cash—over $50,000 if our contestants are smart enough and, most of all, lucky enough. Speaking of which, let's meet them now! I know they want some!

(a blue screen starts to enclose the showcase as the podia with the contestants are wheeled in from stage right. Once the screen is closed, blue lighting fades in from behind the players.)

Kevin Kolsen and James Greek!

Kevin, welcome to the show. Tell me a little bit about yourself, please.

[koopakid17]

Well, I'm an accountant from Long Island, New York. I like reading, writing and going to the gym.

[joeygatorman]

Writing, hm? What sort of writings? Anything specific you like to do, like science fiction or fantasy…?

[koopakid17]

Mainly fan fiction, but I've also written a few songs as well. I write just for fun.

[joeygatorman]

Well, that's interesting to hear, that you've written a few songs…any specific fanfiction?

[koopakid17]

Mainly for the Mario and My Little Pony fandom.

[joeygatorman]

Ahhhh. I was into Sonic for a few years before I started to shy away from it. Anyway, I'm sure you have a great time doing it and I'm very happy for you. Good luck.

Your opponent is James Greek. James, give me some info about you, please.

[Deleted]

I am from East LA (as in Lower Alabama) I enjoy game shows, music, classic TV, jet-skiing, girls, and watching Netflix

[joeygatorman]

Hah! I’m guessing this L.A. doesn’t have much in the way of tony eateries and boutiques, hm? And jet-skiing—do you tend to do any stunts from time to time, or just play it safe?

[Deleted]

Oh I have I did 360s and such. It got so bad that my family banned me from driving it. Also you are The LA I am from doesn't have much. I like this LA better!

[joeygatorman]

Oof. Well, hopefully they'll come to their senses and you can go back doing mad stunts on it. Good luck to you as well.

Contestants, on your touch screen is a grid of sixteen squares.



In a moment, I'll be giving the two of you letters, one at a time. You will be receiving the same set of letters as your opponent, and the sixteen letters to be used in this round have been selected so as to create a possible perfect round. Your job is to place those letters on the grid, and once you do, they cannot be moved. You want to score as many three- and four-letter words as you can. Ready? Here it goes!

(I'll be sending a PM to the two of you together. You will reply to me in a separate message—not to the PM I sent.)

[joeygatorman]

Starting off with

S

.

.

.

C

.

.

.

E

.

.

.

H

.

.

.

T

.

.

.

N

.

.

.

L

.

.

.

O

.

.

.

O

.

.

.

A

.

.

.

T

.

.

.

M

.

.

.

E

.

.

.

S

.

.

.

E

.

.

.

and the last letter is

R.

And that's it. Hopefully we get some good scores here. First, let's take a look at what our perfect round could be.



SLOT, HONE, ARCS and MEET in the four rows; SHAM, LORE, ONCE and TEST in the four columns—a $400 game, plus if either of you got that, you would win a cash bonus of $5,000! (ooooooh!) Although I highly doubt that judging by the fact that you two seem to struggle. Isn't that right?



Ohhhh yeah. (audience laughter) I do see some semblance of words being made. Now, we'll count up all your three- and four-letter words. Each three-letter word is worth $20; each four-letter word is worth $50. Note that there can only be one word scored per line; if two three-letter words overlap, we'll only count one. Here we go.

(Kevin: (beep-bing!-beep-boop-beep-boop-boop-boop))
(James: (boop-beep-boop-beep-beep-boop-boop-beep))



You got one big one, Kevin—TENS—you also got ACE, you got SOM, which is the monetary unit of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and TET, a Semitic letter. Altogether, that's worth $110! (ding!) (applause!)

James, no fours, but four threes: MEE, an Asian noodle, you got OAT, NOS, the plural of no, and SER, an obsolete measuring unit in India equal to about a liter. Still, that's $80! (ding!) (applause!)



Now, when we get back, the two of them will be sharing a grid between them…but who gets to place the letters? You'll find out in round two after the break!

(applause as the theme comes up!)

[joeygatorman]

(applause!)

Welcome back to Charge Account. I'm here with Kevin and James who are in a tight match right now, but we still have two more rounds to play where a lot more charge account money can be made. This time, contestants, the two of you have one grid between you. Who gets to place the letters depend on who can correctly answer a question. Whoever rings in with the correct answer will get three letters to place on the board. Afterwards, you may choose to score the grid as-is or go for more letters and greater rewards. If you're all set, here we go with the first question:

X,
Y
or
Z:

Sue Grafton, author of the "alphabet series" of mystery novels featuring Kinsey Millhone, died in December. What was the first letter of her last published book in the series?

Kevin >> 45
↓↓↓↓↓12↓↓↓↓↓
James >> 2

James?

[Deleted]

Y?

[joeygatorman]

Yes! (applause!) "Y" Is For Yesterday.

All right, James, here come your first three letters:



An S, a G and another S. Give me the position numbers you wish to place each letter. You must place all three.

[Deleted]

1, 2, and 3

[joeygatorman]

(ding!) Hmm, fascinating. No words yet, of course.

CLINT EASTWOOD,
JOHN WAYNE
or
ORSON WELLES:

Which actor/producer is associated with the film production company Malpaso Productions?

Kevin >> 24
↑↑↑↑↑75↑↑↑↑↑
James >> 5

And it's Kevin this time.

[koopakid17]

John Wayne?

[joeygatorman]

No—Clint Eastwood. John Wayne had Batjac Productions and Orson Welles had Rainbow. James, for you, these letters:



…woof. T, Z, R. Still no vowels. Where are these going, James? And I assume you don't want to score the grid right now.

[Deleted]

Put the R below the G on 6, the T on the 5, the the z on 4

[joeygatorman]

(ding!) This next one could do it.

HAPPY HARMONIES,
MERRIE MELODIES
or
SILLY SYMPHONIES:

Which well-known cartoon series debuted with the short Lady, Play Your Mandolin!?

Kevin >> 86
↓↓↓↓↓38↓↓↓↓↓
James >> 7

James!

[Deleted]

Merry melodies

[joeygatorman]

Yes, indeed! (applause!)

Here come your next three…surely there ought to be a few vowels.



Yes. An E, O and W. Place them where you want. You must then decide whether to score the grid and collect any cash from it, or go on and try to form more words. Keep in mind that any words that are scored are removed from the grid.

[Deleted]

The o and the w on the 10 and 14! And the e on the 9!

[joeygatorman]

Now, do you want to score the grid as it is, or try for more? Keep in mind that you could also have a three-letter word where you’re trying to go for a four. Also note that Kevin could gain control of the grid with the next right answer. Your decision?

[Deleted]

Try for four

[Deleted]

Try for more