There is nothing like a familiar face to serve up TV’s ultimate comfort food.
In September, Sony Pictures Television handed the keys to its game show “Wheel of Fortune” to Ryan Seacrest, broadcasting’s iron man. Nielsen data show “Wheel of Fortune” averaging 7.9 million viewers through Dec. 1, up 3% from a year ago during longtime host Pat Sajak’s final season.
“Wheel” has more viewers than every network nonsports prime-time series, with the exception of CBS’ “60 Minutes” and “Tracker.” More than 58 million people have tuned into some portion of the program this season. More people watch “Wheel” and Sony’s companion show “Jeopardy!” in the 7 p.m. hour than any single streaming service, including Netflix.
The bump in ratings for “Wheel” comes as traditional TV viewing continues to decline. The show gained viewers as the number of people watching TV overall fell 9% during the same period.
Durability has been a hallmark of “Wheel,” which on Jan. 6 marked 50 years since it premiered on NBC’s daytime lineup. The game, where contestants guess the letters of a mystery word or phrase, has been part of the TV landscape ever since, surviving huge changes that have splintered the mass audience.
But a major test for the popularity of any TV show is when the star is replaced. Sajak had hosted the syndicated version of “Wheel” since it launched in 1983 and became an evening ritual for millions of viewers. He decided to hang it up at the end of the 2023-24 season.
“It was a pivotal moment for us,” said Suzanne Prete, president of game shows for Sony. “It’s personal to the viewers. Pat is like a family member to them.”
Sony executives know how disruptive change can be for an institution such as “Wheel.” After a public audition of potential successors for longtime “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek in 2021, the company went with executive producer Mike Richards, who was not exactly a household name. The move angered fans, and a scandal over offensive remarks Richards had made on a podcast led him to quit before his episodes aired.
Seacrest is a well-known quantity. He holds down mornings on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles, hosts “American Idol” and counts down the ball drop in Times Square for “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.” In 2023, he finished a successful six-year run as Kelly Ripa’s co-host on the daily talk show “Live.” He has largely steered clear of controversy, surviving a 2018 investigation of sexual harassment claims made by a former stylist who worked for him at E! (The network dropped the probe due to insufficient evidence.)
When Sony considered successors for “Wheel,” Seacrest was at the top of Prete’s wish list. “If I had the choice of anybody in the world, it would have been Ryan,” she said.
Once Prete promoted the idea, she learned that Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman Tony Vinciquerra was acquainted with Seacrest from their days at Fox, the original “American Idol” network.
Vinciquerra recalled how Seacrest idolized Merv Griffin, the band singer turned talk show host and game show impresario who created “Wheel” as well as “Jeopardy!” Seacrest did a game show pilot for Griffin after he first arrived in Hollywood. One of his dreams was to host “Wheel.”
Vinciquerra had dinner with Seacrest, and a deal came together quickly, a year ahead of Sajak’s exit.
Once he secured the job, Seacrest asked for videos of past shows so he could study the nuances of the game. Prete was ready to send him 50 recent episodes.
“He said, ‘No, I want to see every episode,’” Prete said. There are 8,000.
Ted Harbert, a former network executive and Seacrest friend, can attest to the host’s obsessive preparation. “He wanted the rules to be just second nature to him,” Harbert said. “He didn’t want there to ever be a question.”
Executive producer Bellamie Blackstone flew to Miami to see Seacrest with a tabletop version of the game and practiced as many scenarios as possible.
“When he stepped on the set, it was like he’d been doing it his whole life,” Prete said.
Seacrest also quickly mastered the interaction with contestants and has shown he is willing to go the extra yard. When a bodybuilder recently played the game, the host volunteered to be bench-pressed right on set.
The colorful carnival atmosphere of the set, which Seacrest enters arm in arm with co-host Vanna White, just as Sajak did, remains unchanged.
Although a smooth transition helps, the continued success of “Wheel” is also a testament to the lasting power of classic game shows.
After logging decades on air, their appeal spans generations. The fans who watched at home with parents and grandparents now make up the audience with their children and grandchildren. The easy-to-watch shows also provide viewers with a break from scripted TV, which has become more complex and intense in the streaming era.
“I think, in general, programming is pretty heavy,” said Prete. “Our game shows are fun and energetic, and they bring people together.”
