Review: Finders Keepers


FINDERS KEEPERS
Wesley EureLarry Toffler
Broadcast history:
Nickelodeon November 2, 1987 - September 11, 1988
Syndicated September 12, 1988 - March 10, 1989
Host(s): Wesley Eure, Larry Toffler
Announcer(s): John Harvey, Bob Lorman, Joe Conklin, Harry Stevens

GAME PLAY
Toffler's picture roundEure's picture round Two teams of kids competed. In the "Hidden Pictures" round, the teams had to locate an item hidden into a picture as described in a clue read by the host. On Wesley's version, this was done by circling the pictures with a telestrator built into the desks. On Larry Toffler's show, the players stuck plastic cutouts of the objects onto a large picture on the wall (think Colorforms). Finding the object was worth $25 and the chance to search a room in the house. After four rooms were claimed, the teams went inside the house.

Poking around in the General StoreThe Laundry Room A large, 8-room makeshift home was built on stage. In a search, the host would read a clue towards an object and the team would have 30 seconds to locate it. Rooms included an attic, a bathroom, and some fantasy rooms like a "Moon Room" and "Pastry Shop." Feathers and other such surprizes were installed to distract contestants. Finding the object in time added $50 to a teams score. $50 went to the other team if they failed to find the item.

Another round of pictures and searches were done with $75 pictures and $100 searches. One room in this set was worth a bonus prize if the hidden object was found. The team with the most money after the last room search won the game.

In the "Room-to-Room Romp," the winners tried to find six object clue cards. A clue was read to the location of the card and 90 seconds started to countdown. Each card indicated the next room they had to search and the next clue. A prize was earned for each card found, and the grand prize for the sixth.



NOTES
Wesley Eure was best known for his role on "Land of the Lost," but also had a character on "Days of our Lives." He guested on "Chain Reaction" and "Password Plus" around that time (1980).

Larry Toffler is an actor who had a few screenplays made into films lately. He was a contestant on "Debt," "Russian Roulette" and "Greed."

The Nickelodeon years of the show taped at PBS station WHYY's Forum Theatre, where "Super Sloppy Double Dare" taped 50 of its episodes in 1989.

The Toffler run taped at Hollywood Center Studios where "Shop 'til You Drop" currently records programs.

MY THOUGHTS
It's a fun show with an equally fun concept. Wesley Eure brings a friendly air to the proceedings, but stumbles through parts of the show. He also has an irritating tendency to pull the microphone away from himself when he asks a question (think Bud Melman). Larry Toffler is smoother, but just seems to be going through the motions a lot and not interjecting a personal interest into the game.

JAY SAYS...
Cast - 1.5
Bells and Whistles - 2.0
Game - 1.5
Prize - 1.5
Tilt - 2.0

[ 08.5 ]

Points off for some of the Instant Prizes being worth more than the day's grand prize. That's just weird. The music is a slick package written by Edd Kalehoff, and the set is small and attractive as well. Of course, the behemoth house is great looking as you might expect.

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