WHAMMY! THE ALL NEW PRESS YOUR LUCK
Premiere: April 15th, 2002
Host: Todd Newton
Announcer: Gary Kroeger
Three players compete. A board with 18 screens, each with three values rotates. Each contains cash (from 100-1500 in early shows, 300-1500 later), prizes or a "whammy." Each contestant is given $1,000 and takes one spin at the board. They win whatever they land on, or lose it all upon hitting a "whammy." In this round a whammy eliminates you from further play. After one trip down the line, more whammies are added and now players can freeze their totals. The round ends once everybody has either frozen or whammied.
In round two, the players can earn spins answering questions. Buzzing-in with a right answer is worth three spins, and that answer becomes one of three choices given to the other two players. If they pick the right answer, they get a spin. After five questions, the thir round begins.
In this round, cash values go up to $500-$5,000. The player in last place goes first, then second and finally 
the leader from round one. A player can either spin or pass their remaining spins on each turn. A pass goes to the player in the lead - or in the case of being in first, to the second place player. A whammy still takes the player's money, and four puts them out of the game. Also in this round, there are "double whammies" with additional mess such as feathers, fruit, etc. The one with the highest total at the end keeps their cash and prizes. Three new players compete each show.In season two, the "Big Bank" was added. $3,000 cash started it, and every time a player whammied, their stake went into the pot. Landing on the "Big Bank" space gave a player a chance to take all the money by answering one question correctly.
NOTES
Todd Newton was a radio DJ who gained fame with viewers on E! He guest hosted "Talk Soup" did "Coming Attractions" among others. He hosted "Hollywood Showdown" for Game Show Network and most recently the lottery show "Powerball Instant Millionaire."
Gary Kroeger was a "Saturday Night Live" player in the 80s and emceed the PAX "Beat the Clock" revival. He also announced the "Card Sharks" revival in 2001.
This show includes many leftover elements from the failed "Card Sharks" revival, including backdrops behind Todd, the Argus Digital Camera parting gift, announcer Gary Kroeger and some minor things like font used for the winner's total and credits.
If in a game everybody has "whammied out," except for one player and that player wins nothing, they come back on another show.
Todd Newton and original host Peter Tomarken both did pilots for this show. Clips of both were shown in GSN promos.
In some episodes, the "Gem Car" is offered. To win it, a player must hit the "GEM" space in round 1, the "CAR" space in round 2 *and* win the game. In season two, this was changed to the Suzuki Aerio SX. Now two halves of a car key had to be earned to get it.
MY THOUGHTS
Decent enough, but doesn't hold a candle to the 80s version. Season one was pretty boring and season two was much more on target. Added more spins to the third round, etc.
JAY SAYS...
Cast - 1.5
Game - 2.0
Bells and Whistles - 1.5
Prize - 1.0
Tilt - 0.5