May 10 2019 Recap (7,000th EPISODE!!!)

Episode #7,000: Big Money Day 5

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Here we go, everyone! It's time for the episode most of us have been waiting for all season! Wheel of Fortune's 7,000th episode! 

Unfortunately, we are on the verge of yet another skunking, so if we don't have a win in the Bonus Round, today, we will be skunked for the fifth time this season. 

In addition, we also have had unfortunate incidents with our previous milestone episodes. Our 5,000th episode had a $100,000 loss, while our 6,000th episode had all the infamous mis-solves (MYTHOLOGICAL HERO AY-CHILL-LESS, ON THE SPOT DICE-SPIN, etc.)

So, there might be a lot of pressure for our 7,000th episode, but we're still going to be in for a treat. No matter what happens, though, let's be thankful for the fact that Wheel of Fortune reached 7,000 episodes, and be proud of Pat, Vanna, and the rest of the crew for accomplishing this feat. 

But if we do happen to get skunked, I have a fresh tomato bath ready for us all. Let's hope for the best, though, and see what happens on this monumental 7,000th episode! 

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$1,000 Toss-Up: Phrase

THA _ 'S  / A 

_ _ G / N _ M _ _ R 

7,000 shows!? THAT'S A BIG NUMBER, indeed, Alessandra. 

Time to meet our pioneers for the episodes in the 7,000's. 


$2,000 Toss-Up: What Are You Doing?

PO _ RI _ G 

C _ _ M _ AGNE 

Melanie may be POURING CHAMPAGNE in honor of the 7,000th episode. 

Our Prize on the Wheel is a Shopping Spree of unknown value, while our Gift Tag is $1,000 courtesy of Beef Bucks. 

Round 1: Song Lyrics

_ _ _ '_  / _ _ _ _ 

_ _ _ _  / _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

_ _  / _ _ _ _  / _ _ _ _ _ 

Melanie gets $15,000 from 6 T's worth $2,500 each, buys 2 A's, $1,200 from 2 S's worth $600 each, and $1,000 and the Gift Tag with 2 L's worth $500 each. 

L _ T'S / _ _ _ _ 

T _ _ _  / S _ _ _ T _ _ _ _ 

T _  / TAL _  / A _ _ _ T 

LET'S GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT, Melanie, because you just won $17,950, including the Gift Tag. (This is a song by Bonnie Raitt, by the way.) 

BANKRUPT Trash: None
Lose A Turn hits: None

Round 2/Mystery Round: Crossword (Seven _______)

_       _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 
_       _ 
_       _ 
_ _ _ _ _ 

Jason guesses a bad R on $650. 

Alessandra gets $600 from 1 T, $3,200 from 4 S's worth $800 each, $1,400 from 2 N's worth $700 each, $800 from 1 H, $500 from 1 D, buys 1 O, 3 A's, 1 U, and 3 E's, but then lands on Lose A Turn. 

Melanie gets $650 from 1 W...

S      THOUSAND
E      E
A     E
SWANS

... and SEAS, SWAN, TEEN, THOUSAND all have to do with the number seven, as Melanie is right for $650, which will be bumped up to the $1,000 House Minimum. 

BANKRUPT Trash: None
Lose A Turn hits: 1

Round 3/Prize Puzzle Round: Fun & Games

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

_ _ _ _  / _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

Alessandra spins a BANKRUPT. 

Melanie also spins a BANKRUPT. 

Jason gets $1,300 from 2 S's worth $650 each, $2,400 from 4 R's worth $600 each, buys 2 E's and 1 A, $2,100 from 3 T's worth $700 each, buys 2 I's, $1,200 from 2 N's worth $600 each, buys 2 O's and 1 U, $2,000 from 2 G's worth $1,000 each on the Express Wedge, hops aboard, and calls the following letters: 2 H's, 1 F, D (N D)

Alessandra guesses a bad M on $700. 

TRE _ _ ING

THROUGH 

RAIN / FORESTS 

Melanie will be TREKKING THROUGH RAIN FORESTS on her trip to Central America worth $6,000

BANKRUPT Trash: $10,750
Lose A Turn hits: 1 

$3,000 Toss-Up: Things

CAND _ ES / ON 

T _ _  / C _ _ _ 

There might be some CANDLES ON THE CAKE for Wheel of Fortune's 7,000th Episode party, and Jason is correct. 

Round 4: Rhyme Time

_ _ _ _ _ _  / _ _ 

_ _ _  / _ _ _ _ _ 

Final Spin: $900

Jason: 5 T's

Alessandra: No R

Melanie: 2 H's

Jason: 4 S's

T _ _ STS / T _ 

TH _  / H _ STS 

Here are some TOASTS TO THE HOSTS for 7,000 shows, and Jason is right for $17,100. 

BANKRUPT Trash: $10,750
Lose A Turn hits: 1

Melanie's choices for the Bonus Round are Phrase, Thing, and People. 

$100,000 Bonus Round: 

Can Melanie save us from the skunk, and help us kick off our episodes in the 7,000's on a strong note? Let's find out and see. 

Melanie has Cory, Laura, and Butch in the audience with her. 

Melanie spins the Bonus Wheel, and lands on the N in WIN. 

The category is PHRASE. 

RSTLNE gives us this: 

S _  / _ _ _ _ 

_ _ _ E 

Melanie's BR Picks: M C G O 

SO / M _ C _ 

_ _ _ E 

SO MUCH GAME, SO MUCH TIME, and SO MUCH LOVE are her guesses, but despite SO MUCH HYPE, Melanie cannot solve for the Mercedes CLA 250C. 

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Note: We are shown the following clips throughout the episode: 

A contestant that is part of a team patting Pat Sajak's rear end. 

Michelle Lowenstein becoming the first Million Dollar winner. 

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Well, everyone, there you have it! We are now officially in the 7,000's, as far as episodes go. Despite the Bonus Round loss, it still wasn't a bad way to celebrate this monumental milestone. 

Unfortunately, since the Bonus Round was not won at all this week, this means that we've been skunked, again. This is our fifth skunking of the season, and this is also the second time this season we've had back to back shutout weeks in the Bonus Round.

Our Big Money Week contestants could only scoop up $190,528 in cash and prizes, this week. However, we did have some nice highlights, such as Wednesday and Friday's tight matches, with both the winner and the second place contestant each winning over $20K on both of those days, seeing the last of the episodes in the 6,000's, and of course, celebrating our 7,000th episode! (Sigh), It's just hard for Big Money Week to live up to it's name, though, isn't it? 

Next Week, we'll be saluting the US of A with America the Beautiful Week. This week will be just like our America's Game weeks, with puzzles themed towards the cities and states, patriotic song lyrics and phrases, etc. Back in Season 33, this week was known for introducing the Crossword Puzzle category. This will also be our first week full of episodes in the 7,000's. We only have FOUR weeks left in the season, and lately, we've been slipping in both winnings and the Bonus Round front, so let's hope we can get back in a groove with America the Beautiful Week.

Until then, you all know the drill; into the tomato bath we go. We're here until Monday.