Post by pakman on Jul 24, 2020 13:26:00 GMT -5
And here is the last show of Ultimate Adventures Week from January 2000! Yesterday's show featured a big money main game and a BR victory. Could today's show top that? Let's find out!
Preview Puzzle
Category: Proper Name
_ A Y / _ _ N _
Pat guesses RAY DAWN (like Rae Dawn Chong?) but of course it’s JAY LENO. “Just missed it again!” Sure, Pat. Whatever you say.
Jennifer Parlamas is from New York, New York. She’s a graduate student at Columbia University, working on her doctorate in social psychology while also teaching undergraduates. She’s married to Franklin and has a two-year-old daughter named Isabella.
Mike Flaherty is from Great Bend, Kansas. By day, he helps manage a warehouse, but by night, he changes identities and becomes Maniac Mike, a professional wrestler who is part of the tag team duo Criminally Insane alongside Lunatic Lenny.
Paulmi Patel is from Lake Park, Florida. She and her husband own a custom cabinet business, and she also manages a dry-cleaning business. She also has two children. In her spare time she goes snorkeling, and wants to learn how to SCUBA dive, but she’s too nervous to get started.
The good news for the winner of round one is that it’s tonight’s Puzzler Round, meaning they could get an extra $3,000 if they’re puzzle-solving skills are sharp.
Round #1
Category: Phrase
_ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
Jennifer starts off by picking up $600 with a solitary R, followed by $500 with one S. She buys two E’s before spinning again and getting $450 with an H. The vowels prove helpful to Jennifer again after she buys two A’s. She scores another single-consonant win with an F worth $800. But a dud T means that she can’t get $400.
_ A _ E / F R E S H
_ A _ _ _
Maniac Mike starts off his turn by picking up a Y for $300 (Pat notices him looking at the wrong arrow and tells him, “Watch that arrow right in front of you, Maniac.”) He then doubles $800 by finding the first duplicate consonant in the puzzle with two D’s, then earning $600 with an M. Mike goes for it one more time (with Pat telling him, “You really are a maniac!”) and gets $600 more with an L.
M A D E / F R E S H
D A _ L Y
The last letter is a vowel, but Mike doesn’t need to buy it because he knows it’s MADE FRESH DAILY. That round was worth $3,100, but Mike could nearly double it if he can figure out tonight’s Puzzler Round.
Puzzler Round
Category: Place
_ A K _ _ Y
And Mike can solve that too, as once the timer starts, he solves BAKERY, winning an extra $3,000 and elevating his round one haul to $6,100.
Jennifer - $0
Mike - $6,100
Paulmi - $0
Pat, proclaiming himself Pipsqueak Pat, throws it to Charlie to introduce the Ultimate Adventures prize for round two; a kayak from Dagger. The Sitka model, which is being offered, has a “revolutionary” design, according to Charlie, and is worth $2,569.
Round #2
Category: Before & After
_ _ _ _ / _ _ _ / _ _ _
_ _ _ / _ _ _ / _ / _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
Mike kicks off round two by picking up the FREE SPIN with the help of three T’s. With no money, Mike can only spin, which gets him $300 for a single H. His next spin goes a bit better, as a K nets him $500. Mike buys three A’s, followed by three E’s, before spinning again, which gets him $300 with a single N. He takes a quick break to buy two O’s, then gets $300 more on an F. Another $300 spin makes him double his money with two R’s. He then finds three C’s worth $500 apiece, then $300 (he sure seems to love that amount, doesn’t he?) for one L. Mike gets $900 with a Y, but he looks confused. He tells Pat he’ll have to buy a vowel and goes with a single U, followed by a solitary I, leaving no vowels left in the puzzle. Mike still seems stumped as he spins the wheel again, but luckily a $600 P is all the help he needed.
T A K E / T H E / C A R
O U T / F O R / A / _ P I N
C Y C L E
Pat does his best to goad Mike into spinning one more time, but with a smile on his face, Mike decides he’s ready to solve TAKE THE CAR OUT FOR A SPIN CYCLE and add $3,850 to his existing lead.
Jennifer - $0
Mike - $9,950
Paulmi - $0
It’s time for the Jackpot Round, which tonight is brought to us by Lean Pockets.
And Charlie has a new Ultimate Adventures prize to announce; it’s a trip to Jamaica! The winner will stay at one of the top resorts in the country and have a plan that includes meals and activities, all worth $6,144.
Round #3
Category: Show Biz
_ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Finally, after just sitting watching the other contestants, Paulmi is ready to spin the wheel for the first time. But her turn is over before it begins, because she hits BANKRUPT. Even Pat says, “That just doesn’t seem fair.”
_ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Jennifer’s first spin, and successful call of three R’s, means she can pick up the trip to JAMAICA that Charlie just talked about. Moneyless, Jennifer spins again, and that is no longer an issue because she wins $3,500 with a single S. She buys five E’s with her newfound cash, then gets $500 with a T. After this, Jennifer buys three I’s before giving the wheel another spin, then finding two L’s worth $450 apiece. She finds two O’s before telling Pat she’ll spin one more time. She wants the JACKPOT, but the wheel stubbornly stays on $800, which she picks up with one N.
_ O R L _
T E L E _ I S I O N
_ R E _ I E R E
Jennifer fulfills her promise to just spin once more and solves WORLD TELEVISION PREMIERE. Despite not getting the JACKPOT, Jennifer’s sure happy with her haul, including the trip to Jamaica, which altogether makes her the new leader with $11,094.
Jennifer - $11,094
Mike - $9,950
Paulmi - $0
While Jennifer and Mike duke it out for first place honors, poor Paulmi has barely had a chance to play. Perhaps her luck will change with the addition of the $5,000 space on the wheel.
Pat tells us there’s not much time left for round four, so he’ll give the wheel its final spin. Vowels are worth nothing, and $1,000 will be added to…$600, making each consonant worth $1,600 apiece.
Round #4
Category: On the Map
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Jennifer – 2 R’s
Mike – No T
Paulmi – No S
Jennifer – No N
Mike – 2 L’s
_ _ _ L _ _ R
_ _ L _ R _ _ _
Mike calls BOULDER COLORADO before the buzzer gets him, and he’s able to add $3,200 to his final total.
Paulmi had some of the worst luck of any contestant in the show’s recent memory, but at least she’ll be taking home some parting gifts.
Jennifer - $11,094
Mike - $13,150
Paulmi - $0
That final solve did it for Mike, pushing him over the edge and giving him the victory by just over $2,000. He’ll be taking his $13,150 to the Bonus Round!
W – H – E – E – L
Four prizes are left for Mike to choose from. He picks the L for “luck.”
Bonus Round
Category: Fictional Character
_ _ _ _ _
_ _ _
Let’s see the R, S, T, L, N and E…
_ _ R _ _
_ _ _
And Mike’s picks of C, D, P, A…
P _ R _ _
P _ _
It takes Mike no time at all to guess PORKY PIG, meaning, for the first time in more than two weeks, there’s more than one Bonus Round win! “Well, hit me with a chair!” Pat says before opening the envelope and revealing Mike will be taking a MOTORHOME back to Kansas with him! The Rialta by Winnebago is worth an astonishing $57,658!
Mike’s girlfriend, Angie, joins him on stage to celebrate his newfound cash and Motorhome. Altogether, Mike won a jaw-dropping $70,808, in what must be some sort of a record!
If This Were Friday Finals
Since I had all five episodes from this week recorded, and since this was after Friday Finals was discontinued, I decided to see who would have returned for Friday Finals if the returning champions format had continued.
Eric from Monday’s show would have returned, thanks to his all-cash win of $20,900.
Kathleen from Wednesday’s show would also have been guaranteed a spot, winning $25,050, which included a digital camera package.
And finally, Kathryn from Thursday’s show, who won a very impressive $56,300, including a brand-new motorcycle.
Category: Proper Name
_ A Y / _ _ N _
Pat guesses RAY DAWN (like Rae Dawn Chong?) but of course it’s JAY LENO. “Just missed it again!” Sure, Pat. Whatever you say.
Jennifer Parlamas is from New York, New York. She’s a graduate student at Columbia University, working on her doctorate in social psychology while also teaching undergraduates. She’s married to Franklin and has a two-year-old daughter named Isabella.
Mike Flaherty is from Great Bend, Kansas. By day, he helps manage a warehouse, but by night, he changes identities and becomes Maniac Mike, a professional wrestler who is part of the tag team duo Criminally Insane alongside Lunatic Lenny.
Paulmi Patel is from Lake Park, Florida. She and her husband own a custom cabinet business, and she also manages a dry-cleaning business. She also has two children. In her spare time she goes snorkeling, and wants to learn how to SCUBA dive, but she’s too nervous to get started.
The good news for the winner of round one is that it’s tonight’s Puzzler Round, meaning they could get an extra $3,000 if they’re puzzle-solving skills are sharp.
Round #1
Category: Phrase
_ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
Jennifer starts off by picking up $600 with a solitary R, followed by $500 with one S. She buys two E’s before spinning again and getting $450 with an H. The vowels prove helpful to Jennifer again after she buys two A’s. She scores another single-consonant win with an F worth $800. But a dud T means that she can’t get $400.
_ A _ E / F R E S H
_ A _ _ _
Maniac Mike starts off his turn by picking up a Y for $300 (Pat notices him looking at the wrong arrow and tells him, “Watch that arrow right in front of you, Maniac.”) He then doubles $800 by finding the first duplicate consonant in the puzzle with two D’s, then earning $600 with an M. Mike goes for it one more time (with Pat telling him, “You really are a maniac!”) and gets $600 more with an L.
M A D E / F R E S H
D A _ L Y
The last letter is a vowel, but Mike doesn’t need to buy it because he knows it’s MADE FRESH DAILY. That round was worth $3,100, but Mike could nearly double it if he can figure out tonight’s Puzzler Round.
Puzzler Round
Category: Place
_ A K _ _ Y
And Mike can solve that too, as once the timer starts, he solves BAKERY, winning an extra $3,000 and elevating his round one haul to $6,100.
Jennifer - $0
Mike - $6,100
Paulmi - $0
Pat, proclaiming himself Pipsqueak Pat, throws it to Charlie to introduce the Ultimate Adventures prize for round two; a kayak from Dagger. The Sitka model, which is being offered, has a “revolutionary” design, according to Charlie, and is worth $2,569.
Round #2
Category: Before & After
_ _ _ _ / _ _ _ / _ _ _
_ _ _ / _ _ _ / _ / _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
Mike kicks off round two by picking up the FREE SPIN with the help of three T’s. With no money, Mike can only spin, which gets him $300 for a single H. His next spin goes a bit better, as a K nets him $500. Mike buys three A’s, followed by three E’s, before spinning again, which gets him $300 with a single N. He takes a quick break to buy two O’s, then gets $300 more on an F. Another $300 spin makes him double his money with two R’s. He then finds three C’s worth $500 apiece, then $300 (he sure seems to love that amount, doesn’t he?) for one L. Mike gets $900 with a Y, but he looks confused. He tells Pat he’ll have to buy a vowel and goes with a single U, followed by a solitary I, leaving no vowels left in the puzzle. Mike still seems stumped as he spins the wheel again, but luckily a $600 P is all the help he needed.
T A K E / T H E / C A R
O U T / F O R / A / _ P I N
C Y C L E
Pat does his best to goad Mike into spinning one more time, but with a smile on his face, Mike decides he’s ready to solve TAKE THE CAR OUT FOR A SPIN CYCLE and add $3,850 to his existing lead.
Jennifer - $0
Mike - $9,950
Paulmi - $0
It’s time for the Jackpot Round, which tonight is brought to us by Lean Pockets.
And Charlie has a new Ultimate Adventures prize to announce; it’s a trip to Jamaica! The winner will stay at one of the top resorts in the country and have a plan that includes meals and activities, all worth $6,144.
Round #3
Category: Show Biz
_ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Finally, after just sitting watching the other contestants, Paulmi is ready to spin the wheel for the first time. But her turn is over before it begins, because she hits BANKRUPT. Even Pat says, “That just doesn’t seem fair.”
_ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Jennifer’s first spin, and successful call of three R’s, means she can pick up the trip to JAMAICA that Charlie just talked about. Moneyless, Jennifer spins again, and that is no longer an issue because she wins $3,500 with a single S. She buys five E’s with her newfound cash, then gets $500 with a T. After this, Jennifer buys three I’s before giving the wheel another spin, then finding two L’s worth $450 apiece. She finds two O’s before telling Pat she’ll spin one more time. She wants the JACKPOT, but the wheel stubbornly stays on $800, which she picks up with one N.
_ O R L _
T E L E _ I S I O N
_ R E _ I E R E
Jennifer fulfills her promise to just spin once more and solves WORLD TELEVISION PREMIERE. Despite not getting the JACKPOT, Jennifer’s sure happy with her haul, including the trip to Jamaica, which altogether makes her the new leader with $11,094.
Jennifer - $11,094
Mike - $9,950
Paulmi - $0
While Jennifer and Mike duke it out for first place honors, poor Paulmi has barely had a chance to play. Perhaps her luck will change with the addition of the $5,000 space on the wheel.
Pat tells us there’s not much time left for round four, so he’ll give the wheel its final spin. Vowels are worth nothing, and $1,000 will be added to…$600, making each consonant worth $1,600 apiece.
Round #4
Category: On the Map
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Jennifer – 2 R’s
Mike – No T
Paulmi – No S
Jennifer – No N
Mike – 2 L’s
_ _ _ L _ _ R
_ _ L _ R _ _ _
Mike calls BOULDER COLORADO before the buzzer gets him, and he’s able to add $3,200 to his final total.
Paulmi had some of the worst luck of any contestant in the show’s recent memory, but at least she’ll be taking home some parting gifts.
Jennifer - $11,094
Mike - $13,150
Paulmi - $0
That final solve did it for Mike, pushing him over the edge and giving him the victory by just over $2,000. He’ll be taking his $13,150 to the Bonus Round!
W – H – E – E – L
Four prizes are left for Mike to choose from. He picks the L for “luck.”
Bonus Round
Category: Fictional Character
_ _ _ _ _
_ _ _
Let’s see the R, S, T, L, N and E…
_ _ R _ _
_ _ _
And Mike’s picks of C, D, P, A…
P _ R _ _
P _ _
It takes Mike no time at all to guess PORKY PIG, meaning, for the first time in more than two weeks, there’s more than one Bonus Round win! “Well, hit me with a chair!” Pat says before opening the envelope and revealing Mike will be taking a MOTORHOME back to Kansas with him! The Rialta by Winnebago is worth an astonishing $57,658!
Mike’s girlfriend, Angie, joins him on stage to celebrate his newfound cash and Motorhome. Altogether, Mike won a jaw-dropping $70,808, in what must be some sort of a record!
If This Were Friday Finals
Since I had all five episodes from this week recorded, and since this was after Friday Finals was discontinued, I decided to see who would have returned for Friday Finals if the returning champions format had continued.
Eric from Monday’s show would have returned, thanks to his all-cash win of $20,900.
Kathleen from Wednesday’s show would also have been guaranteed a spot, winning $25,050, which included a digital camera package.
And finally, Kathryn from Thursday’s show, who won a very impressive $56,300, including a brand-new motorcycle.
By coincidence, all three players were at the blue podium during their respective episodes.
Additional Notes
- In round two, Mike was stumped on the word “SPIN” in the puzzle, which amuses me because he kept saying the word (“I’m gonna spin”) and didn’t realize it. Luckily, he was able to solve the puzzle and probably laughed about it afterward. Heading into commercial, Mike can be overheard telling Pat, “I forgot the category.” Wouldn’t be the first time Before & After has led to confusion.
- Including the speed-up round, there were only four incorrect letters guessed the entire game.
- Paulmi only spun once and guessed only one letter during the entire game. Both times it was unsuccessful, with a BANKRUPT and a dud letter.
- I don’t know where Mike’s money total ranks in terms of all-time winners, but I’d be shocked if it wasn’t in the Top 20, at least for single-day victories. Until I recorded the sweep/$100,00 win during Family Week in 2002, this was actually the highest single-day dollar amount I had in my collection.
- I just realized, as I was typing this, that Mike never used his Free Spin. Then again, he never had the chance to lose his turn, either.
And with that, Ultimate Adventures Week has come and gone! Next week I’ll be recapping the four remaining NFL Players Week episodes that have not already been recapped (the January 27 episode, uploaded by winning contestant Brian, is already on here).
