The Newlywed Game (1996)

This is chronicling the 1990s revival of The Newlywed Game.

1996-1997 version
When Gary Kroeger took over in Fall 1996 the show was overhauled with a new format.

Round 1
Each spouse was shown a videotape of their mates who gave a statement mostly about their spouse. The tape was paused near the end which gave the spouse in control a chance to predict how his/her mate completed the statement. Then the tape played again, and a correct answer earned 10 points. First the husbands' tapes were shown & the wives took a guess; then, it went the opposite direction.

Round 2
Host Kroeger asked the couples a multiple-choice question in which one half of the couples had given answers in advance, and the other must guess what they chose. Each match again earns 10 points. First the wives predicted what their husbands said, then the process was reversed.

Round 3
In this round before the show, either the wives or the husbands gave some very weird facts about themselves. Host Kroeger gave the facts to the other halves of the couples, whom were equipped with heart-shaped signs that say "That's My Wife/Man!" If they recognized that fact, all they had to do was to raise the sign which then lit up and yell out "THAT'S MY WIFE/MAN!" If correct, they win 10 points for their team, but if wrong they lose 10 points for the team. Only the first person to raise the sign can win or lose. Seven facts were played.

Round 4
In this final round of the game, host Kroeger read a series of two choices (ex: Candy or Potato Chips, Rocket Scientist or Space Cadet, Ketchup or Mustard, etc.) and the wives held cards with one of the choices on it. Then the husbands chose one of the two things that most applies to them. Each match earns points: they were seven questions and each question was worth 10 points more than the previous question with the last question worth even more.


 * Question 1 - 10 points
 * Question 2 - 20 points
 * Question 3 - 30 points
 * Question 4 - 40 points
 * Question 5 - 50 points
 * Question 6 - 60 points
 * Question 7 - 100 points

So 310 points were possible for any couple who can answer all seven questions correctly in this round.

The couple with the most points wins the game and wins a second honeymoon trip.

This format was mostly disliked by fans of the original show so the next year they switched it back to its original format and theme with original host Bob Eubanks back at the helm.

1997-1999 version
Four newlyweds (sometimes three) all of whom were married under two years competed each day, and the game was played in two rounds. In each round, one member of each couple (all of the same sex) was isolated while the other members were asked questions about themselves, their hobbies, likes, dislikes, what they do, what they don't do, and maybe reveal a dirty little secret at times. Many of the questions focused on having sex or as familiarly known as "makin' whoopee". When the isolated spouses returned, they were asked the same questions, and the answers given by the first set of spouses were written on blue cards which were all placed flat on their laps or in front of them. Each time a couple matched their answers they earn points; but each time a couple don't match, they get no points and they would usually argue over their answers.

Round 1
The wives were secluded off-stage while the husbands predicted what their wives will say when they come back. Each match was worth 5 points. Three questions were asked this round.

Round 2
The husbands were secluded off-stage while the wives predicted what their husbands will say when they come back. Each match was worth 10 points. Three questions (later two) were asked this round, and after the second/third question, a bonus question was asked, and that question was worth 25 points. The maximum total score was 70 points (achieved on rare occasions). When the second round questions were reduced to two, the maximum total score was 60 points.

The couple with the most points won the game and a second honeymoon (a trip).

Prior to the show, each of the day's couples predicted what their final total score would be. Whenever a tie occurred, the tied couples showed their predictions and the couple who was the closest without going over the actual final total won the game. If all of the tied couples' predictions exceed their final total, then the couple who was the closest was declared the winners.

Music
1996-1997 - Jim Latham

1997-1999 - Steve Kaplan, Barry Coffing, John Blaylock

Studios
Hollywood Center Studios, Los Angeles, CA

Links
Official Website (Kroeger era/via Internet Archive)

Official Website (Eubanks era/via Internet Archive)