Show Me the Money: ABC Shows Shatner Game Show the Door
ABC’s new game show, Show Me the Money, seemed like a sure thing. It featured the irrepressible William Shatner, an amazing set, lots of cash, crazy contestants, simple trivia questions, beautiful dancing girls — how could it lose? It was touted as the next big sensation and the network announced it was ordering six additional episodes. Now, its been yanked from the schedule. What happened?
Show Me the Money debuted on Tuesday, November 14th with a special preview edition taking the place of Boston Legal and following the incredibly popular Dancing with the Stars. It was hosted by venerable TV star William Shatner who audiences know from Star Trek as the heroic Captain Kirk and Boston Legal as the unpredictable Denny Crane. This special 90-minute debut episode of Show Me attracted an average of a 8.1 rating (almost nine million households) for the night — very respectable numbers. Game shows typically cost far less to produce than regular dramas or sitcoms so it looked like ABC had a cheap hit!
On December 8th, ABC announced it was ordering six additional episodes of the game show, bringing the first season’s total to 13 episodes. The network also said that it would move the show to Tuesday nights at 8pm beginning in January. It looked like “the Shat” and the dancing girls were going to be around for awhile.
Or, maybe not. The ratings for Show Me the Money have continued to fall since its debut and last week, it seems they dipped just a bit too low. On December 13th, Show Me attracted less than five million viewers — dropping 16% in the all-important 18-49 demographic from its previous airing.
Apparently this dip in viewers has made ABC execs rethink their strategy. They’ve not only cancelled the additional episode order but they’ve also pulled the game show from the schedule effective immediately. Repeats of sitcoms George Lopez and According to Jim will fill the Wednesday timeslot until the end of the year. Repeats of America’s Funniest Home Videos will take the place of Show Me on Tuesday nights at 8pm in the new year. Videos and Show Me are both produced by Endemol USA.
There are two unaired episodes of Show Me the Money left on the shelf. It’s been reported that ABC is planning to air them sometime in January. But, considering that the show has been pulled from the ABC website, I wouldn’t bet on it. Stay tuned! 
January 18th, 2007 at 7:47 am
I really liked the show. Deal or No Deal is boring because there is no skill involved. This show had some great questions to answer. The dancing girls were great too. I loved them all! I did think the killer card was stupid though.
January 17th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Agreed.. SMTM was fun, and entertaining. Very pissed it has been yanked..boo ABC.. boo..
January 15th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
my family and i loved this great show and i hate ABC
January 13th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
This was the one show that we liked on Wednesday night. Could have used a lot less of Shatner dancing around but, what the heck.
January 12th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Real unhappy that you canceled this show. I really
looked forward to it. It
was fun, relaxing and challenging. Better than the
show Jeporady. Your tv
channel lost another viewer again.
January 9th, 2007 at 9:29 am
ABC…Have you totally lost it!! To me, this show was the greatest game show to hit the scene in quite some time. Even better than the hit Deal or No Deal! What were you thinking?
January 9th, 2007 at 3:42 am
My husband and I loved the show. We don’t watch ABC that much. When we had to work we taped it. I hate it when they pull a show off right in the middle of the season. especially since there was a contestant that want’t done yet. I want to know how much he won. I hope that they atleast show the remaining episodes, but doubt it.
January 8th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
I am not surprised that this show was pulled. It was cheap and trashy. The girls behaved like poll dancers. The contestants were annoying and obnoxious. I thought the show had no class and that it was beneath Shatner’s abilities. I am glad it is no longer on the air and hope it dos not come back.
January 8th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
yea show me the money was pretty cool. I just DVRed the last show and wonder what happened to the guy who won 650K before we got the pluged pulled. Also, it only lasted 5 episodes? Thats bad. What really makes me mad is how they got rid of other awesome shows like The Chair and The Chamber. How cool where those?!
January 8th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
I have one thing to say - screw ABC!
January 6th, 2007 at 11:07 am
ABC “LOST” me when they snuck in ‘Day Break’ so that the LOST writers could take more time to think of more nonsense for “LOST” without ever answering any questions. I refused to watch DayBreak because of ABC’s interjection of DayBreak in LOST’s time slot after only 6 new episodes premiered for the new season, and apparently so did many other viewers. I am glad that ABC’s idea to try and catapult Daybreak off the success of Lost fell flat on the ground. With the cancellation of SHOW ME THE MONEY, ABC is merely angering more and more viewers to the point that the viewers are losing trust and faith in ABC to treat us with respect. I really loved SHOW ME THE MONEY (I could have stood to see less of Shatner dancing around), but how do you decide to cancel a show in December which is a month when most networks take their main shows off schedule and restart them in January? The execs at ABC really have no concept of reality when it comes to the viewers. ABC has lost my viewership for good. I will not return to watch LOST either. LOST has become so ridiculous and I do not think I could stand to see one more flashback into a character’s past! There are 300 other channels to watch and lately I have been loving BRAVO, A&E, TLC and many other channels. Do yourself a favor and stop catering to ABC and move on to another station! For those who wanted to apply to SHOW ME, I would suggest applying to 1 vs. 100 or DEAL OR NO DEAL (DOND). 1 vs 100 offers trivia questions and it seems you can rack up between $50K to $100K safely and bail out. It seems most people lose their safety net of 3 “helps” early on so the likelihood of winning a million is pretty slim. Unfortunately with 1 vs 100 some of the help comes from the mob who merely talk in circles or say they guessed at their answer. The ASK THE MOB help is the worst one of all since the MOB has no desire to really help you. I think they should change that “help” to ASK THE AUDIENCE. And then there is DOND, and I LOVE that game show. Play it without greed and you can easily leave with 6 figures! NBC ROCKS WITH THEIR GAME SHOWS and respects their viewership! So out with ABC and in with NBC when it comes to game shows and pretty much anything else to do with running a broadcast station!! Once DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES dwindles down I think ABC will be pretty desperate for viewers, if they aren’t already!!
January 4th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
I was very dissapointed when i found out ya’s show went off air i loved that show it made me feel like i had a chance to be myself but on tv. I really hope ya decide to reput it back on tv.
Thanks!
January 4th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Why the heck would any RATINGS GURU at ABC use statistics from the week before christmas as real numbers…. most people are busy shopping , wrapping, etc for the holidays… OH BUT MOST OF THE EXEC”S ARE PROBLY JEWISH.. and at home already into their holiday season
January 2nd, 2007 at 9:07 pm
I just found out “Show Me the Money” was pulled. I liked it. I am very disappointed. I’m tired of the same ole junk on TV. ABC hasn’t had a lot to offer me in a long time. I will NOT watch these silly reruns. Game shows seem to be seeing a revival & I like it. I hope they reconsider.
January 2nd, 2007 at 5:39 pm
This was a great show that, semmed to be doing well.
Why would a network do this, while the show was in the middle of its first season?
This is disgraceful…not mention that I had intented to submit a tape to be on this show & meet Mr.Shatner.
He is one of the best actors and I have always had a tremendous amount of respect for him. What a shame!
December 28th, 2006 at 10:18 pm
I love this show. I was really good answering the trivia questions. I wish I could of been up there screamin’ “SHOW ME THE MONEY”!
December 28th, 2006 at 8:38 pm
Hey it’s the ABC. doing the same thing the WB and FOX do. taking a show off the air before letting it GROW.
December 27th, 2006 at 7:31 pm
that show was awsome i am p***d i only have one channel and now i get to watch george lopez thanks abc thanks for nothing
December 27th, 2006 at 2:27 pm
REALLY REALLY SUCKS TO THOSE OF US WHO REALLY LIKE THE SHOW AND HAD JUST FILLED OUT AN APPLICATION TO BE A CONTESTANT. I HATE RERUNS
December 21st, 2006 at 6:48 pm
I hate it when networks do that, start a show and then pull the plug in the middle of it, at least let us see what te last contestant did (win or loose). They did the same thing with The Mole some years back. This will ultimately be the down fall of a network some day if they insist on keeping this type of practice.