Concentration Pilot #2 

R.I.P. Orson...you were really awesome!

Thank goodness that the Trebek version sold

That electronic watch alarm sound they use to accompany the timer in the bonus round is about as intrusive as it gets - how he could concentrate with that sound going on is a miracle! One thing I DO like about the bonus round is that in this version the contestants at least get SOMEthing for making matches, even if not all seven. I always thought it was lousy to see a contestant make 6 matches in 35 seconds and get nothing because they missed that 7th match by a few seconds, while another contestant with plenty of time might take nearly a full minute and get the car. I always thought they should get $100 or thereabouts per correct match in the bonus.

In the loving memory of Orson Bean.

I could see why Orson Bean got a chance to host this pilot. For some 25 years prior to this pilot, Orson had been a celebrity panelist on many Goodson-Todman game shows, and it was Goodson-Todman that produced this pilot and the version that went on the air a few years later as "Classic Concentration" (with Alex Trebek). I suspect Goodson-Todman figured Bean had performed 25 years of loyal service as a panelist, so they thought he had earned a shot as hosting a game show.

They tried it with Alex Trebek hosting and it went well and very popular. They kept Gene Wood as the announcer. This version is interesting.

R.I.P., Orson Bean.

R.I.P. Orson Bean!

This is an absolute rare treat-thank you for posting this, Wink and team! I had no idea that there were numerous pilots made. Compared to pilot #1, this episode was way more fun and had a more ideal flow. The puzzles are gorgeously drawn and designed (yes to that "heaven" scene!)-much more detail and elegance than what was seen on the average in the Trebek era; a true nod to the Narz era of color puzzles. The matching system is still an acquired taste, but it does leave me more "on the alert" as I have to think of commonalities between objects. Perhaps the pairings should have been way simpler for this format, i.e. specific two-word phrases like "BUDAPEST HUNGARY" or "KIEFER SUTHERLAND" or "APRIL SHOWERS". I would love to see the rest of the pilots (if available)!

I was today years old when I realized that the monitors were designed to be the eyes, and the logo was the furrowed brow, of a person who was concentrating. >:|

RIP Orson Bean!

If the show had sold with this format, I think they should've had the main game winner's money amount doubled.

An exciting photo finish in the first bonus game!

I can see why this version never made it to air. The concept of matching words that create a theme, rather than simply matching prizes, was probably too hard for most folks to grasp. It's a stretch, and not a welcome move away from the original Memory concept. Going back to matching prizes was the way to go. Don't mess with perfection. Oh, and Orson Bean was not Hugh Downs, or Jack Narz, but he did an OK job.

I remember the reaction of an NBC executive here in New York when he had screened the pilots ("What the HELL was that?"). The network was tempted to back out of their deal with Mark Goodson to mount a new version of their property; the overall reaction to the pilots was so negative. They weren't too happy with "Classic Concentration" either but, at least, it was closer to the original game. It was the network's idea to have the new version "Classic Concentration" instead of "Concentration" in the event they would one day produce a new run based their original version. They came very close in 2008 to bringing back the original format in an up-to-date production (a new 30-piece electronic digital board with virtual "trilons" had been built) in Studio 8H in New York. However, NBC News wanted a fourth hour of "Today" so "Concentration" was scrapped and "Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda" debuted instead. This time, NBC wouldn't even commission someone to produce the show for syndication.

"Classic Concentration" was (and still is) a terrific game show!

Great job as usual, Wink. There's that sound effect that has been used for Fast Money in "Family Feud" since the days Ray Combs hosted. It was first used, however, in the Bob Eubanks-hosted "Trivia Trap," imho, a vastly underrated show.

I like when they had to match the same WORD instead of LINKING the words together like on THIS episode, but I STILL LOVE the game. ;)

The Trebek version was more identical to the NBC version and Narz' version. But with the addition of both The Car round and The prize model!

I know that Orson isn't everyone's cup of tea but I though he was great here. I've never been a Trebek fan so there. Orson is different than every other host and I like that. I thought the concept matching is quite intriguing but it probably belongs on a different show. Maybe under the title concentration concepts.

This version, people got cash for matching what was behind the numebrs insetad of prizes hidden behind the numebrs. The bonus game (but wish cars instead of merchandise prizes) would be adopted when this version hit the air a few years later (as "Classic Concentration", hosted by Alex Teebek).

I'm so glad that the Trebek version I grew up with had prizes in the main game and cars in the bonus game. Words in the main game are unnecessarily confusing; prizes (even joke ones like on the original Concentration, designed to make Forfeit 1 Prize spaces more tolerable) are much more interesting. The bonus round also looks a little weird when the 15 numbered squares just disappear instead of having an opening back animation. The main positives are that the contestant in the bonus round gets to win stuff even without matching all 7 pairs (which could have worked with the actual show if contestants won, say, $100 per pair) and that we get to see the monitor the contestants are looking at. It's also interesting how contestants got faster at picking bonus round numbers on the actual show compared to this pilot.

R.I.P. Orson Bean, Alex Trebek

I can see why this version didn't fly. Seems like connections could be disputed frequently.

Oof. This was not good. So glad the producers smartened up and went back to the normal format when it sold to NBC. Plus, while Orson was and is wonderful, he was not meant to be a game show host.

you might hear the Family Feud Fast Money reveal in the numbers

I can't imagine what would have happened if "bulge" and "jeans" had been called in the same turn.

Looking at the date that this pilot was done, I think they were trying for the debut for Fall of 85 or Early/Fall 86. It was reworked again to "Classic Concentration" the one that sold with Alex Trebek.as host which then debuted May of 1987. There is probably another pilot with Alex Trebek hosting.

Taped at ABC Television Center (The Prospect Studios) in Hollywood, CA.

Orson Bean’s talent is as an actor and a celebrity contestant, unfortunately not as a host

No wonder they called the show that eventually aired "Classic" Concentration. This pilot version is too different.

Lord have mercy, that's way too esoteric.

It was a good pilot... just didn't like the word-linking match concept. It's not clear what is a match and isn't. Maybe I found two word that match a different way from what you intended.

Fun Fact: He didn't get the $5,000. If we won we had to pretend we were excited.

Did could put Jack narz (from now you see it and the original concentration) to do the pilot episode

Where's the rest of the shows?

I Wish the host on the bonus game wouldn't tell the contestant to slow down so that he could read the dang answers. I mean, they're on a TIME limit. They should be able to go as FAST as they WANT.

Why in the world would you change the format of this show? No wonder this version (thankfully) never made it to air.

Hate this version of Concentration, but I'm glad they kept the theme.

The word matching is awful! Far too confusing and chancy.

I don't understand why this pilot episode didn't have any prizes on the board..smh

That guy look a little bit like the late Bill Cullen @0:05

Is this the same Joel that eventually got to be a contestant on Classic Concentration with Alex Trebek? The Joel here and the Joel on the May 11, 1987 episode of CC both have the dark semi-mulleted hair and mustache and are both accountants.

OMG

I can see how the word matching humor could be similar to Eye Guess (which is somewhat like Concentration), but the combination of that for this game and Orson Bean (with all due respect), man this is awful haha.

It would have been taken if there was simple matches, like Tiger/Tiger or Joan Rivers/Joan Rivers. Orson Bean wasn't a bad host - I think that maybe Bert Convy would have been a great host or even Bob Eubanks could have done this show.

I`ve seen another pilot with Orson Bean hosting. It was okay, but I could still see why the format did not fly. Although he is not as active as he used to be at 86 years of age, I did happen to see him pop up in an episode of Two and a Half Men in 2005 in the episode titled Does This Smell Funny to You?

Truthfully, Orson's version looked like a bore. I am glad that never had the run Trebek's version scored in 1987.

Never saw this until today, never even knew it existed. Glad to have seen it. Even more glad this AWFUL version of the show isn't what ultimately made the air. This is NOT "Concentration" at all, and I love me some Orson Bean but he was terrible as an emcee. Great history here though!

More evidence that good game show players/panelists don't necessarily make good game show hosts.

No Closing Spiel?!?!?

Not good. Wise choice to revise the game play and bring in Alex.

The word matching just doesn't work for Concentration. Maybe as part of an original show, but not here. Same goes for Orson Bean - he had potential to be a great host with the right format, but his comedic nature isn't a good fit for this show.

These '85 pilots had a number of flaws, the biggest of which was the matching format for the main game.

Orson Bean-funny actor. Great panelist, but lousy game show host.

By far, the worst version of this show.