Supermarket Sweep Returns to ABC

For the first time since the original version left ABC in 1967, Supermarket Sweep returns to its original network Sunday, October 18.  

It's the third incarnation of the grocery shopping game show (sometimes listed in TV Guide as Market Sweep) that made it's debut on December 20, 1965 along with Chuck Barris' first show The Dating Game and ended July 14, 1967.  The show's original host was Bill Malone, who was later killed in a car accident after the show's original run ended.  

In 1990, creator Al Howard brought back Supermarket Sweet to the Lifetime network. Hosted by David Ruprecht, the revival brought in new games and new bonuses for contestants in The Big Sweep.  It was a bigger success than ABC's daytime run, airing for a total of 14 years (including reruns) on both Lifetime and PAX (now ION) networks.  Ruprecht brought color to this version, dressed in multicolored sweaters.  

But Ruprecht and his colorful sweaters will not be part of the new ABC prime time version.  The new host will be former Saturday Night Live regular Leslie Jones, who was also in the all female reboot of the classic 1980s movie Ghostbusters.  She becomes the fourth female host of a game show on broadcast TV, joining Elizabeth Banks of Press Your Luck, Jane Lynch of The Weakest Link and Hollywood Game Night and Meredith Viera of the syndicated word game 25 Words or Less.  

The new ABC version will be identical to the long running Lifetime version but likely with bigger money and prizes since it's a prime time show.  But it does have tough competition in its new maiden voyage.  Supermarket Sweep will go up against NBC's ratings hit Sunday Night Football, Game 7 of the National League Championship Series(which preempts the annual Simpsons Halloween tradition Treehouse of Horror.  

Can ABC have another Sunday night game show success?  Find out tonight at 7 PM.  I'll wrap up this post with Ruprecht's traditional closing catch phrase. "Next time you're in a checkout counter and you hear the beep (beep beep) Think of the fun you can have on Supermarket Sweep!"