The Joker's Wild (CBS): 1972-1973 Episode Guide

While there's a lot of scattered information across the internet regarding the GSN-aired episodes of the CBS version of The Joker's Wild, there doesn't appear to be a definitive episode guide anywhere. In response to this, here is my attempt to create an end-all-be-all episode guide for the 1972-1973 episodes of The Joker's Wild that were aired on GSN from December 4, 2000 to August 27, 2001.

Credit for most of the information in this episode guide (especially the original air dates!) goes to Jason Cranmer's impeccable The Joker's Wild collection, while the remainder of the information comes from Noiel Spearman's former website (particularly the majority of the GSN air dates, barring the occasional inaccuracy), Matt Kaiser's former website, posts made on alt.tv.game-shows and the Game Show Refuge in 2000 and 2001, and of course, the episodes available on the trading circuit.

Some of the information in the episode guide may be inaccurate (particularly the contestants' names, since the name plates were removed after the second episode). If you spot any incorrect information in the episode guide, please leave an edit to correct it.

In addition, the information for the "Begins with..." column for the episode from April 11, 1973 could be filled in if somebody has a copy of the episode that directly precedes it, so please leave an edit if you have that information as well.

UPDATE (4/28/19): Since a partial studio master copy of 4/16/73 has recently surfaced online that shows #161 as that episode's production code, I'm going to assume that CBS and/or Jack Barry Productions followed the then-still-common protocol of skipping a production code due to a pre-emption (at least this early in the show's run). I have adjusted the production codes in the episode guide to reflect the pre-emptions made on Thanksgiving Day, New Year's Day, Holy Thursday, and Good Friday.

September 1972
"The Savers" theme song, black set backdrop, "America's most exciting new show" opening, contestants walk onto the set during the opening and while being introduced, no contestant introduction music, "THE JOKER'S WILD" slides spin and stop during the opening, Jack walks to center stage during the opening, no Joker emblem behind the contestants, name plates, four-digit displays, right-justified score displays, first segment contains no gameplay, the theme song plays going into commercial, "Joker's Jackpot" sign on Jack's podium is in a smaller font, no white boxes behind the categories on the slides, $150 for triples, 3-Joker spins automatically win the game, time's up sound effect is a buzzer, first bonus round, top prize in the bonus round is a car, champions play the bonus round before deciding whether or not to retire, four wins to win the Joker's Jackpot, champions are retired after winning the Joker's Jackpot

No name plates, "Joker's Jackpot" sign on Jack's podium is in a larger font, second bonus round, top prize in the bonus round is either a car or a vacation

Champions play the bonus round after deciding whether or not to retire

Soundalike theme song, sky blue set backdrop, contestant introduction music, $200 for triples, answering a question correctly after a 3-Joker spin automatically wins the game, Jokers & Devils bonus round with four spins, champions are told about the prizes in the Jokers & Devils bonus round before each spin, Joker slides read "WILD" in the bonus round, champions once again play the bonus round before deciding whether or not to retire, three wins to win the Joker's Jackpot

Contestants are seated during the opening and while being introduced, "THE JOKER'S WILD" slides light up during the opening, Joker emblem behind the contestants is surrounded by a square frame

October 1972
"The Savers" returns as the theme song, yellow set backdrop, no contestant introduction music once again, the theme song no longer plays going into commercial, Jokers & Devils bonus round with three spins, champions are not told about the prizes in the Jokers & Devils bonus round until after each spin, top prize in the bonus round is either a car, vacation, or prize package

Champions who win the Joker's Jackpot also win a car, white boxes behind the categories on the slides, time's up sound effect is a ding, champions are once again told about the prizes in the Jokers & Devils bonus round before each spin, top prize in the bonus round is either a vacation or a prize package

Joker emblem behind the contestants is no longer surrounded by a square frame

According to posts made on alt.tv.game-shows in January 2001, GSN ran a mini-marathon week from January 22 to 26, which took over the 11 AM and 3 PM timeslots for The Joker's Wild. When the reruns of The Joker's Wild resumed the following week, GSN continued airing the series as if the previous week's episodes had already been shown, which explains why the following five episodes were skipped.

November 1972
Roy Rowan begins first interim period as announcer, "the game where knowledge is king and lady luck is queen" opening, Jack stands at his podium during the opening, first segment contains gameplay, time's up sound effect changes to a standard game show ding

Jack walks to his podium during the opening

Johnny Jacobs returns as announcer

December 1972
Roy Rowan begins second interim period as announcer

Johnny Gilbert begins first interim period as announcer

Johnny Jacobs returns as announcer

January 1973
Johnny Gilbert begins second interim period as announcer

Johnny Jacobs returns as announcer, Joker slides read "JOKER" in the bonus round, time's up sound effect changes back to the original ding

Left-justified score displays

February 1973
Johnny Gilbert begins third interim period as announcer

Johnny Jacobs returns as announcer

Champions are no longer retired after winning the Joker's Jackpot

March 1973
Studio audience is shown during the closing

Audio categories added

Contestant podium bases change from steel tripods to plaster columns, five-digit displays, center-justified score displays

Base of Jack's podium changes from tripod to plaster base

Johnny Gilbert begins fourth interim period as announcer

April 1973
After June 29, 2001, GSN removed The Joker's Wild from their weekday schedule, but on July 8, they replaced the Sunday night/Monday morning reruns of the syndicated version with reruns of the CBS version, allowing them to pick up where they left off.