On this day April 1 1988 the final episode of the game show Blackout aired after completing a single season with 65 episodes. Hosted by Bob Goen the show featured contestants trying to guess words based on audio clues while their opponents had the power to mute or blackout parts of the clue to make it harder.
Blackout had a clever concept and unique gameplay but it aired during a time slot dominated by Wheel of Fortune reruns, making it tough to gain traction. The show ran on CBS and became an early step in Bob Goen’s long career in television. Though short lived Blackout is remembered by game show fans for its creative use of sound editing and competitive twist on wordplay.
80s insight: Blackout replaced The $25,000 Pyramid in its time slot and was itself replaced by the return of Family Feud just a few months later.