Fall TV Preview

Where We Left Off: That famous wheel kept on spinning, and with last year's addition of the $1 million Bonus Wedge, the show gave away a record $10.1 million in cash and prizes during the 2008/09 season.

What To Expect: As the classic game show enters its 27th year in syndication, some changes are in store. First of all, say goodbye to "Free Spin" on the wheel. In its place, a new wedge, "Free Play," will be added. Free Play will be on the wheel during the first three rounds of play and can be landed on repeatedly, and by all three contestants, without losing its value. The wedge gives the contestant immunity on his or her first action. If he or she calls a letter that is not in the puzzle, calls a letter that has already been called or incorrectly tries to solve the puzzle, that person will not lose a turn. It also gives contestants a chance to call a vowel for free whether or not they have the $250 necessary. Unlike Free Spin, which had no value when landed on, each correct consonant called during Free Play is worth $500.

Season 27 kicks off with two weeks of shows which were taped in July at The Venetian and The Palazzo in Las Vegas. In February 2010, two more weeks of shows from Vegas will air. This season, the show will also travel to Boston for the first time since 1993 to tape three weeks of shows with themes, "Historic Boston," "College Week" and "Boston's Got Game," which will air in November.

What To Expect: As the classic game show enters its 28th year in syndication, it will raise the minimum amount that can be won in the Bonus Round from $25,000 to $30,000. Also, when a contestant wins a car, the show will award the winner an additional $5,000 in cash. And continuing the tradition that no one leaves empty handed, every contestant will receive a minimum of $1,000 in cash just for appearing on the show.

In addition to the increase in cash prizes being doled out by the show, Wheel of Fortune is unveiling a few new puzzle categories. In "Same Letter," every word in the puzzle begins with the same letter. For the new "What's That Song" category, the puzzle will be lyrics to a song. When the contestant solves the puzzle, he or she will win an additional $3,000 by correctly identifying the name of the song.

This season, Wheel lovers can play along in more ways than ever before with the launch of Wheel of Fortune Platinum for iPhone and iPad, as well as upcoming games for Nintendo Wii and Facebook.

In celebration of the introduction of Wheel of Fortune for Nintendo's Wii and Nintendo DS, the game animators created a series of opening sequences for the show to air over the course of Season 28. The spots feature Pat Sajak's and Vanna White's avatars in fun action scenes that correspond to the show's theme that week.

Season 28 will kick off with two weeks of shows taped at The Venetian and The Palazzo in Las Vegas. In April, Wheel of Fortune will return to New Orleans where three weeks of shows will be taped, set to air in May. It will be the show's first return visit to The Big Easy since 2005 when the production was forced to evacuate in advance of Hurricane Katrina.