Editing Best of the Worst (section)

== Gimmicks ==
In addition to the standard format a number of gimmicks have been devised to keep the show fresh. Some will even harbor sub-gimmicks. Some are minor, while others are entire series unto themselves.

=== ''Battle of the Genres'' ===
[[File:Vlcsnap-2024-06-04-03h21m54s125.png|thumb|The ''Battle of the Genres'' title card.]]
{{For|the episode named "Battle of the Genres"|Battle of the Genres}}

In a ''Battle of the Genres'' episode three films are selected in the different genres of “Action”, “Science Fiction”, and “Horror”.

While a lot of ''BOTW'' episodes feature a film selection from disparate genres, ''Battle'' episodes are unique as the Best is decided based on which film represents it’s genre the best. For example, a film may be less entertaining than the others, but because it represented Action-themed movies better than the others represented Sci-fi and Horror it will win the competition.

As mentioned previously, themes are less common on traditional ''Best of the Worst'' episodes to keep the show fresh. Jay admitted in [[Spookies, Action USA, and Alien Private Eye]] that “now every episode is kind of a battle of the genres.” As a result, this gimmick is rarely seen.
{{Clear}}

=== ''Wheel of the Worst'' ===
''Wheel of the Worst'' episodes include the [[The Wheel of the Worst|titular wheel]] loaded with a variety of tapes and DVDs. Unique to this format only is that the tapes are not feature films, but instead are direct-to-video publications like self-help tapes or vanity projects. This wheel is spun to determine which videos will be shown.

=== ''Plinketto'' ===
Named after [[Harry S. Plinkett]], ''Plinketto'' is an alternative method of selecting tapes that includes [[The Plinketto Board|a massive pegboard]] along which VHS tapes and DVDs are placed. A ball is dropped from the top of the board, where it bounces down to one of the entries below. Whichever it lands on is selected to view.

=== ''The Black Spine Edition'' ===
''Black Spine'' is an alternative tape selection process where tapes are placed, spine-out, in a shelf or shelves facing the panelists. Panelists are tasked with selecting a tape at random, without seeing any visual information about the tape beforehand. ''Black Spine'' candidates are only tapes, and the only criteria is that they must not have anything written along their spines.

''Black Spine'' has only appeared twice without alterations aside from a minor appearance in [[Wheel of the Black Spine Plinketto]]. It’s commonly cited by panelists as one of the worst gimmicks on the show.

=== ''Black Spine Junka'' ===
''Junka'' is a jumbling tower party game using a 5x5 tower of ''Black Spine'' candidate tapes. Contestants remove tapes one by one from the tower and add a copy of ''Nukie'' to the top of the tower. Whosoever collapses the tower loses the match. All tapes collected by the winner over the course of the game are used as the showcase material.

Due to the sheer volume of tapes collected during this process, panelists are allowed to abort any viewing if a tape is too boring, uninteresting, or creepy. Only a fraction of ''Junka'' tapes make it to the discussion period. [[Rich Evans]] has mentioned a fondness for ''Junka'' due to this clause allowing them to skip particularly awful tapes. {{When|date=June 2024}}

=== ''Bad Movie Scavenger Hunt'' ===
In a ''Bad Movie Scavenger Hunt'', two or three panelists are tasked with finding a tape that meets up to 3 different criteria with regard to its title or box art. These can include things like “is a painted cover” or “has ‘Blood’, ‘Death’ or ‘Kill’ in the title”.