The Game Show Thread!

[bellcurve]

He says it's real.

[alphanguy74]

He does, does he?

[All My Shadows]

SFK, I started enjoying Money Drop towards the end of the week when I realized I could support "The Man" and derive pleasure out of watching the contestants lose. I'm evil as hell, but the show got much more fun for me that way.

I didn't realize Bullseye was Barry-Enright. For some reason, I always assumed it was G/T. I always feel a little sad when I think about all of the random game show production companies that were around in the 70s and 80s that have all virtually disappeared. When LMAD returned, I was happy to see Hatos-Hall credited somewhere in the closing credits. But come on, break out another Barry-Enright game! Heatter-Quigley! Jay Wolpert! Bob Stewart! Ralph Edwards! Of course the original companies wouldn't produce or be credited, but it's still nice to remember that though G/T's the most successful and well-known, there are some other classic formats under other banners.

[alphanguy74]

Yes, there were so many game shows coming and going, it made your head spin. For a game show lover, the 70's was a time that couldn't be beat. We even had local ones, "Bowling for Dollars" hosted by our local weatherman, Fred Broski. Apparently, a TON of affiliates across the country produced the exact show. One show that really stood out as new, and different and cool was this one, I watched it every time I got the chance, and was HEARTBROKEN when it was cancelled just after 6 months:

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Adam Wade was a fascinating guy.. besides being a singer, and here, the first black game show host... he also worked as a lab assistant to Dr. Jonas Salk.

[SFK]

OMG, a black game show host in that day and age, go 'head! I got confused there for a second and thought this was the one you said was local, I was about to be VERY impressed (though I couldn't help but picture a poor stage hand throwing his back out scurrying to push all those contestants out on stage ). That show looks like a lot of fun though.

AMS, I am so greedy I would probably fail big time on MDMD. Is it coming back btw? If so, I'll give your schadenfreude approach a try, lol. I'm such a sap, I like for people to win (unless they are obviously jerks), especially old people. I get so depressed when old people lose on game shows. The best episodes of TPIR were happy Friday episodes where everybody got a little something.

[alphanguy74]

SFK, Musical chairs was on CBS. But during that period, there was a big explosion in black entertainment, between the blaxploitation movies, Flip Wilson, Sanford and Son, Good times, That's My Mama, the Jeffersons, Fat Albert, Soul Train. This was a natural progression, but too bad it didn't last long, it was a fun and unique format. and when it comes to wanting people to win? I always root for them to win. As a child, I always wanted to see records broken, when it comes to scores and such. I remember one day when one team broke 800 points on Cross-Wits, I was so excited I thought i'd pee myself. However, if the contestant said they were a lawyer or a doctor, I always rooted for them to lose. I had the attitude of "Get off that show!!! Let someone on there who needs the money!"

[All My Shadows]

Oh I'm not too horrible. I do generally root for the contestant by default (and I'm talking only about single-contestant shows). Millionaire, TPIR, LMAD, I root for the contestant most of the time. But I'm so over these faux-suspense/three-questions-per-hour shows, and they seem to encourage the contestants to be as obnoxious as possible, so that when it's finally time for them to reveal whether the answer is right or wrong, I'm so annoyed that I'm hoping they lose.

But little old ladies wanting a "range" on The Price is Right? Oh, I'm all for that [!@#$%^&*]. I'd go out and buy them all "ranges" with my own pocket money.

[DRW50]

From the February 1978 Rona Barrett's Daytimers.

[DRW50]

[Sylph]

NBC picked a new game show:

[cbsrocks1958]

Also for those out there who don't know it, but the host was the father of George Clooney-Nick Clooney from American Movie Channel. Just a little tidbit from a game show a holic. Hope you are well and as always, Take Care! Myles

[cbsrocks1958]

Note: Mary Stuart-Joanne Tourner SFT and Meta Bauer-GL. I loved the show, but I wish more money were given away. Adam Wade was a gem, no doubt about that. Take Care!

Myles

[alphanguy74]

This is a complete crack up!! That's what is missing on network TV today, a show with snappy one liners.... and DAMN wasn't John Davidson gorgeous?

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[All My Shadows]

John Davidson's "On the whole..." is one of my favorite game show moments EVER. Too funny. The first time I saw it, I caught it, but for a second, I didn't think that anybody on the show actually caught it, but then they started laughing their asses off. Absolutely hilarious.

I so, so, so want celebrity game shows to be big again. What I love about them is that even people who were only somewhat famous could go on them and then became very famous off the strength of the game show appearances alone. It goes without saying, but I miss game shows period. I love Jeopardy!, tolerate WoF, watch some of the "big money" shows, and I refuse to watch Drew's TPIR, but I just want a good set of game shows.

[SFK]

ITA! I loved shows like Win, Lose, or Draw and Match Game for that very reason, Password and Pyramid as well, but especially the first two. WLoD I watched mostly as a latchkey kid (or the equivalent of a kid who didn't actually leave the house but was home alone during summer vacation). It was such a fun show to watch in the comfort of the finished basement with the AC pumping, I wouldn't know who the hell a person like Rip Taylor (throwing his hairpiece at people! ) was if not for a show like that.