The 60 Greatest Game Shows of All Time

TV Guide ^ | 6/12/23 | Bruce Fretts

[DallasBiff]

1. Jeopardy! Answer: From its original Art Fleming-hosted incarnation to the long-running Alex Trebek-emceed version, this quiz show has never insulted its audience's intelligence. Question: What is Jeopardy!? (You don't need to be Ken Jennings to know that one.)

[Gay State Conservative]

Stupid Game Show Answers:

Name an animal with three letters in its name: Alligator
Name something you squeeze: Peanut butter
What’s your husband’s favorite condiment?: His pool table

[meyer]

I didn’t know that there actually were 60 game shows.

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

One problem with the "$1.98 Beauty Contest" was that there was no way to make it fresh after a few weeks. There's only so many ways to be ugly or disgusting on over the air television in the '70s.

Many of the women that chose to humiliate themselves for 20 minutes of TV time were actually at least somewhat attractive. I never understood why any sane woman would do it, especially for a show that nobody watched. I worked in a large factory at a time when there were no PC rules and no running to HR. You had to be sharp to stay in the verbal insult culture - I got a lot of ammunition from Rip Taylor.

[mmichaels1970]

This is a fun list. As a kid in the 70s, I remade several game shows for my sibs. My mom had a ton of gift boxes in a storage room. So “Treasure Hunt” was born in my bedroom.

As a kid with no AC, we had box fans in our bedroom windows. A screwdriver, a circle cut out of drywall, some paneling nails and paper triangles birthed a fully electronic “wheel” of fortune for my little sisters and brothers.

And who DIDNT cut manila folders into rectangles, write prizes on some (1c, 5c, 10c, grand prize 25c), and melt crayon over them to make, sell (and profit), from instant “scratch-offs”.

[Jonty30]

And Dawkins was sleeping with all the women. I’ve heard he has nine kids that were sired by him.

[dfwgator]

[dfwgator]

Common Knowledge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0HGEZXTy8Y

[Jonty30]

Canada had a long running equivalent to wheel of fortune, called Definition. It was the same idea, but there was no wheel and much less flash.

[Dr. Sivana]

I didn’t know that there actually were 60 game shows.

In the 60s and 70s there were a couple of dozen on at a time. The three newtorks were pretty much all game shows and soap operas from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Game shows cost a fraction of what classic soap operas did.

Plus, you had syndicated game shows, and many that ran at 7:30 PM after the news but before regular prime time

Heck, I stopped watching them in the '70s, and I have seen at LEAST 60 different game shows, and I wasn't around in the 50s or early 60s.

[joshua c]

no Match Game

Jeopardy is homework

Match Game is recess

Its Academic is a graduate degree

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

I used to watch it on the Gameshow channel until they began running it very late at night. I haven’t seen it for a few years. I might check it out on YT.

[KEVLAR]

Show me the money, although short lived, deserves mention, Shatner as host was brilli
ant.

[TBP]

Jeopardy! is #1 deservedly.

[Captainpaintball]

TPIR is the best game show of all time. At least the Barker Era was. Jeopardy! is a close second.

[Republican Wildcat]

TPIR with Barker was indeed. Actually it was still good Drew’s first several seasons but then they decided they “knew better” and got rid of Rich Fields and Roger Dobkowitz who were institutionalists for the show. Watching older episodes Drew himself seemed more engaged and more interested in the workings of show while those two were there, but now seems to just go through the motions.

Also fond of Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Weakest Link, Who Wants to be a Millionaire (Regis format). Occasionally can enjoy an old rerun of Supermarket Sweep or Press Your Luck as well.

[Republican Wildcat]

It’s in the very early morning hours on Buzzr’s schedule.

[Captainpaintball]

Watching older episodes Drew himself seemed more engaged and more interested in the workings of show while those two were there, but now seems to just go through the motions.

I tried watching it a month or two ago, and it's definitely changed post-covid. The audience is mostly gone, the set changed, Drew is...meh...and it's much gayer now. They ruin EVERYTHING.

[sushiman]

There is a What’s My Line Channel on YT with hundreds of episodes .

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

Thanks for the tip!