Watching game shows was always a big thing when I was a kid. I remember sitting around the television, taking turns guessing what the answer was going to be or cheering on contestants participating in physical activities on the game show. Here are 7 of my favorite game shows of all time. Some you might remember as well and others you’ll just have to catch on reruns.
In case you aren’t familiar with this game show, it was basically a talent competition where the judges showed their dislike for the performance by hitting a giant gong. If all three judges hit the gong, then the act was stopped immediately. Some of the performers were absolutely hilarious. Oingo Boingo were seen on this game show before they became famous. Pee Wee Herman was also seen on The Gong Show once upon a time.
This game show has been around since the mid-sixties. The audience is known to wear outlandish costumes at times, in order to stand out more in the crowd. Members of the audience are chosen to participate on the show. The host offers the contestant a deal and it is then up to the contestant to decide whether he should accept the deal or not. It’s a toss up as to whether or not the deal will be for something desirable or undesirable.
Two families participate in this game show. Points are achieved by answer questions with the top answers obtained in a national survey. If you or a family member comes up with one of the top answers, then more points are awarded to your team. The family with the most points wins the game.
I never get tired of the antics that arise on this game show. The world of improv is an amazing thing. There are different parts to this game show and points are awarded during each section. One part of the show entails giving the 4 contestants/actors a box of random objects and they have so many seconds to come up with a mini-skit depicting what the object could be used for. Another portion of the show involves all 4 contestants and they pretend to be at a party. One contestant is the host and doesn’t know who the other people are pretending to be. It is up to the host to determine who his guests are by asking questions and observing the guests actions.
Two contestants have a game of tic-tac-toe with the help of famous people. The board consists of 9 celebrities sitting inside each of the 9 sections on the tic-tac-toe board. When a question is posed by the host, the contestant chooses a celebrity to answer the question and sometimes the answer is far from correct. The contestant then has to agree or disagree with the answer provided by the celebrity. If the contestant agrees or disagrees correctly, then he/she is awarded the square.
Like most game shows, Wheel of Fortune has evolved over the years. When I was much younger, the contestants would use the money they won by solving word puzzles correctly to purchase items on a rotating stage. Today, the money won is taken home and various trips and prizes are also placed on the spinning board for contestants to have a changed at collecting. I still enjoy trying to solve the puzzles along with the contestants on the show.
Bob Barker was a fantastic host for this game show. I miss seeing him on the show today. This was one televised game show that my family and I rarely missed. There are multiple contestants on this show, but only two people play at a time. Each pair of contestants participate in a game of skill or chance and the winner moves on to the final round. The final round involves the top two contestants bidding on a package deal that usually includes household items, a trip to somewhere in the world, and a new car. The contestant who bids the closest to the actual retail price of the entire package, without going over, wins.
These were 7 of my favorite game shows that I enjoyed watching as I was growing up. A few are still on the air today, but I don’t get to see them very often. It seems like most of the game shows on television today are more about endurance and competing in major physical activities against one another. I think each of the 7 I listed above were just plain fun! What are some of your favorite game shows?
Top Photo Credit: Tipton Public Library