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Get Ready to Match the Stars

Has anybody been checking out GSN’s countdown of The 50 Greatest Game Shows? They’ll be devoting three hours a week to this until August 31st, airing full episodes of their choices whenever possible. Quibble with the list all you want, but I think it’s neat to see groovy old episodes of Treasure Hunt and Tattletales in prime time. I’m leery that GSN will slot in too many of their own shows (such as the ridiculously easy Hollywood Showdown, ranked at #46), but the list has been pretty fairly chosen so far with equal emphasis on popularity and impact.

I’m looking forward to finding out how GSN’s rankings stack up to my own personal top 10, listed below. #10, by the way, was an obscure 1989-90 show on American Movie Classics hosted by the one and only Gene Rayburn.
1. What’s My Line?. A class act all the way, in dreamy black and white.
2. Jeopardy. Proof that “game show” and “intelligent” are not mutually exclusive.
3. The Price Is Right. Here’s hoping GSN will have a classic ’70s-’80s episode to share.
4. Match Game. Wacka-wacka good.
5. Super Password. Been watching a lot of this one lately — addictively ’80s.
6. Sale of the Century. Spent many lunch hours at home watching this one.
7. The Joker’s Wild. I can remember being mesmerized by those spinning graphics.
8. Tic Tac Dough. Watch out for the dragon.
9. Hollywood Squares. Paul Lynde was my childhood idol! Little did I know.
10. The Movie Masters. Short-lived but fondly remembered.

July 21, 2006 10:25 AM | | Cathode Rays


Comments

truth or consequences

Posted by: kuros | July 22, 2006 12:17 PM

Nice list, Matt. I remember when weekday mornings were game show after game show. Now it's just the Price Is Right in the a.m., which barely qualifies as a game show. Yes, I do remember Truth or Consequences, which I recall was hosted by Bob Barker. Others that I kinda liked were To Tell The Truth, The $10,000 Pyramid and Name That Tune. I also used to watch that VH-1 music trivia-based game show with Jeff Probst. Whatever happened to him?

Posted by: ion | July 22, 2006 03:57 PM

I want to know the name of the following game show: It took place on a set that was an island with sand, palm trees, etc. Contestants wore swim trunks and often had to do activities in the water. As they got answers correct, or won an activity, they got a huge puzzle piece that they assembled to create a treasure map. The winning team (or person) then had to actually dig somehwere on the set to win the big prize. I remember this when I was a wee lad, so it might have been in the late 1960s or early 1970s. Any clue, anyone?

Posted by: Christopher | July 22, 2006 05:45 PM

No love for Groucho on "You Bet Your Life?"

Posted by: MrBaliHai | July 22, 2006 08:17 PM

....with Durwood Kirby as the announcer, yes?

Posted by: massbradley | July 23, 2006 04:24 PM

I've never seen You Bet Your Life. Sorry, Groucho.

The show that Christopher was trying to remember was Treasure Isle. It ran for a year in 1967-68.

Posted by: Matt | July 24, 2006 05:57 PM

Good list! Three of those are in my top five. Check it out at my blog. I sure do wish I had watched more $ale back when it was in repeats on USA. Too bad gsn won't pick that one up.

Posted by: Jebb | August 6, 2006 06:56 PM

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