Game Show Related Collection
ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration
* Features a couple of game show highlights, as part of the reality TV salute presented by Roseanne, as well as a clip of John Carpenter's million-dollar win
AS SEEN ON... (The Vault Guys) - An interesting look at more amusing and memorable moments on GSN.
* Theme: "TV Show Reunions", with clips of cast members of Green Acres, The Brady Bunch, Hogan's Heroes, Gilligaan's Island, M*A*S*H, and the Dick Van Dyke Show (GSN, SMF.9)
CBS - The most popular broadcast network in television history, due largely in part to their history of outstanding programs, including lots of memorable game shows.
* 5 game show promos from 1973, promoting The New Price is Right, Gambit, The Joker's Wild, The $10,000 Pyramid and Hollywood's Talking (RR13.5)
* "CBS at 75"; Features a CBS game show salute presented by Bob Barker; one highlight features Peter Tomarken (star of CBS' Press Your Luck) hosting an unsold pilot, and Wink Martindale hosting Las Vegas Gambit, which didn't air on CBS; however, the original Gambit did air on the network
CHEERS - The place "where everybody knows your name", and a great place to hang out on NBC's "Must See" Thursday night lineup for 11 years.
* "What is... Cliff Clavin?"; Cliff appears on Jeopardy, and the end result is hilarious!
CLARISSA EXPLAINS IT ALL - Classic Nick sitcom where the title character, like Garry Shandling, often broke the fourth wall.
* "Brain Drain"; Clarissa and Ferguson appear on a game show (PB2D.2)
THE 2007 DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS
* Clips from the 2007 Daytime Emmy Awards involving Bob Barker (EP1.9)
THE FAIRLY ODD PARENTS - One of my favorite animated series of the 00s, where Timmy, Cosmo and Wanda's antics will make you wish for more!
* "Apartnership"; After a fight from a "false anger" moment, Timmy tries to get Cosmo and Wanda back together on "The Fairy Dating Game", hosted by Cupid (Spongebob's Tom Kenny); also features Jane Carr as Mama Cosma (FOP.4.2, CBS75.6)
* "Smarty Pants"; features Timmy teamed with A.J. on Dimmsdale Elementary's Quiz Bowl team at the "Academic Brain-a-Thon" against Snerd Elementary; also features Wanda playing host to Timmy and Cosmo on a Millionaire-type set (FOP.9.2, POOF.7)
* "Cosmo Con"; features the "Wheel of Torture", a reference to Wheel of Fortune
* "Love Struck!"; features three fairies playing Wheel of Fortune
* "Chip Off the Old Chip"; features another Wheel of Fortune spoof, this one entitled "Wheel of Coincidence"
* "Channel Chasers"; features "The Million Dollar Spin", possibly a spoof of the California Lottery's "The Big Spin", though the wheel shown kinda resembles the Wheel of Fortune from the show of the same name
* "Fairly Odd Game Show Megamix"; a montage of clips with game show references from various FOP episodes between 2001 and 2004
FAMILY GUY - Another one of my favorite shows, which can be described in only two words: "Freakin' Sweet!"
* "A Hero Sits Next Door"; features Peter, Chris and Brian watching Wheel of Fortune
* "Brian: Portrait of a Dog"; features a clip of Peter on Jeopardy!
* "Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater"; features a quick Press Your Luck reference
* "Da Boom"; features a Family Feud reference
* "Brian in Love"; features Brian and Chris watching the end of TPIR, with Brian chiding Barker
* "If I'm Dyin', I'm Lyin'; features a Hollywood Squares reference
* "I am Peter, Hear Me Roar", features a "Let's Make a Deal" spoof where Peter and Lois choose between a boat and a mystery box
* "From Method to Madness"; features references to Millionaire and Weakest Link
* "I Take Thee, Quagmire"; features Peter on Wheel of Fortune ("Thanks, Regis!"), where he wins maid service, and the maid wins Quagmire's heart; also features Adam West on Jeopardy!
* "It Takes a Village Idiot, I Married One"; features references to TPIR's Cliffhangers and Plinko!
* "Blue Harvest"; features a "Deal or No Deal" spoof
* Family Guy Game Show Megamix 1, featuring GS-related references, mainly in cut scenes
FUNNY FLUBS & SCREW-UPS - A series of CBS specials that shows what could possibly go wrong in television.
* The "My Name's the Same as His" blooper from To Tell the Truth (AS7.8)
GAME SHOW NETWORK/GSN - The first network to be devoted entirely to one of our favorite genres, though it started taking a dark turn with the Dark Period, and got worse when it became "The Network for Games", especially with their unpopular credit crunches.
* The Game Show Network Launch from December 1, 1994; tracking problems in the second half (GSN, RR2.14)
* A 1996 pitch film for cable companies presented by Pat Sajak, and featuring Peter Tomarken in the second half (RR13.6)
* The switch from Game Show Network to GSN from March 15, 2004 (GSN, RR2.15)
HOME VIDEOS OF THE STARS - Obscure Robin Leach show featuring celebrities' home movies.
* A 1993 episode featuring a home movie from Bob Barker
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER - One of CBS' more recent sitcoms, with the story of how a man met his wife as told by his future self.
* "Showdown"; Barney appears on "The Price is Right" to win wedding gifts for Lily and Marshall; Bob Barker and Rich Fields appear as themselves (DA1.3)
THE JEFFERSONS - Sitcom about a couple who found themselves "movin' on up" to an East Side Manhattan high-rise.
* "The Wheel of Forever"; George dreams of appearing on a game show that determines whether Heaven or Hell is in his future (TVLAND, PB2D.1)
LIVE ON FIVE - WEWS-TV's (Cleveland) hour-long 5:00 newscast.
* A portion of the April 7, 1995 edition of "Live on Five" with a story on the "Jeopardy!" tryouts in Cleveland; my father is among the people gathered!
MAMA'S FAMILY - Funny 80s sitcom that began as part of The Carol Burnett Show.
* "Mama on Jeopardy!" Thelma appears on Jeopardy! (RPT, PB2D.3)
THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS GAME SHOW MOMENTS
***** All five specials
NBC'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
* Features game show highlights of the 50s, as part of the 1950s salute presented by Kelsey Grammer (TVW502A.1)
THE ODD COUPLE - The television adaptation of Neil Simon's play about a neat photographer and a messy sportswriter.
* "Password"; Felix and Oscar appear on Password ("Aristophanes!"); Features Allen Ludden and Betty White (AS3.18)
OUT OF THIS WORLD - Quirky 80s sitcom centered around the daughter of an Earthling mother and an alien father.
* "Stump Your Neighbor"; the Applegates and the Garlands compete on a game show, and Mayor Garland gets soaked continuously (courtesy Paolo Burgos, PB4.3)
PIONEERS OF TELEVISION - A public television miniseries about the people who shaped television.
* "Game Shows"
PUNKY BREWSTER - Yet another one of several popular sitcoms centered around a lonely youngster taken in by a caring gentleman.
* "The Matchmaker"; After Punky and Cherie set Henry up on a successful blind date, Betty goes on "Dream Date", a "Dating Game" spoof; features David Ruprecht as host Johnny Prince (DCL1.6)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE - The legendary late night comedy show, which had a few game show parodies in its 30-some odd years on the air.
* High Stakes Japanese Quiz Show! A sketch that shows just how extreme Japanese television really is! Features Chris Farley as an American contestant (RR15.5)
* Where in the World is San Diego, California?: A spoof of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? With Bob Saget as the host (RR4.5)
* Tic Tac Toe: Features a Patrick Wayne-esque host (Bill Pullman) and the cheapest set you'll ever see! (RR8.6)
* Name That Dog! Hosted by Jackson Nelson (Greg Kinnear); Bill (Chris Kattan) vs. Aaron (Tim Meadows) (RR13.7)
* Celebrity Jeopardy: With Alex Trebek (Will Ferrell); Sean Connery (Darrell Hammond), French Stewart (Jimmy Fallon), and Burt Reynolds (host Norm MacDonald) (taken from "The Best of Will Ferrell")
* Inside the Actors Studio: Charles Nelson Reilly; with Will Ferrell as James Lipton and Alec Baldwin as CNR; not a game show spoof, but it references Match Game (also from "The Best of Will Ferrell")
* Celebrity Jeopardy: With Alex Trebek (host Ferrell); Connery (Hammond), Sharon Osbourne (Amy Poehler) and Bill Cosby (Kenan Thompson)
* Brain Busters: With host Bernie Mac as the game show host; Greg (Horatio Sanz) vs. Steve (Fallon); they know nothing about black history, much to the host's disgust!
* Super Buzzers: With Chris Parnell as host Bert Convy, and an endless panel whose introduction takes up the entire show ()
* Deal or No Deal: Antonio Banderas plays a contestant who doesn't understand the game (RR8.5)
* Wheel of Fortune: Tom Hanks plays Pat Sajak, as he hosts an episode with dumb players (RR10.5)
* Charades: A 70s Goodson-Todman spoof; again with host Bert Convy (Parnell), celebrity guests Nipsey Russell (Kenan Thompson), Charo (Maya Rudolph), George Carlin (Fred Armisen), Bruce Jenner (Will Forte) and Rich Little (Darrell Hammond); Amy Poehler and Julia Louis Dreyfus play the contestants (RR6.4)
SESAME STREET - A place where we all wanted to be at least once in our childhood, even if we didn't know how to get there; there were a few game show sketches when the show was really good, many of them hosted by Guy Smiley.
NOTE: All are hosted by Guy Smiley (Jim Henson) unless otherwise noted.
* "Pick Your Pet", a spoof of "The Dating Game", hosted by Guy Smiley when he was known as Sonny Friendly (AS2.15)
* "What's My Letter?", from 1970; Prairie Dawn tries to guess the letter E in this shortie (AS3.21)
* "The Remembering Game", a spoof of "Concentration" (with music that sounds like it's from the original Concentration, which was still airing when this first appeared!); Cookie Monster vs. Bill Smith (tracking problems; AS2.16)
* "Beat the Time", a spoof of "Beat the Clock", my personal favorite Smiley sketch, where Cookie Monster competes for a cookie on the house by trying to find three things that rhyme with "rain" and does so, not before damaging the set! (AS3.11)
* "The Addition Game"; one of the very few Smiley games where the contestant actually loses! That contestant, Herry Monster, then drives four cars into the studio while another contestant is set to play! (AS4.9)
* "The Mystery Mix-Up Game"; a Mrs. Rooney tries to unscramble letters to form the word "School", and mixes up the prizes as well! (AS4.10)
* "To Tell a Face", a spoof of "To Tell the Truth", which Smiley calls a "stupid game"; Baby Bobby of Binghamton must identify his real grandmother (AS3.12)
* "Family Food", a spoof of "Family Feud", hosted by Richard Dawson, playing host to the Hungry family, trying to name the five foods necessary for a healthy meal; Richard even kisses the girls! (CD2.15)
* "Beat the Time"; The Count appears to perform the "Impossible Stunt", but only wants to count the seconds off the clock (AS5.6)
* "Name That Sound!", a spoof of "Name That Tune"; Grover tries to name three sounds, but not before the studio floods! (AS5.7)
* "The School Game"; a group of multi-ethnic kid Muppets (Timmy, Lin-Lin, Rosa) answer questions about school and compete for Guy Smiley school supplies; taken from episode 2282 (Feb. 3, 1987) (AS3.10)
* "Squeal of Fortune", a spoof of "Wheel of Fortune", hosted by Pat Playjacks (Jim Henson); The Count vs. Prairie Dawn
* "Where Do I Belong?"; groups of three visit the studio to find out where they belong (AS5.8)
* "What's My Job?"; a panel of monsters tries to guess jobs; Sonny Friendly appears at the end! (AS5A.5)
* "What Happens Next?"; host Gordon quizzes the viewers as to what will happen to "Charlie Chaplin" next (AS5A.7)
* "The How Many Game"; the Two-Headed Monster tries to find 2 of something (AS5B.5)
THE SIMPSONS - Television's longest running sitcom of all-time, and the show that revived the animated sitcom.
* "Homer Defined"; a clip featuring three elderly people (Grampa Simpson included) watching Wheel of Fortune
SMALL WONDER - Average sitcom with a neat character: a robot disguised as a child.
* "Game Show"; the Brindles and the Lawsons compete against each other on "Beat Thy Neighbor"; Geoff Edwards guest stars as host Guy Dwyer (PB4.2)
SQUARE ONE TELEVISION - Everybody's favorite way to learn mathematics, which had recurring mathematical game shows as part of its regular broadcasting schedule. (All are courtesy of Anton Spivack, a huge fan of SQ1TV)
But Who's Adding? (Larry Cedar) - You add two numbers, and have to study the board and the line of numbers... this game is complicated to explain, so I guess the title says it all.
* Felicia vs. John, whom Larry calls Michael (AS4.3)
But Who's Counting? (Arthur Howard as Monte Carlo) - Put the chosen digits in the best possible places and you will be!
* From Episode 103; Fitzgeralds (Larry Cedar & Luisa Leschin) vs. Doles (Cris Franco & Cynthia Darlow) (AS5.5)
* From Episode 105; Chases (Cedar & Leschin) vs. Skirts (Franco & Darlow) (AS4.2)
* From Episode 112; Mimeos (Cedar & Leschin) vs. Flimseys (Franco & Darlow) (AS3.13)
* From Episode 308; Harvey vs. Fourscoreand (AS5C.6)
* From Episode 403; Jim Nasium vs. Ima Glum-One (AS5C.7)
* From Episode 411; T.P. Wickiup vs. L.T. (AS5C.8)
* From Episode 421; Tossed Salad vs. Libby Rated (AS5D.6)
* From Episode 436; Col. "Fowl" Tip vs. Limbs Akimbo (AS5D.7)
But Who's Multiplying? (Larry Cedar) - Very much like But Who's Adding, but with multiplication involved.
* Crystal vs. Suzanne (AS4.4)
Close Call (Arthur Howard) - Similar to The Price is Right; the best estimations always win!
* From Episode 202; Tamika vs. Sara vs. Alexis vs. Michael; preceded by a Dirk Niblick bumper regarding estimations (AS5.3)
* From Episode 214; Mark vs. Jawaine vs. Elizabeth vs. Giddy (AS4.8)
* From Episode 217; Joel vs. Chris vs. Ozlem vs. Jamie (AS3.20)
Let's Do a Deal - Mike Merv Show's parody of Let's Make a Deal.
* From Episode 140 (AS5C.5)
Piece of the Pie (Cris Franco) - What you get when Family Feud meets Play the Percentages.
* From Episode 209; David-Darcy-Chris vs. Robert-Anncy-Stanley (AS3.19)
* From Episode 215; Vrunda-Denise-Zoltan vs. Francisco-Deborah-Bradley; preceded by Dirk Niblick bumper (AS5.4)
* From Episode 219; Vincent-Debra-Danny vs. Michele-Doug-Robyn (AS4.7)
Round Off! (Luisa Leschin as Cara Mia Carswell) - Another vintage-styled game from Monte Carlo and Mike Merv Show, this one inspired partially by the 50s version of Name That Tune.
* From Episode 119; Barry (Reg E. Cathey) vs. Clorinda (Cynthia Darlow) (AS4.1, the 500th part of my collection)
Square One Squares (Larry Cedar) - Hollywood Squares meets Break the Bank 76 and To Tell the Truth in this game.
* From Episode 201; with Cris Franco and Beverly Mickins; Michelle vs. Diana (AS3.14)
* From Episode 207; with Luisa Leschin and Beverly Mickins; Ayana vs. Steven; preceded by Dirk Niblick bumper (AS5.2)
* From Episode 225; with Arthur Howard and Beverly Mickins; Chris (and interpreter Alan) vs. Nicole (AS4.5)
Triple Play (Cynthia Darlow) - Spin two wheels, add or multiply, and try to form an equilateral triangle; this game lives up to its name!
* From Episode 204; Jesse vs. Kim (AS5.1)
* From Episode 213; Ajamu vs. Roxanne; preceded by a Dirk Niblick bumper regarding equilateral triangles (AS4.6)
* From Episode 235; Roman vs. Sharyn (AS3.15)
SQUARE PEGS - Short-lived but widely remembered sitcom about two girls trying to be popular.
* "It's Academical"; Patty and Muffy go on a high school quiz bowl; features Martin Mull as host Dan Vermilion (TVLAND, RR18.1)
THE SUITE LIFE OF ZACK AND CODY - A popular sitcom about twin boys living in an upscale Boston hotel, starring the Sprouse twins, perhaps one of TV's most famous sets of twins since the Olsens.
* "Risk it All"; the boys go on a game show, where they go for fabulous prizes (DISNEY, RR7.4)
TV'S BLOOPERS AND PRACTICAL JOKES - The show that shows you that whether it's a long-running classic or a short-lived failure, no show is ever perfect. Game shows are no exception.
* A trio of bloopers: on $ale of the Century, Jim Perry tastes shaving cream; on Let's Make a Deal 90, a Big Deal winner has costume problems while entering her car; on Match Game 98, Michael Burger gives away the celebrity's answer to a head-to-head match question! (AS4.24)
* Bloopers from Scrabble, winner of the "Golden Blooper Award" (AS5.11)
* A pair of bloopers: on The Challengers, a question reveals the answer itself; on $ale, the lights go out (AS5.12)
* Four bloopers: on Video Country, the drum entries fall out; on $100K Pyramid, a risque clue is given; on the Challengers, Dick Clark goofs and swears; on Video Country, an entry card gives the hostess the giggles (AS5.13)
* Alex Trebek gets pranked into thinking he has his own fan club! (AS7.5)
* Three more bloopers: Geoff Edwards (on a local talk show) experiences fire; on Win, Lose or Draw, Bert Convy falls into the water on a road show; on Hollywood Squares, Richard Simmons goofs in a promo take (AS7.7)
TV Guide's 25 Things You Didn't Know About Game Shows
* Features 25 interesting facts, several of which game show fans like me actually know! (50 minutes)
2 STUPID DOGS - A Ren and Stimpy-inspired animated series, with two canines that truly live up to the title.
* "Let's Make a Right Price"; the dogs appear on a thorough spoof of "The Price is Right", and try to win doggie treats; they seem attached to "one dollar"; features Casey Kasem as Bill Baker (CN, first few seconds missing, AS4.11)
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