While many may consider "Survivor", "Big Brother", etc. to be game shows, I ranked them in my "Favorite Television Shows of All Time" countdown as Reality Shows. Therefore, this countdown will only include any show that has a new set of contestants each episode (with the obvious exception of returning champions defending their crown. The countdown has really brought back some tender memories of my childhood and I am sure you will say "I totally forgot about that show" (and ultimately waste hours watching old youtube videos of said show) at some point while enjoying the blog.
(On a side note, I have officially decided that my next countdown will be my 100 Favorite Female Songs of All Time.) Yes, I have been watching VH1 all week.
Without further adieu, my 50 Favorite Game Shows of All Time.....
50. Hollywood Squares (1966 - 1981, 1983 - 1984, 1986 - 1989, 1998 - 2004) NBC, Let me start off my saying this.... If today, in 2012, I had to choose between sitting down for thirty minutes and watching a 1980's episode of "Hollywood Squares" or being punched in the face repeatedly for 30 straight minutes, I would choose being punched in the face. When I think of "Hollywood Squares" I think of two people; Jim J. Bullock and Whoppi Goldberg. I would be hard pressed to find two people in the world that creep me out more than Jim J Bullock and Whoppi Goldberg. First of all, who the hell is Jim J Bullock and how did he manage to snag the spot of center square? Is that all he is known for? Being the center square? And I'm not even going to get myself started on Whoppi, but I seriously do not think I could ever be friends with a person that is not completely repulsed by her.***
I think I did a pretty good job at growing up. I was always a somewhat "cool" kid, and don't have many circumstances in which I look back with regret. With that being said, as a grown man, if I could somehow travel back in time to the mid eighties and slap little Ryan in the face every time he watched (and kind of loved) "Hollywood Squares" Old Ryan would smack Baby Ryan so hard that I would be seeing X's and O's for weeks.
No, the following is not a list of my least favorite people of all time (although it very well could be), it is simply a list of more nauseating celebrities that would report to the set of "Hollywood Squares" on a more than regular basis.
* Joan Rivers
* Richard Simmons
* Gilbert Gottfried
* Caroline Rhea
Seriously, how awful can you get?
*** I did however love her as Oda Mae Brown in the classic flick "Ghost."****
Jim J Bullock Whoppi Goldberg
Tom Bergeron (Favorite Host)49. The Newlywed Game (1966 - Present) I remember going through a very brief phase in which I watched "The Newlywed Game" religiously. I enjoy the overall concept of the game, but have always had a few issues with the way the show is operated. Apparently the show is still on, but, keep in mind, I have not seen an episode in probably twenty years, so the operation may have since changed. I can only judge the show based on what I remember from it.
The first issue I have with the answering part of the game is that the judges/host can be a little inconsistent at times. There can be a very fine line between a right answer and a wrong answer. I am someone that likes the answers to be either yes or no, black or white. I hate when there needs to be deliberation to determine if an answer is correct or incorrect (we'll delve deeper into this issues when I discuss "Family Feud.")
Example: Host - Husbands, where is your wife's favorite place to make Whopee?
Husband #1 - Wal*Mart
Husband #2 - Home
Husband #3 - Kitchen
Host: Wives, we asked your husbands, where is your favorite place to make Whopee...
Wife #1 - Family Dollar (XXXXXXXXXXX Wrong)
Wife #2 - Home (CORRECT!)
Wife #3 - Home? (Sorry, that's wrong, your husband said "The Kitchen.")
What? Isn't the kitchen home? I suppose it is the couples fault for not cheating and discussing any and all possible answers before appearing on the show. For example, "We are ALWAYS going to say "Home" for every even question, and "Casino" for every odd question. And if there is a question revolving numbers, we always say 21. No matter what the question is, the answer is 21.
That is my second issue with the show. What don't the couples cheat???? Even if they were too dumb to come up with some sort of clever system to answer all the questions alike, just whisper to each other for God's sake. Or do one of those fake coughs.......
COUGH COUGH COUGH BananaCreamPie COUGH COUGH COUGH
Even as a child I feel as though I would have been able to outsmart the awful producers of this classic game show. Seriously, this is money we're playing for folks, we're not here to just tell a few jokes and look pretty on camera. If I was on "The Newleywed Game" I don't think I would smile one time. It would be all business. And don't even get me started on the lecture my wife would get in the car on the way home if she lost the game for us.
Bottom Line: This show is just way too stressful for me to truly enjoy.
Bob Eubanks is a handsome little devil isn't he?
The most unbelievable answer in the history of game shows. I wonder if Olga has a Facebook page?
48. Sale of the Century (1969 - 1989) NBC, There are not many game shows that I can think of that I wouldn't do really well, and more than likely win. I have a lot of useless information stored in my brain, I am not scared to take on any challenge or adventure, and there is not much I wouldn't do just to win a game. I, however, would probably be the worst "Sale of the Century" player of all time. Sure, I would be able to answer the questions and get the cash, but on "Sale of the Century" you are tempted throughout the show to buy certain sale items with your winnings. I can't say no to a bargain, even if it is a completely useless purchase, so I would end up losing all my hard earned dough on a flower print furniture set or a pasta maker just because I can't pass up a deal.
I love everything about this show and am really thinking about starting a petition to get it back on the air. I had completely forgotten about "Sale of the Century", and almost started crying when I viewed the clip below. I miss it. Life has simply not been the same without "Sale of the Century."
47. Next (2005 - 2008) MTV - "Next" may be the cruelest game show ever devised. It sent one lucky guy or girl on a blind date with a bus full of members of the opposite sex (except for a few very special episodes.) The lucky guy or gal would enjoy the date with a hopeful until the hopeful did something that the "chosen one" disliked. He or she would swiftly end the date by screaming "NEXT" in the face of the hopeful. Sometimes, the NEXT was really bad and you couldn't help but feel awful for the person getting Next'd. There were many times when a girl (thinking she was hot stuff) would walk off the bus as she was putting the finishing touches on her hair or make-up to be sure she would woo over her man; confident that she was "all that" and humbly yelling to the other girls that they didn't stand a chance because she is hotter than all of them. The second the girls foot touched the ground and the male suitor saw what a mess she was he would yell NNNEEEXXXTTTT!
I am typically one that doesn't care much for what others think of me, but I find it nearly impossible to believe that that does not do a significant amount of damage to ones confidence for the rest of their lives. If I were to ever go on a blind date with a girl and upon seeing me she yelled "NEXT!" it may be a little more than I could handle.
As mean as the show is, I loved it and think of it often. I am pretty sure I try to say "Oh HELLLLLLLLLLLLL NOOOOOOOO, NEXT!" at least a few times a year, just to keep the show alive in my heart.
46. Power of 10 (2007-2008) CBS - I have only seen this show a few times, but this is a show for gamblers. It is probably the game show that is the quickest to get to $1,000,000. I believe you only had to get 4 questions right and you were at the million. The first kid that ever played the game, in the very first episode, won the million. Basically, the show was a crap shoot and nothing but a gamble. You had to predict what percentage of Americans would answer a question a certain way. It is all ridiculous and a complete guess, but I watched it one summer and remember it fondly.
This may be the most relaxed kid of all time. He just won a million dollars on a stupid game show where he had to guess a number. I would be a complete mess and ripping the hair out of my head if I was him; and more than likely crying.
Here was a very special crossover episode in which Big Brother 8's Amber and Daniele got to leave the Big Bro house to be contestants on the "Power of 10." I would also like to thank the "Power of 10" for reminding me how much I hated Amber.
The walk down game show memory lane has begun. There are some real gems coming up soon!
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