Favorite Game Shows of All Time (25-21)

25. What Would You Do? (1991-1993) NICK - What Would You Do? is the only show on the countdown that I was unsure if I should include on the countdown due to the fact that it is more of a variety show than a game show. After much deliberation, I decided that the kids on the show did, in fact, play games, so I allowed myself to include the classic Nickelodeon show that I adored so much. I have no idea why I was so addicted to it, but all I could think about while watching it was somehow getting a chance to be in the audience or on the show. I believe that my family and I went to Disney World two times while the show was airing, and since 11 year old Ryan had the attention span of a monkey, I completely forgot to hound my parents to take me to Universal Studios to fulfill my life dream.

24. Twenty-One (1956-1958, 2000) CBS/NBC - No, Twenty-One did not make the countdown just because it is my favorite number. I obviously never watched the 1950's version of the show, but the 2000 version was a huge hit with college Ryan. I obviously did not watch much TV during my college years, but I distinctly remember many of us piling into my tiny bedroom and finished off a few 30 packs while watching the hour long Twenty-One.
Twenty-One (the 1950's version) is responsible for one of, if not THE, most notorious controversy in the history of American television. It turns out that the game show was rigged and the incident nearly ruined the idea of American Game Shows. The movie Quiz Show is about the events of the 1950's Twenty-One bombshell.

I am not too sure why, but I find this terrifying.

23. Shop Til' You Drop (1991-1994, Lifetime 1996-1998, Family Channel 2000-2005 PAX)
Who doesn't love a great episode of Shop Til' You Drop? This is one of those shows that is so completely mindless that if you are lucky to be a contestant on the show and LOSE then you should be humiliated to show your face in public for at least a few years. How bad do you have to be at shopping and running up and down stairs to lose at Shop Til You Drop? Also, Shop Til' You Drop is responsible for what I consider to be the most humiliating contestant of all time. Once the couple beat their opponents by knowing that Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz was played by Judy Garland, they went on to the bonus round. Here, it was the HUSBAND that opened up the gift boxes and suggested to the wife if they should keep the gift or return. Then the WIFE had to run up and down the stairs and carry all the heavy boxes. Seriously, has anyone ever seen an episode of Shop Til' You Drop where the husband opens the boxes? Well, I have, and let me tell you, it was unbelievable.

This is not the husband opening the boxes episode, but they are quite possibly the most excited Drop contestants ever. And they are not a married or dating couple? In fact, she is married and he has a girlfriend. I had no idea that was even legal on Shop Til' You Drop.



22. STUDS (1991-1993) STUDS was The Dating Game for cool people. I remember it used to come on real late at night and it was probably a little inappropriate for me to be watching, but I suppose I turned out just fine, so whatever. The show featured two guys (The Studs) that each got to go on a blind date with the same three women (the studettes.) At the end of the game the girls picked a Stud, and each Stud picked a studette. I was always so embarrassed for the girl that nobody choose, but I am sure it was just because she was either annoying, obnoxious, or maybe even disgusting.
Not only was Tami from the The Real World: LA on the show (WHILE SHE WAS ON THE REAL WORLD) seriously, she was on a reality show and a game show at the same time, but also Ron Goldman was a Stud three years before some random man murdered him and OJ Simpson's Ex wife.

21. Tic Tac Dough (1956-1959 NBC, 1978-1986 CBS, 1990-1991) About 28 years ago my brother and I (then ages 4 and 7) were obsessed with Tic Tac Dough..... Let me rephrase that, we were obsessed with a contestant on Tic Tac Dough. At the ages of 4 and 7 we knew that this guy was something special. He is still, to this day, without question, one of the greatest contestants on any game show in the history of television; Kit Salisbury. Below is a clip of Kit and his final moment on Tic Tac Dough

This was, by far, the saddest moment in 4 year old Ryan's life up until this time. I had to say goodbye to my dear friend, Kit.

 

Kit Salisbury: A true game show legend.