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wThe Hall of Games |
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My Top 25 Favorite Game Shows
#11 - HOLLYWOOD SQUARES
Hosts: Peter Marshall, John Davidson, Tom Bergeron
Next to "Match Game," this was the best comedy game show. The original
helmed by game show great Peter Marshall is by far the best with classic
panelists Rose Marie, George Gobel, and of course, Paul Lynde providing
the funny quips. The Davidson version was decent, but the current revival
with Whoopi as the center square is one of the few game show revivals that
has come close to matching the feel and fun of the classic version. Tom
Bergeron does a superb job of hosting and has really emerged as one of TV's
best new hosts.
#12 - HIGH ROLLERS
Hosts: Alex Trebek, Wink Martindale
The dice game "Shut the Box" is turned into a game in this Heatter-Quigley
gem. The beauty of this game was that every subsequent roll could be
the last determining the outcome of the game. The questions were
no-brainers, but the dice game was the star. This show featured Trebek
at his most fun and Wink did a great job in the 1987 revival providing
his best post-Tic-Tac-Dough performance. The 70s and 80s versions
each sported great themes and if given a choice the '78-'80 version
stands as the best with its rollover prizes leading up to HUGE payoffs
for knocking out a column.
#13 - CONCENTRATION/CLASSIC CONCENTRATION
Hosts: Hugh Downs, Ed McMahon, Bob Clayton, Alex Trebek, et al...
The first game to really take advantage of the television medium.
Here was TV's first successful visual game. In addition to the basic
matching game, there was the rebus puzzle which added another layer
of play-along and elevated it to a status above being just another
TV adaption of a kiddie game. The prizes weren't all that spectactular
but nevertheless, the game was simple, easy to follow, and featured
a huge play-along factor.
#14 - TO TELL THE TRUTH
Hosts: Bud Collyer, Garry Moore, Joe Garagiola, Robin Ward, Gordon Elliott,
Lynn Swann, Alex Trebek, John O'Hurley
My favorite of the Goodson-Todman panel games. Again, like all great
games there a simple format. Which one of these people is telling the truth.
Moreover, there was a huge play-along factor. One cannot help but
look at these three people and try to figure who is the real one.
The classic versions featured great panelists such as Orson Bean, Peggy Cass,
and of course, Miss Kitty Carlisle-Hart. The revivals have pretty much
been faithful and true to the original with the short-lived 1990 version
hosted by Gordon Elliott being a sentimental favorite with its regal
version of the Charles Fox "To Tell the Truth" theme and its classy
gold and blue set. The current version is nothing to sneeze at either.
Meschach Taylor has emerged as a great panelist while John O'Hurley
brings a touch of class to the hosting duties that recalls the late Bud Collyer.
#15 - WHEW!
Host: Tom Kennedy
Probably one of the most obscure shows on the Top 25 list. Creative
Jay Wolpert game show where contestants tried to block each other while
correcting clever pun-filled "bloopers" on a giant game board. This
show probably involved the most strategy ever seen on a game show. Tom Kennedy
kept the pace up, Alan Thicke provided an excellent score, and that $25,000
wasn't too shabby for a grand prize in 1980.
#16 - JEOPARDY!
Host: Art Fleming, Alex Trebek
The grandaddy of the straightforward quiz shows. It just doesn't get
any more basic than this. This is really the game show that features
the cream of the crop of trivia-meisters. The original featured the
gentleman-like demeanor of Art Fleming while the current and what really
has become the most popular version offers the often-mocked, but yet effect
schoolmaster hosting styles of Alex Trebek. And what person doesn't
recognize that classic "Jeopardy!" think music.
#17 - SPLIT SECOND
Hosts: Tom Kennedy, Monty Hall
This Hatos-Hall production created by Stu Billett is another classic quiz
and is probably one of the fastest. The Countdown Round stands as one of the
most climactic final rounds as players can come from behind and win with
just one set of questions. The ABC version hosted by Tom Kennedy
is by far the superior version with it's breakaway set and a great theme
by Stan Worth.
#18 - JACKPOT
Hosts: Geoff Edwards, Mike Darrow
Unique riddle game show in which sixteen contestants vied for thousands
of dollars in the entire week. Geoff Edwards proved that he could
do the Q-and-A format here. The NBC version was best of the three runs
boasting a dramatic Bob Cobert theme and really big Super Jackpots. While most of
the riddles weren't brain-busters, there were a few cleverly-written
ones especially in the 70s version.
#19 - WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?
Host: Regis Philbin
The newest game show on the Top 25 list. While it is very derivative of
the classic "$64,000 Question," it improves upon it with its faster pace,
multiple-choice questions (which lent to adding the all-important play along
factor), and the Lifelines which have become a part of 21st century lexicon.
The show proved Regis Philbin can host a game show and its look and music
set the trend for game shows to follow. Most importantly, it made the
game show a viable genre after being perceived as dead for almost a decade.
#20 - SCRABBLE
Host: Chuck Woolery
This Reg Grundy show had nothing to do with board game except that they
used the game board, the term "tiles," and the name. Despite this, the
creators of the show came up with a nice twist on hangman. The big hook
for me were the clever clues devised by the writers. Getting a good grasp
of those clues really could buy contestant those important extra seconds needed
to get ahead in the Sprint rounds. Chuck Woolery fit in perfectly with this
show (his second traditional gamer) which seemed like a natural progression
from his "Wheel" days.
And closing out the Top 25
#21 - $100,000 NAME THAT TUNE (Tom Kennedy version)
#22 - BODY LANGUAGE
#23 - TIC TAC DOUGH (Wink Martindale version)
#24 - MONOPOLY
#25 - TREASURE HUNT (Chuck Barris version)
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