What Are Your Favorite Moments of the Decade?
I’m not a huge fan of those lists that are sweeping generalizations with little insight other than, “Look how many YouTube hits it has! It has to be the best!” Having said that I will probably start making some just in case some are needed. But the main thing is everyone lists are different and you are sure to piss off dozens of people saying, “These are the best lists and if you don’t like it, tough.” It’s why I’m really interested in what you have to say. The decade of game shows is over. Just about everything is in reruns until 2010 now basically and nothing else major is going to happen. So what are your favorite moments of the decade? There’s a YouTube feature in comments so if you find a video feel free to post it. I’m going to post mine obviously because you can’t shut me up, but I’m more curious about what your favorite moments or events of the decade were. Mine’s a personal list and I can’t wait to see what your personal lists are. I’m just going with five:
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE MOMENTS OR EVENTS OF THE DECADE OF GAME SHOWS?
*The Daytime Game Show Revitalization: I really never thought we would see a shakeup or a giant debacle in the terms of daytime game shows. First comes Bob Barker retiring from The Price is Right, which I never thought would happen as well. Drew Carey comes in and made the show his own fantastically. It had a small rough patch but I still get a giant smile on my face when I see Drew walk through the doors. He and Rich Fields and the new crew have really turned that show around to be something special again, and they cannot be thanked enough. But the biggest shock came from the inclusion of Let’s Make A Deal which has been fantastic. Then comes the news that it’s doing well, another soap opera is on its way out, and there’s a chance we may be getting a third game in daytime. It’s all been really sudden and very welcomed. This decade really showed that game shows are important to networks and not these time fillers. They are popular, economically sound, and enjoyable for everyone. It’s been the biggest genre thrill for me.
*Maria Lay wins $100,000 on GSN’s Russian Roulette: The old GSN original Russian Roulette is the show that made me want to work in the genre. Before then all shows were pretty similar and you stood behind a podium and answered questions. That wasn’t great inspiration for me. Then, suddenly, a show comes along where people can drop through a hole in the floor. I was sold right there. The show had all the tension, nerves, luck, quiz elements, and excitement in a show that I want to see in my shows. The epitome of this was Maria Lay’s top prize win from season two. I think this show had more of an effect on the genre than it’s given credit for.
*Raul loses $263,000 on 1 VS 100: Sadly NBC’s 1 VS 100 was shortlived but I firmly believed it proved that hard quiz shows could still work. That was followed by NBC deciding to pansy up the game in season two. We wouldn’t have seen a lot of the quizzes on TV now without it. Without a doubt the most exciting moment from the show was Raul’s $263,000 gamble. The reaction of the audience to the question is something I won’t forget.
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*Ogi Ogas Wins $500,000 on Who Wants to be a Millionaire: It’s not big secret that I think Millionaire is the best game show out there. There are bigger moments that people remember, like John Carpenter being the first to win. You may have others. However, no moment comes remotely to Ogi Ogas’s historic run up the board. His agony over the $500,000 and anguish of the $1,000,000 question is what the game is all about, and it’s what I dislike about the clock. We won’t have moments like this ever. For what it’s worth I think Ogi Ogas had the best moment in the history of the show.
*GSN’s Grand Slam: It wasn’t that popular or well known, but GSN’s Grand Slam was the stuff game show fans dream of. There hasn’t been, and I doubt there will be, a competition quite like it. Even beyond having all those game show champions face off it was just a fantastic tense format that was a ton of fun to play. It goes back to the great mind of Michael Davies and his company Embassy Row who brought it over from England. I don’t think another company would have brought it over. It’s hard to single out a specific moment, because the entire series was just so special.
*Honorable Mention: I had to include something from Deal or No Deal. It took us so long to get the show right, but this is the moment where I think it finally clicked in the minds of the producers of how to make the show exciting. You can’t just throw around cash and get people. You have to create tension by having tough offers that you want to turn down so badly but can’t, creating intense moments. There hasn’t been a larger-shout-at-the-TV moment in the history of the show than this.
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Our fourth annual Top XX countdown begins tomorrow. It’s the Top 09 of 2009! Don’t miss it.
I don't think "Whammy" would've been a good fit for the late Mr. Tomarken.
Granted, it might've worked, but personally, I thought he would've done better on "Winning Lines" (had there actually been a syndicated version, where the top prize is a trip around the world, just like the original UK version).
I don't think "Whammy" would've been a good fit for the late Mr. Tomarken.
Granted, it might've worked, but personally, I thought he would've done better on "Winning Lines" (had there actually been a syndicated version, where the top prize is a trip around the world, just like the original UK version).
in no particular order …
John Carpenter's WWTBAM win
Ken Jennings' 75-game run on Jeopardy!
the three-way tie on J!
J!'s Ultimate Tournament of Champions
Dick Clark plays Pyramid again.
the perfect showcase bid on TPIR
Grand Slam
Pyramid Thursdays
Newlywed Game has its first same-sex couple.
seeing three online acquaintances and the son of a co-worker on game shows
Honorable Mention to finally having GSN on my cable system!
in no particular order …
John Carpenter's WWTBAM win
Ken Jennings' 75-game run on Jeopardy!
the three-way tie on J!
J!'s Ultimate Tournament of Champions
Dick Clark plays Pyramid again.
the perfect showcase bid on TPIR
Grand Slam
Pyramid Thursdays
Newlywed Game has its first same-sex couple.
seeing three online acquaintances and the son of a co-worker on game shows
Honorable Mention to finally having GSN on my cable system!
Uh, people, John Carpenter's $1,000,000 win can't be one of the best moments of this decade because it happened in November, 1999. My best game show MOMENT of the aughts? Three words: "Zerg defeats Jennings."
Uh, people, John Carpenter's $1,000,000 win can't be one of the best moments of this decade because it happened in November, 1999. My best game show MOMENT of the aughts? Three words: "Zerg defeats Jennings."
I think the Top 5 overall moments and events and situations to mention for the decade are things I never truly thought would happen…or at least happen so quickly…OR as well as they were! My Top 5 moments include (in no particular order, except #1)…
The entire experience of GSN original programming from about 2002-2004. "Whammy!", "Russian Roulette", and even "Wintuition" and the first few seasons of "Lingo" were just a game show fans dream! AMAZING time period! That was when GSN was truly done well!
The $1,000,000 win on "Wheel of Fortune" was unbelievable. for Michelle to land on the space in the FIRST spin and land on the space in the bonus round and win and win the money is AMAZING! Just anyone not getting a Bankrupt the entire game is amazing, but everything else…truly fascinating!
Bob Barker was legendary and, although you had to know he had to retire SOMETIME, no one really expected it to happen anytime soon! It created a major frenzy and Drew Carey really just kinda sucked initially, but that entire cast…including Carey…are just doing the show the best they could. Truly awesome!
"Grand Slam" is another thing I never thought I'd see and it was a real treat for any game show fan.
The biggest thing I NEVER thought I'd see was Ken Jennings' run on "Jeopardy!" It's hands down one of the biggest pop culture moments of the decade. When the decade started, I never thought I'd see a time period without "Jeopardy!" having the 5-day limit when the decade started in 2000, let alone a contestant go for 75 days. The fact that it happened towards the end of one season and the summer reruns were in between his run made it that much more exciting. It was the closest thing game shows have ever had to "Dallas" and it was fascinating!!! He's still banking off of that now and that's how much effect that moment had.
It's been a fun decade and I'm SOOO ready for the next one to come! :)
"Grand Slam" is another thing I never thought I'd see and it was a real treat for any game show fan.
The biggest thing I NEVER thought I'd see was Ken Jennings' run on "Jeopardy!" It's hands down one of the biggest pop culture moments of the decade. When the decade started, I never thought I'd see a time period without "Jeopardy!" having the 5-day limit when the decade started in 2000, let alone a contestant go for 75 days. The fact that it happened towards the end of one season and the summer reruns were in between his run made it that much more exciting. It was the closest thing game shows have ever had to "Dallas" and it was fascinating!!! He's still banking off of that now and that's how much effect that moment had.
It's been a fun decade and I'm SOOO ready for the next one to come! :)
The Top 10 worst game show moment of the decade:
#10. The second season of Duel. I thought it should’ve been done as an occasional series (e.g. sweeps and summer months)
#9. The overexposure of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?.
#8. Identity. Enough said about that train wreck.
#7. Temptation. Fremantle really butchered and kill Sale Of The Century.
#6. Mark Walberg being blackballed from Trivial Pursuit: America Plays by Fox.
#5. The aborted second season of Merv Griffin’s Crosswords.
#4. CBS passing on Pyramid. Hopfully they can right this wrong by making it As The World Turns’ replacement.
#3. Card Sharks 2001. I’m with you on that one, insaneben.
#2. Rich Bell turning down $600,000 and later $500,000 only to end up with $5 on Deal or No Deal.
#1. Ken Basin going down in history (in a bad way) as the first person to get the $1 million question wrong on Millionaire.
Honorable Mention:
Post-2002 GSN,
Amnesia.
The Chair.
Temptation Island (if you consider that a game show).
Moment of Truth.
Show Me the Money.
Set For Life.
National Bingo Night.
the next one is going to be great. Especially with the new Hasbro/Discovery GSN!
dam… that's a good question. So many great moments in game shows this decade. From Richard Hatch to the 7000th episode of Price, I'm gonna need a minute to think this through
dam… that's a good question. So many great moments in game shows this decade. From Richard Hatch to the 7000th episode of Price, I'm gonna need a minute to think this through
Choosing the worst moments is harder than choosing the best, because sometimes an epic fail is a lot of fun to watch. (See Tom Poston's $0 trip to the Winner's Circle in 1986, even though it's not unique.) Here are some of my choices, again in no particular order.
1. the MDP contestant who won $0 with William Shatner and had her segment cut
2. the DOND contestant whose segment was cut because she was "too boring"
3. the J! player who got on a second time and was caught by a viewer
4. J! having a different rule on ties for Kids' Week. The one time it happened (that I know of), they had a sudden-death clue, like in a tournament, instead of just declaring them co-champions.
5. that Moment of Truth ever saw the light of day
6. CBS passes on Pyramid. (I won't count this one if they pick it up.)
7. Temptation
Choosing the worst moments is harder than choosing the best, because sometimes an epic fail is a lot of fun to watch. (See Tom Poston's $0 trip to the Winner's Circle in 1986, even though it's not unique.) Here are some of my choices, again in no particular order.
1. the MDP contestant who won $0 with William Shatner and had her segment cut
2. the DOND contestant whose segment was cut because she was "too boring"
3. the J! player who got on a second time and was caught by a viewer
4. J! having a different rule on ties for Kids' Week. The one time it happened (that I know of), they had a sudden-death clue, like in a tournament, instead of just declaring them co-champions.
5. that Moment of Truth ever saw the light of day
6. CBS passes on Pyramid. (I won't count this one if they pick it up.)
7. Temptation
I agree with you on Temptation USA being one of the worst monents of the decade as well as the Moment of Truth.
Devares: I didn't think the Chair was that bad. It was tolerable. It was the Chamber that rubbed me the wrong way. It's bad enough to answer questions in a blazing heat or sub-freezing chamber, it's also subjecting your body to go through that torture that I didn't like. Somebody might've gotten killed in there
I agree with you on Temptation USA being one of the worst monents of the decade as well as the Moment of Truth.
Devares: I didn't think the Chair was that bad. It was tolerable. It was the Chamber that rubbed me the wrong way. It's bad enough to answer questions in a blazing heat or sub-freezing chamber, it's also subjecting your body to go through that torture that I didn't like. Somebody might've gotten killed in there
One of the Worst Shows of the decade is the short lived GSN show, "How Much Is Enough?"
@ Craig: That’s what I meant, The Chamber.
Myke's faves of the decade:
1) Seeing Dick Clark play Pyramid again…even though it was the watered-down Donny version.
2) Seeing Betty White play Password again.
3) Ken Jennings
4) Power of 10. CBS went all out to kill this show. Why does CBS even bother putting game shows in prime time if they won't let them grow?
5) The original Duel. Greenie should get another show.
6) Grand Slam…I even liked Dennis Miller.
7) The Jeopardy Ultimate TofC. How many smart people can you fit in one show?
8) The Price Is Right. After a very rocky start, Drew & Co. are making the show their own.
9) John O'Hurley hosts Family Feud. Best FF host since Dawson. Loved him on To Tell the Truth, too.
10) CBS adds more daytime games. LMAD is opening the door for more to follow.
Myke's faves of the decade:
1) Seeing Dick Clark play Pyramid again…even though it was the watered-down Donny version.
2) Seeing Betty White play Password again.
3) Ken Jennings
4) Power of 10. CBS went all out to kill this show. Why does CBS even bother putting game shows in prime time if they won't let them grow?
5) The original Duel. Greenie should get another show.
6) Grand Slam…I even liked Dennis Miller.
7) The Jeopardy Ultimate TofC. How many smart people can you fit in one show?
8) The Price Is Right. After a very rocky start, Drew & Co. are making the show their own.
9) John O'Hurley hosts Family Feud. Best FF host since Dawson. Loved him on To Tell the Truth, too.
10) CBS adds more daytime games. LMAD is opening the door for more to follow.
Myke's faves of the decade:
1) Seeing Dick Clark play Pyramid again…even though it was the watered-down Donny version.
2) Seeing Betty White play Password again.
3) Ken Jennings
4) Power of 10. CBS went all out to kill this show. Why does CBS even bother putting game shows in prime time if they won't let them grow?
5) The original Duel. Greenie should get another show.
6) Grand Slam…I even liked Dennis Miller.
7) The Jeopardy Ultimate TofC. How many smart people can you fit in one show?
8) The Price Is Right. After a very rocky start, Drew & Co. are making the show their own.
9) John O'Hurley hosts Family Feud. Best FF host since Dawson. Loved him on To Tell the Truth, too.
10) CBS adds more daytime games. LMAD is opening the door for more to follow.
Keep in mind that this is what I can think of, off the top of my head. :-)
THE BEST:
* Dick Clark climbs the "Pyramid" again, albeit for three episodes. The last one, with Betty White, is a classic.
* Betty White returns to "Password", becoming the only celebrity to play on all versions *and* the only celebrity to show up twice.
* John O'Hurley hosts "Family Feud", and all the changes made since then.
* Drew Carey becomes host of "The Price is Right", bringing the series full-circle — seriously, people had to stop and wonder if Bill Cullen was actually dead…I mean, LOOK AT HIM!
* "Let's Make A Deal" returns, with Wayne Brady as host. It also opens the door for more games, which may possibly make 2009-12 the new 1975.
* "Price" Season 38. After Season 37, the show has risen (mostly) from that.
* Ken (freakin') Jennings. Currently, the contestant with the most money made over their career.
* Scott Hostetler appears on Donnymid, "Crosswords", and "Catch-21" — and wins $25,000 on the last.
And my favorite of all time…
* CBS finally grows some balls and fires Bob Barker from "The Price is Right". Yes, FIRED (not RETIRED) — you honestly think that the lawsuit news just a few days earlier didn't have something to do with Barker's "voluntary" retirement?
==========================
THE WORST:
* Rod Roddy, Peter Tomarken , and Merv Griffin pass away. All were upsetting.
* "Crosswords" and "Temptation" (aka "The Crosswords-Temptation Hour"). One was Griffin's magnum opus, the other was both an import of the Australian "Temptation" and a revival of the classic "Sale Of The Century". Both debuted at the same time, both royally sucked in every single aspect.
* Donnymid. "Pyramid" returns, worse than Davidson. (Gotta say, though, that it wasn't as bad as the 1996-97 pilots.)
* Drew Carey grows a huge ego to become "Barker II", writing horrid Showcases and making Rich Fields act like a douche. Thanks, Nina Tassler!
* The final match of the "Duel" Tournament for over $1.5M, which ended after ONE QUESTION in the most blatant "Barry-Enright rigged 1950s quiz show" way.
* "The Guiding Light" ends after a staggering 72-year run. Add to that the canning of "As The World Turns" after 53 years, and the complete decimation of Proctor & Gamble's soap-opera empire.
* Randy West gets screwed out of being "Price is Right" announcer after somebody (not Bob, Roger, Syd, Fremantle, or CBS) wanted the auditions to continue for another week. This is how we got Rich Fields.
* Mark L. Walberg (and Todd Newton, and Mario Lopez, and…) gets screwed out of hosting "Price" — Walberg was Roger Dobkowitz's personal choice, but none of the auditioning people were a "name" celebrity.
* Peter Tomarken gets screwed out of hosting "Whammy!" That, in my mind, is the main reason it sucked.
* "Price" retiring Make Your Mark because Drew royally screwed up…and nobody wanted to tell him so.
And the biggest one…
* Roger Dobkowitz being ousted from "Price" because he stood in the way of Fremantle "taking the show in a new direction", which looks oddly like the old one. Also, the essential whitewashing of Barker from the show…although I'm actually proud of that, they shouldn't have ousted two games.
Keep in mind that this is what I can think of, off the top of my head. :-)
THE BEST:
* Dick Clark climbs the "Pyramid" again, albeit for three episodes. The last one, with Betty White, is a classic.
* Betty White returns to "Password", becoming the only celebrity to play on all versions *and* the only celebrity to show up twice.
* John O'Hurley hosts "Family Feud", and all the changes made since then.
* Drew Carey becomes host of "The Price is Right", bringing the series full-circle — seriously, people had to stop and wonder if Bill Cullen was actually dead…I mean, LOOK AT HIM!
* "Let's Make A Deal" returns, with Wayne Brady as host. It also opens the door for more games, which may possibly make 2009-12 the new 1975.
* "Price" Season 38. After Season 37, the show has risen (mostly) from that.
* Ken (freakin') Jennings. Currently, the contestant with the most money made over their career.
* Scott Hostetler appears on Donnymid, "Crosswords", and "Catch-21" — and wins $25,000 on the last.
And my favorite of all time…
* CBS finally grows some balls and fires Bob Barker from "The Price is Right". Yes, FIRED (not RETIRED) — you honestly think that the lawsuit news just a few days earlier didn't have something to do with Barker's "voluntary" retirement?
==========================
THE WORST:
* Rod Roddy, Peter Tomarken , and Merv Griffin pass away. All were upsetting.
* "Crosswords" and "Temptation" (aka "The Crosswords-Temptation Hour"). One was Griffin's magnum opus, the other was both an import of the Australian "Temptation" and a revival of the classic "Sale Of The Century". Both debuted at the same time, both royally sucked in every single aspect.
* Donnymid. "Pyramid" returns, worse than Davidson. (Gotta say, though, that it wasn't as bad as the 1996-97 pilots.)
* Drew Carey grows a huge ego to become "Barker II", writing horrid Showcases and making Rich Fields act like a douche. Thanks, Nina Tassler!
* The final match of the "Duel" Tournament for over $1.5M, which ended after ONE QUESTION in the most blatant "Barry-Enright rigged 1950s quiz show" way.
* "The Guiding Light" ends after a staggering 72-year run. Add to that the canning of "As The World Turns" after 53 years, and the complete decimation of Proctor & Gamble's soap-opera empire.
* Randy West gets screwed out of being "Price is Right" announcer after somebody (not Bob, Roger, Syd, Fremantle, or CBS) wanted the auditions to continue for another week. This is how we got Rich Fields.
* Mark L. Walberg (and Todd Newton, and Mario Lopez, and…) gets screwed out of hosting "Price" — Walberg was Roger Dobkowitz's personal choice, but none of the auditioning people were a "name" celebrity.
* Peter Tomarken gets screwed out of hosting "Whammy!" That, in my mind, is the main reason it sucked.
* "Price" retiring Make Your Mark because Drew royally screwed up…and nobody wanted to tell him so.
And the biggest one…
* Roger Dobkowitz being ousted from "Price" because he stood in the way of Fremantle "taking the show in a new direction", which looks oddly like the old one. Also, the essential whitewashing of Barker from the show…although I'm actually proud of that, they shouldn't have ousted two games.
@ Daniel:I like how you think, but (and I could answer my own question on this one) how’s the cancellation of Guiding Light and As The World Turns is the worst, at least from a game show perspective? Yeah it would be worst if you’re a fan of those soaps, but, in this day and age, you have to sacrafice something to get something new. And 2009-12 could be the new 1975, if only ABC would make its daytime lineup dominated by game shows, which is unlikely to happen. The only way ABC will entertain the idea of having a game show in its daytime lineup is if they syndicate The View, which is rumored to happen in 2011 when Oprah leaves the air.
I didn't say it was the worst from a game-show perspective, or at least I didn't mean it that way. Both shows had amazingly-long runs, and it will be sad to see them go. "The Guiding Light" lasted an amazing 72 years, and Proctor & Gamble is quickly going out of business.
I didn't say it was the worst from a game-show perspective, or at least I didn't mean it that way. Both shows had amazingly-long runs, and it will be sad to see them go. "The Guiding Light" lasted an amazing 72 years, and Proctor & Gamble is quickly going out of business.
True, they could have easily sped up the game. Still, it was an interesting format to say the least, and I'd like to see it be brought back someday.
True, they could have easily sped up the game. Still, it was an interesting format to say the least, and I'd like to see it be brought back someday.
True, they could have easily sped up the game. Still, it was an interesting format to say the least, and I'd like to see it be brought back someday.
Chuck Barris was once quoted as saying "The ultimate game show would be where the losing was killed"
P.S.: BAD: GSN's fluctuations over the decade. They seriously go from being totally dire to doing things that make you say, "Wow, cool" at random.
I mean, we started with the Fleming period with Throut and Neck, DJ Games, and whatnot (and the alleged promises of Heck Yeah, I'm A Redneck and the like) Then Cronin came in and added PYL and LMAD, and Marshall HS…as well as brought back different versions of popular shows. Then another originals attack, and the Sony Leasing Rules, the disappearance of B-E, the giving up on Marshall HS, and ad time conforming was amped up (time compression, split screen credits). Then came the Name Change. But a while after they gave us a good daytime lineup (Rafferty shows, PW+, SP, etc.) And so forth and so on. Now looks like it might be "it" (pretty much Fremantle leaving only MG and FF, leaning more towards 2000s shows and originals). But who knows where the story of GSN will go? One thing for sure, it tries one's patience.