Since its inception in 1994, millions of viewers have watched the 24-hour, Game Show Network, which reruns all-time classics, from “Password” and “Match Game” to the Steve Harvey “Family Feud” episodes, and everything in between. But in the last few years, GSN has stepped-up their efforts in producing original programming, and grabbed two of the six nominations in the Outstanding Game Show category at this year’s Daytime Emmys. The number of original GSN shows has been adding up quickly, and we all have our favorites:
Early Success – In 2002, GSN re-launched a not-so-well-known game from the 80s that quickly became a big hit. “Lingo”, hosted by Chuck Woolery (“Love Connection”) ran for six years and nearly 350 episodes – an all-time high for the network. Woolery’s “2 in 2” catchphrase found a new home, and the game helped many, including yours truly, learn how to spell five-letter words. That same year, GSN aired “Russian Roulette”, which was hosted by Mark L. Walberg years before he joined the “Antiques Roadshow”, the addicting “Friend or Foe?”, and the entertaining “Whammy! The All-New ‘Press Your Luck'” hosted by Emmy-winner Todd Newton.
Lots of Reboots – GSN loves reboots. The network has updated versions of many classic and beloved game shows. Most have not been well-received, including the short-lived “I’ve Got a Secret”, “Three’s a Crowd”, “1 vs. 100” with “Dancing with the Stars”‘ Carrie Ann Inaba, “Minute to Win It” hosted by speed skating champ Apolo Anton Ohno, and even a re-hash of the network’s own “Lingo” with host Bill Engvall in 2011. New versions of both “Chain Reaction” and “The Pyramid” were fairly well done. “The Newlywed Game” (currently hosted by Sherri Shepherd) has proved to be a success, though it’s a tough watch.
Gone or Should Be – Remember the disastrous “Bingo America”, very brief run of “Starface” hosted by Danny Bonaduce, the not-so “Whose Line?” “Drew Carey’s Improv-A-Ganza”, “20 Q” starring “So You Think You Can Dance?”‘s Cat Deeley, Jerry Springer’s complete mess “Baggage” and the equally dumpy “Love Triangle” with Wendy Williams? Unfortunately a few of these can still be found on the network. And I couldn’t leave out that midnight madness “High Stakes Poker”.
GSN’s current lineup includes “Idiotest”, a “not as clever as it thinks it is” game with rookie host Ben Gleib, as well as “Skin Wars” (which isn’t really a game show but a reality competition) and the hour-long dating adventure “It Takes a Church”. However, the network does have two shows that are making people finally take notice of the 20-year-old channel: “The American Bible Challenge”, the hour-long biblical Q&A showdown hosted by Jeff Foxworthy, which just finished its third season, has set ratings records for GSN and has given away
hundreds of thousands of dollars to deserving charities. And one of TV’s
best guilty pleasures, “The Chase”, pits trivia titan Mark Labbett (aka “The Beast”) against top contestants in a pressure-packed, high-stakes battle of brains.
Game shows have been an important part of television since the beginning on television. Hopefully GSN can come-up with more quality and exciting original games, while avoiding the reboots and reality programs.