CBN/Family Channel Game Show Block Listings (1982-1986, 1993-1998)

[PYLclark86]

I found myself using a free trial to newspapers.com to scour one of the local paper's TV listings for what our local affiliates aired in the 90s. After I climbed out of that rabbit hole, I decided to hop in another one and finally pick apart the afternoon lineups for CBN/Family Channel. Notes included where necessary.

Not included in these listings:

• Any first-run primetime airings like That's My Dog or Baby Races.
• Weekend repeats prior to fall '94.
• Anything from the Fox Family Channel relaunch like I Can't Believe You Said That and Random Acts of Comedy.

CBN

May 31, 1982*
1:30 p.m.: The $50,000 Pyramid

6:30: The $50,000 Pyramid
7:00: Bullseye

*Local listings identified the CBN entry as a local affiliate/independent station until 1983. I’m assuming any airings prior to October 1982 were local repeats/syndicated offerings. I swear someone recalled the cable network airing $50,000 Pyramid at one point.

October 4, 1982*
4:30 p.m.: Bullseye
5:00: Chain Reaction
5:30: Let’s Make a Deal
6:00: Tic Tac Dough

*For a few weeks in November Bullseye and Tic Tac Dough would swap times back and forth, including one week where the two shows shared the 4:30 p.m. slot. This would revert back to the original schedule by December.

October 3, 1983
4:30 p.m.: Bullseye
5:00: Tic Tac Dough
5:30: Let’s Make a Deal
6:00: (The New) Treasure Hunt

July 16, 1984*
4:30 p.m. Face the Music
5:00: Tic Tac Dough
5:30: Let’s Make a Deal
6:00: The New Treasure Hunt

*The New Treasure Hunt would occasionally air in the 4:30 p.m. slot instead of Face the Music.

September 3, 1984
4:30 p.m.: Face the Music
5:00: Tic Tac Dough
5:30: Card Sharks
6:00: Hot Potato

October 8, 1984
4:00 p.m.: Blockbusters
4:30: Face the Music
5:00: Tic Tac Dough
5:30: Card Sharks
6:00: Hot Potato

July 8, 1985
5:00 p.m.: Face the Music
5:30: Tic Tac Dough
6:00: Blockbusters

July 22, 1985
5:00 p.m.: Tic Tac Dough
5:30: Face the Music
6:00: Blockbusters

September 2, 1985
5:00 p.m.: Tic Tac Dough
5:30: Face the Music
6:00: The $100,000 Name That Tune

September 30, 1985
5:00 p.m.: Tic Tac Dough
5:30: Go
6:00: The $100,000 Name That Tune

January 6, 1986
4:00 p.m.: Face the Music
4:30: The $100,000 Name That Tune
5:00: Tic Tac Dough
5:30: Go

September 1, 1986
4:00 p.m.: Tic Tac Dough
4:30: Break the Bank

September 8, 1986
12:30 p.m.: Tic Tac Dough
1:00: Break the Bank

December 26, 1986 was the final day for CBN’s game show block.

The Family Channel lineup coming in the replies...

[PYLclark86]

The Family Channel
September 9, 1989
Saturdays
10:00 a.m.: I’m Telling!

Repeats of I’m Telling aired on FAM until September 8, 1990.

June 7, 1993
11:30 a.m.: Cross-wits*
Noon: Trivial Pursuit: The Interactive Game
12:30 p.m.: Trivial Pursuit
1:00: The $100,000 Name That Tune
1:30: Let’s Make a Deal

*Edit: Cross-wits did indeed air on FAM. Thanks to Mark O. for catching this omission in the OP.

August 30, 1993
Noon: Trivial Pursuit: The Interactive Game
12:30 p.m.: Trivial Pursuit
1:00: The $100,000 Name That Tune
1:30: Let’s Make a Deal
2:00: Split Second (Mon-Thu), That’s My Dog (Fri.)
2:30: Let’s Make a Deal

September 18, 1993
Noon: The $100,000 Name That Tune
12:30 p.m.: Let’s Make a Deal
1:00: Trivial Pursuit: The Interactive Game
1:30: Trivial Pursuit
2:00: Split Second (Mon-Thu), That’s My Dog (Fri.)
2:30: Let’s Make a Deal

January 3, 1994
Noon: The $100,000 Name That Tune
12:30 p.m.: Let’s Make a Deal
1:00: Trivial Pursuit: The Interactive Game
1:30: Trivial Pursuit
2:00: Split Second
2:30: Let’s Make a Deal

4:30: That’s My Dog

March 7, 1994
Noon: Let’s Make a Deal
12:30 p.m.: Shuffle: The Interactive Game
1:00: Trivial Pursuit
1:30: The $100,000 Name That Tune
2:00: Boggle: The Interactive Game
2:30: Let’s Make a Deal

4:30: That’s My Dog

June 13, 1994
Noon: Let’s Make a Deal
12:30 p.m.: Jumble: The Interactive Game
1:00: Trivial Pursuit
1:30: The $100,000 Name That Tune
2:00: Boggle: The Interactive Game
2:30: Let’s Make a Deal

4:30: That’s My Dog

On August 29, FAM launched FamTV (later renamed AFTV), an afternoon block dedicated to kids. Repeats of I’m Telling joined two new originals. These shows would also air on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

August 29, 1994
Weekdays
Noon: Let’s Make a Deal
12:30 p.m.: Jumble: The Interactive Game
1:00: Trivial Pursuit
1:30: The $100,000 Name That Tune
2:00: Boggle: The Interactive Game
2:30: Let’s Make a Deal

4:00: I’m Telling!
4:30: That’s My Dog
5:00: Maximum Drive
5:30: Masters of the Maze

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Maximum Drive
10:00: Masters of the Maze
10:30: That’s My Dog

Sundays
10:00 a.m.: Masters of the Maze
10:30: Maximum Drive

September 5, 1994
Weekdays
Noon: Let’s Make a Deal
12:30: Trivial Pursuit: The Interactive Game
1:00: Trivial Pursuit
1:30: Boggle: The Interactive Game
2:00: The $100,000 Name That Tune
2:30: Let’s Make a Deal

4:00: I’m Telling!
4:30: That’s My Dog
5:00: Maximum Drive
5:30: Masters of the Maze

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Maximum Drive
10:00: Masters of the Maze
10:30: That’s My Dog

Sundays
10:00 a.m.: Masters of the Maze
10:30: Maximum Drive

September 19, 1994
Weekdays
Noon: Let’s Make a Deal
12:30 p.m.: The $100,000 Name That Tune
1:00 p.m.: Trivial Pursuit: The Interactive Game
1:30: Trivial Pursuit
2:00: Boggle: The Interactive Game
2:30: Let’s Make a Deal

4:00: I’m Telling!
4:30: That’s My Dog
5:00: Maximum Drive
5:30: Masters of the Maze

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Maximum Drive
10:00: Masters of the Maze
10:30: That’s My Dog

Sundays
10:00 a.m.: Masters of the Maze
10:30: Maximum Drive

October 10, 1994
Weekdays
Noon: Let’s Make a Deal
12:30 p.m.: The $100,000 Name That Tune
1:00: Trivial Pursuit: The Interactive Game
1:30: Trivial Pursuit
2:00: Boggle: The Interactive Game
2:30: Let’s Make a Deal

4:00: I’m Telling!
4:30: That’s My Dog
5:00: Maximum Drive
5:30: Masters of the Maze

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Maximum Drive
10:00: Masters of the Maze
10:30: That’s My Dog

Sundays
10:30 a.m.: Maximum Drive
11:00: Masters of the Maze
11:30: That’s My Dog

November 7, 1994
Weekdays
Noon: Let’s Make a Deal
12:30 p.m.: The $100,000 Name That Tune
1:00: Trivial Pursuit: The Interactive Game
1:30: Trivial Pursuit
2:00: Boggle: The Interactive Game
2:30: Let’s Make a Deal

4:00: I’m Telling!
4:30: Masters of the Maze
5:00: Maximum Drive
5:30: That’s My Dog

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Maximum Drive
10:00: Masters of the Maze
10:30: That’s My Dog

Sundays
10:30 a.m.: Maximum Drive
11:00: Masters of the Maze
11:30: That’s My Dog

November 24 and 25, 1994 (Special Thanksgiving Schedule)
Noon: Maximum Drive
12:30 p.m.: Masters of the Maze
1:00: I’m Telling!

4:00: I’m Telling!
4:30: Masters of the Maze
5:00: Maximum Drive
5:30: That’s My Dog

November 28, 1994
Weekdays
Noon: Let’s Make a Deal
12:30 p.m.: The $100,000 Name That Tune
1:00: Trivial Pursuit: The Interactive Game
1:30: Trivial Pursuit
2:00: Jumble: The Interactive Game
2:30: Let’s Make a Deal

4:00: I’m Telling!
4:30: Masters of the Maze
5:00: Maximum Drive*
5:30: That’s My Dog

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Maximum Drive
10:00: Masters of the Maze
10:30: That’s My Dog

Sundays
10:30 a.m.: Maximum Drive
11:00: Masters of the Maze
11:30: That’s My Dog

*Wikipedia says the series ended on November 25, 1994. These are assumed to be repeats.

January 2, 1995
Weekdays
Noon: Let’s Make a Deal
12:30 p.m.: The $100,000 Name That Tune
1:00: Face the Music
1:30: Trivial Pursuit
2:00: Split Second
2:30: Let’s Make a Deal

4:00: I’m Telling!
4:30: Masters of the Maze
5:00: Maximum Drive
5:30: That’s My Dog

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Maximum Drive
10:00: Masters of the Maze
10:30: That’s My Dog

Sundays
10:30 a.m.: Maximum Drive
11:00: Masters of the Maze
11:30: That’s My Dog

July 3, 1995
Weekdays
Noon: Let’s Make a Deal
12:30 p.m.: The $100,000 Name That Tune
1:00: Face the Music
1:30: Trivial Pursuit
2:00: Split Second
2:30: Let’s Make a Deal

4:00: I’m Telling!
4:30: Masters of the Maze
5:00: That’s My Dog

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Maximum Drive
10:00: Masters of the Maze

Sundays
10:30 a.m.: Masters of the Maze
11:00: That’s My Dog

September 4, 1995*
Weekdays
Noon: Let’s Make a Deal
12:30 p.m.: The $100,000 Name That Tune
1:00: Face the Music
1:30: The $100,000 Name That Tune
2:00: Split Second
2:30: Let’s Make a Deal

4:00: I’m Telling!
4:30: Masters of the Maze
5:00: That’s My Dog

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: I’m Telling!
10:00: Masters of the Maze
10:30: That’s My Dog

Sundays
10:30 a.m.: Masters of the Maze
11:00: That’s My Dog

*My source did not have TV listings for August 1995. It is possible this schedule started sooner.

October 2, 1995
Weekdays
9:00 a.m.: Let’s Make a Deal
9:30: The $100,000 Name That Tune

4:00 p.m.: Wild Animal Games
4:30: Masters of the Maze
5:00: Family Challenge

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Masters of the Maze
10:00: Family Challenge

Sundays
9:30 a.m.: Masters of the Maze
10:00: Wild Animal Games
10:30: Family Challenge

October 30, 1995
Weekdays
9:00 a.m.: Let’s Make a Deal
9:30: The $100,000 Name That Tune

3:30 p.m.: I’m Telling!
4:00: Wild Animal Games
4:30: Masters of the Maze
5:00: Family Challenge

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Wild Animal Games
10:00: Family Challenge

Sundays
9:30 a.m.: Masters of the Maze
10:00: Wild Animal Games
10:30 Family Challenge

March 29, 1996 was the final day for the morning block. At this point FAM aired only originals. EDIT: Besides I'm Telling! Briefly.

April 1, 1996*
Weekdays
8:00 a.m.: Family Challenge

4:30 p.m.: Wild Animal Games
5:00: Family Challenge

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Wild Animal Games
10:00: Family Challenge

Sundays
9:30 a.m.: Masters of the Maze
10:00: Wild Animal Games
10:30 Family Challenge

*The afternoon schedule was preempted by a movie. FAM’s regular schedule resumed on Tuesday, April 2.

June 17, 1996
Weekdays
8:00 a.m.: Family Challenge

4:30 p.m.: I’m Telling
5:00: Family Challenge

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Wild Animal Games
10:00: Family Challenge

Sundays
9:30 a.m.: Masters of the Maze
10:00: Family Challenge

July 1, 1996
Weekdays
8:00 a.m.: Family Challenge

4:30 p.m.: I’m Telling
5:00: Family Challenge

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Wild Animal Games
10:00: Family Challenge

Sundays
9:30 a.m.: Masters of the Maze
10:00: Family Challenge

August 19, 1996
Weekdays
8:00 a.m.: Family Challenge

4:30 p.m.: I’m Telling
5:00: Family Challenge

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Wild Animal Games
10:00: Family Challenge

Sundays
9:30 a.m.: Masters of the Maze
10:00: Family Challenge

September 2, 1996
Weekdays
8:00 a.m.: Family Challenge

5:00: Family Challenge

Saturdays
9:30 a.m.: Wild Animal Games
10:00: Family Challenge

Sundays
9:30 a.m.: Masters of the Maze
10:00: Family Challenge

On September 16, 1996 FAM aired a “New Fall Preview” promoting the revamped game show lineup that would air at the end of the month. This special would repeat on Saturday and Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. during the weekend of September 28th.


September 30, 1996
Weekdays
3:00 p.m. The New Shop ‘Til You Drop
3:30: Shopping Spree
4:00: Small Talk
4:30: Wait “Til You Have Kids
5:00: The New Family Challenge

Weekends
10:00 a.m.: Family Challenge

December 2, 1996*
Weekdays
3:00 p.m. The New Shop ‘Til You Drop
3:30: Shopping Spree
4:00: Small Talk
4:30: Wait “Til You Have Kids

Weekends
10:00 a.m.: Family Challenge
*Family Challenge is removed from the schedule in favor of Christmas-related programming. After a few weeks Small Talk and Wait ‘Til You Have Kids will also be preempted.

December 30, 1996
Weekdays
3:00 p.m. The New Shop ‘Til You Drop
3:30: Shopping Spree
4:00: Wait “Til You Have Kids
4:30: Small Talk

Weekends*
10:00 a.m.: Family Challenge

*Weekend repeats of Family Challenge are regularly preempted in favor of movies or other programming.


February 3, 1997
Weekdays
3:00 p.m. The New Shop ‘Til You Drop
3:30: Shopping Spree

Weekends
10:00 a.m.: Family Challenge

March 10, 1997
Weekdays
3:00 p.m. The New Shop ‘Til You Drop
3:30: Shopping Spree
4:00: It Takes Two

Weekends
10:00 a.m.: Family Challenge

June 2, 1997
Weekdays
3:00 p.m. The New Shop ‘Til You Drop
3:30: Shopping Spree

Weekends*
10:00 a.m.: Family Challenge

*Family Challenge continued to air on FAM until September 7, 1997.'

September 8, 1997
Weekdays
3:00 p.m. The New Shop ‘Til You Drop
3:30: Shopping Spree

Shopping Spree ended first-run production on December 26. FAM continued to air repeats until August 14, 1998. The following Monday the network relaunched as Fox Family Channel.

[Dbacksfan12]

ISTR Crosswits airing at 11:30 AM sometime in the 1993-95 range.  I remember watching Price, then flipping over to FAM and always watching the credits.

[PYLclark86]

ISTR Crosswits airing at 11:30 AM sometime in the 1993-95 range.  I remember watching Price, then flipping over to FAM and always watching the credits.

You're right. It aired from June to August. I've updated the listings.

[chad1m]

This is outstanding work. I remembered watching Family Challenge in the morning before school sometimes but could never corroborate it. I also didn't realize Name That Tune and Let's Make a Deal were on as long as they were. I also have zero memory of I'm Telling even though I was certainly watching other game shows at the time. Thank you.

[BrandonFG]

The reruns block lasted longer into 1995 than I remembered...

As much as we point to 1999 being the turning point of the genre becoming big again, fall 1996 deserves an honorable mention IMO. Part of it was because we got a several new shows in syndication, but the other part was because of FAM's originals block. At the time, I didn't realize TV is cyclical but it felt like game shows were an endangered species in '95. The resurgence of the genre was also my escape from a rough personal life at the time.

Great work! Thanks for the trip down the memory lane.

[Jamey Greek]

The reruns block lasted longer into 1995 than I remembered...

As much as we point to 1999 being the turning point of the genre becoming big again, fall 1996 deserves an honorable mention IMO. Part of it was because we got a several new shows in syndication, but the other part was because of FAM's originals block. At the time, I didn't realize TV is cyclical but it felt like game shows were an endangered species in '95. The resurgence of the genre was also my escape from a rough personal life at the time.

Great work! Thanks for the trip down the memory lane.

The only shows I can think of that premiered in 1996 were the revivals of Dating Game and Newlywed Game and Dating Game, Bzzz! And the limited run of Majority Rules.  Can you think of others?


And I agree Brandon 1995 felt like (for us with the exception of the lucky few who had GSN) that game shows were dead.  Between the cancellation of Feud and USA getting rid of their game shows. As well as FAM being down to NTT and LMAD.

[Chelsea Thrasher]

Absolutely fantastic work!

Also if anyone missed it or lost track of it, I put together something similar for USA a couple of years ago.

[aaron sica]

September 1, 1986
4:00 p.m.: Tic Tac Dough
4:30: Break the Bank

September 8, 1986
12:30 p.m.: Tic Tac Dough
1:00: Break the Bank

First, I love this!!! CBN was the cable channel we didn't have that I wanted most (for this reason alone), and it was always a treat to go to my great-uncle's where he had it and I could feast on some game shows. Our cable company FINALLY got it in early '86. Not your fault in the least but I can say with absolute certainly that September 1, 1986, at least, is wrong (I can't vouch for the 8th). I remember seeing those two game shows listed in TV Guide, and having known about Break the Bank from some TV reference books, I was excited to see what version CBN would air. I was rather disappointed at 4:30 when, instead of BtB, "Father Knows Best" came on. "Hazel" preceded it at 4.

[PYLclark86]

Not your fault in the least but I can say with absolute certainly that September 1, 1986, at least, is wrong (I can't vouch for the 8th). I remember seeing those two game shows listed in TV Guide, and having known about Break the Bank from some TV reference books, I was excited to see what version CBN would air. I was rather disappointed at 4:30 when, instead of BtB, "Father Knows Best" came on. "Hazel" preceded it at 4.

It wouldn't surprise me if the listings service got their wires crossed, especially during a schedule switch.

[Winkfan]

You forgot to add Second Honeymoon; which was the only game show on CBN during the 1987-88 season.

Cordially,
Tammy

[aaron sica]

You forgot to add Second Honeymoon; which was the only game show on CBN during the 1987-88 season.

Cordially,
Tammy

No, he didn't; his topic was about game show BLOCKS. "Second Honeymoon" aired by itself, as you stated, and not part of a block.