The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Long live Jeopardy on August 27, 2025, 04:24:41 PM
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What particular time period/seasons of the following game shows are your personal favorites?
1. The Price Is Right
2. Jeopardy!
3. Wheel of Fortune
4. Match Game
5. Let's Make a Deal
6. Pyramid
7. Card Sharks
8. Press Your Luck
9. Double Dare (Nickelodeon)
10. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
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I prefer episodes in the springtime versus those in the winter.
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What particular time period/seasons of the following game shows are your personal favorites?
1. The Price Is Right
2. Jeopardy!
3. Wheel of Fortune
4. Match Game
5. Let's Make a Deal
6. Pyramid
7. Card Sharks
8. Press Your Luck
9. Double Dare (Nickelodeon)
10. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
I would highly recommend you curtail your ask to just one or two shows. You'll get way more responses. That said, I'll play along and answer part 8 first, Jack.
I love the ABC revival, but the original is a hair better. The GSN version comes in third; it's not bad, but the other two versions are just that good. That said, I wouldn't mind seeing the Big Bank make a comeback.
I know the bonus game has its detractors, but I love it. I think it moves at a good clip, and honestly, I don't think it needs the million dollar carrot anymore. I'd actually just move the $150k+ prize to the Big Bucks Bonanza and make that part of the carrot of playing onward.
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What particular time period/seasons of the following game shows are your personal favorites?
1. The Price Is Right
2. Jeopardy!
3. Wheel of Fortune
4. Match Game
5. Let's Make a Deal
6. Pyramid
7. Card Sharks
8. Press Your Luck
9. Double Dare (Nickelodeon)
10. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Late 70s, mid 90s, early 80s, 75, 72, late 70s, whenever Jim started turning the cards faster, 85, Koshy, November '99.
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1. The Price Is Right: 1975-1985, the show was hitting its stride, especially with the addition of the Showcase Wheel, without an overabundance of stereotypical hyper contestants
2. Jeopardy! 1978-1979 - This was the version of Jeopardy! I was introduced to, I especially loved that crimson and cream set as a kid.
3. Wheel of Fortune: 1983-1987 - Maybe it was because I was a kid, it had high play along value and it wasn't (yet) reduced to the gimmicky show it is now.
4. Match Game: 1978-1981 - I was introduced to Match Game during this period, and I liked the "confederate flag" set better than the original "FAMU" glitter set
5. Let's Make a Deal: 1990 - I actually liked Bob Hilton as host, arguably better than I like Monty Hall
6. Pyramid: 1990-1992 - I actually thought "Double Trouble" and "Gamble for a Grand" were good additions to the front game
7. Card Sharks: 1978-81 - The high energy theme song (and contestants) combined with Jim's rapid flipping of the cards almost single-handedly made me love game shows. I remember my kindergarten teacher had me write down my three favorite game shows, and my first choice was "Card Sharks".
8. Press Your Luck: 1985 - The board arrangement had IMO the best assortment of cash and prizes - and miscellaneous spaces.
9. Double Dare (Nickelodeon) N/A - never cared for the show
10. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? N/A - not really a fan of the show
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I'm sad Family Feud is not on that list. My favorite time period for that show is September.
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What particular time period/seasons of the following game shows are your personal favorites?
1. The Price Is Right
3pm. When it made up an hour long block with MG '7X following. :P
Seriously, I like this topic and will come back to it with real answers.
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The peak of Price was about 1976 to 1982, roughly corresponding to seasons 4 through 10, and here's is why it was the best era for the show:
Just in time for the hourlong conversion, the set was brightened with its second colour scheme, which was definitely the best it ever looked. A palate bright and easy on the eyes, and never colour overload or a bad mix of colours. Walking was introduced at the beginning of the calendar year as the "come on down" cue, and it punched up the enthusiasm more than the original cue employed.
The best single word I've found to describe this era is electric, and this is largely through Marc Breslow's superior directing. Shots were fast, tight and full of action, whether that be fast-moving graphics and titles, sweeping dolly shots or quick cuts in rapid succession. Dig up something such as a win in Any Number around this time, and what happens? When that winning digit lights up, bam! A shot back to the contestant reacting with delight, then a shot of the contestant's friends in the audience, then back to the contestant, then a shot of the car, then a shot of the flashing price (and probably no less than a total of six or seven quick shots in a matter of ten seconds). Then the contestant is escorted off and we see the Turntable spin away with that flashing price and a fully-lit board as Barker pitches to commercial. So. Much. Energy.
And on the subject of energy, the contestants. My goodness, most every woman called was nearly hysterical as she jumped out of her seat and darted down to Contestants' Row, jumping into the microphone and frequent squeals of, "I can't believe it!"; and the contestants in these years were sharp. All four might bid within seven seconds. None of this turning around a looking at the audience (something Johnny openly discouraged in his warmup, and how I wish that was still done today), and the show never had a low opinion of contestants who watch the show everyday and memorized the prize rotation and prizes but openly encouraged the loyalty (and it's not as if anybody broke the budget for trying). Barker was also in his finest form of bringing out the best in each unique contestant (overly stereotypical at times, yes, but in the whole of the Barker era, this was as good as he got since he was also not sneering at contestants, as would become the norm by the mid-'80s).
Speaking of unique, the Showcases were properly recognized as the ultimate part of the show; and Jay Wolpert with the weekly Flakey Flicks and other elaborately-staged, long, thematic Showcases and employed some true creativity. Some of the best recurring themes were established and used throughout this era.
The prizes were especially elegant in this era (if not sometimes a bit unusual). No shortage of sponsors, and they knew how to make a prize sound special. When a Cadillac was revealed in a game such as Golden Road, you were in for car plug of nearly 30 seconds with at least 11 different options ("and California Emission"). That's elegance.
I also like how car games fourth were not necessarily unheard of at this time and how cash games could replace car games, given that their prizes were worth more than most cars at the time.
By 1982, the glory was fading fast. Breslow's directing was getting slower. The contestants were not of the same calibre as they were previously. Barker's ego got in the way that furs were no longer offered as prizes, and he also turned into a curmudgeon that I can't believe went unchecked. A lot of contestants deserved to be chided for foolish behaviour, but Barker was downright nasty at times for no good reason. While it was only downhill into the '90s and beyond, I do want to note that there was a brief renaissance around season 33 when Roger became the sole producer that lasted to the end of the Barker era. Roger started injecting creativity back into the show, whether it was zany lineups (and not just to spoil the FPG) or some long-overdue Showcase themes that were far more creative than Phil Wayne's "wordplay" Showcases that were dull and overused.
And I haven't even touched on that parallel, alternate universe that existing at that time which was The Nighttime Price Is Right. From the glimpses we've had of it, it seems it was just as, if not more, impressive; and I hope we shall continue to get to see more of these glory years of The Price Is Right, daytime and nighttime.
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Wow, considering he asked for 10, we have 9 more of that word salad.
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What particular time period/seasons of the following game shows are your personal favorites?
1. The Price Is Right
3pm. When it made up an hour long block with MG '7X following. :P
Let's not forget Tattletales:) - that was one amazing 90-minute block. Although I remember it well from my pre-teen years, it's hard to imagine today that Price actually ran for two and a half years in the afternoons.
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On the subject of what Nick said:
Does anyone else still get taken by surprise when they hear "The Feud" as a prize cue on TPIR? That will never stop feeling odd to me.
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On the subject of what Nick said:
Does anyone else still get taken by surprise when they hear "The Feud" as a prize cue on TPIR? That will never stop feeling odd to me.
Much like the MG/HS theme when used as the cue to the opening to Super Ball.
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What particular time period/seasons of the following game shows are your personal favorites?
1. The Price Is Right
2. Jeopardy!
3. Wheel of Fortune
4. Match Game
5. Let's Make a Deal
6. Pyramid
7. Card Sharks
8. Press Your Luck
9. Double Dare (Nickelodeon)
10. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Okay, my real answers:
1) Between 1979-1985, which is when I began to watch and before Johnny Olsen passed away. He is my favorite of all announcers that they've had.
2) The first season, with the red set, and no guarantee that all answers would be revealed in a given round.
3) The time before the toss-ups were introduced. Board reveals on its own? Vanna became redundant. (yes, I know she's eye candy, etc.)
4) Echoing what GameShowGuru said....I loved the 70s version with the Star Wheel. Like 1, it's when I first started watching the show.
5) The 1984 syndicated version. Just seemed fun, bouncy, and DOOR #4!
6) When it was $20,000 Pyramid. Love those exciting tiebreakers when they happen. 43-42, anyone?
7) Card Sharks - any show that's not super early in the run. Instead of just saying "higher", it was "I'd like to go and I'll guess the next card will be higher". Exhausting. Honorary mention for the time period in which a push was no longer a loss.
8) No preference here.
9) No preference here.
10) The earliest shows when it was a phenomenon.
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On the subject of what Nick said:
Does anyone else still get taken by surprise when they hear "The Feud" as a prize cue on TPIR? That will never stop feeling odd to me.
Much like the MG/HS theme when used as the cue to the opening to Super Ball.
See, that's always been the inverse for me: I instintctively think of the MGHSH theme as being from Price since I heard it there first, even though I'm well aware it was reused as a prize cue.
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What particular time period/seasons of the following game shows are your personal favorites?
1. The Price Is Right
I agree with the late 70s/early 80s 60-minute era.
2. Jeopardy!
I preferred when contestant could buzz-in as soon as the clue was revealed. I think it provided more of a challenge if you think you "know" the category, buzz in before you hear/read the enitlre clue, then come up with nothing. Kennedy's Split Second was a bit more brutal in the same vein in that as soon as someone buzzed in, the question stopped and immediately required an answer.
3. Wheel of Fortune
Woolery/Shopping era
4. Match Game
Earlier Rayburn years before they edited out much of the banter during the answer writing. Gave the viewers a better chance to think of a definitive answer(s).
5. Let's Make a Deal
The Monty/Carol Merrill era.
6. Pyramid
The second CBS era where tiebreakers went to fastest time.
7. Card Sharks
Perry version
8. Press Your Luck
For the longest time, I preferred the Tomarken era, but lately when a catch an episode, it really hasn't aged well.
9. Double Dare
Didnt really see much difference between the years and formats. Never really critiqued kids shows.
10. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
The early Regis episodes when contestants were the most blindly chosen based strictly on skill (phone-based quizzes) than contestant coordinator favorites.
EXTRAS:
11. Password, etc...
Convy's Super Password era.
12. (Classic) Concentration
The Trebek era, despite the regular changes in gameplay.
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I'd like to answer the third part seventh, Jack.
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What particular time period/seasons of the following game shows are your personal favorites?
1. The Price Is Right
2. Jeopardy!
3. Wheel of Fortune
4. Match Game
5. Let's Make a Deal
6. Pyramid
7. Card Sharks
8. Press Your Luck
9. Double Dare (Nickelodeon)
10. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
1. I agree with the late 70s/early 80s 60-minute era.
2. Art Fleming early Alex years i like the show more sped up.
3. Woolery era
4. The Dawson years: the show started getting tired when they changed the set and dawson left.
5. All-New Let's Make a Deal 1984-86
6. One of those shows no matter what era the show is i can still enjoy it.
7. Hard choice i enjoyed the Jim Perry years and the Bill Rafferty season. (i wasn't a fan of Bob Eubanks hosting)
8. Another show i can enjoy no matter what season.
9. I watched it but i never really cared for the show
10. Regis years never cared for the celebrity specials.
EXTRAS:
Password plus, I loved the theme and format.
Family Feud: Ray Combs
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I don't have ten answers but I think I can answer most.
What particular time period/seasons of the following game shows are your personal favorites?
1. The Price Is Right
2. Jeopardy!
3. Wheel of Fortune
4. Match Game
5. Let's Make a Deal
6. Pyramid
7. Card Sharks
10. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
1. Late-70s/early-80s and early-90s. There's a very different energy in both eras that can't be matched. The former saw the show getting more contemporary and away from Eartha the Housewife debating how many cans of soup she should buy in Grocery Game. The latter saw the show becoming more youthful, but not the college-aged staple it did post-Happy Gilmore. It was a very early-90s show, if that makes sense, while still looking like a relic from 1982 added a different charm. Could do without problematic Bob tho.
2. Warm take: whenever they got the first version of the current set (2009?), I think J! put out some of its best work. Thanks to the unlimited contestants rule, we saw the players shine more than ever and I think Alex really transitioned from the professor to a grandfather figure. Honorable mention: the checkerboard set era saw a similar transition and I think that's when J! really started reaching true icon status.
3. Mid-to-late-80s. I recently watched an ep. from about 1986 and it's crazy how unhinged and fun that era was. This past season we saw a return to that looseness.
4. 1990-91. I've become burned out on Gene's version, but Ross was a huge breath of fresh air.
5. I love all of Monty's versions for different reasons.
6. Mid-80s 25K Pyramid is hands down a masterclass on how to produce a game show. A very well-oiled machine.
7. Grew up on Eubanks, so I've always been partial to that version. It's been years since I watched, but I never got the smarmy vibe so many see.
10. Pre-celebrity era, pre-escalating jackpot era. I know we prolly don't get a resurgence of the genre without this becoming a regular series, but I think keeping it as a sweeps special might've been a better idea.
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I'll bite.
2: I kind of like how the show is now with Ken. As for the Trebek years....I wouldn't mind seeing some of the later-80s and early-mid 90s shows more. I agree with BFG re. the lifting of the 5-day threshold; who knows how much farther some of those champs could have gone.
3: '89-93 or so, when they taped at TV City; I grew up on this era.
4: Shafer, believe it or not. My first exposure to the MG franchise. Match-Up was a departure, but it did at least fit the rest of the show.
5: 84-86, though the 85-86 season's production was painfully rough at times.
6: 80s 25K and 100K (I agree big time with BFG). The first few NY-based seasons of Strahan's run were great, but the show lost something with the move back west.
7: Perry was great, but I actually thought Rafferty did quite well (better than Eubanks).
9: Philadelphia era all the way (though the Koshy run was great while it lasted).
10: ABC primetime with Reege, all the way. I thought it really got watered down with the move to syndication (though Meredith did a great job).
1 and 8: Cooled off on both franchises big time, and I really can't pin down any version/era as a favorite.