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What, in your opinion, has been the best Game Show seen exclusively on cable and/or the best Syndicated-only game show?
** Keep in mind that in this query, a syndicated show cannot be merely a nighttime version of an existing or pre-existing show (i.e. Wheel, TJW, J!, Match Game, etc....) nor can a cable-only show be related to any game show that was first on regular TV (i.e. Chain Reaction, Three's A Crowd, etc...).
I must give a nod to "Win Ben Stein's Money" for cable... I'm still thinking of the best Syndie.
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Cross-Wits with Jack Clark in syndication. Ben Stein probably would be my choice for cable, since Remote Control would be ineligible due to its brief foray into syndication.
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I'd say Russian Roulette for cable (with Ben Stein in a close second) and I can't think of any for syndie, either
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Your query eliminates a ton of syndie shows, doesn't it? Everything I can think of either A) had some roots on a network, or B) stank. (Note that there are certainly lots of game shows I CAN'T think of.)
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IN SYNDICATION: The Challengers. If the original rules could have been maintained, I truly believe that program had "legs".
ON CABLE: Debt. I much preferred the "I am/You are" format of Season 1st, however. It was cute twist.
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As for syndie, Bullseye. Russian Roulette for cable.
I would have chosen Lingo for cable, but I forgot the fact that the '80's version was originally syndicated.
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SYNDICATION: Face the Music.
CABLE: Debt.
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[quote name=\'Robert Hutchinson\' date=\'Oct 22 2005, 05:54 PM\']Your query eliminates a ton of syndie shows, doesn't it? Everything I can think of either A) had some roots on a network, or B) stank. (Note that there are certainly lots of game shows I CAN'T think of.)
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I had the same thought about the syndicated-only shows. Most of the syndicated shows were nighttime versions of daytime shows, or shows like Treasure Hunt or $128K Question that were brought out of mothballs from shows a few decades old.
As far as the previous post re: Remote Control, it would count for the Cable Category but not in the syndicated category, and RC did come in a close 2nd to WBSM in my cable faves.
I guess in the syndies, Jack Clark's Cross Wits version would be a safe bet for favorite for me with The Diamond Head Game a close........84th! :-P
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[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'Oct 22 2005, 06:10 PM\']SYNDICATION: Face the Music.
CABLE: Debt.
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Debt, like Remote Control, had a little-known foray into syndication. A few stations test marketed reruns of it in syndication during Spring 1998, to see if it would fly in first-run.
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Oct 22 2005, 07:22 PM\']
Debt, like Remote Control, had a little-known foray into syndication. A few stations test marketed reruns of it in syndication during Spring 1998, to see if it would fly in first-run.
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Good point, Zach. I'm going to have to then defer to a game show I fell in love with from the moment that I saw it, when TNN was added to our cable...............Fandango.
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The Challengers for syndication because of the way it was brillantly executed, and I'm on the Debt train for cable as well.
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I'm questioning the choice of "The Challengers" for purposes of the question (there's not, in my eyes, anything wrong with the show). Since it is a reworking of another show (Who, What, When), would the OP consider that as well?
RC did hit syndication here in Dallas (on Ch 21, I believe on Saturday nights). Occasionally, when the material warranted, it was also featured on "Entertainment Tonight".
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I'd have to copy Aaron Sica's answers:
Syndication: Face the Music
Cable Only: Fandango (though Ben Stein is right up there in my list).
I actually suggested that RFD-TV try to acquire the rerun rights to Fandango, since it would fit in with their folksy programming, but I imagine musical clearance would be a problem since so many of the questions either relied upon identifying a musical clip or singing the answer back to Bill Anderson...
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Debt, like Remote Control, had a little-known foray into syndication. A few stations test marketed reruns of it in syndication during Spring 1998, to see if it would fly in first-run
I'll vote for "Debt" too. I was surprised when it was cancelled after only two years. Did the ratings really drop that much in the second year?
Oh...and for the record...I prefer the first season format too!
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Here's my two million dollars.....
SYNDICATED: I'd have to say Wipeout, Talkabout, and The Last Word; three more that belong in the "should have lasted longer than one season" category of game shows.
CABLE: There are more than two or three that could fit into this category. So, I'd go with Bumper Stumpers, Second Honeymoon, Shopping Spree, and Paranoia.
Cordially,
Tammy Warner--the 'Martha Smith of the Big Board!'
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For cable, hands down, it's gotta be "Bumper Stumpers;" I always thought it was an intriguing game, low Canadian payouts aside...:)
For syndication, mainly because I'm having so much trouble thinking of good ones that were only on in syndication (he he), I'm going to go with "Bullseye" pre-celeb episodes. You have to marvel at that set, and the game isn't too bad either...just wish they would've found somebody besides Jim Lange to host...:)
Anthony
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I was expecting someone to have already said History IQ on the all-time cable game show list.
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[quote name=\'beatlefreak84\' date=\'Oct 23 2005, 11:41 PM\']You have to marvel at that set, and the game isn't too bad either...just wish they would've found somebody besides Jim Lange to host...:)
Anthony
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Who would you liked to have seen on Bullseye instead of Lange?
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[quote name=\'$100kPyramidfan\' date=\'Oct 24 2005, 10:18 AM\']Who would you liked to have seen on Bullseye instead of Lange?
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Just about anyone, really.
Actually, of his shows, he was probably least offensive on Bullseye. He pales in comparison to Tom Kennedy on Name That Tune, and Chance Of A Lifetime wasn't his speed at all. But he ran Bullseye well enough.
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Yowzah.
Well, I'm going to second the Wipeout mention. Very underrated format in my estimation. And, the bonus round (aka Race Game with trivia) is one of the better end games in the genre.
For cable, I'm going to have to agree with a few who said Debt. Everything from Wink's disco pose at the beginning to the format reeked of game show cheese...but it was well executed!
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[quote name=\'FOXSportsFan\' date=\'Oct 24 2005, 10:53 AM\']Well, I'm going to second the Wipeout mention. Very underrated format in my estimation. And, the bonus round (aka Race Game with trivia) is one of the better end games in the genre.
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Except it suffers from Bonkers-itis. (Or maybe Bonkers suffers from Wipeout-itis.) The game is totally hackable, as that one dude did on the show. The guy operating the board could forget to put the answers in the monitors, and it's still winnable by anyone with a cool head, as you can just brute-force the right boxes easily within the time limit.
While I agree it's a neat idea, and I enjoy watching it when played straight, I can't call an endgame "one of the better" when you can completely violate the spirit of the game and still win.
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Cable: Bumper Stumpers
Syndy: tougher. Heart says Every Second Counts, brains say Bullseye - it had more flash. ESC looked medium-budgeted. Bullseye's design had punch.
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Who would you liked to have seen on Bullseye instead of Lange?
That's definitely a tough question. After all, I think the show required someone who could not only keep the show moving (there was a LOT of game to play and, sometimes, they would stop the show in the middle of a bonus round!), but could also fit in with the show's motif; i.e., the show's ultra-neon, modern set.
So, I think somebody a tad younger might have worked better. As far as a specific name, I could probably see someone like Alex Trebek working very well. He can clearly keep a show with lots of questions moving, he can have a little fun as well, and I think he would have been good at building up suspense in the bonus round while keeping it moving (see: "High Rollers").
Besides, couldn't you just see him and that big 'fro of his standing behind that "Bullseye" podium? :)
Or maybe it's just me...:)
Anthony
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So, I think somebody a tad younger might have worked better. As far as a specific name, I could probably see someone like Alex Trebek working very well.
Or maybe it's just me...:)
Anthony
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Actually, Trebek might not have been that bad, now that you mention it, and for the reasoning behind that thought.
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Gotta go w/Aaron on this one...FtM for syndication, WBSM for cable...great minds @ work, I suppose. :-)
Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")