I was watching some Catch 21 on Game Show Central earlier today, and was struck by how it still felt like a show that premiered recently, even though the eps. in question first aired over a decade ago. Outside of the occasional question about "Vice President Biden" or similar, there really isn't anything in terms of set design, technology, or wardrobe that dates it to the late '00s/early '10s.

Is this a legit testament to how well-produced the show was, or just a sign that I'm getting old? And are there any other game shows that give you a similar surprise in terms of feeling like they were made in the last few years, even though they're actually much older?

This is roughly the time Fred Silverman wrote his thesis at anOSU about using demographics to better sell advertising.

It looks like they spent the entirety of the set budget on the bridge itself, which pays off in a great-looking bridge but results in a less exciting everything else.

Came across this while looking for something else…it’s a dissertation written by a student going for his doctorate at Ohio State University in 1958.  A good deal of information on radio shows.  Perhaps this is more appropriate for the archive?

https://etd.ohiolink.edu/acprod/odb_etd/ws/send_file/send?accession=osu1486563142751541&disposition=inline

I’m surprised no one has mentioned this, but I recall reading somewhere (probably one of Adam’s excellent book), the G-T team worked poolside brainstorming ideas while Goodson swam laps in the pool.

I suppose it’s like the saying goes, “Success has many fathers, failure is an orphan.”