The decade was a golden age for them, and I'm glad to say I caught pretty much all of them either in their initial runs or on USA when they ran their much lamented afternoon game show block. Which, then, would you say most encapsiliated the decade and all that was great about it while being a great game itself? For extra emphasis, I'll subdivide this into those game shows that aired entirely in their intial run in the 80s, and those that began earlier and lasted into the decade and in some cases beyond. As such:
ENTIRELY 80s: a dead tie with Wheel of Fortune and Press Your Luck. While the former has slipped a bit in recent years (perhaps in a way it lost a bit of its luster once the glmaorous 80s moved behind it, and certainly updating the theme so much it's lost its base didn't help), it's no wonder Pat and Vanna have been there close to 30 years now, as they've always been on top of their craft. A nice simple game, lots of cash and prizes, and of course the big colorful wheel helped as well. For the latter, you may say in hindsight PYL WAS the 80s, perhaps even a definitive program thereof. There was genuine suspense every time the board was spin (unless you followed in Michael Larsen's footsteps and memorized it), the promise of unlimited loot if you were good enough on the plunger, and of course the highly amusing Whammy animations (my favorite probably being the Boy George one ("Who would ever hurt a Whammy? Who would ever want...(he gets hammered) OOOOOOWWW!!!!")) and Lee Ringuette's terrific theme hold up everything great about the decade and what it stood for
PRIOR: No real debate here, as it has to be TPIR for me. Every show was like a party--still is to a large degree even without Bob these days--with no 2 alike, a terrific group of pricing games (Plinko, Master Key, One Away, Pathfinder, and the much missed Super Ball (!!) all debuted during the 80s), the classic group of models (even knowing they were largely at each others' throats and Bob's and vice versa the whole time these days, it doesn't detract), 2 grade A announcers in both Johnny and Rod, and so much else I can't remember off hand right now; it was clear the show was at its absolute zenith in the 80s, and I owe it for making me even competent with math. Honorable mention would go to Tic-Tac-Dough; while of course it dropped off after Wink left, and the ill-advised remake with Patrick Wayne might have killed the franchise, it was still one terrific show while it lasted, with easy enough game play (different enough from Hollywood Squares to allow both shows to be appreciated on their own), and oh yeah, need I forget the Dragon, scariest and most intimidating game show villain this side of a Bankruptcy space?
Posted by kevdugp73 (Member # 5978) on :
I used to love watching "Let's Make A Deal". For me, it reeks 80's...the set, the audience in their costumes, ol' Monty runnin the show...lots of good memories from this one....
Posted by 80'sRocked (Member # 6979) on :
quote:Originally posted by kevdugp73: I used to love watching "Let's Make A Deal". For me, it reeks 80's...the set, the audience in their costumes, ol' Monty runnin the show...lots of good memories from this one....
One of my faves too! The costumes reminded me of Halloween which made it awesome. Family Feud and Price is Right rocked as well.
Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
Speaking of "Wheel of Fortune" .. wasn't Chuck Woolery the original host?
And we all know Chuck Woolery from the infamous "Love Connection" that started in the 80's.
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
How about "American Gladiators," a show that spawned all the current physical challenge shows?
Posted by Chris the CandyFanMan (Member # 3197) on :
quote:Originally posted by Valley: Speaking of "Wheel of Fortune" .. wasn't Chuck Woolery the original host?
And we all know Chuck Woolery from the infamous "Love Connection" that started in the 80's.
Yep, Chuck hosted Wheel from its inception in 1975 thru 1981, when he left due to a contract dispute with Merv Griffin, who then picked up Pat, and the rest is history. Let's also remember, too, Chuck terrific run on Scrabble, which is pretty high on the decade's best shows as well.
Posted by oneyedwilly (Member # 8730) on :
Loved wheel of fortune after school, i remember sayin to my self 'i can spin that thing much better than you'...i just wanted to hurl that thing round and round so hard that it took up too much time and had to cut to a commercial.
Posted by Pyromantic (Member # 7658) on :
A Top 10 of my favorites to watch in the 80's:
(in no particular order):
1. The Price is Right 2. Press Your Luck 3. MTV's Remote Control 4. Double Dare 5. Classic Concentration 6. Fun House 7. American Gladiators 8. Finders Keepers 9. The Gong Show 10. Wheel of Fortune
The only 2 on my list I know for sure was pre-80's is the Price is Right, and The Gong Show. The Rest i'm pretty sure started in the 80's. Not 100% sure though. But anywho, these were all shows I used to watch alot as a kid in the 80's.
Posted by oneyedwilly (Member # 8730) on :
double dare sounds familiar...is that a kids show where they had to undergo questions and if they couldnt answer it they could say 'physical challenge' instead and then complete a ridiculous dare??
Posted by Pyromantic (Member # 7658) on :
yup..that's the one Willy. It was such a great show and one of the essential shows, in my book, that helped catapult Nickelodean into mainstream greatness.
[ 18. January 2011, 14:38: Message edited by: Pyromantic ]
Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
Pyro.. MTV's Remote Control was an awesome show. Sad News about the host Ken Ober dying at such a young age.
This show helped bring attention to Adam Sandler, Denis Leary, and Colin Quinn among others.
Posted by Chris the CandyFanMan (Member # 3197) on :
quote:Originally posted by Valley: Pyro.. MTV's Remote Control was an awesome show. Sad News about the host Ken Ober dying at such a young age.
This show helped bring attention to Adam Sandler, Denis Leary, and Colin Quinn among others.
Although, there was a second Remote Control that I remember that aired on ABC Saturday mornings, one that involved the winner being spun on a giant wheel for the bonus round.
And on that note, all but forgotten today is an earlier Double Dare, of no connection to Marc Summers's terrific edition, that aired very briefly in the mid 70s, created by Mark Goodson with Alex Trebek as host and marking the first use of what would later be used more successfully as the theme to Jim Perry's version of Card Sharks.
Posted by oneyedwilly (Member # 8730) on :
Yeah Pyro, loved that game and yes it did kick start nickelodeon into mainstream
Posted by pettyfan (Member # 2260) on :
I always liked Card Sharks.
Posted by Lovers with Cassie (Member # 7794) on :
Press Your Luck and Joker's Wild were some of my favorites. Of course you can't leave out powerhouse Price is Right. "Come on down"!!
Posted by Rainbowbrite22 (Member # 2288) on :
my pics family fued mtv remote control supermarket sweep
Posted by Farmer Ted (Member # 2663) on :
Press Your Luck, Remote Control and Price is Right.
Posted by The Good Package (Member # 9492) on :
was classic connection with alex trebek in the late 80's?
Posted by Lovers with Cassie (Member # 7794) on :
The Good Package, the name of that game show is Classic Concentration.
But you're not wrong, it was hosted by Alex Trebek.
Posted by Chris the CandyFanMan (Member # 3197) on :
And yes, it aired 1987-1991, with reruns continuing through the end of 1993; Mark Goodson's daughter Marjorie was the model and Alex's sidekick.
Posted by Pyromantic (Member # 7658) on :
quote:Originally posted by Rainbowbrite22: my pics family fued mtv remote control supermarket sweep
all good game shows...but Supermarket Sweep wasn't an 80's show. It was originally created and broadcast on ABC from 1965-1967. Then the game was revived on the Lifetime Channel from 1990-1995. I don't remember seeing reruns of the original 60's show in the 80's. But with all the other gameshows around, it could have been easily missed. I really don't think it was broadcast here in the 80's though. It might have been in other countries, I'm not sure on that.
Posted by spleus (Member # 9533) on :
this show is is such a old one,love to watch its episodes
Posted by Faith No Motley (Member # 3598) on :
No whammies no whammies stop!
Posted by Lovers with Cassie (Member # 7794) on :
There is another that has crossed my mind. Now You See It.
This pitted individual children against one another and was hosted by Mike Meade and a robot named Melvin from 1985 to 1990, after which Sofie Formica took over until its ending in 1993.
I did not see the later revival.
Posted by The Good Package (Member # 9492) on :
