If there's one thing that has also been a key part of television it's the game show. The British haven't really got our heads round the perfect formula yet, but that's not the case over the pond. Here is a countdown of my top ten favorites that might just brighten up a boring evening.
#10 Let's Make a Deal (ABC) (1963-Present)
We begin this list with a show that has unfortunately not made it across the pond yet, despite being the most British feeling game show of all time. Its low quality and quirky appearance would have made an ideal match with the UK networks, but that has unfortunately never happened. I would still like to see some classic transmissions from the 1970's with the legendary Monty Hall and his unique charisma. Creating a newer version would just loose the original charm this show had, and that is very much the case with the US counterpart that has started to loose its way with endless repackages under various disguises. Current host Wayne Brady has never fit the tone of the show, and it's now lost its quirky edge that separated it from standard game shows.
The actual premise is quite simple. The idea is that a member of the audience is given a choice whether they want to be given a certain amount of cash or one of three items hidden behind three curtains. Usually two of those prizes are better than their original offer, but one is also a joke prize, so there is some basic risk involved. I've seen episodes where guests have won a live ostrich or a pet llama. That isn't even the strangest thing about the show; the costumes some of the audience wear to get noticed are unbelievable. That feature has almost made the show what it is today, and helps with that low brow charm that I love about the game. It might not be so popular now, but in its heyday the show was sold out for three years, and it regularly featured as the most watched syndicated show of the week. Really at its peak this was an absolute classic.
#9 Pointless (BBC) (2009-Present)
The UK's less glamorous answer to daytime game shows, but in the usual British way it's very good considering there isn't much to work with. The point of this 'pointless' game is to find obscure answers to common questions. The more obscure the answer, the lower the points scored, which in this case is a good thing. The ultimate aim is to find an answer so obscure that no person surveyed even mentioned it, and one of these bad boys in the final round will land the couple a designated jackpot. That may sound like a stupid idea, but trust me, it's a great and original concept that works really well on a laid back game show like one in this style. Hosts Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman have fantastic chemistry together, and have to be a large part to the show's continued success. They are both entertaining but professional at the same time, keeping proceedings on track, but not hesitating to expel some of their witty banter. It's not a show with huge explosions and complex gimmicks, but classic and subtle British entertainment. I'm sure anyone can see that after watching just a few episodes.
#8 Family Feud (ABC) (1976-Present)
What's more charming than watching average families going head to head in a game show? Nothing, not even on the cheap British rip off in which host Vernon Kay takes all the fun out of the much better American original. The British version is known as 'Family Fortunes', which sounds a million times worse, and that's because it is. The game is still the same in both versions, with families having to give the most popular answer to many broad and ambiguous questions. Let's just say that some of the categories are made for some pretty interesting answers. What seperates the two versions is the much better hosts in the more slick and flirty American show. Richard Dawson in particular wouldn't hold back in practically raping some of the female contestants, which I'm pretty sure wouldn't fly with modern audiences.
Now on host duties is black comedian Steve Harvey, who if I'm honest doesn't really add anything to the table. The many revivals have never seen the show hit its previous heights in the 80's, although Harvey has given it a little resurgence, so I can't hate on him too much. Having said that it's a show that has seen some serious decline and so can't be any higher on this hotly contested list. At one point this was the most watched daytime show in all of America, but now it feels like a wounded dog that's close to being put down. It still has that classic appeal and is still great fun to play along with, but now that the cutting edge has gone it's easily trumped by the more modern game shows. My survey says it's still a classic.
#7 The Price is Right (CBS) (1972-Present)
The most American game show of all time. It was no surprise that the British version didn't do nearly as well thanks to being hosted by Joe Pasquale instead of the living legend Bob Barker. If you haven't heard of Pasquale, then quite frankly you're lucky, but he's a bit like a yappy dog that has taken a fuck load of helium. That dog thinks it can now tell jokes, and so you can see that it was never going to get the success that being hosted by Bob Barker gets you. Barker has now left the US version after decades at the helm and Drew Carey has taken over hosting duties, and he's actually pretty decent considering the huge boots he had to fill. But as with anything with Carey, he will never top his Royal Rumble performance in 2001.
The actual object of the game starts out quite simple. The basic idea is to guess how much stuff is worth to win prizes. It sort of goes against what capitalism stands for in that everything is worth what the purchaser will pay for, but the idea works very well as a game show. It's worked so well that this is now the longest running network TV show in US history, and there's a good reason for that. With this show you didn't need to be Albert Einstein or even remotely intelligent to win big. You just had to be a member of the audience on the day, and that's what made this such a revolutionary idea. They keep on changing the various games each episode to ensure the formula is fresh, but it's the initial concept that has kept this on the air for so long. That and the help of one Bob Barker.
#6 Takeshi's Castle (TBS) (1986-1990)
Japanese game shows are notorious for being a bit different, and so far this is the only one that's both ridiculous yet still relatable enough to be shipped over to western audiences. Compared to anything else on this list, this show is unbelievably brutal; but that's what makes it so good. Contestants are either humiliated or mutilated by various mud or water based obstacles that are not only painful to watch but fucking hilarious as well. Games like 'Knock, Knock' and 'Stepping Stones' are designed to be both entertaining to watch and very challenging for the competitors. This is in huge contrast to some of the other games that include laser battles and karaoke of all things. Each episode has its own crazy style, and that's what makes it so enjoyable.
It's also the only show on this list to not have a reward. The only prize the winner, if there is one, receives is the pride of completing the course. There are over 100 contestants at the beginning of each broadcast, and the fact that I've only seen a handful of people actually win the whole thing just shows you how difficult this game show really is. All these proceedings are narrated by Craig Charles, who does his best Thomas the Tank Engine impression when watching somebody inevitably failing at certain obstacles. This show really is a perfect hangover remedy in the morning that will instantly cheer you up as you watch episode after episode without getting bored.
#5 Total Wipeout (BBC) (2009-2012)
Ah sorry. I know this isn't the most popular show in the world, but I can't help but love it. That's not necessarily because it's the only time I can think of when Britain and Argentina have accomplished something together, but because I enjoy watching fat British people falling into the water time and time again. The British, and best version, is not the original, and there have been various different versions made for each country. But as per usual the BBC have not failed at making this show feel low budget and amateur, which is exactly how it should be. Narrating this show is the ever lovable Richard Hammond, who with the obstacles humiliates the various competitors as they attempt to complete the course in the shortest time possible. The idea is that this continues until all but one of the competitors have been eliminated, and the final survivor is rewarded with a sizable jackpot.
It may just be people falling in the water over and over again, but it's done in such a way that watching it is really quite enjoyable. Obstacles that are ingeniously designed litter the course, and watching people fly off 'The Big Red Balls' or 'The Sucker Punch' never gets old. The red balls in particular took a few series to actually be cleared. The rest, well it's the usual British eccentric charm that sees overweight and slightly unusual people battling for some cash. As a programme it has the technical quality of some coal, and it's certainly not high quality entertainment. But for me something just works with it, and it's always really good fun to watch.
#4 Jeopardy! (NBC) (1984-Present)
It's got an exclamation mark on the end, so you know it's going to be good. It might not be exciting enough to warrant that exclamation mark, but in terms of a quality quiz show this is in a league of its own. That's amazing considering that the formula is a very simple one. The show is basically a reverse quiz, but instead of giving the correct answer, you have to express your response in question form, which sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is. In truth it's a very good formula that has made this show completely unique in the game show world. All it needed was an iconic host, and it got one with the long standing Alex Trebek, who's been asking the questions since 1984. He's not an eccentric character, but he fits the tone of the show perfectly. He can be a bit of a dick sometimes, especially considering the quiz isn't that easy, but he's become the face of the show for a good reason. I just love shows that take genuine skill to win, and this is a brilliant game show to watch if you don't like entertainment spoon fed to you by the producers.
#3 Blind Date (ITV) (1985-2003)
I had to put at least one trashy entertainment show on this list, and what can be more fun than watching awkward British bachelors trying to find a date with their personality? That's why this dating show stands out from the many other crappy lovemaking shows around, as this is both entertaining and a solid formula. It doesn't necessarily work as it's intended to, as I believe in the shows history there have only been a total of three marriages forged from meeting here, but as entertainment it ticks all the boxes. The original programme was the US show 'The Dating Game', which is a more professional and full on approach to the game show genre. In this more laid back version we have the natural charm of Cilla Black to carry us through proceedings instead of 'generic American game show host 101'. At its height the show was watched by 18 million people, and those figures continued all through the early nineties. Back then it was great Saturday night viewing, and although it gradually lost its charm, it's still a brilliant game show in my opinion.
#2 Wheel of Fortune (NBC) (1975-Present)
In terms of format this would almost certainly take the number one spot. It's such a great and original idea that it's become the blueprint for the ultimate game show. The concept is essentially hangman with an integrated wheel that determines how much the player wins. That might not sound too exciting, but how can you not enjoy playing hangman with an added roulette feature? The show is helped along by longstanding hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White, who've been hosting before time itself. The duration of their stint has led to their unique chemistry, and has made them become a little more than your traditional presenters. I still never get the point of Vanna as the letter turner; she now just touches the screen to reveal letters, which is about the only thing that's changed on the show since its inception. She used to be more eye candy than anything else, but it doesn't look like she's retiring anytime soon.
It does say a lot for the format when nothing apart from the letters have changed. Every few years they try and put a new coat of paint on it, but that same winning concept is always the reason why this show is so popular. Up until 'Two and A Half Men' came along this was the highest rated syndicated show in America, which is a little unfortunate as the other is absolute shite, and why anybody would watch that over a revolutionary game show is beyond me. The key here is an accessible format that is fun to watch and play along with. No new gimmicks every season; it's just the same old game show with the same old solid premise.
#1 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (ITV) (1998-2014)
Not only is this the greatest game show of all time, it's the first time us Brits managed to nail the game show format. It may look like your standard quiz, but my god is this brilliant. It never relies on any fancy gimmicks, and the premise is a traditional quiz with some seriously big prizes, but the effect of it all coming together is so much better than anything else. The concept might not sound revolutionary, but this game is responsible for any modern game show you see on TV today. That's not to say everything about the show is generic, there are various lifelines a competitor can use to help them on their way to a million pounds, and what other programme offers you the chance to win a million pounds or screw something up completely? None, this is a completely unique programme.
Chris Tarrant is the host on the British version that ended this time last year with his departure. He's alright; not the eccentric character you find on other versions that have been exported around the globe, but he gets the job done like he should. He does contrast the sleek studio and overproduction of everything, but his raw personality fits the idea that this is a serious quiz, with some serious prizes on the line. I like this game show so much that I included it on my top ten TV programmes of all time list, as this is the only show that is anywhere near the level to compete with high quality dramas and hilarious comedies. It is without a doubt the best game show on TV, and also one of the best programmes. And that is my final answer.
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