GSF 50 Greatest List - RESULTS THREAD

[Chuck Sutton]

[quote name=\'PaulD\' post=\'130822\' date=\'Sep 9 2006, 10:09 AM\']
Thanks, Matt, for doing the list.

I am surprised 'Greed' was in the lower half. Really surprising are that  'Press Your Luck' and 'Millionaire' may be outranked by 'Newlywed' and 'Dating Game' unless I missed them earlier in the week.
[/quote]

Dating was 47 and Newlywed 26.

It probably is getting difficult to find the old listings if you did not see them when posted

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'130815\' date=\'Sep 9 2006, 04:48 AM\']That doesn't surprise me in the least. However, voting TAR #1...that takes a special kind of person. And I mean "special" in that short-yellow-bus way.[/quote]
That's monumentally uncalled for.  We all know your personal and well-voiced opinion that 'reality' shows shouldn't count.  We said they could, and if you judge them along with everything else, it's perfectly understandable why someone might look at a show that has four consecutive Emmys, a huge production budget, a global canvas and critical acclaim and call it the best ever.

[cweaver]

[quote name=\'Fedya\' post=\'130801\' date=\'Sep 8 2006, 09:56 PM\']
It seems that I picked four shows not in the Top 100.  Feel free to laugh at my selections:
[/quote]

So far I haven't laughed at anyone's non-100 selections even with permission.  I'm waiting for the poor soul who acts surprised The Bachelor didn't make the cut.

My five that didn't crack our top 100:

21. The Generation Gap
The "underrated classic" I mentioned in a previous post.  A perfect show to bring back right now (say, people my age answering questions about Jessica Simpson and 50 Cent, my daughter's age being quizzed on Johnny Carson and the Eagles), one of the most critically acclaimed game shows during the short time it aired on ABC. The one I have in my collection features Brooklyn Bridge and Pinky Lee.

24. Doctor I. Q.
A very simple yet fast-paced premise where the audience gets all the questions.  And how could we leave out the show that gave the world Art Fleming and Tom Kennedy?

29. Treasure Isle
This one really surprised me, since there are a few of these in the hands of collectors.  I saw it as a toddler and when I recently acquired an old kinescope of it (I always saw it in color back in the day) I was very impressed.  First of all a great opening (the host and contestants ride up in a boat as Tom Jones or a soundalike sings the theme), then an all-outdoors show that makes the most of its locale.  Very innovative forerunner paving the way for everything from Almost Anything Goes and Way Out Games to Survivor and The Amazing Race.  I think it would've survived for years and years had they devised and rotated extra games like the Barker Price is Right.  And what's not to love about the blindfolded men driving the boats while their wives shout directions at them (a la The Money Maze)?  Bonus: they actually get even more work out of Herb Alpert's music than The Dating Game ever did.    

43. Couch Potatoes
Slightly less obnoxious version of Remote Control.

48. Rhyme & Reason
If nothing else, a show that gives Nipsey Russell a chance to be Nipsey Russell...and Jaye P. Morgan another chance to swear during a taping. (OK maybe that last one wasn't such a good idea.) The bizarre finale is the stuff of show biz legend.

[Jimmy Owen]

I considered "Second Chance" and "Press Your Luck" to be the same show, but I would guess nobody else made that distinction since only PYL was listed.  Jim Peck did a great job on that show and the set design was fantastic, obviously the Whammy improved the show, but SC was quite good and did have its fans.

During the time of SC, we had a great cable company in Bay City, MI called Gerity Cablevision that would grab network shows if the local affil didn't carry them.  Thus, most uncleared shows would be seen in our area through distant signals like WXYZ in Detroit and placed on one of the access channels. After SC went off, the system had to run a crawl explaining that the show was not on anymore due to a network change.  I guess they must have gotten phone calls.

[cweaver]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'130826\' date=\'Sep 9 2006, 09:26 AM\']
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'130815\' date=\'Sep 9 2006, 04:48 AM\']That doesn't surprise me in the least. However, voting TAR #1...that takes a special kind of person. And I mean "special" in that short-yellow-bus way.[/quote]
That's monumentally uncalled for. [/quote]

...and by the way, if you HAVE to insult someone, can you leave my autistic son and children like him out of it?  That's just cold blooded and low class.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'Esoteric Eric\' post=\'130812\' date=\'Sep 9 2006, 02:35 AM\']Esoteric Eric... * I got a little carried away with combining similar shows; My #43 rating of Jackpot included Hollywood Showdown, which seemed to me a pair as similar as The 3 W's and The Challengers, although Matt O listed them separately.[/quote]
A decent point.  Just another example of why this sort of thing isn't perfect.  I absolutely, totally see the analogy that Jackpot is to Hollywood Showdown as The Three W's is to Challengers.  In my mind, the first set was different enough to be considered separately and the second set wasn't.  Pure personal opinion.

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'130828\' date=\'Sep 9 2006, 10:41 AM\']
I considered "Second Chance" and "Press Your Luck" to be the same show, but I would guess nobody else made that distinction since only PYL was listed.  [/quote]
True on both counts. Only one or two ballots specifically mentioned Whammy for that matter.  I probably should have listed Second Chance on the same line for the sake of completeness.

By the way, I wanted to remind people that as soon as the Top Ten has been identified, I'll be happy to send anyone who wants it the entire database of all 80 entries in Excel.  Names will be removed, of course.  The only evidence anyone could possibly have about who picked what would be based on whatever people have already posted about their own lists, and presumably those people don't care.

[Chuck Sutton]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'130826\' date=\'Sep 9 2006, 10:26 AM\']
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'130815\' date=\'Sep 9 2006, 04:48 AM\']That doesn't surprise me in the least. However, voting TAR #1...that takes a special kind of person. And I mean "special" in that short-yellow-bus way.[/quote]
That's monumentally uncalled for.  We all know your personal and well-voiced opinion that 'reality' shows shouldn't count.  We said they could, and if you judge them along with everything else, it's perfectly understandable why someone might look at a show that has four consecutive Emmys, a huge production budget, a global canvas and critical acclaim and call it the best ever.
[/quote]

Thanks Matt.  I have been ready to defend my choice since I made it.  But so far no one has made a reasoned argument against just name calling so why bother.

[Blanquepage]

I have been ready to defend my choice since I made it.

I normally stay out of these things, but I will say this. Why should ANYONE have to defend their choices for favorite game shows?

21. The Generation Gap
The "underrated classic" I mentioned in a previous post. A perfect show to bring back right now (say, people my age answering questions about Jessica Simpson and 50 Cent, my daughter's age being quizzed on Johnny Carson and the Eagles), one of the most critically acclaimed game shows during the short time it aired on ABC. The one I have in my collection features Brooklyn Bridge and Pinky Lee.

I agree with you 100% that this show is one of those obscure gems that, again, not many people have had the chance to appreciate.
This one came in #52 on my list, right behind Shoot For the Stars. At first I had a hard time putting it there, but eh, it's definitely in my Top 60.

I have been ready to defend my choice since I made it.

That's being worked on, so give that one time.

--Jamie

[comicus]

Glad I'm not the only one who fondly remembers Couch Potatoes.  Didn't cartoon voice genius Joe Alaskey have an announcer's role on that show?

[Neumms]

[quote name=\'ChrisLambert!\' post=\'130784\' date=\'Sep 8 2006, 08:14 PM\']
*This* ninny would have voted TAR much higher than Survivor if I hadn't made the decision to leave out reality shows.

It's a more pure game - you're not eliminated because of the ever-popular "strategical" purposes, you're eliminated because your ass came in last place.  
[/quote]

I included "Survivor" and didn't include "Amazing Race." I still enjoy the former, and one could make the argument that the latter is almost more sport than game. But really, it comes down to this: "Survivor," to me, provides more upliftment.

[Justin30519]

[quote name=\'CountdownRound\' post=\'130835\' date=\'Sep 9 2006, 11:57 AM\']
Glad I'm not the only one who fondly remembers Couch Potatoes.  Didn't cartoon voice genius Joe Alaskey have an announcer's role on that show?
[/quote]

Joe Alaskey not only had the announcer's role on that show, but they also showed him in a separate living room like set at the show's opening and when they went to commercial breaks.

[SRIV94]

Everything in my top 50 was in the top 101, but just barely.  TMMM (tied for 100th) and MAKE ME LAUGH (98th) were the closest to not making the list.  GONG and NYSI were the two shows I rated much higher than the overall; the two highest ranked shows on the list that I didn't have were DD (Summers) and SPLIT SECOND (which, in retrospect, I should've--along with a few others).

So now you'll know how to find my list, for those of you getting the Excel spreadsheet.

Doug

[Joe Mello]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'130776\' date=\'Sep 8 2006, 07:57 PM\']
[quote name=\'chad1m\' post=\'130773\' date=\'Sep 8 2006, 04:52 PM\']
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'130739\' date=\'Sep 8 2006, 05:16 PM\']
74.   The Amazing Race (189, 1 first place vote)
[/quote]

What poor soul did that? Even if you were going to put a reality show at number one, you'd think Survivor would go before Race. It had more of a cultural impact and gave the whole reality craze a jump start.
[/quote]
In case you haven't noticed yet, we have some real ninnies around here. At least one of them apparently voted.
[/quote]

Of course this ninny voted for a show that just won another Emmy, so perhaps he knows more than he lets on.

What I'd be interested in seeing is the show(s) that got a total of one point in the voting.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'130840\' date=\'Sep 9 2006, 10:07 AM\']
Of course this ninny voted for a show that just won another Emmy, so perhaps he knows more than he lets on.
[/quote]
Alright. First and foremost, I apologize to those who took my comment more personally than it was intended.

That said, sorry, no. Even if you DO consider TAR to be a game show, by ranking it #1, you're saying that it's a better game show than Jeopardy. Than TPiR. Than Password. Than Pyramid. Than Wheel Of.....wait, that one I might spot you.

Including it on your list? Maybe, sure, especially if Matt specifically said that reality shows were to be included in his survey. (I don't remember that, but I don't want to go back and look for it and his word is good enough for me.) Ranking it NUMBER FRIGGIN' ONE in a genre than spans sixty years? Even if it HAS won however many Emmy's, that's just monumentally stupid.

I know that Our Benevolent Moderators are publically going to defend every voter's right to an individual opinion. But you know, deep down, I'm right here.

[MikeK]

Here's what was on my top 50 which didn't make the top 100, as far as I know.  (Given the size of this thread, I won't subject myself to searching for what made the 26-50.  Maybe we should have a sticky with what's been on the list thus far, from both the top 50 and 51-100?)

35.  Dirty Rotten Cheater--A fun gem of a show which had the unfortunate luck of being on PAX.  After telling Bil Dwyer I was a big fan of the show after a WML? live show in July, he exclaimed (paraphrasing), "So YOU'RE the person who saw Dirty Rotten Cheater!"  Bil concurred that it was a great show which got the kibosh because it was on PAX.

36.  Sports Challenge--Possibly the longest running non-lottery game show to get little acclaim from the game show community.  A straightforward Q&A sports show with a variety of athletes, ranging from nobodies to six legends on one stage, seven after you include the Bonus Biography subject.  I regularly taped this when ESPN Classic reran it three or four years ago.

41.  Seven Keys--Simple show, fun to watch, great host but it moved at a snail's pace.  I'm surprised this didn't land in the top 100.  Too bad there are very few episodes out there.  If it was more available, surely it would've made the list.

44.  Two for the Money--Another fun, simple show.  Herb Shriner's down home, folksy humor isn't for everybody, but I enjoyed it.

48.  The Name's the Same--When I had GSN, I recorded this show every airing.  More 50s B&W fun.

(Edited 4 1/2 hours later to include #36)