Midnight Money Madness!

[FlashStash]

The Playmania infestation begins!

TBS will launch a new original and interactive game show called Midnight Money Madness on August 28, airing as its title suggests, at midnight. The live show produced by Endemol will air four nights a week, Mon-Thurs, says Hollywood Reporter.  As for the interactive portion - the contestants will be viewers at home who have registered their phone numbers to participate as potential game players.  The contestants play over the phone by answering trivia questions for cash prizes. TBS has ordered 8 weeks worth of episodes.

FS

[weaklink75]

here's an article...um, "first" interactive show? Man, GSN gets no respect....

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'weaklink75\' post=\'126006\' date=\'Aug 2 2006, 06:51 AM\']
here's an article...um, "first" interactive show? Man, GSN gets no respect....
[/quote]
That title would actually go to either "Bargain Hunters" or "Home Shopping Game", wouldn't it?

And if its cable...the title would go to FAM.

[WhammyPower]

There's also a blatant rip-off down under on the Nine Network called QuizMania.
 
Here's some YouTube clips.

[itiparanoid13]

I'd think it would go to "Paranoia", since the at-home audience played a MAJOR part in the outcome of the game, as they were basically contestants.  Three of the people were contestants, actually.

[remlap]

[quote name=\'WhammyPower\' post=\'126015\' date=\'Aug 2 2006, 02:14 PM\']
There's also a blatant rip-off down under on the Nine Network called QuizMania.
 
Here's some YouTube clips.
[/quote]

Rip-off?

No, its a licenced format just like any other game-show we have/had QuizMania here to, bloody German infection these games are, spreading faster than and more deadly to peoples pockets than anything else.

[TimK2003]

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'126014\' date=\'Aug 2 2006, 08:09 AM\']
[quote name=\'weaklink75\' post=\'126006\' date=\'Aug 2 2006, 06:51 AM\']
here's an article...um, "first" interactive show? Man, GSN gets no respect....
[/quote]
That title would actually go to either "Bargain Hunters" or "Home Shopping Game", wouldn't it?

And if its cable...the title would go to FAM.
[/quote]


Actually, if you are including *all* interactive TV shows, you'd want to set the Wayback Machine a little further to the days of TV POWW! , or the old Dialing For Dollars/Prize Movies if you want to count the first local TV endeavors.

[The Ol' Guy]

Other than the old local station interactives, what about the Martindale CBN block from years back? There were puzzles and quizzes set aside for just the viewers. I gave it a try once. IIRC, all four shows in the block had call-in audience games of some kind.

[Matt Ottinger]

I'm surprised at all the effort to find the "first" interactive game.  Stop the Music began on radio in 1948, and its primary contestants were home listeners.  And it probably wasn't even the first.

Playing at home is as old as the hills (well, at least as old as The Ol' Guy).  Local stations featured variations on Dialing for Dollars during their afternoon movies a generation (or two) ago.  Many shows of the sixties (Seven Keys and The Price Is Right immediately comes to mind) featured home viewer contests which were interactive, merely in a low-tech way.  There's nothing new about people contacting a game show from home and winning prizes.

[davemackey]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'126038\' date=\'Aug 2 2006, 12:35 PM\']
I'm surprised at all the effort to find the "first" interactive game.  Stop the Music began on radio in 1948, and its primary contestants were home listeners.  And it probably wasn't even the first.[/quote]
Agreed, then: for TBS and Endemol to call Midnight Money Madness "the first interactive show", they're not thinking.

[weaklink75]

and the title sounds like a local car dealer commercial..."It's Midnight Money Madness this week!! Got no credit, we don't care! Our lots are stuffed, and so are our pockets!....free hot dogs, and balloons for the kids!"

[Brandon Brooks]

[quote name=\'The Ol' Guy\' post=\'126019\' date=\'Aug 2 2006, 09:07 AM\']
Other than the old local station interactives, what about the Martindale CBN block from years back? There were puzzles and quizzes set aside for just the viewers. I gave it a try once. IIRC, all four shows in the block had call-in audience games of some kind.
[/quote]
CBN?  Maybe I was too young, but I didn't know CBN did this.

Brandon Brooks

[NickintheATL]

[quote name=\'Brandon Brooks\' post=\'126077\' date=\'Aug 2 2006, 07:41 PM\']
[quote name=\'The Ol' Guy\' post=\'126019\' date=\'Aug 2 2006, 09:07 AM\']
Other than the old local station interactives, what about the Martindale CBN block from years back? There were puzzles and quizzes set aside for just the viewers. I gave it a try once. IIRC, all four shows in the block had call-in audience games of some kind.
[/quote]
CBN?  Maybe I was too young, but I didn't know CBN did this.

Brandon Brooks
[/quote]

I second that question. I know there was the interactive block on FAM in 1994 with Jumble, Trivial Pursuit, Boggle and Shuffle, but if there was one on CBN (when it was called CBN), then I'm out of the loop...

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Brandon Brooks\' post=\'126077\' date=\'Aug 2 2006, 04:41 PM\']
CBN?  Maybe I was too young, but I didn't know CBN did this.
[/quote]
He's talking about The Family Channel stuff. Boggle, Shuffle, Jumble, and TP.

[Jimmy Owen]

I think Ol' Guy is thinking of the Family Channel (essentially CBN renamed), but CBN did have a live phone-in contest with a host taking calls during their afternoon block in the mid-80s, around the era "Go!" and "Hot Potato" were on CBN.