GSF 50 Greatest List - RESULTS THREAD

[Matt Ottinger]

The work is done!  Eighty of you helped compile what we, as game show fans, consider to be the fifty greatest shows of all time.  Some initial thoughts before we begin:

Our wildly non-scientific exercise is clearly skewed in two notable ways.  As game show fans, we tended to be fans of shows that had games to them.  Might seem obvious to us, but not to the average TV viewer.  Two  examples are the love we did not show to Love Connection (tied with several others for #154 on our list) and Studs, which did not receive a single vote from any of us.  Beyond that, we as a group generally placed an emphasis on the quality of the game rather than the fame of the show. You'll see what I mean soon.

Secondly, there's definitely an age bias, though probably not as enormous a one as some had feared.  Most of us came of age in the eighties, so a lot of quality shows from that decade probably got rated a little higher overall than they would if we were a slightly older bunch.  Another good example of age bias is the children's shows.  Six shows aimed at kids made the top 100, and they're all from the 80s and beyond.  Meanwhile, Shenanigans didn't make the top 100, and shows like Choose Up Sides and Runaround didn't get any votes at all.

Our top show that didn't make the GSN list came in at #23 -- and it wasn't Double Dare.  
Nine shows in our top 50 were on neither the GSN list nor the TV Guide list from 2001.

We had one tie in the top 50 (for 47th), and the difference between our number 2 and number 3 shows was a single point (3494 to 3493), a statistical tie if ever there was one.

77 of our 80 first place votes were shared by the top sixteen shows.  The remaining first place votes went to another show in the top fifty, a reality show and a local show.

A sampling of hosts and the number of their shows included in the top 50:

Bill Cullen: 9
Tom Kennedy: 6 (his seventh was #51)
Jack Barry: 5
Alex Trebek: 5
Chuck Woolery: 4
Jim Lange: 4
Wink Martindale: 2
Bob Barker: 2 (sorry, Parent Game)
Patrick Wayne: 1

Later today, I'll start counting down from fifty.  I'll eventually release the top 100, but I'll wait on printing the lower fifty to retain some amount of surprise.

Thanks to everyone who contributed!

[Matt Ottinger]

[color=\"#009900\"]50 Gambit/Las Vegas Gambit (1972-76/1980-81)[/color][/size]
(579 points, appeared on 32 out of 80 ballots)(Did not appear on the GSN or TV Guide lists)

That other card game, or that other game show based on blackjack, depending on how you look at it.  One of six Heatter-Quigley shows in our Top 100.

[color=\"#009900\"]49 The Weakest Link (2001-03)[/color][/size]
(614 38/80)(GSN: 22)

The worldwide smash was a relative flash in the pan in the US, burning through a prime time AND syndicated run in less than three years before disappearing.  Still, one of the few "modern" shows to make our list.

[color=\"#009900\"]47 The Dating Game (1965-74, 78-80, 86-89, 96-98)[/color][/size]
(629 34/80)(GSN: 10)(TVG: 28)

As I said in the intro, we show no love to the relationship shows.  This bona fide classic barely made it onto our list.  Thanks to his CIA connections, Chuck Barris knows where you all live, and he's gunning for you.

[color=\"#009900\"]47 Remote Control (1987-91)[/color][/size]
(629 34/80)(GSN: 36)(TVG: 36)

"TV mattered, nothing else did."  The show that launched the careers of Adam Sandler, Colin Quinn and Ken Ober.  One's still doing pretty well.

[color=\"#009900\"]46 College Bowl (1959-70, 1987)[/color][/size]
(639 25/80)(GSN: 39)(TVG: 3)

Arguably the most imitated and influential game show ever. (Seriously, how many high schools have Hollywood Squares clubs?)  Without this show's impact, many people on this forum (well, me and mmb5 anyway) would not have cool part-time jobs.  On fewer ballots, but those who had it ranked it higher.

More to come!

[chad1m]

Wow, I know it's a good show, but I'm amazed Remote Control ranked that high with the die-hards here. List looks good so far.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'chad1m\' post=\'129662\' date=\'Aug 29 2006, 06:09 PM\']
Wow, I know it's a good show, but I'm amazed Remote Control ranked that high with the die-hards here. List looks good so far.
[/quote]
47th, not even appearing on half of the ballots, is high?

[cweaver]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'129663\' date=\'Aug 29 2006, 08:14 PM\']
47th, not even appearing on half of the ballots, is high?
[/quote]

Evidently it won its standing on points.

[cweaver]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'129596\' date=\'Aug 29 2006, 09:20 AM\']
shows like Choose Up Sides and Runaround didn't get any votes at all.
[/quote]

I seriously considered putting Runaround on my list because I have fond memories of it as a child.  It's the first game show I ever saw in my life that was aimed at children.  But I didn't include it because I don't have modern-day access to a tape, print or DVD of it to re-evaluate it like I did, say, Treasure Isle.

[chad1m]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'129663\' date=\'Aug 29 2006, 09:14 PM\']
47th, not even appearing on half of the ballots, is high?
[/quote]

I don't care how many ballots it appeared on, I'm just surprised it's on the Top 50 no matter how many times it was placed on a ballot.

[DrBear]

If I may make a suggestion - I imagine we're all going to compare our lists. Some of us have already posted them elsewhere, but not in here. May I suggest we wait until all 50 are up, and then let the arguments begin!

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'DrBear\' post=\'129668\' date=\'Aug 29 2006, 08:42 PM\']
If I may make a suggestion - I imagine we're all going to compare our lists. Some of us have already posted them elsewhere, but not in here. May I suggest we wait until all 50 are up, and then let the arguments begin!
[/quote]
You could suggest it.  Doesn't mean some people are going to take you up on it.  

Doug -- and the countdown to 2200 continues

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'DrBear\' post=\'129668\' date=\'Aug 29 2006, 06:42 PM\']
If I may make a suggestion - I imagine we're all going to compare our lists. Some of us have already posted them elsewhere, but not in here. May I suggest we wait until all 50 are up, and then let the arguments begin!
[/quote]
You may indeed make that suggestion, but I have to think Matt wouldn't be releasing them in chunks if he did not want it to foster conversation along the way.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'chad1m\' post=\'129666\' date=\'Aug 29 2006, 06:38 PM\']
I don't care how many ballots it appeared on, I'm just surprised it's on the Top 50 no matter how many times it was placed on a ballot.
[/quote]
Fair enough, but I bet you're going to feel a little silly when Matt posts the complete results and you find out just how many points away it was from being 94th.

[DrBear]

Chris - I didn't mean don't comment on the results as they come up - that's half the fun. I just meant not posting our own top-50 lists. My bad for not making that clear.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'129671\' date=\'Aug 29 2006, 09:49 PM\'][quote name=\'DrBear\' post=\'129668\' date=\'Aug 29 2006, 06:42 PM\']If I may make a suggestion - I imagine we're all going to compare our lists. Some of us have already posted them elsewhere, but not in here. May I suggest we wait until all 50 are up, and then let the arguments begin![/quote]You may indeed make that suggestion, but I have to think Matt wouldn't be releasing them in chunks if he did not want it to foster conversation along the way.[/quote]
Damn straight.  I'd prefer that the conversations be limited to the shows that have been revealed (I had that one, I didn't have that one, I'm surprised that one made it) but that's about the only restriction I have.

[quote name=\'DrBear\' post=\'129673\' date=\'Aug 29 2006, 09:56 PM\']
Chris - I didn't mean don't comment on the results as they come up - that's half the fun. I just meant not posting our own top-50 lists. My bad for not making that clear.[/quote]
Oh...good...yeah, that.

[wheelloon]

Glad to see College Bowl cracked the Top 50, I wasn't sure if it would. Would've hope it was ranked a bit higher, but no real surprises/questionable thoughts/complaints on the list so far from me...

[Sonic Whammy]

First up, interesting list so far. All 5 of these shows were considered for my countdown, but only 1 made it. But I have one comment.

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'129661\' date=\'Aug 29 2006, 09:06 PM\']
[color=\"#009900\"]46 College Bowl (1959-70, 1987)[/color][/size]
(639 25/80)(GSN: 39)(TVG: 3)
[/quote]

I think you left a piece out, Matt. Wasn't BET's Campus All-Star Challenge (1990-95) considered a spinoff of College Bowl? At least that's how the EOTVGS describes it.