The strongest format(s)?

[LA the DJ]

Tonight I got into a discussion with a friend as to how strong the format is of The Price is Right, and if it will survive a new host or set/format changes.
I mentioned that I've always felt Family Feud is probably the strongest game show format out there, as it's survived so many incarnations and hosts. The play along aspect is so strong, and the family dynamic makes it fun.
So my question to you, the game show aficionados is this:
What is the strongest game show format in history?
Minus the bells and whistles, sets, hosts, what is the most enjoyable game to watch, simply for the game?

[Chelsea Thrasher]

For my money, it's Family Feud.  Even when it was being helmed by an individual with the hosting ability of Louie Anderson, you could still watch the show, and if you possessed a mute button and closed captioning, still enjoy what is - at it's core - a fun game.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'nWo_Whammy\' post=\'152609\' date=\'May 17 2007, 08:53 PM\']
Minus the bells and whistles, sets, hosts, what is the most enjoyable game to watch, simply for the game?
[/quote]
Pyramid. The Winner's Circle is as interesting to watch on someone's couch as it is to watch on TV.

[PYLdude]

For me, I'll take Jeopardy. A fast-paced quiz show with a bunch of different categories and a great play along factor...what's not to like?

[BrandonFG]

The Passwords. Easy to play along with at home, and very fun to play with friends.

[Jimmy Owen]

A good number of my favorite shows (J!, $ale, Big Showdown, Split Second) involved three people with buzzers.

[fishbulb]

I would choose the partner games, like Password and Pyramid, and my favorite, You Don't Say. They all had long runs, and great play-along value, and Pyramid had the most nerve-wracking 60 seconds in game show history.

[TimK2003]

[quote name=\'Seth Thrasher\' post=\'152610\' date=\'May 17 2007, 11:57 PM\']
For my money, it's Family Feud.  Even when it was being helmed by an individual with the hosting ability of Louie Anderson,... [/quote]

Don't give Richard Karn that much credit!!!

[Neumms]

[quote name=\'TimK2003\' post=\'152619\' date=\'May 18 2007, 12:16 AM\']
[quote name=\'Seth Thrasher\' post=\'152610\' date=\'May 17 2007, 11:57 PM\']
For my money, it's Family Feud.  Even when it was being helmed by an individual with the hosting ability of Louie Anderson,... [/quote]

Don't give Richard Karn that much credit!!!
[/quote]

I love that one!

I say "Jeopardy!" for strongest format. It's such a simple game, yet has just enough wrinkles to be an interesting game. It has the drama Password doesn't, although Password is the best to play at home. And as great as the Winners' Circle is (in the right producer's hands), Pyramid's front game is lacking.

[Ian Wallis]

Agreed with everything so far...but if you're talking about strong formats, Who Wants to be a Millionaire has to be right up there.

[JasonA1]

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'152688\' date=\'May 18 2007, 04:32 PM\']
Who Wants to be a Millionaire has to be right up there.
[/quote]

So you don't think it's mostly the money and atmosphere? Stuff like "Feud" and "Pyramid" as mentioned are just fun, it doesn't matter if it's my friends, celebrities...for $50,000, $20...but "Millionaire" not so much, IMO.

-Jason

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'152688\' date=\'May 18 2007, 01:32 PM\']
Agreed with everything so far...but if you're talking about strong formats, Who Wants to be a Millionaire has to be right up there.
[/quote]
Are you kidding?

Who Wants To Win Five Dollars would blow Chunks.

That's not the mark of a good format.

[tpirfan28]

Concentration ranks really high for me.  It operated on two levels...trying to remember the pairs and trying to solve the rebus.

Gotta agree with Lemon on this one though...nothing could top a well executed game of Pyramid.

/you did mean the Clark/Cullen/Davidson execution, right?
//notice someone was left outta that.

[Ian Wallis]

So you don't think it's mostly the money and atmosphere? Stuff like "Feud" and "Pyramid" as mentioned are just fun, it doesn't matter if it's my friends, celebrities...for $50,000, $20...but "Millionaire" not so much, IMO.

I've played the box game a few times with friends and we've all had fun.  It's a challenge to see how far up the ladder you can get...but to each his own!

[Robert Hutchinson]

Strongest in potential? Pyramid.

Strongest in "you really have to work to screw this up"? I'm torn between The Price Is Right and Wheel of Fortune, honestly.

I would be tempted to vote for Family Feud, except that in the modern incarnation, I've seen how much fun can be sucked out of Fast Money by the producers' obvious budget shuffling. It's so rare to see a balanced FM now--instead, they seem to enjoy alternating between very difficult and very easy sets of questions.