Happy Anniversary to a couple of great shows!

[Jimmy Owen]

Thirty seven years ago, a couple of shows debuted on ABC which greatly influenced my love of game shows!  Happy Anniversary Ron Greenberg, Jim Peck, Dan Daniel and of course, Heather Cunningham and the rest of the staff on the outstanding show "The Big Showdown."  Also to Nick Clooney, Alan Kalter and the late Don Lipp, for the amazing "Money Maze."  With all the other great shows on network TV and in prime access, this week in 1974 was a great time for game shows!

[BrandonFG]

I still can't believe The Big Showdown hasn't returned to TV. It was a superbly-crafted game show that involved a great deal of strategy.

Money Maze, though not as strategic, was a fun little show as well that equally deserves another shot.

I just looked over my Top 50 list that I sent to Matt O. a few years ago. I'm shocked that I included Maze but excluded Showdown, possibly because I hadn't seen the latter at that point. Five years later, I'd easily put that show on my list.

[Don Howard]

Both born and deceased on the same day with the 4th of July '75 being the final air date for both.
Other pairs of shows to debut and cease on the same date were Stumpers! and 50 Grand Slam in 1976 and the tandem of Scrabble and Scattergories in 1993.
But, yes, Jimmy, two fine programs. Thirty-seven years ago, you say. Golly Moses, how time flies for I remember both shows clearly from their original runs.

[SRIV94]

Both born and deceased on the same day with the 4th of July '75 being the final air date for both.
Other pairs of shows to debut and cease on the same date were Stumpers! and 50 Grand Slam in 1976 and the tandem of Scrabble and Scattergories in 1993.

Didn't Knockout and To Say The Least also join the "born and deceased the same day" club?

[Don Howard]

Both born and deceased on the same day with the 4th of July '75 being the final air date for both.
Other pairs of shows to debut and cease on the same date were Stumpers! and 50 Grand Slam in 1976 and the tandem of Scrabble and Scattergories in 1993.

Didn't Knockout and To Say The Least also join the "born and deceased the same day" club?

Indeed they did. I knew there were others. I just couldn't summon them to my recall at the time of my typing.

[TLEberle]

I still can't believe The Big Showdown hasn't returned to TV. It was a superbly-crafted game show that involved a great deal of strategy.

Sadly I think you answered your own (implied) question there. I bet if you were to take our Top 50 lists, you'd see more overlap than outliers.

[Ian Wallis]

I just looked over my Top 50 list that I sent to Matt O. a few years ago. I'm shocked that I included Maze but excluded Showdown, possibly because I hadn't seen the latter at that point. Five years later, I'd easily put that show on my list

I wonder if we were to all submit top 50 lists again if the results would be any different.  I'm sure over the years our appreciations for some of these older shows has changed - either by episodes being found or just looking at these shows more closely.

[Sonic Whammy]

It's funny we bring up those Top 50 lists from 5 years ago. Just a couple weeks ago, I was actually looking over my list and the overall list that we came up with.

I have to admit that I don't think there would be much difference between our lists if we made it now versus 2006. At least I know that my 50 are still what they are. The only shows I can see changing position for any of us would be those shows that are currently on the air or have come and gone in the last 5 years. So, strictly for example, some might put 5th Grader or Minute to Win It in their lists, might remove Deal or No Deal, and might raise or lower the status of Feud, Let's Make A Deal or Price based on Steve's, Wayne's and Drew's current eras.

But in looking at our combined list today, the one show where Ottinger's comments really caught my eye was Let's Make A Deal. As he said:

"At some point, after all the Billy Bushes and Ricki Lakes get through with it, we'll all realize that this show is Monty Hall, Monty Hall is this show, and no one should ever try to remake it ever again."

After all of the great things we've said about Wayne and the gang these past 2+ years, I can't help but ask: Hey Matt, do you think that's still true?

[clemon79]

After all of the great things we've said about Wayne and the gang these past 2+ years, I can't help but ask: Hey Matt, do you think that's still true?

I'm not Matt, but I certainly do.

Don't get me wrong; I think Wayne's show is inoffensive enough. But it also feels like all of the soul is sucked out of it, and all of that pretty much ties back to Monty not being involved.

[J.R.]

Don't get me wrong; I think Wayne's show is inoffensive enough. But it also feels like all of the soul is sucked out of it, and all of that pretty much ties back to Monty not being involved.

I feel the same way. It's a decent enough show. But there's just something dry and generic about the show.

Wayne is a good host, but he just doesn't seem "in to it". Sometimes does an entire show in monotone, even after a big win. Maybe it's me.

[BrandonFG]

Don't get me wrong; I think Wayne's show is inoffensive enough. But it also feels like all of the soul is sucked out of it, and all of that pretty much ties back to Monty not being involved.

I feel the same way. It's a decent enough show. But there's just something dry and generic about the show.

That's how I feel as well. All the LMaD elements are there, but it's like everyone's there just to collect a paycheck. Even the short-lived 80s and 90s versions brought you in, and I don't necessarily think it's all because Monty hosted. I think if the producers put in a little extra effort, it could work with Wayne as host.

[MikeK]

I feel the same way. It's a decent enough show. But there's just something dry and generic about the show.

Is it because most games are essentially binary decisions?  There are no pricing games like the older versions.  I'd even like the vintage cash register game from the 70s and 80s with dollar amounts and some "no sale" results.  Just something besides "the cash or the box/curtain" variations 75% of the time.

What bugs me about Wayne is that he holds the microphone right up to his mouth.  It's a small thing but it still irks me.

[TLEberle]

Is it because most games are essentially binary decisions?  There are no pricing games like the older versions.  I'd even like the vintage cash register game from the 70s and 80s with dollar amounts and some "no sale" results.  Just something besides "the cash or the box/curtain" variations 75% of the time.

For me it gets down to the same thing as TPIR; there are good games, and the rest of them are absolute rubbish. LMAD has a few decent games, like Door #4, and the Driver's Test game from High Rollers and the no-repeats dice game. And the rest is the same stupid box-or-bucks games that I blip through, or maybe I'll stop and see that box-or-bucks is being played as a talent show or at a hair salon. I don't care, because tarting up X or Y doesn't make that choice any more interesting. Give me more meat, less bun.

[dale_grass]

Give me more meat, less bun.

I was getting ready to type something, but I decided against.

Merry Christmas, everybody!

[TimK2003]

Don't get me wrong; I think Wayne's show is inoffensive enough. But it also feels like all of the soul is sucked out of it, and all of that pretty much ties back to Monty not being involved.

I feel the same way. It's a decent enough show. But there's just something dry and generic about the show.

I agree with J.R. that there are just too many elements that made Monty's LMAD versions unique that have been stripped from the current version for no real good reason:  

•  Why you need to get the audience riled up before every deal instead of just walking up to someone and surprising them that they will do the next deal.
•  Why you cannot do any games involving guessing the prices of products because it makes the show too much like TPIR.
•  Why you must have only one person do the Big Deal when it doesn't really cost you any extra $ -- especially if the 2 non-Big Deal prizes are equal to or less than the trader's original loot.


Some days, it just feels like Wayne's show is closer to "The Fun Factory" and/or "The Wizard of Odds" than "Let's Make A Deal".