Author Topic: Shows You Thought Were Game Shows...But Weren't (Read 34953 times)

TimK2003 · « **on:** May 10, 2013, 02:54:44 PM »

Inspired by a post on another thread, have you ever been duped by a vaguely-worded ad or announcement, or a TV Guide listing thinking the title was a game show only to find out it wasn\'t even close?

Back in \'87 when I visited LA, I was looking to choose a show taping to see at NBC Burbank. On the board of available tickets for that week -- listing just the titles only -- I almost made the mistake of choosing \"Saved By The Bell\". I never heard of nor seen the show before and I thought it sounded like a great title of a new game show.

Luckily, I opted for Super Password and Hollywood Squares instead and ultimately got to speak at length with Gene Wood in person!

Others?

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #1 on:** May 10, 2013, 07:39:54 PM »

Around 1968 or so, during the time when Newlywed and Dating Game were in prime-time, ABC started promoting a special called \"The Mating Game.\" To my dismay, it was only a documentary about wild youth and their social lives.

PYLdude · « **Reply #2 on:** May 10, 2013, 11:21:58 PM »

I don\'t know how Saved by the Bell was one of the shows considering it not only didn\'t premiere until the next year but it was also under a different title.

(if you go by the syndication package rules, which includes the entire Good Morning Miss Bliss series as part of the Saved by the Bell package)

Johnissoevil · « **Reply #3 on:** May 10, 2013, 11:59:55 PM »

When I first saw promos for Star Search before it premiered, I thought it was gonna be a game show. Watched the premiere, and while it wasn\'t a game show, I still became a fan nonetheless.

aaron sica · « **Reply #4 on:** May 11, 2013, 01:07:41 AM »

I can think of the polar opposite...Seeing the famous [Last show of the series. Beginning Monday, \"Body Language\" premieres here.] in the TVG, I figured it was an exercise program.

10 years later, the opposite would happen - VH1 had a music video show called \"Body Language\", which TVG incorrectly listed as the game show..

PYLdude · « **Reply #5 on:** May 11, 2013, 02:05:39 AM »

For years as a kid I thought \"Crossfire\" was a game show. Why I don\'t know.

WilliamPorygon · « **Reply #6 on:** May 11, 2013, 02:37:38 AM »

For years as a kid I thought \"Crossfire\" was a game show. Why I don\'t know.

Probably because of Milton Bradley.

Craig Karlberg · « **Reply #7 on:** May 11, 2013, 03:22:03 AM »

When I saw Hart to Hart in a TVG listing once, I thought it was a dating show where couples try to create compatibility with each other, like \"heart-to-heart\" which was similar to Love Connection that was out at about the time. When I saw the opening sequence, it turned out to be a husband & wife crime-fighting team.

J.R. · « **Reply #8 on:** May 11, 2013, 07:47:21 AM »

I thought NBC\'s Deal or No Deal was a game show. Turned out to be a giant circus.

Vahan_Nisanian · « **Reply #9 on:** May 11, 2013, 08:42:44 AM »

I thought NBC\'s Deal or No Deal was a game show. Turned out to be a giant circus.

Best post ever from you.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #10 on:** May 11, 2013, 08:55:38 AM »

I thought NBC\'s Deal or No Deal was a game show. Turned out to be a giant circus.

Well played.

I have a few more other than Money Wheel on the other thread, which was actually a CNBC financial news or advice show. Sometime in the early-90s, one of the cable networks aired a show called Dream House, which had nothing to do with Mike Darrow or Bob Eubanks.

Others that fooled me:

-Bulls Eye (note the two-word spelling)...it was a recap show about the Chicago Bulls that aired on WGN in the 90s

-The aforementioned Crossfire

-That Girl...I thought it was a Queen For a Day-type show when I saw the listing...the TV magazine also said it would come on USA around the same time that their game show reruns traditionally aired.

TimK2003 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 11, 2013, 12:13:52 PM »

There was also a celebrity-driven NBC mid-morning show blip in the 70\'s called \"Take My Advice\", with KNBC personality Kelly Lange.

I was thinking it was going to be a game show as it briefly replaced the \"Magnificent Marble Machine\".

Adam Nedeff · « **Reply #12 on:** May 11, 2013, 12:19:46 PM »

10 years later, the opposite would happen - VH1 had a music video show called \"Body Language\", which TVG incorrectly listed as the game show..

Similar experience. I was once channel-surfing and came to a listing for \"High Rollers\" on E!, and the cable guide summary even had a summary for the game show. Turned out to be a documentary about gamblers.

jjman920 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 11, 2013, 12:36:38 PM »

I thought the movie Double Jeopardy was going to be a documentary about Jeopardy! and I couldn\'t for the life of me (those eight years of life) understand why it was rated R.

gamed121683 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 11, 2013, 01:35:56 PM »

I remember about 10-15 years ago flipping through the TV Guide and stumbling across this listing:

3:30AM (Channel 7) 3\'s A Crowd--Game.

My curiosity piqued, I taped the show & watched it the next day. Turns out it was reruns of the short-lived John Ritter sitcom of the same name.